PDA

View Full Version : Rich's KN of DOOM was: Rich's 2016 FiST of d00m



speedpimp
February 9th, 2014, 01:32 PM
On May 1 it will be five years since I brought her home. In that time I have driven her 47k miles and troubles have been virtually nil. Yesterday I replaced the OE Bridgestone Turanzas with a set of Pirelli P7s(205/60-16). The 'stones might not have needed replacing but I feel that at near 50k miles they are getting close to their expiration date. I've had the cooling system flushed and the power steering fluid changed. I should have the tranny/front differential and rear axle oil changed by the end of the year. When it close to -20F a few days in January, she started without a hitch.
As of right now the only problems are an air bag light(recall due to a faulty passenger seat air bag switch, waiting on dealer to get the part(s)) and a chirpy serp belt. Come spring/arctic thaw I plan on having the belt replaced and probably replacing the front pads/rotors as well.
Of the last three cars I have owned(including this one) I have kept them an average of five and a half years. I plan on trying to get an even ten out of this one.

Godson
February 9th, 2014, 02:36 PM
:up:

thesameguy
February 9th, 2014, 02:44 PM
Ten years shouldn't be a stretch on a modern car, especially with the mileage you're doing. I've had a damned XR4Ti for ten years, and it was almost 20 years old when I bought it. If I can keep a Merkur alive that long, a Suzuki should be a cakewalk! :D

speedpimp
February 9th, 2014, 02:56 PM
Sometimes I wonder how the Civic(75k miles) and PT(99k miles) would've held up if I had kept them.

thesameguy
February 9th, 2014, 03:06 PM
I've got some first-hand experience on the PT... bought at 130k (IIRC) and now at just shy of 160k. Seems like the real weak link is the transmission - it's nearing the end of its life.. shifts are getting rougher. Otherwise, it's been mostly just normal car repairs, nothing special or expensive and not bad considering what it could be. From what I've read & learned, sure seems like the '02 and '03 are the cars to have. The '01s have some first year specific stuff that is a slight pain. '04 and '05 are also decent, but started suffering from bean counting. The '06+ cars started getting really cheap. Given what I know now, I wish I'd gotten an '02/'03, but the '01 has really, all things considered, been fine.

speedpimp
February 9th, 2014, 03:34 PM
160k and the tranny is just now getting funky? I've heard a lot of horror stories from other PT owners on other forums where the tranny just suddenly died with maybe 60k miles. I guess the key to longevity with the automatic was changing the fluid/filter religiously. Mine was a stick and it was a very useful car. VERY roomy inside.

thesameguy
February 9th, 2014, 03:44 PM
Amen to transmission maintenance. It's overlooked by everyone these days and positively essential. I think the PT is scheduled for 50k fluid/filter intervals. It's not a great tranny, but not a total POS, either. It should last with maintenance.

It is a very useful car, capable of carrying a lot. That's working against me, though, since its driver feels compelled to fill up every nook and cranny in her life with crap. Her PT carries mountains of useless crap... the kind of stuff I would take with me on a road trip, figuring I might end up jacking the car up and working under it on the side of the road, but stuff that is not useful to her. She's not taking it on a road trip, and she certainly isn't jacking it up on the side of the road. If it breaks, she's going to panic, cry hysterically, then call AAA. The only possible reason to fill up the trunk with crap, near as I can tell, is insanity.

speedpimp
February 12th, 2014, 01:06 PM
Speaking of mountains of useless crap. The other day I spotted an early-00's F150 crew cab. The entire back seat was loaded up to the headliner with all sorts of crap. The dash was completely covered and the passenger seat was full as well but not to the point that it would restrict the driver's vision. Hoarder much?

speedpimp
March 20th, 2014, 02:22 PM
I knew I needed front brakes. After a visit to Advance I had my pads(Wagner Thermoquiet) and rotors were ordered for tomorrow(Wearever Silver). After I got home I talked to my neighbor to see when he could do the work. Then I came home and visited Rock Auto and a few minutes later I had ordered front calipers, rear pads and rotors. At Advance the calipers were $120 a side plus a $45 core. Rock had them for $49/ea plus $56 core. So if the calipers need replace I will have them. It might be overkill but at least I'll be prepared.

thesameguy
March 20th, 2014, 07:14 PM
It's really hard to beat rockauto's prices on most stuff. I have definitely started using them for pre-emptive stocking. Sometimes I waste a little money or have a leftover part, but I never end up with an immobile car. That right there is worth it to me.

speedpimp
March 21st, 2014, 12:59 AM
The biggest difference was the price of the brake pads($30 @ RA vs. $60 @ Advance).

HondaKid86
March 21st, 2014, 06:39 AM
Love to hear that you've had a great experience so far! I love your mileage, by the way. My '13 SX4 has racked up 23,500 miles in 17 months. :)

thesameguy
March 21st, 2014, 10:03 AM
AAP is a complete ripoff. I think their prices are so high because they fully anticipate customers using the various discounts online. It's a rare day when they don't have a 30% off coupon available, and often it's 40% or something like $50 off a $125 purchase. Their regular shelf prices suck, though. Nobody is more expensive. The only way they could stay in business charging those types of prices is if everyone is using the discounts and doesn't take the listed price seriously.

The last thing I shopped there was an O2 sensor for the Mercedes. Their price was $100, everywhere else (including Amazon) was around $70. But with one of those 40% off coupons, their price is suddenly competitive. You just gotta have the code... and shop online (even if you do store pickup). I understand that if you do have a local AAP, the coupons are magic for fluids (oil, etc.). They won't ship oil, but if you can do store pickup you can end up getting good oil for less than Walmart charges.

speedpimp
March 21st, 2014, 12:35 PM
The Rock Auto stuff shipped today. The reason for getting the calipers is that the right front one is discolored from getting really hot. Hopefully it's still salvageable, if not then I will have the new ones ready to go.

speedpimp
March 25th, 2014, 03:41 PM
Rear rotors arrived yesterday, rear pads today, front calipers are due tomorrow.

thesameguy
March 25th, 2014, 04:14 PM
We will do our brakes together, although miles apart. All new stuff for the Benz is due on a FedEx truck tomorrow! :D

Don't forget to replace as much of the old brake fluid as you can during the process. Nothing kills brake systems like old brake fluid, and if you're going for the long haul spending $20 every couple of years on new fluid will help keep everything happy.

Oh, and don't forget to clean everything (lots of brake cleaner) and lube everything that moves or slides. I like the purple Permatex ceramic goop, but it's probably overkill in 90% of applications. :D

speedpimp
March 25th, 2014, 04:18 PM
My neighbor is the one doing the work and not charging me anything for labor(though I'll repay him and his family with a couple of pizzas).

thesameguy
March 25th, 2014, 04:28 PM
Well, that's nice. All my neighbor does is piss me the fuck off!

