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Phil_SS
July 13th, 2016, 10:43 AM
I coulda sworn I had a thread here but I guess I don't. Anyways. the current fleet is composed of:

2012 VW Jetta Sportswagen (47000 miles)
2013 Subaru Impreza Sport Premium (34000 miles)

2012 VW Jetta Sportswagen

The Jetta was under the care of VW for the first 30k miles for any scheduled maintenance. When we bought it they had some sort of deal that for the first 36k miles that all maintenance would be handled by them. Including yearly safety inspection though it didn't include emissions (1) inspection. Plus oil changes etc. I thought we may be able to get a new set of brakes during that period but they seem to be made of adamantium. More on that later.

So other than oil, oil filters, air filters and wiper blades the car has not needed anything. Even brakes. My wife keeps complaining that they shudder when you brake hard. And they do for a split second when traveling at high speed coming down a mountain due to warped rotors but the brake pads still have good life on them. When I check them with a handy dandy Brake Lining thickness gauge they are just into the yellow. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015DMJ2S/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687502&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00829RHE8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=AGX0B0RXQY4Y63KEB1GE) Even after 47k miles. Blows my mind. I'm still preconditioned from my 1985 Pontiac 6000 STE needing new brakes about every 17-20k miles. I have agreed to replace the brakes and rotors this fall.

This car is a highway machine. The inline five with 6 speed auto just chews up the miles and does it with damn good gas mileage. We average about 33-34 MPG during our yearly trip to Myrtle Beach. Not bad for a car with 2.5 people and a full cargo area through the Appalachian mountains.

(1)They stated it was against the law to offer that for free. And of course to make up for it they charge $80 for emissions inspection. I didn't know it wasn't part of the deal til I brought the car to the dealership for the inspection. Only got me once on that. I can take it to my local garage and get Safety and Emissions for around $60-70.

2013 Subaru Impreza Sport Premium

I bought this to replace my 2005 Impreza Sport. It has the 2.0L with CVT. It performs it's duties well but in an uninspiring way. You can check the MPG I have gotten since I bought the car at Fuelly dotcom. (http://www.fuelly.com/car/subaru/impreza/2013/imprezasport13/237615)

It has been reliable and mechanically has needed just the usual care. This past spring I did have the dealership replace the driver side seat back cushion under warranty. It had deteriorated and I was basically resting my lower back on one of the cross braces for the seat.

Unlike the Jetta I did replace the rear brake pads on this car a few months ago. I plan on replacing the fronts in the next few days. Luckily, it has and does not need new rotors for the brake replacement.

This car does reasonably well on the highway. It's a bit more loud though, not just the engine but the wind noise. I don't think they did a great job with sound deadoning material. Especially compared to the Jetta. Gets decent mileage on the Highway around 32MPG and I get around 26MPG in the city. Not bad for an AWD car. Both are about 5-6MPG gain on my 2005 and 1995 Imprezas. Though in this day of cheap gas, I kinda wish I had bought something with a bit more power.

No major accidents. I did back into my parents F-350 van a couple years ago. Left a deep scratch down the driver's side quarter panel. All it did to the van was left some red paint on the bumper. Had it fixed by my insurance. And a couple months ago a piece of metal was in the middle of my lane on the highway and was picked up by a car in front of me. With cars on both sides I just had to hope it didn't hit me and while it went under the front of my car it came flying out the side hitting the under side of the car and then bouncing off the ground and then back into the driver side door. Leaving a 2" diameter dent and a deep scratch. I have to get around to fixing it.

thesameguy
July 13th, 2016, 05:18 PM
What kind of speeds do your normally travel at to see that sort of fuel economy? It's getting time to really start looking for the Santa Fe's replacement - I should only have to keep it another eight weeks. A VW wagen is high on the list, but I'm up for anything that is hatch-y or wagon-y. We just got raises - mine is somewhat pathetic but could eat up a good part of a monthly payment on something reasonable. I'm pulling an Electric Monk, and trying to talk myself into and out of a newish 328 wagon at the same time. :lol:

Random
July 13th, 2016, 06:46 PM
I recommend something blue:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/5607236103.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5665747845.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5653351956.html

thesameguy
July 13th, 2016, 06:49 PM
If I could get her to drive a stick, I'd already be lowballing dealers on FiSTs. :lol:

Definitely do *not* want to be feeding an Audi V8!

Random
July 13th, 2016, 06:50 PM
Booooooo.

Phil_SS
July 14th, 2016, 07:14 AM
What kind of speeds do your normally travel at to see that sort of fuel economy? It's getting time to really start looking for the Santa Fe's replacement - I should only have to keep it another eight weeks. A VW wagen is high on the list, but I'm up for anything that is hatch-y or wagon-y. We just got raises - mine is somewhat pathetic but could eat up a good part of a monthly payment on something reasonable. I'm pulling an Electric Monk, and trying to talk myself into and out of a newish 328 wagon at the same time. :lol:

Speed limit on the highways are; 70MPH for PA & WV and 65 for NC, SC and VA for the roads I travel on. So I go around 76MPH and 72MPH respectively. I think my average speed for the trip is usually in the high 60's.

21Kid
July 22nd, 2016, 08:57 AM
:( New Subaru doesn't qualify for the "of doom" moniker?

Phil_SS
July 27th, 2016, 12:53 PM
It's not teal. :(

There are barely any greens being offered by any of the car companies. We live in such a bland time for the common car.

21Kid
July 28th, 2016, 10:50 AM
:lol:
also
:(

Phil_SS
July 28th, 2016, 10:54 AM
I've thought about getting it wrapped in a nice dark teal. There are so many of my car in running around my area that it could be cool to stand out a little bit.

novicius
July 28th, 2016, 11:17 AM
I miss the days of Phil owning a monster. :(

21Kid
July 28th, 2016, 11:48 AM
So many (https://www.dipyourcar.com/collections/plasti-dip-colors) colors (https://www.dipyourcar.com/pages/showcase-gallery) to choose (https://www.dipyourcar.com/collections/dip-pearls/pearl-colors)!!!

Phil_SS
July 29th, 2016, 04:10 AM
I miss the days of Phil owning a monster. :(

You do......how do you think I feel. :p

I keep looking at Pontiac G8's. But then I look at something old and British and then I feel I need to own an Alfa one time in my life. One of my dream cars is an Alfa GTV, unfortunately they have taken off in the past few years.

