Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

isellhondas

dino001 said:

ab348 said:

Then when I picked up the car they made sure to note on the work order that next time at the 1-year anniversary I should get a 4-wheel alignment plus a brake service (lubricating sliders, etc), each of which they helpfully indicated were priced at $129.95 + tax, which is not covered by Cadillac of course. The car might have 4000 miles on it at that point. It is quite ridiculous.

This is nothing. My first "free" BMW service for the 2012 wagon went like this: the salesman guy camouflaged as "advisor", lets me sit than goes on typing on his computer for about 5 minutes, finally he hands me a piece of paper stating "customer requests" with three services listed: 4 wheel alignment, injector cleaning and differential fluid replacement. Each of those priced at $200. So my first "free" service was $600+ at the same time all those commercials, including one from my dealer, how much "free" the maintenance those pre-2017 BMWs were. Here is the funny part - the guy couldn't even hold the line as he was typing this crap and told me "what you really need is the alignment". I told him to go jump into lake (more politely), as I decided to find an independent BMW garage and perform any non-covered services there (I actually wanted to do the alignment just got turned off by the pricing and the approach). The alignment there was just about $130, bargain in comparison. But those BMW's (at least mine) require special equipment, unfortunately, as normal tire stores wouldn't touch it, so pay up, just a little less.

But the principle was - so much free maintenance that your first service should only be $600+, all "at your request", of course. I blasted them in the survey, as essentially being more concerned about the revenue than real needs of the customer. Nobody should need to clean injectors or change differential fluid on manual transmission car at 15k, unless they run their vehicle in the middle of a volcanic cloud for months and that would make many more other problems than that.

BMW now cut its "ultimate care free maintenance" to just oil changes and I think one air filter, or similar, for 3 years and priced an even "more ultimate free maintenance", matching pre-2017 model levels (i.e. add brakes, wipers and other consumables plus one more year) at tiny $2000+. Using logic of my dealer guy, somebody who just ponied up those 2 grand goes for a service and learns they still "need" to spend another $600 on that stuff I just mentioned, as it is still not covered. Bunch of crooks. And, those are supposedly "good guys" in that area. I only would like to see the bad ones.

BMW really cut back on all of this so called "free" maintenance a couple of years ago! For watever reason BMW's seem to need new rotors every time they need pads which depending on the driver can be pretty often. This has been cut out now and so have other things. Four wheel alignments are a joke. How often does a car REALLY need an alignment and the rear wheels it's like almost never. The car go's on a rack, MAYBE some miniscule adjustments are made....maybe and 200.00 later the car is done. Same applies to "cleaning" fuel injectors. I all of the MANy cars I have owned I have NEVER had my injector cleaned. I think the last time I had a wheel alignment was when I was in high school! Any unusual tire wear patterns? Nope! And I hit as many potholes as the next person!

venture

jmonroe said:

venture said:

driver100 said:

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the mail today. I got a letter that says "There is High Demand for Your Car". Wow, must be my lucky day.

I got one today too. They want my 2013 Ford Escape that I haven't had for over 4 years.

Well, it's either an epidemic or it's that time of the month/year.

I got a card today from the mega dealer on the other side of town (not the local BIG guy), where Mrs. j got her 2006 Sonata LX. That's the car I traded in to get my '09 Genny. Just a business card in an envelope and nothing else but it did have the following hand printed message on the fold open card:

Call me ! I am interested in purchasing your vehicle. I am also pretty sure I can get you into a new model and possibly lower your payment !
Call me,
Dopey Sales Consultant
412-xxx-xxxx extension xxxx

Upon further examination of this "hand printed" card, I see it ain't really "hand printed". It is a stamped card. Could not smear the ink on the card or erase any part of it. On top of that I noticed that it was mailed from Louisville, KY not from the dealership. So, it seems that there are companies that do this type of advertizing for dealers on a dealers business card. Sales consultants must be so busy today that they don't have time for this type of communication anymore.