Random
March 27th, 2014, 02:42 PM
*barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark*

thesameguy
March 27th, 2014, 03:11 PM
Oh, we're past that. They had that dog put to sleep. Because they are assholes. We're on a totally different road now.

speedpimp
March 27th, 2014, 03:20 PM
You planning on having them put to sleep?

thesameguy
March 27th, 2014, 09:46 PM
Planning is a strong word, but I've had lots of thoughts on the matter.

speedpimp
March 28th, 2014, 03:45 PM
Got home early from work today and my neighbor was already home so we got to work on the car. The front brakes weren't as bad as I feared they were, so the calipers didn't need to be changed, which means the ones I bought from Rock Auto get to go back. After two hours we had the fronts and rears changed and the oil/filter and air filters changed.
385386387

http://youtu.be/bZU_uOhS-x8

speedpimp
April 1st, 2014, 03:27 PM
Since the neighbor didn't charge me anything and I knew he needed a tool to wind the caliper back I bought him a set of these (http://www.amazon.com/Astro-Pneumatic-78618-Caliper-Tool/dp/B002RDGMNM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396394749&sr=8-1&keywords=brake+caliper+tools) so that he's prepared for doing brakes and I feel like I paid him something.

thesameguy
April 1st, 2014, 03:43 PM
I have that exact set sold under a different name. Works great!

speedpimp
June 13th, 2014, 05:11 PM
Since my normal truck is in the shop with melted injectors, for the past month I have been driving a loaner. This morning its starter screwed the pooch and I had to be towed.
646

neanderthal
June 14th, 2014, 04:41 PM
You couldn't pushstart it? :D

speedpimp
June 19th, 2014, 03:26 PM
Heh.

speedpimp
October 12th, 2014, 04:57 AM
So last week I'm talking to my dad and he says he took his car to a shop to get it looked over and they told him that the left front hub was failing and quoted him a price of $250 to fix it. They also said the oil pan was leaking and that the exhaust system from the catback needed replaced. So on Sunday I went over to look at his car('02 Cavalier). I couldn't find any leaks but did notice that the tires were down below the wear bars. He said he had replaced one of the tires with a used one and it was almost as bad as the ones on the car. I told him I Weds off and to meet me at the Discount Tire around the corner from his apartment. An hour or so later and he had a brand spanky new set of GT Champiros. They aren't fancy but they are better than what he had.

I talked to my neighbor who wrenches on cars in his spare time and told him what my dad was told. He said to bring it over and he'd look at hit. I picked the car up after work yesterday and hooked it up to the neighbor's code puller and right off the bat it said the left hub was bad and that one or both O2 sensors were Kablooey, there was a misfire in bank 1 and it was running lean. Took the wheel off and found significant play in the hub. Also noticed that the ABS sensor has separated itself from the hub. And it is still on the original rotors and they are looking really thin. The pads are good though.

I went to Rock Auto and ordered both hub assemblies, the ABS sensors, both O2 sensors and pads/rotors for $256 inc. S&H. Since it has 132k miles the tranny fluid and filter will also be replaced. The cooling system also needs to be flushed but that one is on dad.

Also screw GM for not putting a dipstick on the tranny case to check the fucking tranny fluid.

Why do I do this? Because I want my dad to have a reliable vehicle to get him and his wife around. But I have a feeling that once my niece has driven my dad's old '03 Taurus into the ground that she will end up with the Cavalier. I guess she had it first but said that it wasn't big enough for her and her three kids. She has already totalled two of his cars('00 Taurus that was rolled and an '01 Stratus) that I know of and driven another(Olds Delta) into the ground.

Hopefully after it gets fixed it will get him through to spring. One thing I know about my dad is that he doesn't notice a problem with a vehicle until it fails. If there is one thing that I have learned from associating with you lot for the past fourteen years is to be proactive in vehicle maintenance.

thesameguy
October 12th, 2014, 08:43 AM
I had Champiros on a Saab 9000 way back in the day, and I loved that tire. No joke, the best cheapest tire I have ever had. Nobody sells them in Sac, or I have more than one car that'd be on them right now.

If you can stay up on this type of stuff, the Cavalier could run forever. If I was closer, keeping the Benz up would be easier. Seeing it only once or twice a year means by the time I hear about it, it's probably too late. Bah - people and their cars...

speedpimp
October 16th, 2014, 02:26 PM
The hubs, pads/rotors, AS sensors arrived yesterday. O2 sensors came today.
My dad took the car to a highly reputable garage(seriously) and had the cooling system flushed. He also told the guy to check the tranny fluid and about the turn signals turning off after a few seconds. I guess the guy didn't feel like fucking with either thing because he told my dad he wanted $195 to fix both problems. That's $195 per issue. WTF? Pretty sure the turn signal issue is just a faulty relay that is under the dash. It's a $7 part and a semi-easy fix once you can get squeezed under the dash. I plan on picking up the tranny filter/gasket and fluid when I pick up the car.
I'll have the guy check the rear brakes and hubs as well. When it's all said and done I may end up taking the car if my dad decides to get rid of it. About the only other thing it could use is a decent set of seats as the ones in it now are pretty ragged.

speedpimp
October 17th, 2014, 03:25 PM
Picked the car up after work and got right to work digging the flasher relay out from under the dash. There is not a lot of room under there.
883884885
Went to Advance Auto to get the relay as well as tranny filter/gasket/fluid. To echo the sentiments posted elsewhere "Where do they find these people?" The young lady who assisted me in finding the filter/gasket kit got was dumbfounded when I asked her what the fluid capacity of the tranny pan was. "I don't understand!" I repeated the question again. "Oh, how much fluid fits in the filter?" "NO! In the pan that the filter goes in!" "Let me ask somebody!" She goes and finds a guy in his 50s who shows her how to look up the info on the computer. Turns out its 6.9 qts for a refill and 12.9 qts for a rebuild. When I was checking out the guy ringing me up asked if I needed any filters for the oil I was buying. I pointed out that it was tranny fluid. "Oh, I didn't notice."
Fucking really?

speedpimp
October 20th, 2014, 02:26 PM
Finished it up yesterday. In addition to everything else it also needed a right front caliper. Thank God for Advance Auto and $18 calipers. After it was all said and done the ABS/Traction Control lights are still on, which means there is probably a problem in the harness or the ABS computer itself. Not even going to touch that one. Checked the rear brakes. The shoes are in good shape but the OE drums have seen better days. They should be good enough to get dad through the winter. The LR drum is out of round from being smacked by a mallet or something like that. During the test drive I noticed a "thump" from the left front while turning. Front struts are shot. And probably most disheartening of all is the idle. When it comes down to its normal idle(6-700 rpm) you can hear a bit of a "fluff"/hesitancy in the idle. Also I noticed while the LF hub was going on that some of the splines on the cv axle are a little chewed up. Probably due to the wonky hub.
I think it took maybe two to three hours tops to get everything off and the new parts on. The tranny fluid was very black and there were some metal shavings on the magnet but nothing out of the ordinary for a car with 130k miles on it. This was the original fluid. I drove it over to my dad's and there weren't any noticeable issues other than the strut "clunk" and "fluffy" idle. Come spring it will be interesting to see what dad decides to do with it. On the plus side, replacing the flasher relay worked as the turn signals didn't go out when I hit the brakes.

