Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

tjc78

No wiring harness, so that would be a good defense IMO

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

I made 1 auto repair and 1 auto modification this afternoon.  

The left front blinker on my Prelude cracked from a road rock.  I ordered a new one online &  replaced it in less than 30 seconds.

Our 2017 Pilot Touring didn’t come equipped with a trailer hitch.  Apparently Honda had some problems with grenading 9-Speed Automatics.  So if you want to tow with your Pilot, they want a hitch, wiring harness, & transmission oil cooler.  I was going to just go ahead an order and OEM Honda trailer hitch, but while I was looking, I found a company called E-Trailer.  They showed a trailer hitch by a company named Curtis. They make an American made trailer hitch that was a lot cheaper than the OEM Honda hitch.  Then I put that number in Amazon and found it even cheaper.  I paid about $150 including shipping.  

It it took me a little over an hour to install.  It would have been easier if I had someone else (or 2 someone else’s) helping me.  But I didn’t.  So I enlisted the help of my 2 ton hydraulic floor jack, my scissor jack, and a piece of 2 x 4.  

The holes where the hitch gets installed are predrilled.  The hard part was lifting this 50 lb unbalanced steel trailer hitch about 10” off the ground and up to my Pilot’s Chassis.  I put the trailer hitch on the 2x4 to balance it out, then jacked it up and let the torque wrench do it’s job.  

I’m proud of myself.  Now I can load 5 bikes On the back of the Pilot and we can start riding.

I know that feeling. Yesterday I used my $20 code reader to diagnose a CEL to be a loose gas cap saving me a trip to the shop.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

nyccarguy said:

Our 2017 Pilot Touring didn’t come equipped with a trailer hitch.  Apparently Honda had some problems with grenading 9-Speed Automatics.  So if you want to tow with your Pilot, they want a hitch, wiring harness, & transmission oil cooler.  I was going to just go ahead an order and OEM Honda trailer hitch, but while I was looking, I found a company called E-Trailer.  They showed a trailer hitch by a company named Curtis. They make an American made trailer hitch that was a lot cheaper than the OEM Honda hitch.  Then I put that number in Amazon and found it even cheaper.  I paid about $150 including shipping.  

It it took me a little over an hour to install.

Carrying bikes shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully you do not encounter unrelated transmission problems down the road though. A dealer may see the hitch sans oil cooler and claim that was the cause.

I would think an oil cooler on vehicles known to have tranny falures would be a good idea regardless of towing"

ab348

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

nyccarguy said:

Our 2017 Pilot Touring didn’t come equipped with a trailer hitch.  Apparently Honda had some problems with grenading 9-Speed Automatics.  So if you want to tow with your Pilot, they want a hitch, wiring harness, & transmission oil cooler.  I was going to just go ahead an order and OEM Honda trailer hitch, but while I was looking, I found a company called E-Trailer.  They showed a trailer hitch by a company named Curtis. They make an American made trailer hitch that was a lot cheaper than the OEM Honda hitch.  Then I put that number in Amazon and found it even cheaper.  I paid about $150 including shipping.  

It it took me a little over an hour to install.

Carrying bikes shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully you do not encounter unrelated transmission problems down the road though. A dealer may see the hitch sans oil cooler and claim that was the cause.

I would think an oil cooler on vehicles known to have tranny falures would be a good idea regardless of towing"

Good point. I remember the mid-late '80s GM front-drive B-bodies (Delta 88/LeSabre) were notorious for going through transmissions like snack food. A fellow I used to work with bought an '86 Delta new, installed a trans oil cooler as a matter of routine, and kept it on the original trans for 20 years. He always said that was the reason it lasted.

abacomike

driver100 said:

For men of means---so the ad says anyway. So how do I get my wife to get me this birthday gift.

Nice watch...but for my next one I want the day of the week too....when you get to be a senior it is easy to forget what day of the week it is.

I have a Seiko Glow Dial analog quartz watch that I bought in Los Angeles when I lived in the San Fernando Valley back in 1997.  I wear it from 2:00 PM to 9:00 AM (mainly for night because the dial is iridescent).  The watch runs perfectly and it shows the day and the date.  I paid $75.00 for it.  All I have done to it is change batteries and had the stainless steel bracelet repaired 3 years ago.  I love the watch.

My Rolex only shows the date, but I wear it every day to keep the movement running.  It’s self winding so there are times when it stops because I forgot to wear it.

