Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

abacomike

I just called my local Mercedes dealer to get a price for recallibrating my sensors and cameras - spoke with the service manager whom I know well.  He said once the windshield is replaced, give him a call and he’ll do the recallibrating at no charge to me.

Now that is a standup service manager.  He knows all my servicing will be done st his shop.  That saves me the aggravation of having to pay up front and then submit a claim to insurance.  It sure pays to check things carefully and compare.

driver100

Good news today Mike. That is very nice of them, hope the day remains positive.

abacomike

driver100 said:

Good news today Mike. That is very nice of them, hope the day remains positive.

Just 10-1/2 hours til midnight - here’s hoping for a nice, positive day!

laurasdada

Posted similar on CCBA board:

Greetings, folks. The sneaks on the XF are down to 4/32, so time to start thinking of new rubber. Have been considering the Conti DWS06 to replace the OEM Contis, but my tire guy ("Laurasdada, your car looks fast just sitting in the parking lot") quoted me on Nokian Z Line AS tires as a slightly cheaper alternative. Anyone have any experience/knowledge of the Nokian Z Line AS tires?

stickguy

Speaking of tires, glad I had new ones (and a battery) this past weekend. Upstate NY was nasty. Had ice, then snow, winds that drifted snow, and frigid cold that turned roads into nasty icy mess. And barely above zero temps. But car fired right up, and handled slick stuff like roads were bare. So I feel good about making the investment (and glad I got the heads up about the battery).

My son was sad today though. Whammed a pothole, now one of the pirellis on his Audi has a nice bulge. Going in tomorrow for replacement. Was talking about buying a set of used snows from his roommate. Probably about to accelerate that plan after this. Great deal. Michelin xice with 3k miles, 1 season, on 1 YO alloys, for $400. I’d buy them for that and hope they fit my Elantra. Roomie had a GTI last year but traded it for a BMW and they didn’t fit.

oldfarmer50

Would you pay $70k for a car that folds up?




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MONIa4zdLdY

stickguy

I would not pay 70K for any car. because it is way out of budget. But if I could, it would not be that one.

qbrozen

I remember seeing something like that demonstrated quite a long time ago. Don't know if it was the same company. Don't remember much about it at all, really, except the way it folds.

Mr_Shiftright

Only if Elon Musk built it.

roadburner

I bit the bullet and replaced the battery in the Wrangler today; it had been cranking slow lately and with temperatures forecast to be in the single digits(Fahrenheit) I didn't want to tempt fate. The battery had lasted four years and ten months so I really can't complain. The R&R went relatively smoothly and while I was at it I also installed new wiper blades. All this should insure we get very little snow...

qbrozen

Just realized that youtube video is from 2012

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

Only if Elon Musk built it.

Or Apple.

driver100

qbrozen said:

Just realized that youtube video is from 2012

Guess not too many bought one...I haven't seen any.

I will say though, there are parts of the world where parking space is at a premium.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Speaking of tires, glad I had new ones (and a battery) this past weekend. Upstate NY was nasty. Had ice, then snow, winds that drifted snow, and frigid cold that turned roads into nasty icy mess. And barely above zero temps. But car fired right up, and handled slick stuff like roads were bare. So I feel good about making the investment (and glad I got the heads up about the battery).

My son was sad today though. Whammed a pothole, now one of the pirellis on his Audi has a nice bulge. Going in tomorrow for replacement. Was talking about buying a set of used snows from his roommate. Probably about to accelerate that plan after this. Great deal. Michelin xice with 3k miles, 1 season, on 1 YO alloys, for $400. I’d buy them for that and hope they fit my Elantra. Roomie had a GTI last year but traded it for a BMW and they didn’t fit.

And after that you want to move up here? Bet your son's tire tragedy happened in Albany. They have other things to do other than fix potholes. They also have a unique solution for snow removal--it's called Spring.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Just realized that youtube video is from 2012

I just saw a story about this kind of car on a major TV network. They were touting this as a "new" introduction. That video was the first hit when I Googled it. Maybe that was an older version of this car.

Still wouldn't pay $70k.

oldfarmer50

I was driving the van around in the salt yesterday and noticed a chunk of the rocker panel under the driver's door had fallen off due to rust. It's a work vehicle so no biggie but during the same trip I saw two new Mustangs and a Maserati driving in this mess. Go figure.

