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Good luck with your new ride. Mine, at 9000 miles so far, has been great.
How should I go about to get my tires changed when I visit my friendly Chevy dealer ?
Good luck with your new ride. Mine, at 9000 miles so far, has been great".
Have you tried looking into "Paintless Dent Removal"? (PDR).
There are lots of places that fix minor body panel dings and dents without having to perform any kind of body shop type of work or repainting. This is usually done while you wait "30 minutes or less" and the car after the repair is done looks brand new, like no ding or dent ever touched it.
PDR is usually performed with special tools that reach behind the damaged panel. The PDR technician "Massages" back the ding until the sheetmetal is returned to its original shape and symmetry. After the repair is completed, the damaged area looks perfect, no sanding, no putty, no painting required and costs much less than typical body shop work (Around $50 to $125 depending on the dent and location).
In order for PDR to be successful, the ding or dent (Or body crease) should not be present at the edge of the body panel or the paint be broken or peeling. Also, if the sheetmetal is severely rippled, they can not repair it either. The success of PDR is for them to be able to get behind the panel. In some instances they have to drill a very small hole to get to a hard to reach panel location. After the repir is done, the prep the hole (Very tiny by the way) and put a rubber plug hole. No fears of corrosion, looks factory finish and no one will know about it but yourself.
Now there are new techniques that use different tools such as special suction cups to remove dings and dents from body panel locations where typical PDR tools can't reach due to panel bracings, double panels, etc.
This is a reapir option worth looking into, gives excellent results, can be done in a few minutes, saves your car resale value and best of all, do not involve the aggravation of body shop work, where you have to live your car for days or weeks at a time.
Soon you'll learn to appreciate the benefits of the Sandrift Metallic paint vs darker paints.
Tell your husband to bug off. He is simply jealous about your new car because you did not consult him about it. His remarks are indicative that his "Macho Ego" has been damaged, because you made a decision on your own and a very good one at that.
We males are all like that. It is part of our psychology nature.
You can tell him that if he views the Impala as a "car for 50 year olds" remind him that one day he'll be 50 years old too, probably still driving a "Chick car" like his Saturn.
Last night I gave him permission to lease a VW Jetta (since the Saturn lease is almost up), so he is calming down about the Impala. He has been itching for a European car for years and the lease rates are so low, it will cost less to get the base model Jetta than it costs to lease the Saturn or to buy it out at lease-end.
Thanks for sharing the insights about the fragile male ego--sometimes I forget about that and it helps to hear it from a guy's perspective. And since I went and bought myself what my friend Bruce calls a "Muscle Car," that's gotta hurt even more.
Suffice to say, I am NOT an experienced car washer. Have always kept my cars in sloppy condition, but I want to change my ways with the new car.
Any suggestions on what to use to wash the car?
A shop will probably want $500-$800 to replace and paint. I can buy and install the bumper cover myself, and have my friend paint it, for less than $300 total.
When It comes time to sell it or trade it, that's when I'll get it fixed. In the mean time, a US flag looks great over the crack.
Speaking of selling/trading, you'd think with the Impala's apparent popularity, more people would be biting at the ads I placed for my fully loaded 2001 LS with only 9000 miles.
This coming September, my wife and I will be placing an order on our very first British/German car: a 2003 MINI Cooper hatchback. The car is very small indeed, but it is a blast to drive. The fit/finish, available options, etc are impressive. We figured that since we already have this big Impala sedan, we might as well kick back a little bit in the weekends and get the MINI for our second mode of transportation. Needless to say, we can't wait to place the order!
Tell your hubby to check the VW Jetta forum right here in Edmunds. These cars are having a ton problems...interior rattles within days of delivery, failed power window motors, poor VW service, etc. It is pretty disconcerting to see the posts at the Jetta forum....the car is indeed a love/hate relationship!