And the masochist in me has me search for S8's , V70R's, E39 M5's, on a monthly basis.

And then I look for anything Green.

novicius
July 29th, 2016, 04:38 AM
Well pull the trigger, son! :D

Yeah all that heavy Euro iron is gonna cost a pretty penny in maintenance.

eBay shows a lot of Alfa's going for top dollar (or more) but the beaters on Craigslist are still decently priced. ;) #mudfolk

thesameguy
July 29th, 2016, 01:59 PM
The Type 75 isn't a bad way to Alfa. Whether an Alfetta, GTV6, or even Milano. You don't get the dead-sexy GTV looks, but you can get the luscious V6 and that's not a bad compromise.

Kchrpm
August 1st, 2016, 05:52 AM
I keep looking at Pontiac G8's...And then I look for anything Green.
Best I could find

Jungle Green

http://www.ssforums.com/forum/members/tjhulkss-albums-jungle+green+ss-picture8737-img-0796.jpg

Regal Peacock Green

http://www.car-revs-daily.com/file/2015/10/2015-Chevrolet-SS-Green-42-1200x520.jpg

Phil_SS
August 2nd, 2016, 05:00 PM
Regal Peacock is a great color.

Though I don't think I could ever own a Chevy. Maybe a Corvette ;) or a Mid 90s Impala SS or a Fly Yellow Beretta Indy. Otherwise I'm a Pontiac or Buick person.

Random
August 2nd, 2016, 05:28 PM
Can you update the SS to Holden Commodore?

novicius
August 2nd, 2016, 06:58 PM
No love for the current Regal GS with AWD? I didn't think they looked too bad.

Optional six-speed manual available in the FWD Regal GS only.

Kchrpm
August 2nd, 2016, 07:33 PM
It looks great, but continues a trend of not being able to combine the items that would make it truly stand out. How many vehicles in the last 10 years have an optional more powerful engine, all wheel drive and manual transmission, but no way to have all three together?

In this day and age having a powerful engine in a mid-sized sedan is not all that special. I bet every midsize sedan has a 250-300 hp engine, and probably some package that gives it big wheels or some other form of "sporty" look/package. That's not enough to be special, that's just table stakes nowadays.

novicius
August 3rd, 2016, 05:11 AM
The only "loss" is the option of a manual transmission -- which Buick is not known for.

Ergo if one is a fan of Buicks, a tossable shift-your-own hot trolley is arguably not what one is holding out for.

EDIT: After further reading, the Regal GS AWD is a Haldex-based system, not a rally-spec Torsen system. There is however a Quaife LSD available for the six-speed FWD car... ;)

Kchrpm
August 3rd, 2016, 06:03 AM
That's...oh, you meant Phil specifically, not the market at large. My bad.

novicius
August 3rd, 2016, 06:09 AM
No I mean Buick fans, fans of the badge in general and the Regal specifically. Phil knows way more about Buick than I do! :D

The Regal (and boosted Regals!) have been around for a long time at this point. They've also been FWD for longer than they were RWD. So the current Regal GS shouldn't scare off anyone that wasn't buying GS's for the past 20 years. Hell, it's an absolute high water mark! :D

Kchrpm
August 3rd, 2016, 06:31 AM
I agree. I thought you were talking about Buick actually trying to attract new buyers, though. The Regal GS would be the Buick to choose if you're only looking at Buicks, but they had a chance to draw in people that would never before consider that brand; a younger, more enthusiastic segment. They chose not to. It might have been the right choice financially, I have no clue, but it's not the exciting choice. That's where I was coming from.

novicius
August 3rd, 2016, 06:47 AM
Eh, the addition of the six-speed (thank you Europe) is Buick's attempt to go younger/affluent regardless of any sales success, don't you think?

I mean they might not sway Chinese BMW/Audi buyers but maybe they're trying to poach those professionals that are tired of a 5-door hot hatch... and have fond memories of Dad's horrible FWD luxobarge? :lol:

Or again this IS for new buyers -- the Chinese, who don't know or do have good memories of older FWD Buicks? Just guessing, of course.

The reality is that a boosted Buick has always been a slushbox Buick. Now you have the option of AWD. #improvement

(Also the seats and interiors aren't bad. ;) )

Kchrpm
August 3rd, 2016, 07:47 AM
Eh, the addition of the six-speed (thank you Europe) is Buick's attempt to go younger/affluent regardless of any sales success, don't you think?

Yes, but they could have tried harder. It very well may not have worked, but it would have been far more interesting had they made a rally-special type car, an STI/S4 competitor. They have no reason to other than all the attention it would get, it would be tough for that to translate to sales. But man, it could have been SWEET :D

novicius
August 3rd, 2016, 07:55 AM
Yeeeah... no. :lol:

Phil_SS
May 23rd, 2017, 09:52 AM
My wife takes the bus to work when she works in the office. So the Jetta has only got about 5000 miles in the past year. That is including a 1800 mile trip to Raleigh and Myrtle Beach last summer. So it really is only getting about 3000 miles a year in regular driving.

Thus I finally got around to changing the brakes on the Jetta. I arranged with my Dad to use his garage. Years ago my parents bought a house with some land strictly for him to build a garage that could fit a lift. So that’s what he did. It’s a double length garage with the back section being double height for the lift and a single car garage stuck onto the left side. Thus he can fit four cars when one car is on the lift.

So after a little bit of car shuffling I put the Jetta on the lift. The lift is a four post lift. And my Dad has a Hydraulic Center Jack (http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-RJ-45-Rolling-Jack) which allows for both the front or back wheels to be lifted at the same time. Pretty damn cool.

I take off the wheels and began the tear down. I couldn’t remove the rotors without taking off the caliper mounting bracket so since I was changing the brakes and the rotors I decided to just unbolt the caliper mounting bracket with the caliper still attached.

Passenger side goes well, just a couple big hex (21mm) bolts. Easy peasy lemon breaker bar. But then I get to the Driver side and I notice a tube running from a connector attached to the hub into the brake caliper. Hmmm, come to find out it is attached to the brake pad and is a sensor to tell you when to change the brakes. So yeah, the brakes probably had a good 5-10k miles to go. :lol: But I bought the stuff and the rotors are warped so I decided to just make the change anyways. Aka, when dealing with the wife’s car, discretion is the better part of valor.

