Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

imidazol97

driver100 said:

I have never been really crazy about the idea of remote starters. It seems, there are too many things that could go wrong........forgetting the car is on,

On GM's the remote start turns off after 10 minutes. That's usually a long enough time for an outdoor start here in the chilly North. The heater has the car starting to warm as the coolant has risen in temperature, the seat heaters have warmed the seats on a low setting, and the rear window defogger has done its thing.

driver100 said:

someone getting in the car,

The GM programming requires the doors to be locked when the remote start event is initiated. Even if the doors were unlocked remotely after that while the car is running, the car will not shift out of Park until a key event is sensed, key inserted or key fob present in car.

driver100 said:

a car slipping into drive, overheating,

See above: the selector is locked in Park. The engine does the same as when the vehicle is sitting still in a parking lot waiting for someone is sitting in traffic--if the coolant reaches a certain temperature, coolant fans turn on at programmed levels.

driver100 said:

a last minute emergency before you get to the car.........

Car turns off after 10 minutes in GM's program. It can be restarted 1 more time to continue warming up on very cold days (my son takes advantage of that) and then will not remote start again until key has been inserted or auto start key fob is present in vehicle.

nyccarguy

driver100 said:

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – An Indiana woman is looking for answers after her 2015 Cadillac CTS suddenly caught fire while it was warming up Sunday evening

Rummell said she had remote-started the car less than five minutes before noticing the smoke and fire.

Photos taken after the fire show the whole interior of the car burned, with the front driver’s seat sustaining the heaviest damage.

A report filed by the Greenfield Fire Department determined the fire originated in the front two seats of the car. The cause was due to electrical malfunction or failure, the report said. Rummell said firefighters told her the heated seats appeared to be the cause of the fire.

Heated seats may have caused fire in 2015 Cadillac CTS

Good luck when she reports this one to GM!

I have never been really crazy about the idea of remote starters. It seems, there are too many things that could go wrong........forgetting the car is on, someone getting in the car, a car slipping into drive, overheating, a last minute emergency before you get to the car.........

Check the VIN. Maybe it was @graphicguy's old CTS

imidazol97

I read some local articles about the fire, which occurred in Greenfield (near Indianapolis). Woman claimed seats had not been working, which is a nebulous claim because unless she carefully checked for temperature before getting in she might not have noticed the warmth because IIRC the seats operate at the lowest temp and DO NOT show on the buttons that the seat heaters are on while the remote start is operational (neither does the rear window defroster when the program senses it needs to turn it on.

The lady surmises the seats didn't operate because of a short, but there are these things called fuses that turn off power to items when a short occurs and causes power draws. Therefore the seats wouldn't have been operating at all and a message would have been shown in the DIC. If a breaker is used, same effect and the BCM would likely refuse to operate the seat elements until serviced as a safety measure.

The odd thing is that both front seats appear to have been on fire. Picture of fire damage is poor. I have another theory to consider since a fire would have occured in 1 seat as a heater grid failed and that is was there a phone on the seat connected to a charger. Some phones have had battery fires. When the car was remotely started, the phone charging would have started again, and the battery/phone may have erupted in flames.

stickguy

Remote start is one feature I would never, ever use.

Driver, it has the same swoop as the Buick (like a bird in flight). With a giant rectangular box set on top. And in general overdone. To me of course, it clashes and is way too busy.

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

I have never been really crazy about the idea of remote starters. It seems, there are too many things that could go wrong........forgetting the car is on,

On GM's the remote start turns off after 10 minutes. That's usually a long enough time for an outdoor start here in the chilly North. The heater has the car starting to warm as the coolant has risen in temperature, the seat heaters have warmed the seats on a low setting, and the rear window defogger has done its thing.

someone getting in the car,

The GM programming requires the doors to be locked when the remote start event is initiated. Even if the doors were unlocked remotely after that while the car is running, the car will not shift out of Park until a key event is sensed, key inserted or key fob present in car.

a car slipping into drive, overheating,

See above: the selector is locked in Park. The engine does the same as when the vehicle is sitting still in a parking lot waiting for someone is sitting in traffic--if the coolant reaches a certain temperature, coolant fans turn on at programmed levels.

a last minute emergency before you get to the car.........

Car turns off after 10 minutes in GM's program. It can be restarted 1 more time to continue warming up on very cold days (my son takes advantage of that) and then will not remote start again until key has been inserted or auto start key fob is present in vehicle.