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Speaking of tires, glad I had new ones (and a battery) this past weekend. Upstate NY was nasty. Had ice, then snow, winds that drifted snow, and frigid cold that turned roads into nasty icy mess. And barely above zero temps. But car fired right up, and handled slick stuff like roads were bare. So I feel good about making the investment (and glad I got the heads up about the battery).

My son was sad today though. Whammed a pothole, now one of the pirellis on his Audi has a nice bulge. Going in tomorrow for replacement. Was talking about buying a set of used snows from his roommate. Probably about to accelerate that plan after this. Great deal. Michelin xice with 3k miles, 1 season, on 1 YO alloys, for $400. I’d buy them for that and hope they fit my Elantra. Roomie had a GTI last year but traded it for a BMW and they didn’t fit.

And after that you want to move up here? Bet your son's tire tragedy happened in Albany. They have other things to do other than fix potholes. They also have a unique solution for snow removal--it's called Spring.

Yes, I think he was back n Albany. And he running joke was just that the weather killed that plan. My SIL said the same thing. My BIL (wife’s brother) and her are retiring soon and he is talking about moving up from VA. She won’t do it year round. Maybe a summer lake house.

stickguy

Me, I’m thinking snowbird. And that I can’t afford. So may stick with Delaware.

oldfarmer50

Don't understand this.

A car worth maybe $5500 in good condition but needs a new engine for $3k plus maybe $4k to buy and install even a used engine with similar milage.

Who would take that deal?



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/nissan-altimamiles-engine/6441138326.html

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

Don't understand this.

A car worth maybe $5500 in good condition but needs a new engine for $3k plus maybe $4k to buy and install even a used engine with similar milage.

Who would take that deal?



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/nissan-altimamiles-engine/6441138326.html

Engine blown and the owner had no idea until he had it at the dealership? Something fishy. You can find cars that run for the $1,500 minimum he might take. Pass on this one!

fintail

You'd have to be a DIYer in love with 11 year old Altimas to take that deal. Around here those have a rep for kind of BMW driving behavior, and I don't mean that in a good way. The steering wheel cover irks me, too, and no comment about the ad copy.

ab348

I always hated those and especially the previous-generation Altimas for their "Altezza" taillights from the factory, totally inappropriate for a run of the mill midsize family sedan.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

I always hated those and especially the previous-generation Altimas for their "Altezza" taillights from the factory, totally inappropriate for a run of the mill midsize family sedan.

I don't mind the looks and at least the 3.5L has some muscle. My BIL had a 2003 but by the time he traded it in on a 15' the rear floor pans had rusted out. Only 120k miles and just the carpet between your feet and the road.

pensfan83

cdnpinhead said:

When you say 10 degrees, in my world it's important to add the "above" and make it clear that you're talking deg F, not C. I won't trouble you with the temperatures I've dealt with in the past. Currently I don't wear a jacket until it gets below 40 deg F, the gloves and hat (toque) come out as the temperature heads toward 0 deg F. Below that, I drag out the heavy coat. I just spent most of two weeks in the Minneapolis area where it varied between 8 and 28 deg F -- never got above freezing. Made me smile, so long as there was no freezing rain involved.

For Western PA that's pretty chilly but it's not the coldest I have been in either. Fun fact about Steve (and a quick story) is that I was a Boy Scout (made Eagle as well) and once my Scouting career was over I became involved with an Explorer post that did trips to the Canadian wilderness in Quebec. Canoeing in the summer months backpacking/snowshoeing in winter.

One winter the average temperature during the DAY with no wind chill was -12 degrees F. It was quite the ordeal my first trip having never been in such cold temperatures for any extended time but I stayed warm (mostly). Like you when I returned to Pittsburgh I hardly layered up if it was above freezing. The worst part were the mornings getting out of my mummy bag and putting on cold boots. The scenery though, both in summer and winter, was breathtaking as we were canoeing and trekking across land that was untouched by man.

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

Don't understand this.

A car worth maybe $5500 in good condition but needs a new engine for $3k plus maybe $4k to buy and install even a used engine with similar milage.

Who would take that deal?



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/nissan-altimamiles-engine/6441138326.html

Somebody with a good running one that needs replacement black body panels could make out OK.

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Only if Elon Musk built it.

Or Apple.