A family acquitance has a 2002 VW Golf hatchback 5 door and so far so good. These car are beautifully finished inside and have standard safety equipment galore like 6 airbags and ABS brakes. His VW is made in Brazil and he hasn't had any problems yet. The car is very fun to drive, more versatile than the Jetta due to the hatchback design but the standard 2.0L 115HP gasoline engine is loud under acceleration.
The Jettas are made in Puebla, Mexico and that plant is churning out vehicles of very questionnable quality, regardless of what VW Jetta hardcore fans might want you to believe.
If your hubby has an itched for a VW, I recommend for him to stay away from the Jetta, Beetle and Cabriolet models as these are built in Mexico.
The Golf, Golf GTI are built in Brazil and have less frequency of complaints than the Mexican made cars.
However, the Jetta Wagon and the Passat sedan/wagon are still made in Germany. I recommend either Brazilian/German built VW products over the Mexican ones.
Leases in VW, BMWs, Audis, MB's etc are very low right now due to the low money factor rates (Lease interest rates) and the excellent resale value residuals of these vehicles. A VW Golf/Jetta is expected to recover as much as 50% of original MSRP after 4 years of service. So indeed leasing a new Euro car makes much more sense now more than ever.
American cars for the most part are better buys when purchased outright. Since most American cars have lower residual values, leasing tends to be more expensive than buying them.
In leasing the better the car holds its resale value, the cheaper it becomes to lease it.
Oh BTW, remind your husband that the VW Jetta are still considered by many as "Chick/Gay" cars....;)
I start with something I like to call "water". <wink>
Then, I mix it with a small amount of car wash concentrate. Any of the major brands will do: Maguires, Mothers, Turtle Wax, etc. Just make sure it is designed for cars. DO NOT USE DISHWASHING DETERGANT, LAUNDRY DETERGANT, ETC. Those products are designed to cut grease, and will remove your nice shiny wax. (They're good for cleaning engines or to remove wax buildup a couple times a year, before re-waxing.)
Rinse the car first. Use a soft car wash mitt or sponge to rub the solution over the surface of the car. Rinse well. Wipe immediately with soft, clean COTTON towels that have not been washed using fabric softener. (I use a "California" squeegee to remove most of the surface water first. I use less towels that way.)
It behooves you to wax your new car at least every 6 months. I like Mothers brand. Zymol is pretty good. Some people like Maguires. The real zealots use Zaino, which has a more complicated application process, but is considered to provide the best and most long lasting shine.
DO NOT DO ANY OF THE ABOVE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. Either use shade, or wait until dusk. It will bake the water's minerals, the detergant, and especially wax, right into the paint. You may have seen cars on the street with hazy swirl marks. It's from waxing in the sun.
Perhaps I'll have to mention the "chick factor" of the Jetta haha;)
At least the warranty is nice and long. Wish more companies would offer something of that length.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/hpas.jsp
Firestone Firehawk SH-30 used to be the best tire in its category as recently as a year ago, sharing the 1-2 places with Michelin Pilot XGT H4. Even better tires appeared, but the current third place in its category (All-season performance) is still very good rating. I bought the tires for my 98 Malibu 1.5 year ago, and like them very much. Outstanding wet traction and resistance to hydroplaning.
On the other hand, Firestone Firehawk GTA and GTA 02 are one of worst tires in the same category.
Before waxing however, I recommend you getting a "CLAY BAR". Why you ask? because these cars are transported via Railroad and the the railroad "Dust" settles in the paint and somehow manages to contaminate the clearcoat in the paint. Regular washing/waxing will not take railroad dust contaminants out. You'll need a clay bar. I recommend "Mother's Clay Bar with lubricant spray system (Big red box, yellow clay bar) and it costs around $15 at any auto parts store. Well worth the money. Once you apply the clay bay, the paint finish feels so smooth to the touch like silk. Since the clearcoat and paint are completely clean and free from paint contaminats, then your wax job will be a lot easier with professional results.
It takes time but it is fun and well worth the results. That Sandrift Impala will be the envy of the neighboorhood!