If any of you guys still have your mailings, take a look to see if it is from your dealer or a factory card writer.

jmonroe

I dug through the trash, but didn't go through enough layers to find the latest one. I do remember that the previous ones I got were not mailed locally. I doubt this one was any different.

tbirdmarco

 Called former that’s an awesome find it found on craigslist for your son if you find any should give you my email you could send them my way me or my cousin might be interested then we could flip them and make some money that’s what I think I wanna start doing one car under tongue 

tbirdmarco

 Glad the dealer you work for is not like that hard to find these days 

graphicguy

New 800HP Mustang.  This dealership is about 30 minutes from me........must keep repeating....”I don’t need another car.....I don’t need another car.....hide your checkbook.....hide your checkbook”

http://www.lebanonford.com/lfp-800hp-mustang.htm

ab348

Uhhhh.... no.

fintail

Due to decaying road conditions in this land which lately seems to be running away from first world status in terms of infrastructure (and other qualities), I have done a few alignments over the past decade - two due to large potholes on our not exactly 21st century quality streets. This morning I felt a harsh smash as I drove over a poorly engineered manhole cover on Richards Rd, I hope no damage. The deteriorating roads around here really have me considering a truck or SUV. A pothole incident last year actually damaged a couple components, and it was a royal PITA contacting the city about it - - but I guess when there's really no accountability, one can maintain facilities like this.

isellhondas said:

<
BMW really cut back on all of this so called "free" maintenance a couple of years ago! For watever reason BMW's seem to need new rotors every time they need pads which depending on the driver can be pretty often. This has been cut out now and so have other things. Four wheel alignments are a joke. How often does a car REALLY need an alignment and the rear wheels it's like almost never. The car go's on a rack, MAYBE some miniscule adjustments are made....maybe and 200.00 later the car is done. Same applies to "cleaning" fuel injectors. I all of the MANy cars I have owned I have NEVER had my injector cleaned. I think the last time I had a wheel alignment was when I was in high school! Any unusual tire wear patterns? Nope! And I hit as many potholes as the next person!

cdnpinhead

dino001 said:

You get massproduced „personalized” messages with misspelled names, incorrect data and generic mumbo-jumbo, developed on assumption you can’t count to ten and are gullible as a three-year old.

Let's just say they know their audience, or at least enough of it to make it worth the effort.

28firefighter

Snowed in Seattle last night. Maybe half an inch or less. Delayed starts, closings, general hysteria.

fintail

Gravelly "sand" on my street, nothing anywhere else - I wonder which VIP uses the street on their commute.

Michaell

fintail said:

Gravelly "sand" on my street, nothing anywhere else - I wonder which VIP uses the street on their commute.

My town's policy on snow removal

stickguy

So in the hood, you are on your own?

fintail

I don't think we have a policy, just throw it and see what sticks

My street is maybe a secondary arterial, it gets busy, but is not a principal route. The hill might be the factor, as the main roads I drove on this morning were untreated. Endless hordes of new and marginally apt drivers around here, who likely need all the help they can get for driving that isn't 5 under the limit on a sunny dry day.

Michaell said:

My town's policy on snow removal

dino001

cdnpinhead said:

dino001 said:

You get massproduced „personalized” messages with misspelled names, incorrect data and generic mumbo-jumbo, developed on assumption you can’t count to ten and are gullible as a three-year old.

Let's just say they know their audience, or at least enough of it to make it worth the effort.

You may have a point. Just look at our politicians (all parties).

Michaell

stickguy said:

So in the hood, you are on your own?

Until we get 6" of snow, yes.

The good thing is that, due to the altitude, the snow melts pretty quickly. Maybe a day or two of slush on the streets around my house.

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the mail today. I got a letter that says "There is High Demand for Your Car". Wow, must be my lucky day.

Some guys have all the luck. All I get from the Mini dealer is recall notices.