thesameguy
October 20th, 2014, 03:08 PM
Nice thing about cars like this is that *nothing* is too expensive to fix, so if you drive it broken for too long and something gets *really* broken, it doesn't actually hurt that bad. My ex had a '99 or '00 Cavalier and she would just make yearly trips to her mechanic to fix all the broken stuff. Sometimes problems would emerge a month or two after her annual trip, and she'd just wait 10 months until she was back there again. Didn't seem to ultimately matter much - yeah, maybe the hub takes out the CV, but you're in, what, another $30? Hardly worth worrying about... and you *really* get your money's worth out of parts like that! :lol:

speedpimp
November 5th, 2014, 02:46 PM
My dad's '03 Taurus has been sitting at my neighbor's since Sunday. Left side hub was bad, as were the lower ball joints on either side. Replaced the right side hub as well. There was a loud whine coming from under the hood. Turns out it was bad bearings in the alternator. Tried replacing the bearings but they had been so bad for so long that the rotor had overheated. Local shop rebuilt it for $150. As of half an hour ago it was back on the car. Only thing left to do is the left side hub/ball joint. What started out as just a set of new tires on the Cavalier has kind of mushroomed into a lot more. Hopefully when the Taurus is finally done this will be the end of it.

speedpimp
April 12th, 2015, 03:34 AM
'03 Taurus is back at the neighbor's. Problem this time is it is leaking gas. Neighbor brought it over on a trailer. When he was loading it the bumper cover dragged against the trailer deck, busted loose and destroyed the AC condenser. Now the cover is attached to the car with a bungee cord. The front struts are toast, they are so toasted that when they tried driving the car the right side CV joint broke. Where is the tipping point to where you just say "fuck it" and move on to another vehicle? She moved onto another vehicle, a Ford Expedition. If there was ever a vehicle that my niece didn't need it was that. Considering that she has a habit of running the gas tank bone dry until it dies. As fate would have it she let the Expedition run out of gas, when she came back to put gas in it it had been towed and impounded. The main reason she bought it? Because she thought it had 4WD(which it doesn't).

thesameguy
April 12th, 2015, 09:31 AM
But it's a truck, they're all 4WD! :lol:

speedpimp
April 12th, 2015, 10:26 AM
No shit.

speedpimp
May 3rd, 2015, 02:42 AM
Oil changed on the rear diff, transfer case and tranny on the Suzuki. The oil out of the diff and transfer case were very black. What came out of the tranny was a nice golden color. It shifts a lot nicer now.

thesameguy
May 3rd, 2015, 05:10 PM
Does it use motor oil or gear oil on the diff & xfer case?

speedpimp
May 4th, 2015, 02:59 AM
80/90 gear oil on the diff/transfer and 75/90 on the tranny.

thesameguy
May 6th, 2015, 11:55 AM
Weird that they are different viscosities, but at least it makes sense why it came out black. :)

speedpimp
May 6th, 2015, 03:10 PM
I went with those from the info I gleaned from the SX4 Masters as clubsx4.com.

speedpimp
August 13th, 2015, 03:48 PM
Got rear ended on the way home from work today. Was sitting at a light that turned green and the lady behind me saw the light change but not that traffic wasn't moving and stepped on the gas while looking at her cell phone. So far I can tell that the bumper cover is trashed and the bottom of the hatch is dented. The hatch can not be opened or closed because of the bumper cover having been pushed up. Glad she was just driving a Lexus RX and not a Tahoe or Expedition. Good thing is nobody was hurt, even thought she said her lighter exploded which caused her to crash into me. Pretty sure that if her lighter had exploded she would've had some type of burn.
The Camry is the rental car. The accident happened at 2:45, had the car to the body shop by 5 and had the rental by 6.
13921393
13941395

novicius
August 13th, 2015, 04:31 PM
Shit-snacks. :|

Here's hoping the repairs are quick!

speedpimp
August 13th, 2015, 04:59 PM
Hopefully it won't take too long to find the parts.

Yw-slayer
August 13th, 2015, 05:10 PM
Hope it'll get well soon, Rich-bro.

speedpimp
August 13th, 2015, 05:30 PM
I hope so, if not I've got the Cam to play with.

2ndMoparMan
August 13th, 2015, 06:28 PM
Well, they do race Camrys. Camries? Whatever. It's a race car.

thesameguy
August 13th, 2015, 06:33 PM
And hopefully you have some good jumps nearby!

speedpimp
August 17th, 2015, 03:03 PM
Four days of driving the Camry and its very very comfortable. Nice ride, comfy seats(leather and cloth). Runs out smoothly. Has paddle shifters. The two most annoying things are the screen in the center of the dash and the Hertz "Valet" interface that hangs off the right side of the dash. I solved both problems by turning off the in dash monitor(now it only comes on when the car is in reverse) and turning the brightness on the "Valet" to its lowest setting because it is way to bright to deal with at 3 in the morning. It's also got a backup camera. I guess it's kind of cool but I keep backing up like I do normally(by watching in every conceivable direction as I back up).

speedpimp
August 19th, 2015, 01:22 PM
Stopped by the body shop today to grab something out of the car and they told me they are aiming for next Thursday as their target date for being done. Got home and got a call from them telling me that they got the new hatch in and it has a spoiler on it. They asked if I wanted it left on or if I wanted it taken off, which they would do and fill the holes in. I told them to leave it. It's all about the down force, yo. Also asked them what the estimate was. They said $3500. $3500 for a hatch, bumper cover, paint and associated work? OUCH!

thesameguy
August 19th, 2015, 03:22 PM
Spoilers for safety. You do NOT want to fly off the road.

Random
August 19th, 2015, 06:12 PM
Word. If I took the spoiler off my car, I'm pretty sure I would spin out and die.

Yw-slayer
August 19th, 2015, 11:39 PM
For real. Better safe than sorry, BroRich.

Kchrpm
August 20th, 2015, 04:43 AM
At least they gave you a spoiler alert.

JoshInKC
August 20th, 2015, 04:45 AM
At least they gave you a spoiler alert.

Oooof.
I seriously winced when I read that.
:up:

speedpimp
August 21st, 2015, 01:24 PM
At least they gave you a spoiler alert.

Sweet fluffy bunny slippers. That's terrible. Surprised I didn't come up with that.