But because of this, I have to take the caliper off the mounting bracket to run the wires and connector for the new brake pads on the Driver side. So I take the caliper off and continue on. The only hang up was the driver side rotor that needed a little persuasion to come loose via a rotor puller and a rubber mallet. The passenger side rotor came right off.

I did have remove the engine cover to get to the brake reservoir cap. No big deal as the car was due to get a new air filter and that is attached to the engine cover. The new front brake parts go on without any hitches. Put the front back together and move to the back.

Move the Hydraulic center jack and jack up the rear. Take off the wheels. Same as the front, right? Wrong! For some ridiculous moronic reason, VAG have the caliper mounting bracket held on with a 14mm Triple Square (Spline) head bolt. WHAAAAAA?!?!?!?! Why not just use a normal fucking bolt. Ze Germans!

So we look around and even though my Dad has an “Awesome set of tools” he doesn’t have a 14mm Triple Square bit socket. So I call my childhood best friend Jim who was an ASE Mechanic and he still has all his tools. And he has two, one is a shank socket and the other is a bit socket. But both are pretty long. They each are about 3” long. Just looking at the space, I don’t believe they will work but I go pick them up and give them a shot. No dice. Too long.

And now I have to try and find a 14mm Triple Square bit socket. Go to my local Advance, needed the air filter anyways…nope. Lowes is right down the street….nope. Go back home, it’s late, I’ll call some places tomorrow.

Get back to it the next day. Call Sears…nobody answers in the tools department…and they wonder why they are going out of business. Call an All Foreign Auto Parts place and they don’t answer. Call AutoZone……nope. Call Pepboys and the guy says yes. Really?..... Pepboys has it? OK, drive out and lo and behold they do have it. Yahtzee!!!

Get back to it and open the box for the brake pads and they are obviously not the right ones. Totally different car. Take them back to Advance and get the right ones. Let’s get back to it. For the back I have to take off the calipers and then the caliper brackets because the rear calipers need to be turned as they are pressed in because of the parking brake design. I had already got the tool from Jim.

Start putting the rear back together and the caliper bracket is hitting the rotor. Hmmm. So my Dad & I start comparing the old rotors and the new rotors and we see that the depth of the hat is different between the two. The new ones are about 1/16 of an inch taller. They definitely fit a VW but may not be the right ones.

I pack them up and one of the old rotors and run back to Advance. We bring it up on the screen and he shows me there is two different rotors for the car. A 256mm and 272mm, I have the 256mm. unfortunately, they don’t have a choice for Sportswagen in the database, It’s just by Jetta, thus S, SE, SES etc. But it makes sense for me, a wagen that can have more crap in it probably has bigger rotors.

I trade for the 272mm rotors and they are actually cheaper than the ones I bought originally. Bonus! And I take them home and voila!, fits perfectly. And makes total sense. VAG changed the depth of the hat to make sure someone doesn’t put a smaller diameter rotor on a Sportwagen.

Back to work and it goes as planned. Everything bolts back up and I’m finally done. Take my Dad out for a beer and a Prime Rib dinner. And then never call him again. Chuck Mantooth is a saint!

I take the car to work on Monday and it feels great. When I brake form high speed there is no more shutter from the warped rotors and it brakes really well as it should. Leave work. Start driving home, it’s warm out and I put the windows down and I start to hear this tuck tuck tuck noise when I brake hard. The car brakes fine, stops as it should but it makes the noise only when I brake hard. When I just gradually brake it doesn’t seem to do it. Hmmm.

The noise appears to be coming from the Driver’s front and I start to think hmmm. Maybe that stupid connector came loose or something. I’m close to home and since the car is driving and stopping fine I will just take it easy on the way home.

I live maybe a ¼ mile from my parents so I stop at my house, put on my work clothes and then go to my parents. While doing this I think of one other thing it could be. Guess I’ll see when I jack the car up. Get to my parents, jack up the car with the floor jack and before I start loosening the lugnuts I decide to just peer under to see if it is the second thing. And damn if it isn’t.

Anybody who performs their own brake work will know what it is. Any guesses? Car drove fine afterwards, obviously, and the tuck tuck tuck was gone.

So yeah, how was your weekend?

thesameguy
May 23rd, 2017, 10:38 AM
Did you leave a shop towel in the throttle body?

dodint
May 23rd, 2017, 10:45 AM
Bent the dust shield just enough when working in there?

novicius
May 23rd, 2017, 11:13 AM
Barnacles and rusty chunks falling into the wheel?

GB
May 23rd, 2017, 09:53 PM
Brake hose retaining clip?

Cam
May 24th, 2017, 04:46 AM
Dead squirrel?

Phil_SS
May 24th, 2017, 09:15 AM
And the answer is: A wire Hanger! :o

I use them to hold the caliper up while I am doing other work so the brake line doesn't get damaged.

novicius
May 24th, 2017, 10:10 AM
:lol:


I use zip-ties. :)

thesameguy
May 24th, 2017, 10:13 AM
I use section of a poster tube, and just set the caliper aside deeper in the wheel well. Drives me up the wall having a caliper dangling where I am trying to work, no doubt chipping carefully applied paint off something. :smh:

21Kid
May 24th, 2017, 10:25 AM
Similar to TSG, I rest it on something else.

They still make wire hangers? :lol:

Yeti
May 24th, 2017, 10:29 AM
I use brightly colored bungee cords, so they can't be missed :D

I am incredibly envious of your dad if he's got a 4-poster with a rack-jack. That's the dream for my future garage...in like 25 years :lol:

Phil_SS
May 24th, 2017, 11:57 AM
They are actually pretty economical, like 2K for the lift and 1K for the rack jack. It's just the building and land to house it. :)

And you could go economical there also with a pole building.