Mr_Shiftright

Michaell said:

fintail said:

Gravelly "sand" on my street, nothing anywhere else - I wonder which VIP uses the street on their commute.

My town's policy on snow removal

Yeah, in Denver it's called "The Sun". You barely need snow tires where you live, unless you go into the mountains.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the mail today. I got a letter that says "There is High Demand for Your Car". Wow, must be my lucky day.

Some guys have all the luck. All I get from the Mini dealer is recall notices.

I think that is a problem with those Mini's. They are so small you can't make the parts bigger and stronger and so the parts don't hold up - and they have to squeeze them in. And, if you do need to change a part there isn't enough room to work under the hood, thus, more problems! :@

(Just being silly)

Mr_Shiftright

Did I ever post a photo of what it takes to change a clutch in a Mini? (This is not a joke by the way).

Michaell

Mr_Shiftright said:

Did I ever post a photo of what it takes to change a clutch in a Mini? (This is not a joke by the way).

Good thing that my daughter's MINI is an automatic!

32,000 miles in almost 4 years and only one or two minor issues have cropped up.

houdini1

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

28firefighter

@Mr_Shiftright - good god, man! You don't post a picture of a man when he is opened up on the operating table like that! Some things are best left unseen...

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, well, if the automatic goes out, that's easy. You just throw the car away, because you're in for $6,500 bucks minimum.

But let's not go further into that dark place. Nice Mini....good girl......

houdini1

cdnpinhead said:

I've been harping on the uselessness of nitrogen tire filling for quite some time. I've "grown" since, and have come to the understanding that the nitrogen is irrelevant -- the key is "dry" nitrogen (dew point at -50 deg or more), which can be purchased in cylinders.

The deal is that the water vapour in atmospheric air contains quite a lot of water, and it's the water that causes the wide pressure variations that come with temperature changes. I deal with dry gas at work, so this does meet the smell test, at least for me.

That said, how does one know what's being pumped into their tires? Do you trust your dealer? Do you?

You can tell by those little green valve covers they put on.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

Did I ever post a photo of what it takes to change a clutch in a Mini? (This is not a joke by the way).

Wonder how much that would cost? Our 2013 Audi A4 was $2300 Cdn, or about $1500 USD. I like a stick...but, I don't trust them. Automatics seem to last the life of the car.....for most normal people.

ab348

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

I read that today is National Chili Day so those arrived just in time.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

Did I ever post a photo of what it takes to change a clutch in a Mini? (This is not a joke by the way).

Proof that a picture is worth a thousand words. You could have written an encyclopedia and still not have explained it well enough.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

Actually the mechanic is still not down to the clutch in that photo. I think flat rate for a pro is 14 hours + parts, but for me it would be maybe 14 weeks. I suppose if I started in June I could get it done before the rains come.

Michaell

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

What are these "leftovers" you speak of?

You're supposed to put that chili over spaghetti, then a mound of finely grated cheddar chesse (3-way). Add beans or onions for a 4-way, or beans and onions for a 5-way.

Or, you can put the chili on a hot dog.

Michaell

Michaell said:

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

What are these "leftovers" you speak of?

You're supposed to put that chili over spaghetti, then a mound of finely grated cheddar chesse (3-way). Add beans or onions for a 4-way, or beans and onions for a 5-way.

Or, you can put the chili on a hot dog.

Here's a picture, for reference:

stickguy

that looks healthy.

tbirdmarco

Nice new 2018 ford mustang posted above

tbirdmarco

 True you don’t need a new car ha ha Ha but do you want it I know I’m not helping here ha ha Ha agree with how many doors above with the dealers knowing your audience that’s why they keep sending out these flyers and stuff so true mark of us in here though we aren’t the smart bunch 

tbirdmarco

Please dealers won’t pull anything over on us and here was trying to say partially in the comment right above this

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

that looks healthy.