And it should look totally baller with the roof rack.

speedpimp
August 27th, 2015, 02:19 PM
We've had our new trucks(2016 Hino) for about a month. As of today my truck has 6500 miles on it and the box has a hellacious lean to the right. Took it in to get the reefer looked at, because I keep getting "failure to start" errors. Yesterday I had some downtime while waiting on a load of blueberries, so I checked the U-bolts the hold the cargo box to the truck frame. Two on the right side were loose enough that I was able to move them by hand. The tech tightened all of the U-bolts and was kind of surprised at how loose they all were.
He did some measuring and the right side of the truck is 3" lower than the left side at the front of the box, 2" lower at the rear of the box and the right side air bag sets 1" lower than the left side. They think it might be the "leveling valve" that keeps the pressure equal between the two air bags. If that isn't the problem then the truck may earn an all expenses paid trip back to Hino so that they can sort it out.

speedpimp
August 28th, 2015, 05:00 PM
Got it back today. They used used parts since Suzuki parts are hard to get.
141214131414

speedpimp
February 19th, 2016, 01:36 PM
It was really windy today and as I was leaving work the wind caught the spoiler and ripped it off of the car.
15951596

thesameguy
February 19th, 2016, 02:32 PM
WOW. I have never heard of anything like that before!

speedpimp
February 19th, 2016, 02:40 PM
I had noticed the spoiler becoming loose about a week ago or so. I don't know if somebody was messing around with it or what, but, ffs. I ordered some plugs off of Amazon.

speedpimp
March 11th, 2016, 06:24 PM
My dad's '99 Taurus is officially not long for this world. Mechanically it is fine, structurally it is pretty much rotted out. Fuck.

Yw-slayer
March 11th, 2016, 06:27 PM
Time to buy that Aston he's always dreamed of.

thesameguy
March 11th, 2016, 06:45 PM
Take a tip from Morgan and get some ash beams?

speedpimp
March 11th, 2016, 07:11 PM
Time to buy that Aston he's always dreamed of.

My dad has no idea what an Aston Martin is. I told him about trying out the local Kia dealer and he had no idea what a Kia was.

Yw-slayer
March 11th, 2016, 09:39 PM
Surprise him with one. Maybe a Soul EV.

TheBenior
March 11th, 2016, 09:45 PM
Surprise him with one. Maybe a Soul EV.

Like the Focus Electric, those don't actually exist in the Midwest.

Yw-slayer
March 12th, 2016, 01:26 AM
Hence the surprise!

speedpimp
March 12th, 2016, 03:52 PM
Maybe this thread should now be titled "Rich's 2016 FiST".
16221623

novicius
March 12th, 2016, 03:59 PM
Whoa!! :D :up:

What happened to the Zook??

speedpimp
March 12th, 2016, 04:13 PM
Traded in. Difference in payment and insurance is about $100/mo more. Definitely like the blue better than the black/black I went to look at.

novicius
March 12th, 2016, 04:15 PM
End of an era, beginning of another one. :up:

Yeah that blue looks sharp! Now about those windows... ;)

speedpimp
March 12th, 2016, 04:22 PM
In time.

Yw-slayer
March 12th, 2016, 10:53 PM
Sweet ride, richbro.

Kchrpm
March 13th, 2016, 03:59 AM
The FiST Army is ever growing, congrats!

Kchrpm
March 13th, 2016, 04:00 AM
I plan on trying to get an even ten out of this one.

I love it when a plan changes for the better ;)

speedpimp
March 13th, 2016, 07:25 AM
I love it when a plan changes for the better ;)

Something about the best laid plans of mice and men...

Just realized that I'll be 53 when its paid off.

George
March 13th, 2016, 08:39 AM
Congratulations! That is an awesome looking ride.

thesameguy
March 13th, 2016, 07:51 PM
What the FiST is going on here??????

novicius
March 14th, 2016, 03:50 AM
You just got rid of the FIAT TSG, time for you to get FiSTed. ;)

Yeti
March 14th, 2016, 06:17 AM
Is this going to be like 15 years ago when every GTXer bought a Mazda3?

Sweet ride, rich!

novicius
March 14th, 2016, 06:23 AM
You're making bank and don't have a daily driver built in this century, Andr00z -- are you thinking about pulling the trigger? ;)

Yeti
March 14th, 2016, 06:23 AM
lel, I'm not making bank right now. I quit my job so I could go back to school and I'm coasting on my savings :p In fact I'm going to be leaving for my building automation and controls class in about 10 minutes.

Phil_SS
March 14th, 2016, 06:40 AM
Bitchin. :up:

I look forward to the pics with the Lime Green paint, Daytons and curb feelers.

novicius
March 14th, 2016, 07:35 AM
Timeless classic. :lol:


lel, I'm not making bank right now. I quit my job so I could go back to school and I'm coasting on my savings :p In fact I'm going to be leaving for my building automation and controls class in about 10 minutes.
Ah I didn't see that you had quit your job! :D

Jason
March 14th, 2016, 07:41 AM
Is this going to be like 15 years ago when every GTXer bought a Mazda3?

Sweet ride, rich!

We're trying to beat out the GT86 losers. :P

21Kid
March 14th, 2016, 12:21 PM
So much FiSTing... :o





Nice!

speedpimp
March 14th, 2016, 02:22 PM
So much FiSTing... :o



So much DrYNess...

Nice!

That's sounds like a Doge meme.

Random
March 14th, 2016, 02:45 PM
Very fast. Much turbo. Wow.

speedpimp
March 20th, 2016, 09:37 AM
So I'm a week into this adventure. 225 miles and 7.5 gal of 87 octane. Removed the rather annoying large dealer window decal. It's bad enough looking into a mirror and seeing my own face, let alone looking into the mirror and seeing that stupid dealer banner. Also removed the dealer decal from the hatch. A little bit of Goo Gone got rid of any residual adhesive. I still haven't floored it yet, just driving it to/from work. I love the acceleration. I love the stereo. The tiny little mirrors took some getting used to.

Jason
March 20th, 2016, 10:03 AM
I love the 'truck mirror' square in the mirrors, I'm still getting used to them, but find if properly pointed, I don't really need to check out my blind spot anymore :up: good move by Ford to put them on their cars.

speedpimp
April 20th, 2016, 01:35 PM
Since my dad's '99 Taurus is pretty much undriveable he found himself in need of a vehicle. Enter a '96 Lincoln MKVIII with 113k miles. It was owned by an older person as the interior, trunk and under the hood are very spotless. Still has the original 10 disc cd changer in the trunk. One visible spot of rust on the driver side on the rocker. One spot on the passenger side that has been painted with white spray paint. Not bad for $2k. FWIW I hope this car lasts longer than the Taurus did.
16871688

thesameguy
April 20th, 2016, 01:42 PM
So many mixed emotions about the MkVIII. Hmmm.

speedpimp
April 20th, 2016, 01:52 PM
As long as it gets him from his apartment to the nursing home where his wife has been for the past year and a half and back is all that matters.

speedpimp
October 20th, 2016, 01:25 PM
Winter tires(Bridgestone Blizzaks) and 16" steelies installed.
1997

Godson
October 20th, 2016, 02:06 PM
That's kinda hot

thesameguy
October 20th, 2016, 02:06 PM
You should find some vintage Ford baby moon hub caps to go on there!

http://www.cookieboystoys.com/friends/80bluepinto/40.jpg

:up:

speedpimp
October 20th, 2016, 02:45 PM
Had the same thought.

thesameguy
October 20th, 2016, 02:47 PM
Get to it!! :)

speedpimp
January 26th, 2017, 11:51 AM
My dad has been driving a '96 Lincoln MK VIII for the past year because his last Ford Taurus was unsafe to drive(too much rust underneath). Talked to him last night and he traded the Lincoln on another Taurus, an '08 this time around. It's the newest thing he's owned, but still a damn Taurus. It's like he's fated to them.


