Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

explorerx4

@fordfool,
Those ford dual clutch transmissions are very efficient, but are awful to live with.

bwia

Thanks driver,

roadburner

bwia said:

My daughter was just involved in a fender bender; she was hit from behind. No injuries to her or the offending party. As we all know, the driver that rear ends you is at fault (@driver comes to mind). The negligent driver understands that, but he is panicking knowing the consequences.

Well, he has reason to be scared. He does not want my daughter to file an insurance claim, promising to pay her out of his pocket for the cost of the damages. He said he was in accident last year and changed his insurance provider as a consequence. And now, if this accident is disclosed to his insurance company his policy will be canceled. The poor guy has two jobs and cannot afford to be without a vehicle.

My daughter wants to know what should she do. I told her to give the guy a break and settle the claim privately. Was this good fatherly advice or am I contributing to the delinquency of a habitual law-breaker?

Sorry- you are giving the deadbeat an out. Odds are now that your daughter won't see one red cent.

bwia

Thanks all for your very good suggestions. My daughter is well aware of the protocol to get a police report, see a doctor and file an insurance claim. 

Some 12 years ago she was hit from behind at a red light. She had minor injuries but her brand new Civic was totalled. That's she has been driving SUVS since. 

So I have withdrawn my original advice and instead ask to protect herself by filling an insurance claim. 

bwia

bwia said:

Thanks driver,

I'm trying to delete this post. 

thebean

ab348 said:

thebean said:

GG, I like both of those. The '66 was the Mr Drysdale model. Was the '69 a unibody car (anyone know)? I don't remember when they went to that from body on frame. Lots of iron in those two.

Imperials were body on frame until the 1967 model, which went unibody. That '69 was the Fuselage bodied-model, which Brock Yates of Car & Driver memorably described as "somehow, it smells like a Plymouth".

My favorite Imperial was always the '67 model for some reason.

Thanks for the info, @ab348. Love the Brock Yates quote.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

Survey says: Not too many Fox Body Mustang fans here.
That's ok, it works for us and that's what counts.

That's ALL that counts.

oldfarmer50

bwia said:

My daughter was just involved in a fender bender; she was hit from behind. No injuries to her or the offending party. As we all know, the driver that rear ends you is at fault (@driver comes to mind). The negligent driver understands that, but he is panicking knowing the consequences.

Well, he has reason to be scared. He does not want my daughter to file an insurance claim, promising to pay her out of his pocket for the cost of the damages. He said he was in accident last year and changed his insurance provider as a consequence. And now, if this accident is disclosed to his insurance company his policy will be canceled. The poor guy has two jobs and cannot afford to be without a vehicle.

My daughter wants to know what should she do. I told her to give the guy a break and settle the claim privately. Was this good fatherly advice or am I contributing to the delinquency of a habitual law-breaker?

Feel sorry for the guy but what if he turns out to be a cheat and doesn't pay. No police report, no accident. Then if she tries to repair her car through her own insurance they'll ask why no report. Suing in civil court might be impossible too.

If he's crashing on a yearly basis maybe he shouldn't be on the road.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

was quite upset with the princess today. She leaves to head back south to school Thursday, so this weekend I washed the Jetta all up nice to get it ready. Well, today she comes home, and mentions some sap on the car, so I take a look. Turns out she parked at her friends house under some trees. Which must have been molting, because the car was plastered with crap. Sap blobs, and tons of little black dogs. Was so rough, it looked like it had the mumps. Was afraid the finish might be marred.

so, rubbed it down with the bug and tar (and sap) remover, gave it a good wash, and was pleasantly surprised that it all came off. Maybe luck, likely because was not on their long enough to really set-up, and I just did a wax job about a month ago so I had a layer of protection on it. So IMO dodged a bullet.