At least in the Apple Cult they demand a certain aesthetic. Not sure fans would have accepted a really ugly iPhone. The Tesla X and 3 are not terribly attractive cars and the "new" future, soon-ish, any day now pickup truck is a mutt IMO.

jmonroe

pensfan83 said:

cdnpinhead said:

When you say 10 degrees, in my world it's important to add the "above" and make it clear that you're talking deg F, not C. I won't trouble you with the temperatures I've dealt with in the past. Currently I don't wear a jacket until it gets below 40 deg F, the gloves and hat (toque) come out as the temperature heads toward 0 deg F. Below that, I drag out the heavy coat. I just spent most of two weeks in the Minneapolis area where it varied between 8 and 28 deg F -- never got above freezing. Made me smile, so long as there was no freezing rain involved.

For Western PA that's pretty chilly but it's not the coldest I have been in either. Fun fact about Steve (and a quick story) is that I was a Boy Scout (made Eagle as well) and once my Scouting career was over I became involved with an Explorer post that did trips to the Canadian wilderness in Quebec. Canoeing in the summer months backpacking/snowshoeing in winter.

One winter the average temperature during the DAY with no wind chill was -12 degrees F. It was quite the ordeal my first trip having never been in such cold temperatures for any extended time but I stayed warm (mostly). Like you when I returned to Pittsburgh I hardly layered up if it was above freezing. The worst part were the mornings getting out of my mummy bag and putting on cold boots. The scenery though, both in summer and winter, was breathtaking as we were canoeing and trekking across land that was untouched by man.

I enjoy reading about people who like to rough-it. Me, I'm just the opposite. Roughing-it to me is when there is:

(1) no hot water
(2) only black and white TV
(3) no chocolate on my pillow at night and
(4) they just ran out of Jack Daniels

FWIW, I was a Boy Scout for 2 years myself. I was so far from being and Eagle Scout I couldn't even spel it.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

jmonroe said:

pensfan83 said:

cdnpinhead said:

When you say 10 degrees, in my world it's important to add the "above" and make it clear that you're talking deg F, not C. I won't trouble you with the temperatures I've dealt with in the past. Currently I don't wear a jacket until it gets below 40 deg F, the gloves and hat (toque) come out as the temperature heads toward 0 deg F. Below that, I drag out the heavy coat. I just spent most of two weeks in the Minneapolis area where it varied between 8 and 28 deg F -- never got above freezing. Made me smile, so long as there was no freezing rain involved.

For Western PA that's pretty chilly but it's not the coldest I have been in either. Fun fact about Steve (and a quick story) is that I was a Boy Scout (made Eagle as well) and once my Scouting career was over I became involved with an Explorer post that did trips to the Canadian wilderness in Quebec. Canoeing in the summer months backpacking/snowshoeing in winter.

One winter the average temperature during the DAY with no wind chill was -12 degrees F. It was quite the ordeal my first trip having never been in such cold temperatures for any extended time but I stayed warm (mostly). Like you when I returned to Pittsburgh I hardly layered up if it was above freezing. The worst part were the mornings getting out of my mummy bag and putting on cold boots. The scenery though, both in summer and winter, was breathtaking as we were canoeing and trekking across land that was untouched by man.

I enjoy reading about people who like to rough-it. Me, I'm just the opposite. Roughing-it to me is when there is:

(1) no hot water
(2) only black and white TV
(3) no chocolate on my pillow at night and
(4) they just ran out of Jack Daniels

FWIW, I was a Boy Scout for 2 years myself. I was so far from being and Eagle Scout I couldn't even spel it.

jmonroe

I was a Boy Scout in New York City. We went backpacking with suitcases. The earth was "the floor". All birds were called pigeons and all animals spotted in the bushes were either rats or cockroaches as far as we knew. I'm not certain but I think we gave out merit badges for pitching quarters.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Don't understand this.

A car worth maybe $5500 in good condition but needs a new engine for $3k plus maybe $4k to buy and install even a used engine with similar milage.

Who would take that deal?



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/nissan-altimamiles-engine/6441138326.html

If I was going to do that I would rather buy this 2008 for $10200 and only 6000 miles on it.



2008 Nissan Altima

It sounds like this car has been troublesome so the $3000 for an engine will only be the beginning. It will probably need a fair amount of work done at around 80000 miles....so this car could be a money pit.

stickguy

good candidate for a mechanic as a side project, for a few hundred $$ (if the chassis is clean), who also has a wrecked one with a good drivetrain. A little time to combine the good engine into non wrecked car, and could be ahead of the game. If you are buying this to haul to a garage to get done at rack rates, you will not likely come out ahead.

stickguy

my son just got his car back. 1 new tire installed. Thankfully no wheel or suspension damage. Pricey at the dealer. He is happy to have the protection plan (just paid for 1/3 of it today). Snow tires he is buying will go on shortly.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Only if Elon Musk built it.