Just turned 10k on the FiST and next Tuesday she's going in to get looked at. At low speed I can hear metal on metal from the left rear when I apply the brakes. The rotor isn't grooved at all. This is what warranties are for.

Jason
January 26th, 2017, 12:59 PM
Might just be dust/salt/dirt build up, I get that too, goes away after a good car wash... then comes back because I'm lazy about car washes :lol:

21Kid
January 27th, 2017, 11:23 AM
It's a lot more difficult in the city. When I had a garage & driveway, it was done monthly instead of yearly. :lol:

speedpimp
January 28th, 2017, 01:24 PM
I'm not too good with the car washes either because I park in a dirt lot at work that tends to turn to mud.

speedpimp
April 2nd, 2017, 02:01 PM
In the middle of a week's vacation and instead of taking a nap, I decided to put the summer tires on. I tried using my super heavy Pep Boys floor jack, but ended up using the factory scissor jack because of the pinch weld and a cut out that fits nicely on the OEM jack. Ran into a slight problem when I smacked the LF tire to break it loose and the jack slipped kinda/sorta pinching my hands between the tire and the fender. Thank fuck my cousin was able to get it jacked back up so I could get my stupid hands free. That's when we realized that the pinch weld fit into the cut out on the jack. The skirt is a little loose and looks like I'll be checking Youtube to see if there's a video explaining how to properly reattach it without screwing it up any further. On the plus side I finally learned how to use a torque wrench. Even though the tires were stored in the shed over the winter they retained the majority of their air.
230323042305

TheBenior
April 2nd, 2017, 03:33 PM
For the next time you try using a floor jack:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351882479493

speedpimp
April 2nd, 2017, 03:43 PM
Ordered. Thanks.

thesameguy
April 2nd, 2017, 08:56 PM
For the next time you try using a floor jack:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351882479493

Hey, that's neat! I made something very similar out of old conveyer belt material years and years ago, but it's looking pretty haggard. That'll save some time and energy!

novicius
April 3rd, 2017, 04:17 AM
Ran into a slight problem when I smacked the LF tire to break it loose and the jack slipped kinda/sorta pinching my hands between the tire and the fender. Thank fuck my cousin was able to get it jacked back up so I could get my stupid hands free.
Slight problem? I hope your hands are ok after a car fell on them! :twitch: :lol:

speedpimp
April 3rd, 2017, 05:23 AM
They're fine. I got lucky.

speedpimp
May 26th, 2018, 04:16 PM
Put the summer tires on about a month ago. Took her to Tire Rack to get the TPMS sensors "relearned". Two(LF/RR) wouldn't sync. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the LF sensor and it still didn't work. Took it back to the dealer and they decided that the body control module was shot. They ordered one and told me to drop in any time, but not around 5 PM as that would be inconvenient. So after working six days this past week, hopefully this Tuesday it will be fixed for good.

speedpimp
May 30th, 2018, 04:22 PM
Body Control Module switched out yesterday. Today on mile 15 of the drive to work(when I came to the same spot where every day I'd get a message saying "TPMS error" or "TPMS sensors not found") nothing happened(which is a great thing).

dodint
May 31st, 2018, 04:43 AM
https://media.giphy.com/media/sSzCDRnOMaq3K/giphy.gif

speedpimp
May 31st, 2018, 04:04 PM
Pretty much. Dealer called today to make sure if everything was good and to see if I had filled out the survey they had sent me. This dealer seems to be fixated on these surveys and making sure they get only excellent scores.

dodint
May 31st, 2018, 05:57 PM
BMW does it too.

Alan P
June 5th, 2018, 06:19 PM
Dealers are under major pressure from brands. If you told someone about your dealer giving you bad service, would you use the dealer by name or just say 'The Ford dealer' or 'XX Ford' which then reflects badly on the brand more than the dealer themselves. Customer Satisfaction scores and 'Net promotor Scores' (NPS) are king these days.

speedpimp
June 7th, 2018, 02:57 PM
Looks like the turbo on my work truck('15 Hino) is dying. At least it lasted 172k miles.

KillerB
June 12th, 2018, 12:57 AM
So I thought it was a done deal that we're never getting the new FiST, but I keep hearing that Ford crash tested the Fiesta body and so might bring over just the FiST because apparently the engine is being used in some gross subcompact CUV or something. Any truth to that, SLM?

speedpimp
June 12th, 2018, 04:32 AM
The Eco(ECHO)sport(which may be the "gross" CUV you're referring to) gets a 1L I-3 and a 2L I-4. It also weighs 3000-3300 lbs. Not sure how the acceleration is, but I can't imagine it being too swift, unless you've always got your foot into it.

speedpimp
July 1st, 2018, 01:06 PM
She got hit in front of the house around 2:45 this morning. Whomever hit it took off and drove back around to grab something out of the street that fell off their car. They forgot a few pieces of their tail light. Take her by the bodyshop tomorrow after work for an estimate and I'll go from there. It is drivable, though there is rubbing of the back bumper cover on the tire when making a turn or going over a bump.
3073

Random
July 1st, 2018, 02:13 PM
:mad:

dodint
July 1st, 2018, 03:16 PM
Saw that on FB, sorry Rich. It will probably buff right out but it will fuck up your value when you go to trade it in.

speedpimp
July 2nd, 2018, 01:19 PM
Buff out? Ptooey! Used a toilet plunger and WOILA! as good as new.

21Kid
July 3rd, 2018, 10:15 AM
Booo! That sucks.

speedpimp
July 21st, 2018, 02:28 PM
FiST has been in the shop since last Saturday. I have had a '17 Mitsubishi Mirage as a rental. I could've gotten a Sentra(or "medium sized" car per my insurance). Since I had heard nothing but bad things about the Mirage, I wanted to see for myself just how "bad" it is. When I take a right turn at 35 mph it howls like a coyote in heat. When I put the tranny in "Sport" mode it likes to go above 4k RPM on a regular basis. The engine is noisy and not very smooth. It sucked down a 1/2 tank of gas in the first three days I had it. On the third day I realized that the Florida plates had expired last month. I filled her up and did some math(4.4 gals vs 169 miles) and realized that she wasn't that much of a pig after all(37.7 mpg), just suffering from a tiny ass fuel tank.
On the upside, the rear windows go all the way down, instead of 1/2-2/3 way down like on most cars. With a decent set of tires this car would be a lot of fun. Also I drive this car a lot harder than I do the ST. It's tiny on the outside, but inside it isn't cramped at all. Not a car I would buy for a daily driver, but as a rental it isn't all that bad.

speedpimp
January 26th, 2019, 11:27 AM
A week ago I turned on the defroster and was greeted with a clicking sound from the dash. It went away after a few seconds. It happened every time I turned the defroster on. Then it happened when I'd turn the heat on. This morning it happened as soon as I started the car. A quick Google says it may be the "blend door actuator". Appointment scheduled at the dealer. Not sure if it will be covered under warranty or not as the car hit 36k miles today. Either way it will be fixed.