She better be real good to you in your old age.

stickguy

she likes us. We have a deal arranged. She becomes rich, and we move in over her garage so I can take car of her car and babysit the pack of dogs she is likely to collect. And Mom can cook. Sounds good to me!

driver100

Well, he has reason to be scared. He does not want my daughter to file an insurance claim, promising to pay her out of his pocket for the cost of the damages. He said he was in accident last year and changed his insurance provider as a consequence. And now, if this accident is disclosed to his insurance company his policy will be canceled. The poor guy has two jobs and cannot afford to be without a vehicle.

Not to overdo it, but, if he is working two jobs, he is worried the cost of his insurance is going to rise, he was in an accident just a year ago....is that really the kind of person who is likely to come up with the cash?

I am a specialist in knowing how conmen work. Most people are trusting....that is what makes civilization work, otherwise you couldn't leave your valuables in your home. Conmen know people are trusting and they take advantage of that. They have no conscience, so they play on your sympathy....and they can spin a really good story. They get very good at it. Don't feel bad if you are taken in....it makes you a decent person that you do have trust....just be wary these people are out there, and probably make up about 6% of the population.

fintail

Thinking about sap on cars - last year, a woman moved into my building, she drives an F30 320i, blue on beige, nice colors. She noticed me cleaning my car, and asked about the sap on her car. I inspected it, and the car was covered with a layer of fine "sandpaper" sap, with numerous larger globs. It was obvious the car had sat outside for some time, and was neglected - yet wasn't an old car. I told her it was definitely possible to correct the paint, but it would require some elbow grease. She seemed receptive - but probably a year later, the sap is still there.

oldfarmer50

fordfool said:

ab348 said:

News story up here today about lawsuits
against Ford for the Focus and Fiesta "Powershift" transmissions:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ford-transmission-fiesta-focus-class-action-lawsuit-1.4243571

Has Ford changed the dual-clutch transmission for the 2017 model year
or is it still the same troublesome model?

And what about the reliability of super-charged or turbo-charged engines?
Do they hold up?

I'm in the market for a compact sized car and reliability is a big factor because
I'd like to get 150,000 miles out of it. Any advice is appreciated.

I'd love to know what Ford did for those affected cars. Could you buy a 12-16 Focus without worrying about the tranny? That article mentions a settlement here in the US. What was the result of that?

graphicguy

@bwia....Glad your daughter is OK after the accident. The guy who rear ended your daughter sounds a little "hinky" to me. He had an accident and decided to change insurance companies as a result. And, now is afraid of what his new insurance company will do?

First, the reason you carry insurnace is to protect yourself from large bills if/when an accident happens. Under a thousand dollars? Yeah, I'd pull it out of my wallet to cover the damage.

But, I'd be curious why he changed insurance companies after the previous accident. And, why he's so afraid of the new instance company's response reporting this one?

How does he want to do this? You get estimates and he gives you a check to cover the damage? Or, does he want the shop to bill him directly? Or, does he want your daughter to get her car fixed and wait for him to reimburse him?

The last one would not only be a "no", it would be "HELL NO"!

I say get your daughter's insurance company involved and let them sort it out with him or his insurance company.

roadburner

fordfool said:

And what about the reliability of super-charged or turbo-charged engines?
Do they hold up?

I'm in the market for a compact sized car and reliability is a big factor because
I'd like to get 150,000 miles out of it. Any advice is appreciated.

My 158k mile Mazdaspeed 3 was running great when I flipped it for the 2 Series. Used oil analysis also showed the motor was in excellent shape.

jwm40517

My wife had a minor bump in the corner of the rear bumper of her Oddy van recently. Sort of the opposite of bwia's experience. 17 year old boy was other driver and there was a police report. Next day we got estimates from Honda and another shop, both around $500.

We had the address of owner but no phone #. Wife made a copy of both estimates and enclosed a letter stating that we would not contact her insurance company if she just wanted to pay the shop. Assumed her deductible was probably the same or more than the estimate and an at fault claim on her policy would cost more for years. Tried to help them as the damage was really very minor. Waited three weeks and did not hear from them, so we contacted their insurance and had the van fixed at their preferred shop at a cost of $1500. Picked up a rental Chevy Traverse when we dropped off the van.