A regular auto parts store like Kragen, Auto Barn, etc is also good.
I've baought almost all my car care stuff at Coscto, except for the Mothers products. They have a good car accessory section. They often have a car care package on sale: bucket, mitt, brush, car wash, spray cleaners, etc. I bought the following there, separately:
California Water Blade
California Duster
Car Wash concentrate (I forget the brand)
Car wash mitt/sponge/brush pack
Zymol Cleaner/Wax 2-pack
If you want to see 2 of my clean and shiny cars, click on this:
Shiny Cars
I use the Mothers Clay Bar kit. It's about $13 at wal-Mart. It includes a clay bar, a bottle of "Instant Detailer" spray (which is used to lube the clay bar and later for quick waxing), and a small bottle of carnuba wax.
It's an excellent system. Your car's surface will feel smoother than glass when you're done, more like ice.
Every family have its own rules and arrangements. Who makes financial decisions, how to make them, when you ought to discuss them with spouse, and when it is just more polite, etc.
Group customs (ethnic, country of descent, etc.) also are substantially different in this respect. For example, it is wife who makes most financial decisions for family in Russia.
It is the wife that makes most of the decisions, financial or otherise, in America, too, whether the husband knows it or not. (It's probably the same in most other countries, too. The men just don't realize it, or don't want to admit it.)
http://www.impalahq.com/
www.langka.com
I use a large dogbone shaped sponge and pour the
liquid car wash (Mother's) directly on the wet sponge.
The hose is running all the time on the spot that I am washing. This stops the area from drying out and the water keeps dirt and contaminants in suspension.
I see a lot of people who wet the car down and then put the sponge in the bucket. 5 minutes later the car has started to dry, and the sponge is no longer wet. Sandpaper effect.
I never have a problem with spider web scratches on the paint on any of my cars'.
Not to get too far off the subject of Impalas but, there is a marketing book called "Megatrends for Women," by the same author of the well known "Megatrends." In it you will find that women make most major household decisions in the family.
This brings me to the Impala, they have been saying that there isn't a big RWD alternative to the Crown Vic to go to, or they would be going to it with their new orders. I wonder if GM has been keeping that in mind when designing the new Impala. The Caprice was more prevelant than the Crown Vic until they stopped producing them, now there are few of them left in police fleets. The thing I liked about my Impala was it's size, it's not as big as my Caprice was, but still big enough to make me feel not so invisible, like Copychick was saying about SUV's.
I'll keep my 2000ls for now but am really looking forward to a beefier version. I spent enough money trying to get more HP out of my LS and it does have a bit more jump than it did when I first got it. I'd like the heavy duty car though as at times it feels "Light". But you know, got to love that fuel mileage.
So if you're planning on a family (you didn't say if you had kids or not or if roominess was a factor)I'd stay away from the Jetta (size and quality of build)and get something more practical but still stylish. Ihave no suggestions for him because to me the only real choice would be another Impala! I tried to talk the wife into another one before the Altima but she said it was too big, at 199" the Altima is 1 inch shorter than the Impala. He needs to do more research on that Jetta before he pulls the trigger...
As for family size, we only need one big car. We have one daughter (an adorable 8 year old fireball:) and are not planning on expanding our family beyond the possibility of getting a small dog down the road (as long as the cat doesn't mind;) Since our DD was comfortable in the back of a Saturn, I figure she can handle just about anything. She certainly enjoys the spaciousness of the Impala's back seat, and if we go out on long family excursions, the Impala will probably be our car of choice anyway. That's particularly the case if DH leases instead of buying.
I checked out the Altima and, before I'd heard about the Impala, was convinced that would be my next car. But I wanted a car with the biggest front seat I could find, and the Impala won out based on the amount of hip space it offered.
I guess the next thing to replace is struts. I am holding out to see whether I want a Mazda6 or the supercharged Impala due out about the same time.