XHawkeye
January 26th, 2019, 03:53 PM
Has happen twice to my FiST. Mine would flap the blend door a couple times each time the car was started.

First time under warranty it was the HVAC control panel.

Second time (55k miles so no warranty) it was the blend door actuator, cost $568.21.

This has been the first car I've owned where it's looking like I should've bought the extended warranty.

speedpimp
January 29th, 2019, 12:49 PM
Fixed. The parts were $63 and labor was $240. They also broke a brake switch, which they replaced.

Jason
January 29th, 2019, 01:01 PM
I had the blend door activator thing, covered under warranty I think.

Also had a broken brake switch.

The FiST does not have a great build quality in that regard. Engine/drivetrain seem solid, but all the other stuff is kinda bad :|

Random
January 29th, 2019, 03:09 PM
Count me in for the blend door party. Have the part sitting in a box; haven't crawled into the footwell yet to replace it.

Godson
January 29th, 2019, 03:18 PM
I had the blend door activator thing, covered under warranty I think.

Also had a broken brake switch.

The FiST does not have a great build quality in that regard. Engine/drivetrain seem solid, but all the other stuff is kinda bad :|

I mean, it is a cheap car to start with :/

Still sucks I'm sure.

speedpimp
January 29th, 2019, 04:40 PM
So four FiST owners and we all got fisted on the same thing. Heh.

Alan P
January 30th, 2019, 08:32 AM
Anyone had issues with the 1.6 Ecoboost using or losing coolant? My 1.6 Ecoboost Focus is either using it or losing it but it's highly variable. Some days it'll use none and other days it's screaming at me saying the coolant is low and engine overheat! Stop immediately! I've only really had trouble since it went to the ford dealer for a recall on the coolant system

Godson
January 30th, 2019, 10:56 AM
It's call the dealer and inform them something is up.

speedpimp
January 30th, 2019, 11:15 AM
No issues other than the HVAC door. It even started in -14F weather.

Alan P
January 30th, 2019, 02:11 PM
It's call the dealer and inform them something is up.

Yeah but I'm not sure they'll like me as the recall was done in November!

CudaMan
January 30th, 2019, 02:34 PM
Alan, I wonder if they bled all the air out of the system properly.

Godson
January 30th, 2019, 06:48 PM
Yeah but I'm not sure they'll like me as the recall was done in November!

Not your problem. Like Cuda said, it may have not been done properly.

FaultyMario
February 1st, 2019, 11:13 AM
$

Thought you were british.

dodint
February 1st, 2019, 12:40 PM
I assumed he was from Dallas-Fort Worth.

FaultyMario
February 1st, 2019, 03:31 PM
Ooh!

speedpimp
May 4th, 2019, 02:30 PM
Came out to the car from early voting last Monday and saw that part of the bumper was hanging down. Got under the car and found that one of the two tabs that secure the bumper cover to the body pan was hanging down because the threaded and stud that was supposed to be there wasn't. Went to the dealer on Weds to order the missing parts. Ended up ordering the wrong one. Find the correct part # for the nut but not for the stud. Parts counter guy takes a pic of the one that's still there and sends it off to Ford. I hear back from on Friday that they found the proper part # for the stud. He also said that Ford recommends welding them into place. The ones on the car aren't welded, just threaded into the hole. The one on the car comes out quite easily. So I called the body shop that worked on the car when it was hit last summer and they tell me to bring it back at my convenience. Which means they didn't if they were supposed to have.
3245

speedpimp
June 23rd, 2020, 03:41 PM
A few months ago I got in the car and the clutch pedal was on the floor. I thought that was really weird. I reached down and pulled it back up by hand and I didn't have an issue with it again until one day last week I was headed to work and the clutch pedal slowly worked its way down to the floor. Pulled it back up and it didn't happen again, until the next day when I was leaving work and the pedal was again on the floor. Pulled it back up and away I went. I took the car to a local shop last Weds and the tech drove the car three times and couldn't get the pedal to stay down. Since then it hasn't happened again, but tomorrow it's going to the dealer to see if they can figure out what's going on. A Google shows anything from a wonky return spring on the pedal to a bad master or slave cylinder. And if they can't find anything wrong then I guess I wait until it happens the next time and finally fails for good. So odd.

speedpimp
July 7th, 2020, 03:53 PM
Last Wednesday I bought an '05 Dodge Caravan as a backup vehicle. It's about as much of a stripper as your can get. Only thing missing is roll up windows. It has 135k miles, a very clean interior and totally rusted out rocker sills under the sliding doors. It drives nicely. The tires are good and the brakes are excellent. No leaks, smoke or smells. Besides the rusted out rockers the only other problems are a wonky rear wiper motor and a passenger side window that goes up and down slowly.
Got the FiST back last Thursday. They replaced the clutch slave cylinder under warranty. Glad for that because even though the part is only $80, it's the labor that kicks you in the balls.

dodint
July 8th, 2020, 08:49 AM
Yeah, dodged a bullet there.

George
July 10th, 2020, 02:35 PM
Only thing missing is roll up windows...passenger side window that goes up and down slowly.

I think the solution here is obvious. :D

Enjoy your new ride!

speedpimp
July 10th, 2020, 04:44 PM
I think the solution here is obvious. :D

Enjoy your new ride!

Well the spots for the winders are in the doors, they are just plugged.

Thanks.

speedpimp
July 15th, 2020, 07:53 AM
I decided to name her Bambi, because it's a stripper SE model. I was going to drive her to work on Saturday and the battery was dead. Jumped it when I got home and took it to get the battery tested. It maxed out at 185 cca(out of 525). Replaced the battery.
I drove it to work yesterday and (the brake pedal has always been soft since I got it) the pedal went all of the way to the floor and there was a clicking sound. Took it to the shop today for an oil change and to get the brakes checked. Front brakes are ready to be replaced, rear drums need to be cleaned, alternator belt is cracking, front sway bar links are toast and power steering/trans fluids need to be flushed. I told them to go ahead and do it all. Some people would've ran away at the estimate. I have a reason for my insanity.

speedpimp
February 7th, 2022, 03:13 PM
I was out yesterday morning doing my weekly grocery shopping and noticed what looked like slush sitting on top of the left rear tire. As I got closer I noticed that it wasn't slush but the (per Ford's language) "quarter panel filler" had broken loose. I guess the wheel well go so packed with snow and ice that it ripped the piece from whatever was holding it in place and plopped it on top of the tire. I used a pair of scissors to cut the material away from the tire. Yes I said scissors because the thing is made out of some sort of heavy cloth. Good thing is the part and all of the hardware are about $75 all in. I have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to install it. This would be the second time it's been replaced because the first time around was when somebody did a 3 am hit and run almost four years ago.

Random
February 7th, 2022, 06:51 PM
Easier to replace than remove in the first place, in my experience. Worst part will be laying in the slush to do it!

speedpimp
February 8th, 2022, 03:12 PM
Minus the slush, are they that much of a pain in the ass to swap out?