Mother of 17 year old said she did not open the large envelope as she thought it was junk mail from her church. Wonder how much that will cost over a few years.

oldfarmer50

fintail said:

Thinking about sap on cars - last year, a woman moved into my building, she drives an F30 320i, blue on beige, nice colors. She noticed me cleaning my car, and asked about the sap on her car. I inspected it, and the car was covered with a layer of fine "sandpaper" sap, with numerous larger globs. It was obvious the car had sat outside for some time, and was neglected - yet wasn't an old car. I told her it was definitely possible to correct the paint, but it would require some elbow grease. She seemed receptive - but probably a year later, the sap is still there.

Boy did you miss the signals. She was obviously hitting on you in hopes that as her boyfriend yOu would do the clean up work. You blew it and now she's driving the sap car around looking for the next opportunity.

Probably for the best as a woman smart enough to use a car as a pick up device would be too much for you.

tifighter

Yeah, the old 'car sap pickup' line. Oldest trick in the book...

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

Thinking about sap on cars - last year, a woman moved into my building, she drives an F30 320i, blue on beige, nice colors. She noticed me cleaning my car, and asked about the sap on her car. I inspected it, and the car was covered with a layer of fine "sandpaper" sap, with numerous larger globs. It was obvious the car had sat outside for some time, and was neglected - yet wasn't an old car. I told her it was definitely possible to correct the paint, but it would require some elbow grease. She seemed receptive - but probably a year later, the sap is still there.

Boy did you miss the signals. She was obviously hitting on you in hopes that as her boyfriend yOu would do the clean up work. You blew it and now she's driving the sap car around looking for the next opportunity.

Probably for the best as a woman smart enough to use a car as a pick up device would be too much for you.

You got that right. I'd never blow an opportunity like that.

jmonroe.

ab348

What "sap" are you talking about here? The stuff on the car or the guy who falls for the damsel in distress approach?

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

@fordfool,
Those ford dual clutch transmissions are very efficient, but are awful to live with.

Just got done talking to a friend of my son who is leasing a 2015 Fiesta. Asked about the transmission shutter problem and he said yes his car had that but his owners manual says that it is normal.

Does that seem weird?

28firefighter

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@fordfool,
Those ford dual clutch transmissions are very efficient, but are awful to live with.

Just got done talking to a friend of my son who is leasing a 2015 Fiesta. Asked about the transmission shutter problem and he said yes his car had that but his owners manual says that it is normal.

Does that seem weird?

"It's not a bug, it's a feature."

andres3

bwia said:

My daughter was just involved in a fender bender; she was hit from behind. No injuries to her or the offending party. As we all know, the driver that rear ends you is at fault (@driver comes to mind). The negligent driver understands that, but he is panicking knowing the consequences.

Well, he has reason to be scared. He does not want my daughter to file an insurance claim, promising to pay her out of his pocket for the cost of the damages. He said he was in accident last year and changed his insurance provider as a consequence. And now, if this accident is disclosed to his insurance company his policy will be canceled. The poor guy has two jobs and cannot afford to be without a vehicle.

My daughter wants to know what should she do. I told her to give the guy a break and settle the claim privately. Was this good fatherly advice or am I contributing to the delinquency of a habitual law-breaker?

As long as the damages are paid in full at once (including rental vehicle for loss of use, up front and in advance), cash is king.

If he is suggesting an installment plan, I'd say telling anyone to pretend they are a bank is a bad idea.

Another tip, tell the guy to get off his phone and drive better!

driver100

JD Powers gives the Fiesta a 2 out of 5 for reliability, for every year. That is the lowest score possible.

Consumers Report says this about the 2016 model;
This subcompact has agile handling that makes it fun to drive, as well as a supple, controlled ride. Interior fit and finish and equipment levels are among the best of the class, and the cabin is relatively quiet. But the rear seat is very cramped. Our tested 120-hp, 1.6-liter Fiesta with the five-speed manual delivered excellent fuel economy but felt sluggish. A six-speed automated manual tends to cause the car to stumble in stop-and-go traffic. Other choices are a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo and the sporty Fiesta ST that is truly a treat to drive if your kidneys can handle the stiff ride. Sync 3 has replaced the MyFord Touch infotainment system. Reliability of the Fiesta has remained well below average.