Or Apple.

At least in the Apple Cult they demand a certain aesthetic. Not sure fans would have accepted a really ugly iPhone. The Tesla X and 3 are not terribly attractive cars and the "new" future, soon-ish, any day now pickup truck is a mutt IMO.

It was aesthetically minimalist.
A Tesla pick up truck? Isn't that like an oxymoron?
I found this drawing.....but, I can't picture a truck driver person going for a whimpy pick up truck.....

And then some guy will want to jack it up and have big tires on it too!

Mr_Shiftright

This was the recent concept drawingTesla released. It's worse than you thought possible:


Not sure if the stylist for Tesla passed away after the Model S and someone's son-in-law took over, or what?

I presume they wouldn't dare build such a mutant, and that a more conventional vehicle will prevail.

abacomike

Just got a call from SafeLite auto glass.  They set up an appointment to replace the windshield for January 3rd.  He said it takes about 1-1/2 hours.  Then I can get the car in to Mercedes for calibration.  

It’s a Mercedes windshield.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

This was the recent concept drawingTesla released. It's worse than you thought possible:


Not sure if the stylist for Tesla passed away after the Model S and someone's son-in-law took over, or what?

I presume they wouldn't dare build such a mutant, and that a more conventional vehicle will prevail.

That has to be a joke.

jmonroe

ab348

driver100 said:

I found this drawing.....but, I can't picture a truck driver person going for a whimpy pick up truck.....

And then some guy will want to jack it up and have big tires on it too!

It looks like someone sent a Ridgeline to one of those shops that has a TV show on Velocity and they customized it over the weekend for a "demanding client".

oldfarmer50

Who needs 1000hp? Nobody, so why do I want one?

http://www.motortrend.com/news/1000-hp-2017-trans-am-455-super-duty-bows-in-new-york/?wc_mid=4035:10337&wc_rid=4035:1116404&_wcsid=803D36F0164E42D5AFEB8FA5E20E2A704EDCC1F70EF446EA

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

This was the recent concept drawingTesla released. It's worse than you thought possible:


Not sure if the stylist for Tesla passed away after the Model S and someone's son-in-law took over, or what?

I presume they wouldn't dare build such a mutant, and that a more conventional vehicle will prevail.

I thought that design was for a semi - transport truck? It looks like a cross between a semi transport and a pick up. Even stranger......

HAWTHORNE, Calif. — Tesla Inc. unveiled its long-anticipated, all-electric Class 8 tractor Nov. 16, marking the electric car maker’s entry into the commercial truck business and reimagining the heavy-duty truck as we know it.

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk at an introductory event here drove the sleekly styled truck into a hangar at the headquarters of his SpaceX aerospace company, then emerged to pitch the waiting crowd on why he believes it has a place in commercial fleet operations.

The battery-powered Tesla Semi, slated for production in 2019, is a day cab with a range of up to 500 miles on a single charge, achieved while traveling at highway speeds and hauling 80,000 pounds, the company said

Full article

ab348

I like the exterior on that Trans Am 455 (except for the wheels, which need to be snowflakes) but the interior and especially the graphics used inside let it down.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

This was the recent concept drawingTesla released. It's worse than you thought possible:


Not sure if the stylist for Tesla passed away after the Model S and someone's son-in-law took over, or what?

I presume they wouldn't dare build such a mutant, and that a more conventional vehicle will prevail.

I thought that design was for a semi - transport truck? It looks like a cross between a semi transport and a pick up. Even stranger......

HAWTHORNE, Calif. — Tesla Inc. unveiled its long-anticipated, all-electric Class 8 tractor Nov. 16, marking the electric car maker’s entry into the commercial truck business and reimagining the heavy-duty truck as we know it.

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk at an introductory event here drove the sleekly styled truck into a hangar at the headquarters of his SpaceX aerospace company, then emerged to pitch the waiting crowd on why he believes it has a place in commercial fleet operations.

The battery-powered Tesla Semi, slated for production in 2019, is a day cab with a range of up to 500 miles on a single charge, achieved while traveling at highway speeds and hauling 80,000 pounds, the company said

Full article

Impressive if true. I had the impression that electric vehicles drained down really fast under that kind of load.

fintail

Better looking than the cars.

driver100

Is 500 miles enough for a semi truck to go though? How long does it take to charge up? Sometimes these trucks get stuck on the highway for hours too....and how does cold weather affect those batteries? How many truckers have on time delivery.....would you chance it if you are doing say a 450 mile trip? What if the place you get to doesn't have a charging station? Questions - questions.........???????