I also have a RADO Jubilee (quartz movement) with 4 diamond chips (at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock), ceramic bracelet (scratch proof), sapphire crystal and it shows a date.  I never wear it - too hard to know the date because it is so tiny to read.  Hard to tell the time as well because there are no numerals - just the diamonds.

So, of the three watches I own, my favorite is the 20 year old Seiko - It is indestructible - they sure know how to make a great watch.

explorerx4

5 bicycles can weigh quite a bit unless they are light weight models.
Handling will also be different with the weight well behind the rear axle.

Mr_Shiftright

Figure 150 lbs or so + the weight of the hitch and rack. That's not any more than one chubby passenger.

jmonroe

tjc78 said:

No wiring harness, so that would be a good defense IMO

That is what a reasonable and logically thinking dealer would do. But I know a dealer that would point to the hitch and say, "that's why your tranny problem is not covered by the warranty and BTW, don't bother coming in here next month with an engine problem either".

jmonroe

jmonroe

ab348 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

nyccarguy said:

Our 2017 Pilot Touring didn’t come equipped with a trailer hitch.  Apparently Honda had some problems with grenading 9-Speed Automatics.  So if you want to tow with your Pilot, they want a hitch, wiring harness, & transmission oil cooler.  I was going to just go ahead an order and OEM Honda trailer hitch, but while I was looking, I found a company called E-Trailer.  They showed a trailer hitch by a company named Curtis. They make an American made trailer hitch that was a lot cheaper than the OEM Honda hitch.  Then I put that number in Amazon and found it even cheaper.  I paid about $150 including shipping.  

It it took me a little over an hour to install.

Carrying bikes shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully you do not encounter unrelated transmission problems down the road though. A dealer may see the hitch sans oil cooler and claim that was the cause.

I would think an oil cooler on vehicles known to have tranny falures would be a good idea regardless of towing"

Good point. I remember the mid-late '80s GM front-drive B-bodies (Delta 88/LeSabre) were notorious for going through transmissions like snack food. A fellow I used to work with bought an '86 Delta new, installed a trans oil cooler as a matter of routine, and kept it on the original trans for 20 years. He always said that was the reason it lasted.

I know what you mean but all the GM cars I ever had back in that era came from the factory with a built in tranny cooler that was mounted inside the radiator. I don't know if the other Detroit cars did that but GM did. Really pretty ingenious when you think about it. Probably didn't hold more than a quart of circulating tranny fluid.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

The dealer would still have to prove it under the Magnuson-Moss Act. And the dealer isn't the final decider, either. The factory is, because they are the underwriter.

houdini1

imidazol97 said:

The T-mobile store nearby has pink perimeter lighting inside on all the walls when it's closed. It's really pretty when I go by at night.

Sprint's Hdq. is in Johnson County, Ks. where I live. Sprint has about 6,000 employees here, plus all the attendant restaurants and other service establishments that depend on Sprint. Not to mention the real estate market. If the proposed merger with T-mobile goes thru. it will really hurt the local economy as the combined Hdq will be moving to Washington State. A good time to be an old retired guy I guess.

houdini1

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

bwia said:

For men of means---so the ad says anyway. So how do I get my wife to get me this birthday gift.

Nice watch...but for my next one I want the day of the week too....when you get to be a senior it is easy to forget what day of the week it is.

I have a Seiko Glow Dial analog quartz watch that I bought in Los Angeles when I lived in the San Fernando Valley back in 1997.  I wear it from 2:00 PM to 9:00 AM (mainly for night because the dial is iridescent).  The watch runs perfectly and it shows the day and the date.  I paid $75.00 for it.  All I have done to it is change batteries and had the stainless steel bracelet repaired 3 years ago.  I love the watch.

My Rolex only shows the date, but I wear it every day to keep the movement running.  It’s self winding so there are times when it stops because I forgot to wear it.

I also have a RADO Jubilee (quartz movement) with 4 diamond chips (at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock), ceramic bracelet (scratch proof), sapphire crystal and it shows a date.  I never wear it - too hard to know the date because it is so tiny to read.  Hard to tell the time as well because there are no numerals - just the diamonds.

So, of the three watches I own, my favorite is the 20 year old Seiko - It is indestructible - they sure know how to make a great watch.

Yes, I hardly ever wear my Rolex, which I have had for 30 years plus. My everyday Casio keeps perfect time and is rugged. It came with a 10 year battery.

houdini1

Mr_Shiftright said:

The dealer would still have to prove it under the Magnuson-Moss Act. And the dealer isn't the final decider, either. The factory is, because they are the underwriter.