Same is true with my car.  Remote start operates for 10-12 minutes and shuts off once the doors are unlocked.  Should come in handy during the hot summers down here!

abacomike

driver100 said:

might just be me, but I don't like the looks of the new MB S dashboard, or the style of the screens.

You are right stick.....it is just you. I have never heard someone say they didn't like that dashboard. It is magnificent....clear, large screens, tastefully done, everything is where it should be, beautiful wood trim, stitching, lots of info....etc.

You’re showing your prejudices!

driver100

stickguy said:

Remote start is one feature I would never, ever use.

Driver, it has the same swoop as the Buick (like a bird in flight). With a giant rectangular box set on top. And in general overdone. To me of course, it clashes and is way too busy.

Fair enough stick....who am I to argue.....ha, if you think this looks;

like a combination of this:

plus this;


I get the concept of too busy though. Maybe you would have liked our 1996 Volvo....all straight lines....and simple.

driver100

i

mid
On GM's the remote start turns off after 10 minutes. That's usually a long enough time for an outdoor start here in the chilly North. The heater has the car starting to warm as the coolant has risen in temperature, the seat heaters have warmed the seats on a low setting, and the rear window defogger has done its thing.

All good points......just like my parallel parking feature I still don't entirely trust the concept. You do have a good theory about it being the cell phone though....it will be interesting to see if we ever get a final answer.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

@oldfarmer50. Yes, the Dodge.

@ab348. It is basically a heavy duty compressed cardboard. I found it through an online upholstery place of some sort. Had to buy enough to complete 4 sets just like it, but it was cheap enough. 

The old ones were very warped and tearing where at least half the clips belong. All due to lack of window sweeps and water getting in. I have new ones of those, too.

Did the doors originally have a vapor barrier? That would help.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

might just be me, but I don't like the looks of the new MB S dashboard, or the style of the screens.

You are right stick.....it is just you. I have never heard someone say they didn't like that dashboard. It is magnificent....clear, large screens, tastefully done, everything is where it should be, beautiful wood trim, stitching, lots of info....etc.

You’re showing your prejudices!

I would say different tastes....and that is fine, it is why some people choose one make over another. I can see not liking the dash, I am just not sure about it looking like a combo of a 90 Buick and Jeep Cherokee.

Once we were selling our nice home about 5 homes ago. We had a large super modern kitchen, drop in stove which was rare at that time, all clean and modern. One couple came in and reported they weren't interested because the kitchen looked to sleek....it didn't have "a country kitchen". Well, to each his own.

driver100

Ever wonder how an Amazon warehouse works? This video is 3 1/2 minutes long...but, it is incredible;
https://youtu.be/6KRjuuEVEZs

venture

One of these popped up down the street. I didn't know they made an SUV.

Mr_Shiftright

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

graphicguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

And, it’s vastly less reliable than a run of the mill Explorer!

jmonroe

stickguy said:

Remote start is one feature I would never, ever use.

Driver, it has the same swoop as the Buick (like a bird in flight). With a giant rectangular box set on top. And in general overdone. To me of course, it clashes and is way too busy.

Let me throw some fuel onto this fire.

I also would never use the remote start either. When I got my '15 Genny the Genesis Guru wanted me to sign up for Hyundai Blue Link. Gobs of features with that thing including remote start, heated/cooling seats etc. etc. I didn't really want it but signed up anyway. Hey, it was free for 6 months or maybe even a year, I can't remember now. The guy was sure I'd want to keep it but I knew I wouldn't. You had to use your smart phone to do it via an app and that convinced me I wasn't going to use it. Never used it once. In hind sight maybe I should have used it at least once just to see if it worked so if it didn't I could have taken it in for service. Re-thinking this, they would have probably said I don't know how to use a smart phone, so forget about what I just said.

Fast forward to the end of the freebee period and I get an email that my subscription was being renewed for around 100 bucks for the next year. I wasn't surprised because he told me if I didn't want it to call and cancel it, so I called to cancel. The guy said I could do that but I could get a special price (sounds like SiriusXM, huh?). I told him I didn't want it and that was that. The charge came off my Visa.