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Is 500 miles enough for a semi truck to go though? How long does it take to charge up? Sometimes these trucks get stuck on the highway for hours too....and how does cold weather affect those batteries? How many truckers have on time delivery.....would you chance it if you are doing say a 450 mile trip? What if the place you get to doesn't have a charging station? Questions - questions.........???????

With the 10 hour federal driving limit and e-log enforced rest periods 500 miles a day might be the limit.

explorerx4

One of my kid's friends stopped over with a new Genesis G80, AWD V6. Just sat in passenger seat, but seems pretty nice.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

Is 500 miles enough for a semi truck to go though? How long does it take to charge up? Sometimes these trucks get stuck on the highway for hours too....and how does cold weather affect those batteries? How many truckers have on time delivery.....would you chance it if you are doing say a 450 mile trip? What if the place you get to doesn't have a charging station? Questions - questions.........???????

With the 10 hour federal driving limit and e-log enforced rest periods 500 miles a day might be the limit.

Well it does say it's a day cab which would suggest local or regional deliveries so 500 miles would work well. If they can get it. 

cdnpinhead

oldfarmer50 said:

With the 10 hour federal driving limit and e-log enforced rest periods 500 miles a day might be the limit.

I'm way out of date, but when I was driving the rule was 10 hours on and 8 off, which left six hours in the day to go toward the next 10 hours. However, there were limits in how many hours you could accumulate in a number of days (70 in 8 days? I don't remember), which meant you couldn't do 10 on and 8 off continuously. . . unless you kept two sets of books, one of which kept you under the long-term limit and the other one which showed you to be where you were. I'm pretty sure that's impossible now with all the electronic magic we deal with.

explorerx4

to... get in trouble?

suydam

driver100 said:

Is 500 miles enough for a semi truck to go though? How long does it take to charge up? Sometimes these trucks get stuck on the highway for hours too....and how does cold weather affect those batteries? How many truckers have on time delivery.....would you chance it if you are doing say a 450 mile trip? What if the place you get to doesn't have a charging station? Questions - questions.........???????

Through regen braking, getting stuck on the highway actually improves your charge life. Modern times!

driver100

RE: How long truck drivers can drive.
There is an 11/24 Hour Rule that means;
This is a real simple rule that sometimes people can make harder than it really is….me included, when it first came out. In a nutshell…it simply states that you cannot “work” more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period…and cannot drive more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period, without taking a 10 hour break.

Since a truck driver can drive for 14 hours he could probably do up to about 700 miles in a day.....but, some may only do shorter runs so the 500 mile charge up could work for some. Like Snake said, day cab means it isn't meant to sleep in.

On another note...those that are wanting to downsize....90 seconds!
https://youtu.be/vW3VNFyR6A4

graphicguy

driver100 said:

RE: How long truck drivers can drive.
There is an 11/24 Hour Rule that means;
This is a real simple rule that sometimes people can make harder than it really is….me included, when it first came out. In a nutshell…it simply states that you cannot “work” more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period…and cannot drive more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period, without taking a 10 hour break.

Since a truck driver can drive for 14 hours he could probably do up to about 700 miles in a day.....but, some may only do shorter runs so the 500 mile charge up could work for some. Like Snake said, day cab means it isn't meant to sleep in.

On another note...those that are wanting to downsize....90 seconds!
https://youtu.be/vW3VNFyR6A4

driver100 said:

RE: How long truck drivers can drive.
There is an 11/24 Hour Rule that means;
This is a real simple rule that sometimes people can make harder than it really is….me included, when it first came out. In a nutshell…it simply states that you cannot “work” more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period…and cannot drive more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period, without taking a 10 hour break.

Since a truck driver can drive for 14 hours he could probably do up to about 700 miles in a day.....but, some may only do shorter runs so the 500 mile charge up could work for some. Like Snake said, day cab means it isn't meant to sleep in.

On another note...those that are wanting to downsize....90 seconds!
https://youtu.be/vW3VNFyR6A4

Dependent on the part of the world you live in, the $130K base price can be undercut, or at least matched by something you can build on a foundation that would be much less susceptible to storms, earthquakes, etc.

At $50K/ea they might have a business. Not at $130K, though.

Interesting concept, however.