I think I have seen enough...I would steer clear.
btw, what exactly is a "six-speed automated manual"?

andres3

driver100 said:

JD Powers gives the Fiesta a 2 out of 5 for reliability, for every year. That is the lowest score possible.

Consumers Report says this about the 2016 model;
This subcompact has agile handling that makes it fun to drive, as well as a supple, controlled ride. Interior fit and finish and equipment levels are among the best of the class, and the cabin is relatively quiet. But the rear seat is very cramped. Our tested 120-hp, 1.6-liter Fiesta with the five-speed manual delivered excellent fuel economy but felt sluggish. A six-speed automated manual tends to cause the car to stumble in stop-and-go traffic. Other choices are a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo and the sporty Fiesta ST that is truly a treat to drive if your kidneys can handle the stiff ride. Sync 3 has replaced the MyFord Touch infotainment system. Reliability of the Fiesta has remained well below average.

I think I have seen enough...I would steer clear.
btw, what exactly is a "six-speed automated manual"?

Automated manuals are direct shift gearboxes; typically with 2 clutches and known as "dual-clutch transmissions."

Some car-makers like to call automatics that shift manually "automated manuals" but they really shouldn't call them that.

I look at DCT's as manuals that shift automatically.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

JD Powers gives the Fiesta a 2 out of 5 for reliability, for every year. That is the lowest score possible.

Consumers Report says this about the 2016 model;
This subcompact has agile handling that makes it fun to drive, as well as a supple, controlled ride. Interior fit and finish and equipment levels are among the best of the class, and the cabin is relatively quiet. But the rear seat is very cramped. Our tested 120-hp, 1.6-liter Fiesta with the five-speed manual delivered excellent fuel economy but felt sluggish. A six-speed automated manual tends to cause the car to stumble in stop-and-go traffic. Other choices are a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo and the sporty Fiesta ST that is truly a treat to drive if your kidneys can handle the stiff ride. Sync 3 has replaced the MyFord Touch infotainment system. Reliability of the Fiesta has remained well below average.

I think I have seen enough...I would steer clear.
btw, what exactly is a "six-speed automated manual"?

I had to look that last part up myself. I had heard the term but never understood it.

A dual clutch set up is like two manual transmissions side by side, each with it's own clutch. One does gears 1-3-5 the other gears 2-4-6 the clutches engage and disengage in turn. Evidently the complexity of these systems and the required software has caused problems. There's a YouTube video on "5 things not to do with dual clutch transmissions" that kind of explains things.

driver100

oldfarmer, excellent information....nicely explained. I will watch the youtube video (it has become my main source for knowledge, YU...Youtube University). I will try to find the reason for this kind of transmission...my guess is more economical and/or more power from that particular engine.

cdnpinhead

oldfarmer50 said:

There's a YouTube video on "5 things not to do with dual clutch transmissions" that kind of explains things.

Which number is buy one?

driver100

Nicely explained....still not sure what the purpose is. Also, it seems that more can go wrong with a car if it has a dual clutch....and since you should have some knowledge about the do's and dont's, it sounds like if you bought a used car with one, it could be risky...if the previous owner didn't use it properly.
https://youtu.be/W42zsFYjZvM

stickguy

very good video. So I watched the AT one, manual trans one, and for kicks, rev matching. Quite interesting and he does a good job explaining the mechanics behind why. Glad to say I did not see anything bad habit that I actually do. And my guess is maybe 1% of the driving public would get them all right, or at least have any clue about why.

oldfarmer50

cdnpinhead said:

oldfarmer50 said:

There's a YouTube video on "5 things not to do with dual clutch transmissions" that kind of explains things.

Which number is buy one?