More fast forward, I get a few calls within a month and I still refuse. I also got a few mailings too within a couple months, still refused. About a year ago I got a call that I can have Blue Link free for a year, still said no. The guy was very miffed saying, "the remote start alone was worth the price of Blue Link, so why not get it". He goes on to say it's great not having to get into a cold or hot car. I told him I've done it this long so I'll just finish out my run like I've been doing it.

Speaking of SiriusXM, I like it and would even pay full MSRP for it if I had to but so far I haven't had to do that. But let's just say I had to pay full MSRP, using the @driver100 school of rationalizing a purchase, the money I have saved by not getting Blue Link would have paid the full boat SiriusXM subscription price at least once so far.

I can't even remember to turn on my seat/cooling seats in the Genny until it's too late. When we go somewhere, especially in the Winter, we take Mrs. j's Subie snowmobile. I can't tell you how many times Mrs. j has said, "don't you want your seat heaters on"? My response is, "oh, I forgot" and she reaches over and turns them on for me.

Why should I have to pay for that feature when I have a free built in reminder?

BTW, about that dash thing, you might need an eye exam. I'm willing to bet that if you got one, @driver100 would pay for it IF you agreed with him.

jmonroe

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

qbrozen said:

@oldfarmer50. Yes, the Dodge.

@ab348. It is basically a heavy duty compressed cardboard. I found it through an online upholstery place of some sort. Had to buy enough to complete 4 sets just like it, but it was cheap enough. 

The old ones were very warped and tearing where at least half the clips belong. All due to lack of window sweeps and water getting in. I have new ones of those, too.

Did the doors originally have a vapor barrier? That would help.

I was going to suggest that also. Heavy plastic sheeting (they used to use waxed paper) held on with a strip of caulking.

stickguy

If he buys me an S class, I’ll give it a long test to see and report back.

I am fundamentally against remote start, but even if I wasn’t, I couldn’t use it. I park in the garage, so unsafe.

driver100

Stick....I was going to present you with a new S550 but since you don't like the instrument panel it would be a waste of money :@

venture

Mr_Shiftright said:

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

There seems to be a lot of that going around. Law of diminishing returns or something...

driver100

The thing about bum warmers is.....they sure get hot....I think if I left it on at full power I could get 3rd degree burns.

I turn mine down after about 2 minutes, but, my wife could leave it on full power and never turn it off. I quietly turn hers down, I don't want her clothing to get scorched.

Remote start probably is't that good for the car....they say todays cars work better if they start moving right away.

driver100

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

And, it’s vastly less reliable than a run of the mill Explorer!

My friend also said the Porsche SUVs are also overrated.....not that great to drive compared to the long reigning competition.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

@oldfarmer50. Yes, the Dodge.

@ab348. It is basically a heavy duty compressed cardboard. I found it through an online upholstery place of some sort. Had to buy enough to complete 4 sets just like it, but it was cheap enough. 

The old ones were very warped and tearing where at least half the clips belong. All due to lack of window sweeps and water getting in. I have new ones of those, too.

Did the doors originally have a vapor barrier? That would help.

I have no idea. Considering nobody on the message boards coule even tell me the colors of the emblems, I doubt I'd get an answer to the vapor  barrier question.

andres3

I wouldn't use remote-start for the simple reason I wouldn't like wasting fuel.

nyccarguy

andres3 said:

I wouldn't use remote-start for the simple reason I wouldn't like wasting fuel.

You also live in Southern California where 60 degrees is considered cold.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

The thing about bum warmers is.....they sure get hot....I think if I left it on at full power I could get 3rd degree burns.

I turn mine down after about 2 minutes, but, my wife could leave it on full power and never turn it off. I quietly turn hers down, I don't want her clothing to get scorched.

Remote start probably is't that good for the car....they say todays cars work better if they start moving right away.

That's been a problem with a few rental cars. When I start them the seat heaters are on high. Feels good for 5 minutes then I start to cook. Trying to find the shut off while driving is a pain.

The Mitsu I drove had a hidden fuel door release that couldn't be seen in the dark. Don't know why they don't standardize these things.

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

qbrozen said:

@oldfarmer50. Yes, the Dodge.

@ab348. It is basically a heavy duty compressed cardboard. I found it through an online upholstery place of some sort. Had to buy enough to complete 4 sets just like it, but it was cheap enough. 

The old ones were very warped and tearing where at least half the clips belong. All due to lack of window sweeps and water getting in. I have new ones of those, too.