Phil_SS
June 8th, 2017, 05:57 AM
I am getting tired of my car. I feel I need something with a bit more umph and precision.

novicius
June 8th, 2017, 06:28 AM
:up: :up:

Looking forward to seeing what you get.

dodint
June 8th, 2017, 08:53 AM
Was going to offer the Cobra but then you said precision. ;)

Godson
June 8th, 2017, 10:19 AM
Still driving the VW?

thesameguy
June 8th, 2017, 10:40 AM
Caymans are getting cheap. :)

Random
June 8th, 2017, 10:52 AM
https://images.craigslist.org/00Z0Z_1iPfIqyGoPe_1200x900.jpg

Kchrpm
June 8th, 2017, 10:54 AM
I wonder how long Viv will fit in the back of that.

Random
June 8th, 2017, 11:02 AM
Back seats are pretty reasonable, IMO, particularly if she sits behind the shorter parent. YMMV.

Phil_SS
June 8th, 2017, 06:13 PM
I thought about a BRZ but I'm not sure about driving one through the winter. Cayman as well. Though both are a great option. I'm always thinking about a 911, 996s are reasonable. Maybe a 4S.

Thought about a G8. But I'm picky and would want one in Pacific Slate. And it needs to be a 2009 L3 version which has Bluetooth. FYI. When looking at a G8. About a half way thought the serial number you will see an L. Only the ones with the L3 have Bluetooth. So it was only late 2009 models.

I'm thinking about going to look at a 2011 WRX in my area this weekend.

Just not sure. Just know I'm kinda done with my current car. Which doesn't mean I'm going to do anything right now. May not be til the fall or next spring.

Edit: 996 not 993.

Godson
June 8th, 2017, 06:37 PM
993 is reasonable?!!??

Don't you mean 996?

thesameguy
June 8th, 2017, 08:07 PM
Thought about a G8. But I'm picky and would want one in Pacific Slate. And it needs to be a 2009 L3 version which has Bluetooth. FYI. When looking at a G8. About a half way thought the serial number you will see an L. Only the ones with the L3 have Bluetooth. So it was only late 2009 models.

Can you retrofit the stereo? I think most of that era GM head units are essentially compatible. There should also be plenty of aftermarket solutions - the 9-3 Aero has the same corporate head unit as the G8 and there are several BT & interface solutions available for it.

Phil_SS
June 9th, 2017, 05:56 AM
993 is reasonable?!!??

Don't you mean 996?

Sorry, yeah. Meant 996.

BTW, I drive the 2013 Impreza Sport. My wife's car is the 2012 VW Sportswagen.

Phil_SS
June 9th, 2017, 06:04 AM
Can you retrofit the stereo? I think most of that era GM head units are essentially compatible. There should also be plenty of aftermarket solutions - the 9-3 Aero has the same corporate head unit as the G8 and there are several BT & interface solutions available for it.

Yes, you can but it is more complicated than just a head unit. Not saying it can't be done. Just annoying that GM were jagoffs.

https://dltv.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/pontiac-g8-gt-2009-bluetooth-addition-oem-install/

thesameguy
June 9th, 2017, 09:10 AM
Actually, that's pretty much exactly the same as on a Saab - it's not nearly as big a deal as it sounds. It's an easy afternoon's work. That whole "preflash" thing he's talking about is that you need to have the head unit programmed to your VIN so it will communicate with other CAN modules. You need a tech2 to do that, but any dealer can do it, or anyone with a $250 clone tech2. ;) And, seriously, if you're going to buy a G8 you should seriously just pony up for the tech2 now that they're so cheap.

But there are also aftermarket solutions for this, which might be worth looking at. There are several people that make CAN interfaces for GM that allow them to work with aftermarket head units. The only thing that tends to get compromised is OnStar, which I doubt you'd subscribe to, and sometimes the chimes (doors, turn signals, etc.) but that's mostly not a problem anymore. I had the same head unit in the Solstice (2007) and it was just a couple of modules to install to make the aftermarket head unit work. The advantage of course of going aftermarket is extra features. If you budgeted $600 or $800 on top of the car you'd be easily covered for a professional to do it. My Solstice install cost about $450, I DIY'ed it.

Not selling this, only giving some thoughts to help open up your search.

Godson
June 9th, 2017, 05:15 PM
Sorry, yeah. Meant 996.

BTW, I drive the 2013 Impreza Sport. My wife's car is the 2012 VW Sportswagen.

I vote 996, add about 3-4k into the purchase price for IMSB if it hasn't been done yet. I really loved mine, and it wasn't until it was gone do I realize it. Fantastic car.

Phil_SS
October 17th, 2017, 09:34 AM
A couple of updates.

The Sportswagen was throwin codes and needed a new MAP sensor. So my buddy changed it and the PCV valve gasket. Also had the tranny oil and filter changed. Should be good to go til December when it will require new tires for state inspection.

For the Impreza, state inspection is due this month and it also requires new tires. So I did some research and have decided to go with TireRack's recommendation of the General Tire Altimax RT43. The local shop that does my car inspection is also a General Tire dealer. So in addition to the $50 off from General they are matching the offer as well. So I'll get them for $100 off.

I price compared getting them from Tirerack or from Subaru and neither could match the deal. Both in the end were about $70 more expensive. So the $50 from the local place swung the deal and gives a local shop the business.

Currently we have been rotating the use of the cars with my FIL PriusV to reduce the miles on my car and to give his car some use while he is out of the country. My wife really likes it, though it is a dog somewhat. I think she excepts that it is because it is good for the environment.

She always tells me she misses her 2004 Forester XT until I remind her that it got 15MPG. But she loved the turbozen.

thesameguy
October 17th, 2017, 09:42 AM
Funny how you can let things go when "it's green." Drove a friend's '07 Prius the other day just to see how they age and walked away like, "Yeah, seems about right." But it's not. IT'S SO NOT.

Godson
October 17th, 2017, 10:56 AM
My mom loves her c-max.

I love my truck.

She gets TRIPLE the mpg I get.

21Kid
October 17th, 2017, 04:00 PM
The electric drive in the Plug-in Pacifica is surprisingly quick. Considering it weighs as much as a tank. I've been very impressed all around with the vehicle.

I love how quiet it is too. I would definitely look at getting another electric vehicle.
It's actually a bit depressing when the ICE has to turn on. We went a good 3 weeks on straight electric and one day out running errands the engine turned on, and I panicked for a bit. I started wondering why the car was shaking. :(

thesameguy
October 17th, 2017, 05:43 PM
After driving an EV, ICEs seem like they are about to explode at any moment. :lol:

CudaMan
October 17th, 2017, 11:31 PM
But does an EV promote this reaction on startup? ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbDMhJRSwr4&t=4m28s

thesameguy
October 18th, 2017, 08:58 AM
No, but can you have climate controlled sex in a McLaren?