Anyone replace the struts yet? Any advice?
At around the 6 month anniversary, a drunk nailed the right rear quarter panel at a local casino. Then he took off (hit & run). Unfortunately for him, casino employees on break saw it, knew him (he had hit a $10k jackpot a couple weeks prior) and snitched him off. End result..he got busted..I got my car fixed.
I'm seeing a lot of Impala's around here (Pacific NW). It's not uncommon to pull up to a traffic light beside/behind/in front of another one. Seems to be about an even mix between LS's and base models...LS's maybe the slight leader. As for "uniqueness"...I don't know, maybe I'm just too blase' about it. Not an issue with me. Besides, it's been my experience that "unique" is just another word for "higher purchase price" and much much "higher repair costs" once off warranty. Jeeeez..I owned a VW Bug back in the days when every 3rd car you saw was a Bug and I was thrilled to death to have one. (Wish I still had that Bug..it was a kick in the butt..wouldn't trade my LS for it though..haha.)
Glad to hear they caught the drunk who hit your car. It's good to hear when justice is done in these cases.
John, I'll have to keep those Dunlops in mind when my tires finally do need replacing.
This still hasn't swayed him from the Jetta. He insists the turbo still feels faster than the Impala LS. Funny thing is, he can't afford the turbo and won't even have that kind of power because he will probably have to get a base.
* Good off the line torque (Max torque around 1700 RPM)
* Very fuel efficient.
The negatives:
* Very noisy and coarse sounding under acceleration.
* runs out of steam in the highway
* There are still reports around of excessive oil consumption.
The Jetta 2.0L is great city car, not a very good choice for long highway jaunts.
Maintenance schedule for this engine only calls for oil changes and tune ups every 5K miles.
If your hubby still insists in the Jetta, I'll think he will be much happier with the 1.8T model (Turbo) or the 1.9TDI model (Turbodiesel). If course both are a bit more expensive than the 2.0L base versions. He can afford either if he keeps a tab on the options list. Forget leather seats and sunroofs. Get the 1.8T motor instead and so forth...
The Jetta VR6 (V6) is the most expensive of the bunch but I do not recommend it for 2 reasons: This engine makes the nose of the Jetta too heavy, and reliability of the 2.8L V6 VW engine hasn't been that great either. It requires premium fuel to boot.
I think the 1.8T also requires premium gasoline but I could be wrong.
Glad to hear your hubby is warming up to the Impala. Something tells me you are going to end up driving the Jetta...ouch!
Well.. as of yesterday (Saturday, June 22, 2002), I decided to bite the bullet and purchase a 2002 Chevrolet Impala LS sedan. She's beautiful!! After careful deliberation, I decided to go after the Dark Carmine Red Metallic with Neutral Leather interior. She isn't missing a single option! Loaded to the gills.. MSRP of $27,285 before GMS discount & 3.9% @60 mo's!
Prior to this vehicle, I had a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM GT1 sedan that I just had to get rid of. It was a great car, but I underwent lower back surgery (at a mere 27 y/o) at the beginning of 2002 and once I returned to work and had to be on the road again, I quickly discovered that the firm ride and seats of my Grand AM were a "no go" for me. Since I travel a lot for work, I have a specific "work vehicle" which will now become my 2002 Impala LS sedan.
In addition to my 2002 Impala, I own a 2002 GMC Envoy SLT that I just love to death. I do not use it for work because with my job, I can accumulate ~ 3,000 miles per month. I do plan on keeping both vehicles "until the tires fall off," and I do believe that the Impala will keep me content along the way. I am an avid poster of the "2002 Envoy, Trailblazer, Bravada" forum and hope to become an active member in this forum as well. If any of you would like to share additional information concerning the Impala's, please feel free (i.e. service concerns, TSB's etc.).
Thanks!
IExplore2000@aol.com
By the way, Impala looks the best in the dark red color. Even better than dark-blue, for my tastes.
Ken