Did the doors originally have a vapor barrier? That would help.

I was going to suggest that also. Heavy plastic sheeting (they used to use waxed paper) held on with a strip of caulking.

ab348

Beating Marco to the punch on this one. Take 7 minutes to watch this about the Tesla Model 3:

https://youtu.be/QCIo8e12sBM

John McElroy and his guest do not seem to be impressed. Neither am I as a viewer. The commentary about emergency response personnel is particularly troubling. Then there is the issue of panel fits, etc.

imidazol97

jmonroe said:

I also would never use the remote start either. When I got my '15 Genny the Genesis Guru wanted me to sign up for Hyundai Blue Link. Gobs of features with that thing including remote start, heated/cooling seats etc. etc. I didn't really want it but signed up anyway. jmonroe

My Chevrolets have an app that has the remote start along with a few other feature and can remote start the car via the internet. Nice if your wife locks the keys in the car and you can unlock it from your office.

But the remote start on the key fob also is nice. Coming out of a store, you can activate the remote start from a cash register often. The car has warmed up slightly by the time you get to it OR has started cooling down in the summertime (oh nice thoughts of hot sun...). So it's not a terrible gas waster but is nicely convenient.

isellhondas

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

And, it’s vastly less reliable than a run of the mill Explorer!

Gee, you think? Can you imagine someone loading one up and pulling an Airstream?

Or pulling into Brady, Nebraska with a blown radiator hose? Think NAPA carries one in stock?

Ah....no thanks!

imidazol97

ab348 said:

Beating Marco to the punch on this one. Take 7 minutes to watch this about the Tesla Model 3:

https://youtu.be/QCIo8e12sBM

John McElroy and his guest do not seem to be impressed. Neither am I as a viewer. The commentary about emergency response personnel is particularly troubling. Then there is the issue of panel fits, etc.

That settles it. I'm canceling my order.

andres3

imidazol97 said:

ab348 said:

Beating Marco to the punch on this one. Take 7 minutes to watch this about the Tesla Model 3:

https://youtu.be/QCIo8e12sBM

John McElroy and his guest do not seem to be impressed. Neither am I as a viewer. The commentary about emergency response personnel is particularly troubling. Then there is the issue of panel fits, etc.

That settles it. I'm canceling my order.

Me too!

You stick to buying cars built within a few hundred miles of where you live, and I'll stick to buying cars made on the other side of the Atlantic!

andres3

I had an insurance expert person respond to my usual complaint that an insurance company will view a cheap FWD 4-cylinder econobox with 5-seats as an equivalent rental replacement to a $60,000 luxury sport sedan with AWD and a V6.

They said there was no loss as the car is returned to you after it is repaired.

Anyone else see the glaring problem with that? It is like you are supposed to overlook the 30-60 days of intense pain and hardship while your vehicle is in the shop! OK, I exaggerate, but still, there is nothing remotely "being made whole" during those 30-60 days you are out your vehicle. After the 60 days, you can begin to argue it, provided you recognize and admit diminished value.

To me, this would be the exact same argument as if you were put in the hospital ICU for 30-60 days! Why should you be given a personal injury claim, you are "healed" after your doctor's visit! What pain and suffering?

For SHAME!

imidazol97

What German brand car does this look like? I saw two MB wagons today going to our favorite Chick Fil A for lunch.

Someone mentioned they didn't care for the Regal's (sedan) shape. I happened onto this Regal and a comparison with a Volvo for ability to pull with 3 wheels disabled and a listing of the vehicles with which it's competing. Regal won.

The Regal TourX.

http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/17981/the-way-we-were-the-2018-buick-regal-tourx-calls-back-to-the-golden-age-of-station-wagons

stickguy

not sure pulling with 3 wheels disconnected is high on my must have list. But to each their own.

Michaell

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

They do, and it's a vastly overpriced vehicle for what you get, IMO.

And, it’s vastly less reliable than a run of the mill Explorer!

But, oh, that exhaust!

Had a chance to hear one in the showroom last year. There is a switch on the dash that puts the exhaust into "sport" mode. No SUV should sound that menacing. It was glorious!

imidazol97

stickguy said:

not sure pulling with 3 wheels disconnected is high on my must have list. But to each their own.