DIDN'T THINK SO.

I play the long game.

:P

Godson
October 18th, 2017, 09:01 AM
No, but can you have climate controlled sex in a McLaren?

DIDN'T THINK SO.

I play the long game.

:P

I'd rather have the macca than sex in a Prius.

thesameguy
October 18th, 2017, 09:02 AM
And that's what separates you from the animals.

Phil_SS
October 23rd, 2017, 07:18 AM
Impreza: Fully Inspected with new tires. So far the tires have been very nice and a lot less noisy than what was on there. Should be good to go other than usual maintenance for a few years.

Info: The average MPG since I bought the car is 25.8 with a 63/37 split for City/Highway driving. Car has 47500 miles on it.

Phil_SS
July 24th, 2018, 06:35 AM
My wife has finally come around to admitting that my car is cursed. Since my last update I had parked the car at my father-in-laws as we do a car rotation in the summer between our two cars and his car. So that his car gets use while he is out of the country.

Middle of May, my FIL's car required a new battery after sitting all winter. We didn't drive it during the winter because it needs new tires. I changed the battery and started using it for a couple weeks to make sure it was ok. And it is. So I switched back with my car and the rear brakes are making a rubbing sound. I can't hear it when the windows are up so who knows how long it had been like that, we had a long winter where it was cold til like the first week in May so I have no idea how long it had been making the noise.

So I figured, well it had been about 30000 miles since I had changed the rear brakes, maybe it needed new pads. So I ordered the parts and picked them up and put the car on my Dad's lift and started to take the wheels off. And one of the lugs doesn't want to come off. So I had to brake the stud to get it off. This will be the 4th or 5th stud I have had to replace on the rear of the car. It's getting ridiculous.

Anyways, I start looking at the brakes and they look fine but it appears that the grooves that hold the pads onto the bracket are all kinds of gunked up. So they must have been sticking and not releasing fully when I left off the brake pedal. At that point I had both sides basically open. I didn't need to change the pads but the rotors where looking pretty crappy so I just decided to replace the pads and the rotors which I had got on sale and clean everything up as well as possible and put it back together. Goes back together great.

I take my car over to my FIL's and park it since it is time for it to sit during the current rotation. And I go to trade again this past week and the car won't start. Thinking it is the battery I check the voltage and it is good. So it's not the battery. I get my dad to come over so he can watch the engine as I turn it over and he sees that the engine isn't turning over when I try to start it. Ugh, it appears that the starter or starter solenoid is borked on a car that has 58,000 miles on it. Tonight I plan on going over with my Dad and we will try and see it by tapping on the solenoid or starter we can get it to engage.

Also, over the winter, the seat back cushion in the car has gone bad again. Thus my back rests on a cross member. So I have a rolled-up towel that I use to give me some cushion for my back. And my wife backed it into the drive way wall leaving a nice hefty scratch zone on the rear quarter panel.

So, thus Ana I think has finally come around to agreeing with me that the car is cursed. I fully believe in cursed cars and this is one of them.

dodint
July 24th, 2018, 06:46 AM
That sucks to be going through all of that at 58k miles. You should be right at the end of that sweet time when everything just works. The MINI is rapidly exiting that window for us.

Phil_SS
July 24th, 2018, 06:47 AM
Two posts one day. Boom!

Anyways, after driving my FIL's car for a bit I really really like it. And what kind of car is it?

A 2013 Toyota Prius V Five. So the biggest model Prius that they made at one time. They unfortunately don't make the model anymore. But for a commuter car it is fantastic. Comfortable and the gas mileage has been outstanding. This past tank I actually got better than what the car estimates as the range for the car. When fully filling up the tank the car states that the range is 450 miles. This past tank I went 460 miles and a full tank is 10 gallons. For 46 MPG! That is insane-o-mite!

My Impreza at best driving the same route gets about 25-26 MPG. I am all about our electric vehicle overlords. Sign me up. And driving the car is like playing a video game. I try and see how far I can drive on just EV mode. I pull out from stop lights and stopsigns and try to use EV mode as long as possible. I know it sounds goofy but it is fun to drive.

It looks like Subaru is releasing a Crosstrek this fall for the 2019 model year that will be using the Toyota hybrid system and it will be a plug in hybrid. So it will have a pure EV mode for a certain distance.

Phil_SS
September 19th, 2018, 06:41 AM
Finally got around to changing the starter on my car. I had looked up the prices on the web from the usual suspects, Advance, Autozone etc. Prices ranged from $150-300 with a $50 core charge.

Then it clicked in my brain to check the local auto dismantler (All Foreign (https://allforeignautoparts.com/)) which sells used parts in good working order. I check their website and they have one for my car for $25. It's right down the street from where I work so I head on down during lunch and pick one up. Looks good, came from a car with 35K miles.

Changing the starter is pretty easy job on a Subaru due to the boxer engine. So other than the bottom nut giving me a little grief due to lack of space for leverage, the old one came off and the new one went on in about 30 minutes.

My car fired right up. :)

I still want it gone. Might wait til the spring for that though.

dodint
September 19th, 2018, 06:47 AM
Nice. :up:

I see their trucks around Rt. 8 all the time; didn't realize they have a yard. Will have to check them out.

Phil_SS
January 29th, 2019, 04:58 AM
I received a letter a few weeks ago from Subaru stating my car is associated with a recall. I thought maybe the airbag aka Takata. Nope, valve springs. Like WTF. Valve springs!

The recall states that the valve springs in 2012-2013 Imprezas within a certain VIN range can break while driving and cause the car to shut down and thus you may not be able to control the car. Kinda like the ignition switch recall from Chevy.

I called immediately a few weeks ago to see if I could take the car in but they stated they didn't have the parts yet and wouldn't start the recall replacement until sometime at the end of the month. So I called again over the weekend and we arranged a time for today. So, I'll be taking it in this afternoon.

I get a loaner car during the recall work so I'm excited to see what I get. :) And one good thing about this is that my car was due for an oil change, so they should be doing that as part of the work for the recall.

dodint
January 29th, 2019, 05:36 AM
Weird recall, glad they caught it!