Random
February 10th, 2022, 07:32 AM
Not really--definitely pull the wheel first, then you can get to everything with ease.

speedpimp
February 10th, 2022, 11:48 AM
I plan on waiting until spring to do it. I've checked the price for the part and all of the required hardware(sold separately).

speedpimp
June 4th, 2022, 11:03 AM
A few days ago I started noticing an off and on metal on metal sound from my brakes. As time went on I was able to isolate it to the LF brake.
Turns out the sound I was hearing was the caliper starting to hang up. Not good. I found a place that was open on Saturdays. They were able to save the LF caliper, replaced both pads and rotors(on both sides) and bled/refilled threrake system.

XHawkeye
June 4th, 2022, 03:31 PM
At least it wasn't your ABS valve body like mine spent $2600 fixing it. Dealer may not be selling any cars but they're making enough on service to keep the light on.

speedpimp
June 4th, 2022, 04:04 PM
I had both front and back done three years ago at 47k. Just turned 77k this morning and the fronts were toast but the rears are still excellent. Great thing is it will be paid off in the next few months and as it gets to 100k I'll plan on front brakes again in addition to a tune up and timing belt/water pump.
XHawkeye, how many miles are on yours?

XHawkeye
June 5th, 2022, 04:43 PM
90k

speedpimp
July 17th, 2022, 01:40 PM
As of today she's officially paid off.

Kchrpm
July 17th, 2022, 04:38 PM
As of today she's officially paid off.

Noice. Congratulations!

speedpimp
July 18th, 2022, 03:17 PM
Time to run it up to 100k and enjoy.

dodint
July 19th, 2022, 07:28 AM
Paid off cars are the best cars.

speedpimp
July 19th, 2022, 12:44 PM
No shit. The last car I owned that was paid off was my '95 Civic and that was 21 years(but only three cars) ago!

dodint
July 19th, 2022, 02:06 PM
I think we still have the MINI simply because it's paid off. :lol:

Kchrpm
July 19th, 2022, 05:56 PM
I cannot wait to have the Vette paid off.

Rikadyn
July 20th, 2022, 04:47 PM
*has never had a car not paid off*

Godson
July 20th, 2022, 06:29 PM
The f150 was paid off from day 1 until the day I sold it.


I miss not having a payment, but the Cayenne is so much less work to drive around.

That being said, it fails miserably in some areas that the f150 did so well.

speedpimp
November 17th, 2022, 02:19 PM
I've been at the new job for a month now. Below is my new daily driver for work. Freightliner Cascadia day cab, 12L Detroit Diesel engine and an automated manual transmission. As much as I love stick shifts, this automatic is glorious and majestic. The truck in the pic is just a generic example of what the truck looks like. Also when driving it without a trailer it scoots along quite well.
3983

speedpimp
March 4th, 2023, 02:50 PM
So after having the driver's side HVAC blend door motor replaced(for the second time) about a month ago I started noticing intermittent condensation on the inside of the windows and last week I started noticing a knocking sound from the right side of the dash. Probably the passenger side blend door motor. Wednesday after work I started the car and noticed in addition to the condensation and knocking(Dave's not here, man) a smell of coolant...uh oh...so I popped the hood and the coolant jug was below the minimum line. I checked the oil and no hint of coffee and cream, which leads me to believe that it's the heater core and if that's the case then it might be time to part ways.

speedpimp
November 2nd, 2023, 12:53 PM
Traded the FiST for a KIA K5 GT-Line.
4209

2ndMoparMan
November 2nd, 2023, 05:02 PM
Very nice. Good lookin car.

dodint
November 3rd, 2023, 04:28 AM
Cool color.

George
November 3rd, 2023, 09:03 AM
Sexy! :up:

speedpimp
November 3rd, 2023, 01:45 PM
Sexy! :up:

Game recognize game, Georgie.

speedpimp
November 3rd, 2023, 01:46 PM
It's a '22 w/AWD. It was Certified Preowned. It has a nice and comfy ride.

TheBenior
November 3rd, 2023, 04:51 PM
Nice.

Crazed_Insanity
November 5th, 2023, 08:30 PM
Nice! That should also come with the 10yr/100k miles power train warranty!

Btw, do you have any issues with the insurance company? Thanks to the Kia boys?

I’ve heard some Kia owner are getting a hard time because of that, but thankfully mine didn’t complain about mine Kia/Hyundai vehicles. :p

TheBenior
November 6th, 2023, 02:47 PM
If they go off of Optima crash data, insurance should be somewhat elevated for it's class even without the theft issue. The Optima has the highest other-driver death rate of any 2-18-2021 sedan that's not the Dodge Charger.

speedpimp
November 6th, 2023, 03:55 PM
Nice! That should also come with the 10yr/100k miles power train warranty!

Btw, do you have any issues with the insurance company? Thanks to the Kia boys?

I’ve heard some Kia owner are getting a hard time because of that, but thankfully mine didn’t complain about mine Kia/Hyundai vehicles. :p

No issues with the insurance company. Premium is only going up $20/mo compared to the FiST.

neanderthal
November 6th, 2023, 05:45 PM
Good for you Rich. Sorry you had so many issues with the FiST of Doom especially so close after paying it off. Was hoping you'd get a nice glide path to the next car but it is what it is. It was a cheap car built to a price.
I have about 3 1/2 years left paying for my 535i. If my sisters Tahoe wasn't so problem prone i'd have got rid of it months ago, but I had to lend it to her literally two weeks ago when it wouldn't start. I'm paying $4XX a month for auto insurance, and $6XX a year for the bike. Both cars are full coverage ($15k stated value for the Benz) but so is the bike!!! Fucking ripoff.
I have my tried and true 1991 Mercedes 250TD wagon and my motorcycle and the Benz' only faults are that it's you- may- as- well- have- walked- slow and the AC doesn't work all the time. The slowness
I can fix (OM605 Turbomotor mit 6-Gang-Getriebe, hello German ebay) and the AC I don't worry about too much as I generally ride the bike all the time. That, ... also has no AC.

I love those Cascadias. I toyed with the idea of become on OTR driver and would've definitely gone for that model in it's most aerodynamic configuration (the spats and lower body cladding and all that.)

CudaMan
November 7th, 2023, 09:31 AM
Congrats speedypimp! Looks like a nice comfy new car, and I love the color. How is it to drive?


I'm paying $4XX a month for auto insurance
Dafuq mate? For 2 cars? That's criminal.

speedpimp
November 8th, 2023, 02:17 AM
Good for you Rich. Sorry you had so many issues with the FiST of Doom especially so close after paying it off. Was hoping you'd get a nice glide path to the next car but it is what it is. It was a cheap car built to a price.
The FiST was fun to drive, it served me for well for our time together.



I love those Cascadias. I toyed with the idea of become on OTR driver and would've definitely gone for that model in it's most aerodynamic configuration (the spats and lower body cladding and all that.)
Thanks but the Cascadia job went bye bye at the end of last year and I landed back at the place I escaped from. The Cascadia was fun to drive, especially as a bobtail.

speedpimp
November 8th, 2023, 02:33 AM
Congrats speedypimp! Looks like a nice comfy new car, and I love the color. How is it to drive?