I told jmonroe to sue those guys when this happened. Judge Judy would have eaten them alive.

tjc78

I have a few cheaper Citizens, a Tissot and a Movado along with some others. None of them get worn anymore since I have an Apple Watch. I just swap out the bands if I want a different look.

stickguy

I have not worn a watch in a couple of years, since I started wearing my Fitbit.

the hitch racks are nice. I have had 4 bikes on mine. And you do notice the weight. Might only be 150 pounds, but the weight is hung way out the back, so if you are not careful it can "wag the dog" on you.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

The dealer would still have to prove it under the Magnuson-Moss Act. And the dealer isn't the final decider, either. The factory is, because they are the underwriter.

I agree but do you really think the factory is not going to look for a reason to get out of a warranty claim. Either or both could say just because there isn't any wiring, that doesn't mean the owner didn't haul a heavy trailer for vacations and hunting/fishing trips. Also reasoning that any owner that would try to deceive them by not abiding by the owners manual, more than likely wouldn't care about safety either.

With a good lawyer an owner might win but it would cost more than the tranny repair. This is why I didn't fight my blown engine because my lawyer brother in law suggested that I shouldn't. He said he doubted that I could get anyone to take the case on a contingency basis because the facts I had were not sufficient enough to fight it.

As I understand these contingency lawyers, they lead people on and then say they need money to pursue the case any further and they get their fare share of dopes that go along with them.

In my case my brother in law said he doubted that if I spent more than 6 grand to cover a 3 grand blown engine I'd be lucky and he didn't think I'd win in the end anyhow and it could take months and months to file all the motions needed to continue.

What I am sorry about is that I didn't take my case to small claims court. My brother in law gave me several reasons why I couldn't win there either and I understood what he said and agreed with him, but in thinking back on it, the experience would have been worth it.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead

I haven't worn a watch in years. My cell phone keeps perfect time, plus the date and day of the week. Zero panache though.

Mr_Shiftright

It would all depend on what happened to the transmission internally. If a transmission severely overheats, there's a definite wear pattern for that. If the trans oil isn't burned to a crisp and the clutches faces are clean, the factory has no case. In any event they would send out a factory rep to the dealer on a warranty dispute, and he would have to lie right to your face.

The dealer doesn't care what the factory decides. He makes money either way, although he'd make more from a repair or reman unit that comes out of your pocket.

nyccarguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

It would all depend on what happened to the transmission internally. If a transmission severely overheats, there's a definite wear pattern for that. If the trans oil isn't burned to a crisp and the clutches faces are clean, the factory has no case. In any event they would send out a factory rep to the dealer on a warranty dispute, and he would have to lie right to your face. The dealer doesn't care what the factory decides. He makes money either way, although he'd make more from a repair or reman unit that comes out of your pocket.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

pensfan83

This may be a dumb question but how could the factory rep differentiate whether any transmission issues are the result of towing w/o a tow package or hauling an equivalent amount of weight as 5 bikes in the 3rd row/cargo area? It would seem awfully hard to prove.

fintail

The TMO HQ in my town is similar - office campus of about 6000, with a shopping center virtually dependent on it, not to mention the adjacent mall and strip malls in the vicinity greatly benefiting from these workers. I don't think the workers impact real estate here as there is so much other demand (some more legit than others) but they are a huge part of the success of the neighborhood, and if it goes through, one can hope there isn't massive redundancy.

I think the claim so far is that they'd have "dual" headquarters, but that sounds a little funny, and we all know how the executive class can claim things with no relationship to reality.

houdini1 said:

Sprint's Hdq. is in Johnson County, Ks. where I live. Sprint has about 6,000 employees here, plus all the attendant restaurants and other service establishments that depend on Sprint. Not to mention the real estate market. If the proposed merger with T-mobile goes thru. it will really hurt the local economy as the combined Hdq will be moving to Washington State. A good time to be an old retired guy I guess.

pensfan83

abacomike said:

Definitely blasphemous! I used to smoke brisket, ribs and pork in a conventional smoker in my backyard. All my neighbors used to walk over and ask if they could add some of their meats to the smoker - I always said "sure" so long as I got a slab of ribs or a pound of brisket from them.

All kidding aside, I have really never used an electric smoker, but I have some friends who do and they swear by it. I personally prefer the "Pilgrim" method - no electricity, no propane - just my aromatic wood chips and coals. I'm getting hungry just thinking about carving up the flat of the brisket and using my famous recipe barbecue sauce. OOOOOH!