CudaMan
January 29th, 2019, 05:36 PM
This sounds like the same recall that is affecting 2013 BRZ/FR-Ss. Guessing the Impreza has the same 2-liter motor. Surprisingly, 2013 Twins on the used market have not been coming down in value in the last month or two. Maybe it's not as well known as I thought.

Good luck with the warranty work!

Phil_SS
January 31st, 2019, 08:09 AM
Actually, they don't use the same motor. The Impreza uses the FB while the BRZ/86 use the FA. The FA is based off the older EJ engines. While the FB is a brand new design. But they certainly could have been using the same parts or they could have been using the same manufacturer that was using crappy materials or who produced bad product due to poor processing controls.

They provided me with a 2019 Forester for my loaner vehicle.

It's ok, I love the color which is a great shade of green. It's called Jade Green Metallic. Just fantastic!
The interior is nice but not really any better than my car. Does have a touch screen. Though it is a light tan color, bleh. With kid and dog that is a no go. Because Subaru is dumb, they don't offer any dark interior color choices for the Jade Green Metallic unless you buy the top of the line model that is 35k and you get a saddle brown interior. FTMFL!
I give credit to Subaru for staying steadfast and having the environmental controls be big rotating switches. :up:
It drives fairly nice, the 2.5L engine has a bit more grunt than my car's 2.0L, I could just lope along, even up hills.
My wife liked it when she drove it with the A typical response of "I like that it drives like a car but I sit up higher" Cue all the manufacturers getting rid of their cars.

Phil_SS
August 8th, 2019, 07:02 AM
I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of my car. I know I know, Phil you've been saying that for like a year, shit or get off the pot.

Well, it's different now. My Father-in-law moved out of the country and left us with his car, 2013 Prius V. It was left on the accord that when he comes back to the US to visit he would then have a car. Thus for the rest of the 10.5 months, I have three cars for two people. And who knows when he will be back. My thought is the earliest will be Fall of 2020.

And since I kinda hate my car I want to get rid of it. But of course every time I bring it up with the wife, she gets nervous about what will happen when he does visit. And my answer to that is one of many things.

1) I buy a car. I will have a couple months notice and thus can shop with the knowledge that I have a car and can negotiate with the most power.
2) I just rent a car for the time he is here. (Seems a little more $$ than I thought it would be.)
3) I buy a cheap car and resell it after a few months.
4) Borrow a car from my parents. Depending on the time of year this could be ok or not. I really don't want to drive a 13 passenger E350 van in the middle of the winter.

My car is basically paid off.....but I just hate seeing it sit. It feels like money just wasting away.

p.s. It also has another recall on it for a brake light switch. Which I think I already replaced myself due to failure. But I have to take it in for that.

dodint
August 8th, 2019, 08:35 AM
lol, I was going to say you can borrow the van whenever you want but number 4 shot that down quick.

Phil_SS
November 2nd, 2019, 09:22 AM
And the Subie is gone. Put it up on Craigslist and had a local dealer contact me and I took it out and they made me a fare offer.

Feels wierd. For the first time in 20 years I will be without a Subaru and technically for the first time in 26 years I will not own a car.

For now I will drive my FIL car. Maybe in the spring I will start looking again. What I would really like is a 2.5 RS.

Godson
November 2nd, 2019, 11:07 AM
There was one for sale in the autocross group, iirc

Kchrpm
November 2nd, 2019, 11:33 AM
Don't you mean a 22B?????

dodint
November 2nd, 2019, 12:53 PM
Get something you'll bring out to tracknights.

Phil_SS
November 2nd, 2019, 08:34 PM
There was one for sale in the autocross group, iirc

Hook a brother up with a link!

Godson
November 3rd, 2019, 05:12 AM
Hook a brother up with a link!

Looks like it sold over the weekend :(

Phil_SS
August 17th, 2023, 05:28 PM
TL:DR: We bought a 2023 Mazda CX-50 Premium Plus in Polymetal Grey.

These are the vehicles we looked at:

Honda CR-V Hybrid:

We went to the local dealer, and they didn't have one to test drive. They had a couple that were sold and, in the lot, so we got a chance to look at them. But they wouldn't even open the doors and let us look inside or to sit in them. That is completely annoying and a huge disadvantage to the salesperson but the salesman rubbed my wife the wrong way. Just looking at them, Ana didn't like the styling. She thought it just looked like a big box and didn't have much style. So, cross that one off the list. They did have a 2023 CTR that I was oogling. I explained that only a few thousand more than she was looking to spend would get us one. :hard: And she has gave me one of these. :finger: We love you Fud.

Toyota RAV-4 Hybrid:

Again, the local dealer had no new models to drive. Great salesman though. Really nice younger kid who was great to talk too. They did have a 2021 RAV-4 Hybrid on the lot so it is the newish model and we took it for a test drive. Unfortunately, the previous owner must have been a smoker because it reeked. We almost didn't even take it for a test drive because of it but I wanted Ana to drive one. It is the class of the Hybrid SUV segment and driving a Prius everyday really gave me an appreciation for the Toyota way.

Ana thought she would hate it, but she really liked it. I think the hybrid drivetrain really helps to give the vehicle a decent dynamic. She even commented that if that particular car didn't smell of bigfoot's dick, she may have wanted to talk numbers. But I think a key reason for not buying used right now is that interest rates are so ridiculous for used cars. For new cars you can find some deals through the manufacturers. So, while I did look for a used RAV-4, she said she isn't interested, and some of that comes from she doesn't want to be driving the same car as everyone else. RAV4s are everywhere. Which I can understand, She has gone from a Mazda 3 to a Forester XT Turbo to a Jetta "Golf" Sportswagen. I get not wanting to have something everybody else does even if it has shortcomings compared to other vehicles in its class. Emotions are real, you want to like the vehicle you are driving.

Volkswagen Tiguan:

Rejoice, there are Tiguan's on the lot. :) We looked at the Atlas and she though it was a bit too big. The salesman was pretty good at least at first but then he got kinda snippy by the end of our visit. Which turned my wife off from dealing with that dealer. Hey, we are gonna ask a ton of questions and we want to see examples of the features. We are not going to buy a vehicle without seeing the interior color.