Thanks. It rides and handles very comfortably. I love the interior. The piano black on the dash is interesting, but I'm wondering how it will show up. Biggest annoyance so far is how easily the touch screen shows finger print smudges. I noticed that right off the bat. In seven years with the FiST I never noticed any finger prints at all, then again it was smaller and in a little cove. I love the interior design. From the "leather" seats to the panoramic sunroof I love the details that went into designing it. The engine is louder than in the FiST and it doesn't have it's sweet exhaust note. It accelerates well for its size. And sometimes my left foot gets a little lonely.
Contrasting it with the Elantra N I drove(for about twenty minutes) back in April, I prefer the K5. It's a nice mature vehicle for people that like those things and there are people that like those things.
The color is the first thing that drew me to it. I think that a nice shade of blue is now my favorite color. I had looked at new ones and the only colors they had them in were either white or black. Neither one is a favorite because they're hard to keep clean.
Another thing that drew me to a Kia is that a coworker has a '20 Forte and it hasn't stranded him and it has stood up valiantly to his abuse. In the time I've been there he has gone through a PT Cruiser and TWO Chevy Cruzes, so the Kia has to be bullet proof or damn close to it.
I'm also loving the heated seats and steering wheel.

George
November 8th, 2023, 05:20 AM
That blue is gorgeous.

Crazed_Insanity
November 8th, 2023, 08:11 AM
Dafuq mate? For 2 cars? That's criminal.

Yeah, I, too, was taken aback a bit upon reading $4xx/month for insurance?!?!?

I'd stop driving if my rate is that high! :p I was gonna suggest to Neanderthal to switch insurance, but then again if he has it thru Costco, it's probably already the cheapest rate because when I had it thru Costco, it offered me the cheapest rate I could find...

Anyway, back to the Kia, I've personally had good experiences with Hyundai/Kia. My 2014 Santa Fe Sport and my 2017 Sorento are both going strong without any issues. Sorento did have a transfer case replacement under warranty, but that was due to my own stupidity by locking the differential while towing. I wanted to engage all 4 wheels to drive while towing... but found out later that's a big NO NO! Stupid Californian who's never gone off road failed to read the manual properly... how'd I know that's for going on straight line only?!?!? I thought Sorento's system is smarter than me! :p Anyway, thankfully Kia still paid for that expensive lesson for me. So yeah, other than user error, these cars really work super well. Very bullet proof indeed!

However, some cars do have serious engine issues. Now I'm just afraid of Kia boys too. We have push button starts so we should be okay, but I wonder if perhaps stupid kia boys might still end up breaking our windows not knowing pushing button cars are not as easy to steal?

Anywho, regarding engine issues, do pay attention to oil consumption. I am noticing some mysterious disappearing of oil for my Sorento so periodically I need to add some oil. Hopefully that won't develop into a huge problem. I heard towing does that sometimes so fingers crossed...

Cam
November 8th, 2023, 12:34 PM
:hawt: Nice blue.

TheBenior
November 8th, 2023, 02:23 PM
Anywho, regarding engine issues, do pay attention to oil consumption. I am noticing some mysterious disappearing of oil for my Sorento so periodically I need to add some oil. Hopefully that won't develop into a huge problem. I heard towing does that sometimes so fingers crossed...

FWIW, a co-worker's 5th Gen Sonata's Theta 2 engine replacement started out with him noticing excess oil consumption and bringing it to the dealer. He had to bring it back at mileage intervals so that they could measure just how much oil it was consuming over time.

neanderthal
November 8th, 2023, 03:08 PM
Dafuq mate? For 2 cars? That's criminal.



Dude!?!?!

I only kept my insurance cuz I didn't want any bullshit when it came time to make a claim on my uninsured underinsured for my crash, which i'm doing now, and yes, for which there is still bullshit. I'm D O N E with Progressive as soon as this is over.

speedpimp
November 9th, 2023, 10:24 AM
Here is a slightly used, '16 FiST with 94k one owner miles. (https://www.gurleyleep.com/inventory/used-2016-ford-fiesta-st-fwd-hatchback-3fadp4gxxgm142893/)

Yw-slayer
November 9th, 2023, 12:58 PM
Looks great mate, congrats!

TheBenior
November 9th, 2023, 04:39 PM
I only kept my insurance cuz I didn't want any bullshit when it came time to make a claim on my uninsured underinsured for my crash, which i'm doing now, and yes, for which there is still bullshit. I'm D O N E with Progressive as soon as this is over.

I ditched Progressive this year because they were raising my rates $50-100 every 6 months in spite of my not having made any claims on my depreciating assets. They replaced Farmer's for the same reason.

I ended up getting the best rates with the insurance broker Goosehead Insurance through Liberty Mutual.

Crazed_Insanity
November 9th, 2023, 08:10 PM
I have Safeco and that’s also part of liberty mutual and I currently do have the lowest insurance rates ever in my life!

I was thinking to trying progressive because I had an unpleasant experience with Safeco, but I guess I probably should just swallow that unpleasant experience for now since I still haven’t found a cheaper insurance company. Plus, there are now more and more companies who’d discriminate against Hyundai/Kias so they won’t even bother giving me quotes! :p

neanderthal
November 10th, 2023, 01:42 PM
I ditched Progressive this year because they were raising my rates $50-100 every 6 months in spite of my not having made any claims on my depreciating assets. They replaced Farmer's for the same reason.

I ended up getting the best rates with the insurance broker Goosehead Insurance through Liberty Mutual.

:up:
Will look into that. Cheers.

speedpimp
January 22nd, 2024, 04:27 PM
Last Thursday morning I was headed to work and driving slow because of snow. I was focused on the road and the traffic behind me and here comes Bambi directly into my path. Other than a small crack and some fur embedded in the bumper cover there wasn't any major damage. Odd thing is when I was leaving work to head home I popped the hood to see if there was anything askew under the hood and noticed the coolant overflow was almost empty. I topped it off on Saturday and checked it today and the level was half as high as when I filled it. The overflow is on the right front and the deer hit the left front. I checked the oil and no coolant there. I also haven't noticed any leaks on the ground.
https://i.imgur.com/3ITHi6l.jpg

Phil_SS
January 23rd, 2024, 05:57 AM
Balls! Driving home from work, about two weeks ago in the Prius, stupid deer ran in front of me. reminds me, I should explain it in my thread.

As far as your coolant. Maybe it wasn't filled to begin with.....

Crazed_Insanity
January 23rd, 2024, 06:07 AM
Oh deer! :o

Yeah, kinda doubt the impact would cause an internal coolant leak. My generation Kia Sorento’s V6 engine has some known headbolt issues and Kia had extended warranty to cover that to 15yrs and 150k miles! However, although not quite applicable to you, since you have different engine and no coolant mixed with oil, you probably should still let the dealer diagnose this if it continues to lose coolant.

speedpimp
February 2nd, 2024, 02:10 PM
As far as your coolant. Maybe it wasn't filled to begin with.....

Coolant level hasn't changed so guessing it was severely underfilled.