We got your basic food groups there--lard, salt and starch. Actually not a bad diet---for a Tyrannosaurus.

(gotta say, though, looks good for a cold windy day like today....)

explorerx4

Would like to post a picture of my new truck today, but....
Got a call that they noticed a crack in the moon roof, so have to order a new piece of glass.
To be continued....

driver100

ab348 said:

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

I read that today is National Chili Day so those arrived just in time.

Is that in Canada or USA?

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

stickguy said:

that looks healthy.

We got your basic food groups there--lard, salt and starch. Actually not a bad diet---for a Tyrannosaurus.

(gotta say, though, looks good for a cold windy day like today....)

Windy...before or after the chili?

driver100

You're right Ab....Feb 22nd is Chili Day
National Chili Day and the history

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

New 800HP Mustang.  This dealership is about 30 minutes from me........must keep repeating....”I don’t need another car.....I don’t need another car.....hide your checkbook.....hide your checkbook”

http://www.lebanonford.com/lfp-800hp-mustang.htm

You want us to talk you out of an 800hp Mustang for $40k? Come on. If that offer is legit I would jump on it.

explorerx4

On that Mustang, you have to buy a separate warranty just for the supercharger and when you start blowing up the transmission, driveshaft, or rear suspension, do you think Ford is going to cover it?

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tLsDrzZA3Ck

oldfarmer50

Got to drive my first MB today...a black on black GLS 450. Pretty nice big SUV. Had an unnecessarily complex gear shift. But it rode nice. Delivered it to a MB dealer which surprised me since I didn't think MB would sell rental cars.

Got to see how my Mustang would handle in the snow when I drive one of our V6s. Did pretty good.

Also got to drive a Caddy XTS and a Mini.

Fun day.

stickguy

can they find a comparable replacement truck instead? I would want that as opposed to gutting the interior to replace the moonroof.

explorerx4

@stickguy,
It's a Limited, they only make so many per year. The picture I posted the other day were from #44.
Not sure what the process is to replace the front piece of glass.
I'm going to see if I can take a look at it.
It should still be on site with the glass cracked until the replacement arrives.

suydam

Michaell said:

Michaell said:

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

What are these "leftovers" you speak of?

You're supposed to put that chili over spaghetti, then a mound of finely grated cheddar chesse (3-way). Add beans or onions for a 4-way, or beans and onions for a 5-way.

Or, you can put the chili on a hot dog.

Here's a picture, for reference:

I think maybe you have to be from Cincinnati. We tried it once on a visit there. Just. No.

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

stickguy said:

that looks healthy.

We got your basic food groups there--lard, salt and starch. Actually not a bad diet---for a Tyrannosaurus.

(gotta say, though, looks good for a cold windy day like today....)

Windy...before or after the chili?

Hahahaha...both! Sleep on the couch!

Michaell

suydam said:

Michaell said:

Michaell said:

houdini1 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Look what just arrived at my house today - a regional favorite:

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....................dinner tonight!

Not tonight ... today is officially designated as "Mexican Wednesday", where we go out to our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Bring the leftovers home and pour that chili over them.

What are these "leftovers" you speak of?

You're supposed to put that chili over spaghetti, then a mound of finely grated cheddar chesse (3-way). Add beans or onions for a 4-way, or beans and onions for a 5-way.

Or, you can put the chili on a hot dog.

Here's a picture, for reference:

I think maybe you have to be from Cincinnati. We tried it once on a visit there. Just. No.

It's certainly an acquired taste.

Greek in origin, IIRC.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

On that Mustang, you have to buy a separate warranty just for the supercharger and when you start blowing up the transmission, driveshaft, or rear suspension, do you think Ford is going to cover it?

And be sure to tell him to eat his vegetables....grandma.

The purpose of buying a car like that is to blow it up, then rebuild it better and blow it up and...

explorerx4

I just sent in a trade request to anther dealer. Backup plan B.