IDK, doesn't BMW offer those? I know the Mitsu EVO had one years ago. Software glitches not withstanding I'm not sure what the problem would be. They do perform differently, like they won't hold you on an incline like a regular auto tranny because everything disconnects at a stop just like a manual clutch.

From my quick review, Ford's problem came from bad manufacturing (leaking seals and the like) and software that didn't compensate for real world driver's. There's also a video from Ford Canada telling dealers that they have to explain to buyers how to drive these things.

But I'm a novice in this area. Can one of the pros weigh in on this? I'd like to know if Ford's dual clutch publicity would make a Focus a screaming bargain or a potential nightmare.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Nicely explained....still not sure what the purpose is. Also, it seems that more can go wrong with a car if it has a dual clutch....and since you should have some knowledge about the do's and dont's, it sounds like if you bought a used car with one, it could be risky...if the previous owner didn't use it properly.
https://youtu.be/W42zsFYjZvM

Well, as we all know, there are a lot of clueless drivers out there. Can you imagine what would happen to them in a traditional standard shift? I'm as adverse to new technology as they come but I think I could master the unique demands of a DC for the reported 10% fuel milage gain.

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dou3Pq31soU

fintail

Ha, I'm not that much of a sap. Not sure if she is single, or maybe I am a sap.

On that subject, the 30-something woman who parks next to me drives a CLA, and she sometimes asks me questions about car care, using it as an excuse to talk more, I think. At least she can park properly, parking in a common garage even with assigned spaces can be irritating due to the overall lack of skill shown by so many "drivers".

oldfarmer50 said:

Boy did you miss the signals. She was obviously hitting on you in hopes that as her boyfriend yOu would do the clean up work. You blew it and now she's driving the sap car around looking for the next opportunity.

Probably for the best as a woman smart enough to use a car as a pick up device would be too much for you.

explorerx4

My Mom had a 2011 Fiesta with the dual clutch transmission.
Although it was a bit over 5 years old, pretty and had less than 14k miles on it, nobody in the family wanted it, so I sold it to Carmax.

andres3

explorerx4 said:

My Mom had a 2011 Fiesta with the dual clutch transmission.
Although it was a bit over 5 years old, pretty and had less than 14k miles on it, nobody in the family wanted it, so I sold it to Carmax.

What is the depreciation on a 5 year old 14,000 mile Fiesta?

oldfarmer50

B

explorerx4 said:

My Mom had a 2011 Fiesta with the dual clutch transmission.
Although it was a bit over 5 years old, pretty and had less than 14k miles on it, nobody in the family wanted it, so I sold it to Carmax.

Did you ever drive it? Was there anything unusual about how it drove or shifted? Any problems with seals or shift programming? Did the DC have anything to do with family not wanting it?

The thought of a 5 yo anything with 14k miles makes my mouth water.

oldfarmer50

fintail said:

Ha, I'm not that much of a sap. Not sure if she is single, or maybe I am a sap.

On that subject, the 30-something woman who parks next to me drives a CLA, and she sometimes asks me questions about car care, using it as an excuse to talk more, I think. At least she can park properly, parking in a common garage even with assigned spaces can be irritating due to the overall lack of skill shown by so many "drivers".

oldfarmer50 said:

Boy did you miss the signals. She was obviously hitting on you in hopes that as her boyfriend yOu would do the clean up work. You blew it and now she's driving the sap car around looking for the next opportunity.

Probably for the best as a woman smart enough to use a car as a pick up device would be too much for you.

Ask her to go with you to one of those "cars & coffee" deals sometime. Just for educational purposes of course.

explorerx4

@oldfarmer50,
The fact that nobody wanted an almost new 5 years old car, should tell you something.
It was how badly it drove due to the transmission.
Once it was in top gear, it was a great little car that got way over the EPA rating on the highway.
The extra cost factory Candy Red paint was way over the car's pay grade.

nyccarguy

fintail said:

Ha, I'm not that much of a sap. Not sure if she is single, or maybe I am a sap. On that subject, the 30-something woman who parks next to me drives a CLA, and she sometimes asks me questions about car care, using it as an excuse to talk more, I think. At least she can park properly, parking in a common garage even with assigned spaces can be irritating due to the overall lack of skill shown by so many "drivers".