Thanks Mike. As much as I want to be a "pilgrim" I'm just not into dealing with charcoal or wood for the mess nor for safety reasons what with 2 young ones running around. Plus since I'm just starting out I would rather have a smoker where I can control the temps better, especially for cheeses where they can't be any higher than 100F or you'll have a mess on your hands. If I can get the hang of it you're all welcome to stop by for smoked cheeses, ribs, and brisket

ab348

cdnpinhead said:

I haven't worn a watch in years. My cell phone keeps perfect time, plus the date and day of the week. Zero panache though.

I haven't worn a watch since I retired.

suydam

cdnpinhead said:

I haven't worn a watch in years. My cell phone keeps perfect time, plus the date and day of the week. Zero panache though.

+1. Just the cell phone.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

Figure 150 lbs or so + the weight of the hitch and rack. That's not any more than one chubby passenger.

Hey....I am down to 146 now....and not chubby if you saw me in that horizontal striped shirt.

Mr_Shiftright

How can I unsee that?

Mr_Shiftright

pensfan83 said:

This may be a dumb question but how could the factory rep differentiate whether any transmission issues are the result of towing w/o a tow package or hauling an equivalent amount of weight as 5 bikes in the 3rd row/cargo area? It would seem awfully hard to prove.

It's not a dumb question--it's a good question. The answer is that perhaps the owner self-incriminates himself.

snakeweasel

pensfan83 said:

This may be a dumb question but how could the factory rep differentiate whether any transmission issues are the result of towing w/o a tow package or hauling an equivalent amount of weight as 5 bikes in the 3rd row/cargo area? It would seem awfully hard to prove.

My guess is that wear and tear would be different between the two forces. This would show up in an inspection.

nyccarguy

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

How can I unsee that?

Maybe this will help;

thebean

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

bwia said:

For men of means---so the ad says anyway. So how do I get my wife to get me this birthday gift.

Nice watch...but for my next one I want the day of the week too....when you get to be a senior it is easy to forget what day of the week it is.

I have a Seiko Glow Dial analog quartz watch that I bought in Los Angeles when I lived in the San Fernando Valley back in 1997.  I wear it from 2:00 PM to 9:00 AM (mainly for night because the dial is iridescent).  The watch runs perfectly and it shows the day and the date.  I paid $75.00 for it.  All I have done to it is change batteries and had the stainless steel bracelet repaired 3 years ago.  I love the watch.

My Rolex only shows the date, but I wear it every day to keep the movement running.  It’s self winding so there are times when it stops because I forgot to wear it.

I also have a RADO Jubilee (quartz movement) with 4 diamond chips (at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock), ceramic bracelet (scratch proof), sapphire crystal and it shows a date.  I never wear it - too hard to know the date because it is so tiny to read.  Hard to tell the time as well because there are no numerals - just the diamonds.

So, of the three watches I own, my favorite is the 20 year old Seiko - It is indestructible - they sure know how to make a great watch.

It's hard to beat a Seiko. My first nice watch was a Seiko automatic back in 1970. I still have it and it still runs. They are great values.

explorerx4

@driver100,
Photoshop did wonders for you.

roadburner

I have a 1986 Heuer 1000 Professional and a 2015 Tag Heuer Formula One McLaren Limited Edition- both gifts from my lovely bride.

stickguy

Bradd, if the pilot is like my Odyssey was, that one piece of the bumper cover might come off, and the factory hitch would be up higher. Though the one of yours is not too low. I have seen a few odysseys with cheap hitches where the entire frame hung below the bumper, and the receiver practically dragged on the ground.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

Bradd, if the pilot is like my Odyssey was, that one piece of the bumper cover might come off, and the factory hitch would be up higher. Though the one of yours is not too low. I have seen a few odysseys with cheap hitches where the entire frame hung below the bumper, and the receiver practically dragged on the ground.

I wasn’t interested in removing the bumper.  I definitely didn’t want one of the cheapo ones where the entire frame sticks out.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

I have a 1986 Heuer 1000 Professional and a 2015 Tag Heuer Formula One McLaren Limited Edition- both gifts from my lovely bride.

Hey how's the election going? Better not go flashing any fancy watches lest your opponent start spreading dirt.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

I have a 1986 Heuer 1000 Professional and a 2015 Tag Heuer Formula One McLaren Limited Edition- both gifts from my lovely bride.