Anyways, we took a FWD Tiguan out for a drive. It drove very nicely, and the VW aesthetic is very familiar to us by now. The engine was the most powerful of the vehicles we had driven. The Turbo really adds in that low end grunt for acceleration from a start.
They didn’t have the color combo we wanted but I did peruse the internet and another local dealer has it. But, in the end, it’s a nice vehicle, but Ana says it’s not really her. They are kinda plain looking.
We checked out the ID.4 when we were there, and it is a good-looking vehicle, but I couldn’t convince her to go full electric. She has anxiety issues as it is, and she stated she is not ready for it.

Mazda CX-50:

This is the first vehicle that we checked out. The dealer we went to is under construction and they are part of a large conglomerate dealer here in Pittsburgh. Thus, we had to go across the road to a small place they had set aside for Mazda amongst the plethora of other dealer buildings. It was right next to the Subie dealer. So, I of course checked out a new WRX on the way in. If only they made a WRX wagon, or even a hatchback. But nooooooo…..jerks.

They didn’t have any CX-50’s in the tiny showroom but they did have a CX-90 PHEV. And man, is it nice. We got to ride in one later when driving to a storage lot to check out a Black CX-50 Premium Plus and they did a great job with it. Extremely comfortable and Ana’s reaction was, this is reaaaally nice maybe I could get one of these? But she decided she doesn’t want to spend quite that much. I think another strike though is the electric range is only 26 miles. That is not very much, and I’m always highly skeptical of EV range in Pittsburgh due to the hills.
Ok, back to the subject at hand, the CX-50. We went into the dealership asking for a certain salesman as my wife’s friend recently bought a car (used CX-5) from them. But that guy was away at lunch so another guy said he would help. And he was great, great to talk to, younger guy, understood cars etc. So, he went and got a CX-50 Preferred for us to look at. It is the second from bottom trim but the cars come with a host of features even at the base level. I’m figuring the insurance companies have pushed the manufacturers to include all the safety features at even the base level cars. One of the must haves for my wife is heated seats. Thus, the Preferred trim would be the bottom for us.

I love the style of it and so does Ana. It’s like a modern interpretation of a Volvo P1800, if a P1800 had 4 doors. It is muscular and stylish at the same time. Getting into it, the interior is very very sheek and stylish and the materials are very nice to look at and touch. You can tell Mazda is pushing to be a luxury brand. Minimalist but with function. The center console and heat controls are especially nice. The heat controls have buttons and knobs. How novel! I want that tactile feedback. Looks like a stereo from a 60’s automobile. It has a small display in the center of the dash for the stereo and information center which is controlled by a nob on the center console. But it is not overwhelming.

We took it for a test drive, both of us drove about 50% of the time and it rode very nice. It was pretty quiet, and it handled well. I would say it is a little stiffer than her current car. The steering is especially nice, great feedback. Car didn’t have a ton of power, felt like her current car which makes sense as her Jetta has 170HP and the CX-50 has 187 HP. I’m sure the CX-50 is a bit heavier due to added safety measures. Had enough to be safe but I think we should try the Turbozen model. Ana said she doesn’t want too but I think that is because she thinks she will like it and want it instead, aka higher price. The nice thing is you can run regular gas in the Turbo model. Less HP but it is nice that the car can handle either one.

The CX-50 has three driving modes; Normal, Sport and Off-road. Normal is for everyday driving, better fuel economy. Sport allows the engine to rev higher and I could feel the difference compared to Normal mode. Definitely provides more oomph. I could see using it to merge onto a highway and then changing to Normal. I didn’t try Off-road.
My wife is leaning towards the Premium Plus trim package, but it doesn’t have that much over the Preferred trim. The Preferred trim is nice looking but not quite as nice as the Premium Plus. Which has nicer looking 20” wheels, ventilated leather seats with a nicer looking and feeling interior, HUD, folding mirrors and 12 speaker Bose Audio. Below Premium Plus it has leather trimmed leatherette seats without ventilation, 17” black painted wheels, 8 speaker audio, no HUD and a little bit more standard looking interior.

Mazda currently has a special offer for the 2023 CX-50 of 2.9% APR for 36 months. Payment ends up a little high** but we think it would be fine because we have no other current car payments or debt, and our mortgage is very reasonable. Plus, it would allow us to pay off the car right before our daughter starts college. If she goes that route. We leave the dealer with an offer on a Black Premium Plus. I feel we need to see and drive the other models in the category before making a decision.

**High for me. The last time I bought a car the loan payment was like $370 for five years. So when I see like $800 it makes me :o :o . But that is the cost of new cars nowadays where the average is 50k and the interest rates are massive. Longer term loans have interest rates, like 7-9%.

Phil_SS
August 17th, 2023, 05:29 PM
Tuesday night we went out to a different Mazda dealer that had a bit more selection from a color standpoint. I wanted Ana to be able to see most of the colors, especially the ones that she was interested in to make an informed decision. We parked and they had a line of CX-50s right in front of the dealer. The color she liked on the computer screen was a dark blue (Ingot Blue) but she also likes a medium blue grey color (Polymetal Grey). They had several of them with those two colors sitting side by side. Sun was out, late in the afternoon and thus she got a good look at them. Ana made the determination that she liked the Polymetal Grey the best.

After a few minutes, a saleslady came out and asked if we needed any help. We told her we had been at other dealers and looking at CX-50s. But we came there because they had a wide variety of models and colors on their internet inventory. She asked if there was a particular car or cars that we wanted to drive. So, we took a Polymetal Grey Premium Plus for a drive. I had done a little research since we had driven the Preferred trim on Friday that some people didn’t like the ride comfort of the cars with the 20” wheels that come on the Premium Plus and some of the Turbo trims. Thus, I wanted to make sure we drove a trim with the 20” wheels.

It drove pretty much the same as the Preferred Trim, and the wheels do add a bit of stiffness to the ride but Ana said that she still didn’t think it was too stiff. It is definitely something that will take time to know if it has a long term affect. But Ana really wanted the other features of the Premium Plus. The test drive went well, and I have to say that it was the best test drive route I think I have ever seen or taken before. Decently long with good chances to check out the power of the car, the handling and the overall feel. I told the Saleslady that and she thanked me for commenting on it. I firmly believe in positive reinforcement, and when a person is doing something right they should be provided with that feedback.