In snow and ice country having the ability to pull with any one wheel that has traction can be useful. I was always impressed with the Subaru trial with 3 wheels on rollers on a ramp and the ability to use any one wheel to climb the ramp.

stickguy

I would get the wagon with FWD anyway.

driver100

TourX is an interesting try at making an American station wagon. I kind of like it, though they sure copied a Meredes tailights, side windows, rear tailights....and Audi Allroad for the cladding. Some will like that cladding....some won't. I like it now but I wonder if it won't end up like Pontiac side cladding in a few years.

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ptIZudJPRO0

dino001

imidazol97 said:

What German brand car does this look like? I saw two MB wagons today going to our favorite Chick Fil A for lunch.

Someone mentioned they didn't care for the Regal's (sedan) shape. I happened onto this Regal and a comparison with a Volvo for ability to pull with 3 wheels disabled and a listing of the vehicles with which it's competing. Regal won.

The Regal TourX.

http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/17981/the-way-we-were-the-2018-buick-regal-tourx-calls-back-to-the-golden-age-of-station-wagons

I’m going to surprise you, Imid. It does not look bad, at all. I believe it’s s rebranded and americanized Opel Insignia, as was the sedan. It looks attractive, if it’s right on pricing and equipment, may turn out to be not bad. One thought - since GM just sold its Opel to PSA (Peugeot/Citroen), I wonder what will happen to Regal.

suydam

driver100 said:

TourX is an interesting try at making an American station wagon. I kind of like it, though they sure copied a Meredes tailights, side windows, rear tailights....and Audi Allroad for the cladding. Some will like that cladding....some won't. I like it now but I wonder if it won't end up like Pontiac side cladding in a few years.

I think it’s very attractive. Could give the Outback a run for its money if they market it right. A good addition for them.

stickguy

Looks good to me. Hard to tell how big it is though. Is that the size of an V90 Volvo, or a V60?

dino001

stickguy said:

Looks good to me. Hard to tell how big it is though. Is that the size of an V90 Volvo, or a V60?

I think it’s skightly bigger than V60, but closer to it than V90.

driver100

10 inches longer than the Audi Allroad and starts at about $4000 more than an Outback....starts at $29995 for a stripper, $35k with some options, just below $40k fully equipped which makes it a compelling alternative to the Audi.

That cladding around the wheels...I like it but I feel like I should pull the little tabs at the top.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

TourX is an interesting try at making an American station wagon. I kind of like it, though they sure copied a Meredes tailights, side windows, rear tailights....and Audi Allroad for the cladding. Some will like that cladding....some won't. I like it now but I wonder if it won't end up like Pontiac side cladding in a few years.

Didn't Chrysler beat them to the punch with the new Pacificas? Or are they still too "vanny"?

qbrozen

Pacifica is a minivan, most definitely, and far larger than that Buick.

suydam

The cladding is very useful if you live or drive around dirt or gravel roads.

jmonroe

suydam said:

The cladding is very useful if you live or drive around dirt or gravel roads.

Question: When did the term "cladding" come about? Is this the hip descriptor for what used to be called sheet metal? If so, I didn't get the email.

If you are trying to say it is easier to get your hose nozzle in there for cleaning out the wheel well I guess that is true but I don't particularly like the look of that. Form over design in this case didn't get it right. Maybe the designers were trying to distinguish the TourX from the Outback and if that's the case, it's a sad world for car designs when you have to copy a poor little ole Subie snowmobile.

What's next?

Note: Please don't take this post as me picking on you but I get confused a lot lately with new nomenclature.

jmonroe

ab348

The cladding on the Tour X looks like the typical black plastic stuff that lots of automakers have used over the years. It's popular on vehicles with a raised ride height to disguise the empty space in the wheel wells and make the car look visually lower along the rocker panels.

For reasons I do not quite understand, GM does not make this wagon available in Canada so the only Regal we get is the hatch. I still have not seen one. But I seldom see the former Regal like the kind I used to have on the roads around here either, and they were almost never found on dealer lots after the first couple of years. I really liked my Regal and was hoping the new one would tempt me, but I don't care for the look of the hatch version and it is a bigger car than mine was which did not help. In the end it came down to not being able to buy something the dealers do not want to sell.

suydam

Cladding is a protective layer over the sheet metal, usually plastic, that helps prevent every little stone thrown up by the wheels from chipping the paint. If the vehicle is black you hardly notice it, but white really stands out as you can see from these 2 examples.