Hey how's the election going? Better not go flashing any fancy watches lest your opponent start spreading dirt.

I still have two forums, a city council meeting and a debate- plus a two day spring festival in my hometown. I'm cautiously optimistic; every week she shoots herself in the foot and winds up alienating another group of voters.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
Photoshop did wonders for you.

There is always one person who ruins all the fun on the internet.

Besides, I have actually seen guys almost like that.

tbirdmarco

 Thanks for the clarification old farmer from what was asked above all very interesting 

tbirdmarco

 Nice unseen the ship building plan a ball 

driver100

I got a cute email with "Dog Thoughts" I thought this one fit;


Dear God: Why are there cars named after
The jaguar, the cougar, the mustang,
The colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE
Named for a Dog? How often do you
See a cougar riding around? We love a nice car
Ride! Would it be so hard to rename
The 'Chrysler Eagle' the 'Chrysler Beagle'?

ab348

Well, there was the Whippet, and the Hillman Husky. Plus Greyhound buses of course.

stickguy

Ferrari boxer. And Datsun sounds like dachshund.

snakeweasel

Did VW have the Fox?

imidazol97

Here's a Hyundai dealer story about snookering a poor widow about a car the dealership wrecked.

Eventually the dealer, Stew Hansen, gave her the same repaired car back, which has a terrible smell, after promising her a new equivalent vehicle, which she had gone to pick up.

"In October last year, a month after David's death, Brown called to arrange to have the SUV picked up so the smell could be investigated. It was so bad it had given her daughter headaches when the two rode together.

"What many call “new car smell” can be toxic chemicals used in car manufacturing. Especially when a car is new, or in warm weather, those chemicals are released and can cause a range of health problems.

"But something strange happened next: The dealership called to say the Tucson had been involved in an accident. A hay bale fell off a semi onto the SUV while an employee was taking it for a test drive."

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/readers-watchdog/2018/05/05/widows-saga-stew-hansen-hyundai-clive-marilyn-brown-crashes-car-refuses-replace-readers-watchdog/574164002/

Compared to similar size dealers in the metro selling similar volumes of cars, Stew Hansen store had 3 times as many complaints registered to 7 times as many complains.

"Through March this year, Stew Hansen Hyundai had registered the sale of about 340 new cars — slightly fewer than other metro-area dealers such as Shottenkirk Chevrolet in Waukee (345), Ramsey Auto Center in Urbandale (372) and Dewey Ford in Ankeny (380), according to the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association.

"The Consumer Protection Division has logged 14 complaints about Stew Hansen Hyundai since 2012, the year the Ken Garff Automotive Group purchased the dealership from Holmes Hyundai.

"Since 2012, Shottenkirk has had five complaints, Dewey Ford has had five and Ramsey has had two, according to attorney general spokesman Lynn Hicks."

thebean

I would wager situations like this are somewhat common with all dealerships (even GM ones, imid ). If a business today can take advantage of an older person not knowledgeable in the ways of business, they will do so in the interest of profits. Darn shame, and they deserve to be publicly shamed.

snakeweasel

thebean said:l.p.

I would wager situations like this are somewhat common with all dealerships (even GM ones, imid ). If a business today can take advantage of an older person not knowledgeable in the ways of business, they will do so in the interest of profits. Darn shame, and they deserve to be publicly shamed.

Oh it's just not dealerships but all types of businesses. And not just taking advantage of older persons but people any age who is not knowledgeable about that business.

driver100

You guys were good to come up with those names..

AB well done:Well, there was the Whippet, and the Hillman Husky. Plus Greyhound buses of course.

Stick...pretty good - is that a Porsche Boxer? Ferrari boxer. And Datsun sounds like dachshund.


Snake, a fox is a bit of a stretch for dog names: Did VW have the Fox?

stickguy

VW was the fox. Porsche is the Bosxster. Ferrari was a nickname for the 512BB (because of the flat, or boxer, engine).

Hey, it is hard to find cars named after labradors or spaniels!

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

You guys were good to come up with those names.. AB well done:Well, there was the Whippet, and the Hillman Husky. Plus Greyhound buses of course. Stick...pretty good - is that a Porsche Boxer? Ferrari boxer. And Datsun sounds like dachshund. Snake, a fox is a bit of a stretch for dog names: Did VW have the Fox?

Well foxes are dogs, just not domesticated. BTW doesn't Ford have the Coyote engine?