After we brought the car back and understood the test drive route. I asked the saleslady if they had a turbo model. I thought it was important to drive the Turbozen version. And she said they did; they had a 2023 Meridian Edition. This trim has a special paint treatment and specific 18” wheels. This car had the sand color paint and the Terracotta colored interior. I got the keys and started the test drive, the saleslady said we could take it out ourselves.

The turbo makes a difference. Especially once you get it spooled up. There was a decent sized hill right out of the dealership, and it pulled hard up that hill. I haven’t driven a car with much power in a long time and it brought a smile to my face. About halfway through the test drive route I pulled over so Ana could try the car. She enjoyed the turbo but she didn’t feel it was necessary.

Before we head into the dealership, I inspect the car she wants (Polymetal Premium Plus) and see on the opposite side back window of the car that they have a sticker that shows the dealership has added like $1800 dollars in additional features; Lojack, Etched Glass and Caltex Appearance Protection. My “That ain’t gonna fly meter goes to the red”. But we’ll see how bad they wanna sell this car.

The dance begins, this is how it goes:

Dealer: Full MSRP with full cost of the addons.
Me: We don’t want or need any of the addons.
Dealer: We’ll cut the addon cost in half to $800. How does that sound?
Me: We don’t need any of the addons, we show them the deal we were going to get from a different dealer that had none of the addons.
Dealer: We will eliminate the cost of the addons, how does that look?
Me: I had looked earlier in the day that the dealership online had reduced the price of the car and was stating a price $1k below MSRP. I had that plugged into a loan calculator that figured all the costs at that price, taxes and what they were quoting for normal additional fees (Title, Registration etc). So I told them If they come back with the car at the advertised price of 1k below MSRP and no charge for the addons we will take the deal. They accepted.

So yeah. We now own a 2023 Mazda CX-50 Premium Plus in Polymetal Grey. It’s pretty ballin so far. Can't wait to take it on road trip.

4146414741484149

Godson
August 17th, 2023, 06:30 PM
:)

Random
August 17th, 2023, 06:59 PM
:up:

FaultyMario
August 17th, 2023, 07:45 PM
Noice.

Kchrpm
August 18th, 2023, 01:36 AM
Zoom zoom!

dodint
August 18th, 2023, 05:29 AM
Congrats on getting a deal. That's no small feat in this market.

CudaMan
August 21st, 2023, 10:25 AM
Score!

George
August 21st, 2023, 01:51 PM
Congratulations!

Phil_SS
January 23rd, 2024, 08:02 AM
Driving home from work, about two weeks ago in the Prius, stupid deer ran in front of me. I was able to brake and veer to try to avoid but the jerk took off the drivers side mirror and hip-checked the rear door leaving a dent. Thank god it wasn't the Mazda or Ana's VDub.

I didn't have any cutters to cut the wires and remove the mirror, so I had to drive home with my hand half out the window to hold onto the dangling mirror so that it didn't just smack the car as I drove.

The dent I will get fixed once the weather is a little nicer.

For the mirror. I checked the local used foreign parts place and they had a mirror but it was for a blue color car. Which may sound like a problem, but for this car, the mirrors have a removable cover that is painted the color of the car. Pretty smart design, the mirror is the same for all cars and just the cover is a different color. Thus I could buy the used mirror and just get a new cover in the correct color. The cost of the used mirror was $120.

I decided to check the Toyota parts online website for the same part and see how much it would cost just for shits and giggles. And at first it was a pretty big difference, I think it was $280 with the new cover. But they had a deal that if I ordered online that I would get 40% off and free shipping. Thus I would get a brand new mirror and cover for like $168.

So I went with the brand new mirror. The car isn't mine and I would be guaranteed a part that would work. Plus I still would have had to spend another $40 bucks to get the replacement cover. So the cost would have been pretty much a wash. Plus I got the part delivered to my door.

Was a pretty easy replacement process. Watched a youtube video to get the basics. And all I had to do was remove the door cover, remove a couple small panels behind the door panel. Unscrew the three bolts holding on the mirror and unplug its cable from the connector. Then just do the opposite to put on the new mirror. Took about 1/2 hour total.

The Mazda experience is going well although we don't drive it much. Has like 2500 miles since we bought it. Ana still loves her old car and enjoys driving it so that is what she uses. Her main concern with her Jetta is would it be ok on a long trip. So she did drive the Mazda out to Eastern PA for a trip with her friends. And she has used it a bit more often since we have had some snow. So, until our daughter is driving on a steady basis it will probably spend most of its time in the garage.

dodint
January 24th, 2024, 05:48 AM
I've had a couple of really close deer calls this year. Aside from hitting one on my motorcycle about 10 years ago I've never hit a deer. *crosses fingers*

When I go into the woods where they are supposed to be there are nowhere to be found. :lol:

21Kid
January 30th, 2024, 01:50 PM
For the mirror. I checked the local used foreign parts place and they had a mirror but it was for a blue color car. Which may sound like a problem, but for this car, the mirrors have a removable cover that is painted the color of the car. Pretty smart design, the mirror is the same for all cars and just the cover is a different color. Thus I could buy the used mirror and just get a new cover in the correct color. The cost of the used mirror was $120.

I decided to check the Toyota parts online website for the same part and see how much it would cost just for shits and giggles. And at first it was a pretty big difference, I think it was $280 with the new cover. But they had a deal that if I ordered online that I would get 40% off and free shipping. Thus I would get a brand new mirror and cover for like $168.

So I went with the brand new mirror. The car isn't mine and I would be guaranteed a part that would work. Plus I still would have had to spend another $40 bucks to get the replacement cover. So the cost would have been pretty much a wash. Plus I got the part delivered to my door.

Was a pretty easy replacement process. Watched a youtube video to get the basics. And all I had to do was remove the door cover, remove a couple small panels behind the door panel. Unscrew the three bolts holding on the mirror and unplug its cable from the connector. Then just do the opposite to put on the new mirror. Took about 1/2 hour total.

I had to replace the passenger mirror on the Mustang, and it had the same design with the color-matching cover. I got a used one on ebay and put my original cover on it. Only the actual mirror part was busted.