Boy did you miss the signals. She was obviously hitting on you in hopes that as her boyfriend yOu would do the clean up work. You blew it and now she's driving the sap car around looking for the next opportunity. Probably for the best as a woman smart enough to use a car as a pick up device would be too much for you.

Now what kind of a CLA are we talking about?  A "run of the mill" FWD CLA 250 with those cheap looking wheels or a well optioned CLA 250 4Matic with cool AMG Wheels & the Diamond Grill?  She can park straight?  That's a plus right there;)

venture

I was at Lowes a little while ago and saw this. It didn't look like it was going to end well.

tjc78

They had that lumber... why not lay the sheets on top of that and strap the living heck out of it? I would have taken my chances that way.

venture

tjc78 said:

They had that lumber... why not lay the sheets on top of that and strap the living heck out of it? I would have taken my chances that way.

So many other ways...

fintail

Amusing car - 4Matic with optional wheels, and apparently zero other options, not even a sunroof. Apparently, she wanted it that way. Amazingly good parking, especially for this area where low speed driving skill is a rare sight.

nyccarguy said:

Now what kind of a CLA are we talking about?  A "run of the mill" FWD CLA 250 with those cheap looking wheels or a well optioned CLA 250 4Matic with cool AMG Wheels & the Diamond Grill?  She can park straight?  That's a plus right there;)

explorerx4

@Venture,
That reminds me of something the other day.
Some guy in a Toyota pickup loaded with metal filing cabinets tried to roll through a stop sign on my right out of a side street, but stopped when I drove by.
He kind of gave me the 'evil eye' as I crossed his path.
I guess he gave it some pedal as he pulled out because I heard some bangs after that.
When I looked, there were a couple of those filing cabinets laying in the road.
Even the homeless guy waiting to cross the street started laughing.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@fordfool,
Those ford dual clutch transmissions are very efficient, but are awful to live with.

Just got done talking to a friend of my son who is leasing a 2015 Fiesta. Asked about the transmission shutter problem and he said yes his car had that but his owners manual says that it is normal.

Does that seem weird?

Weird but normal- because the DCTs in those cars are absolute garbage.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

cdnpinhead said:

oldfarmer50 said:

There's a YouTube video on "5 things not to do with dual clutch transmissions" that kind of explains things.

Which number is buy one?

IDK, doesn't BMW offer those? I know the Mitsu EVO had one years ago. Software glitches not withstanding I'm not sure what the problem would be. They do perform differently, like they won't hold you on an incline like a regular auto tranny because everything disconnects at a stop just like a manual clutch.

From my quick review, Ford's problem came from bad manufacturing (leaking seals and the like) and software that didn't compensate for real world driver's. There's also a video from Ford Canada telling dealers that they have to explain to buyers how to drive these things.

But I'm a novice in this area. Can one of the pros weigh in on this? I'd like to know if Ford's dual clutch publicity would make a Focus a screaming bargain or a potential nightmare.

The BMW DCTs and the Audi/VW DSGs work okay- but I prefer a true manual or a true automatic. As good as the German DCTs/DSGs are they arent as good-IMHO-as a good automatic like the 8HP50.
Ford's DCTs are either poorly designed or the TCU programming is substandard- or more likely, both.

nyccarguy

@roadburner - tonight when I got off the highway, I saw a Black ///M235i and REALLY liked it.  I've seen a few ///M2s and they are awesome, but I really like the understated looks of the ///M235i - ///M240i.  

stickguy

Time to trade up!

28firefighter

nyccarguy said:

@roadburner - tonight when I got off the highway, I saw a Black ///M235i and REALLY liked it.  I've seen a few ///M2s and they are awesome, but I really like the understated looks of the ///M235i - ///M240i.  

I saw an M235 in Estoril blue tonight - one of my neighbors up the street just bought it as a CPO.  Love it.