Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

Sandman6472

Hate black interiors also, have one in the white A3 but the other half is fine with it. Had a loaner Jetta that had it and the back of my shirt would be all wet when I finally got home, totally unacceptable. Have ivory in the Golf and it's just perfect, after 5 + years of ownership, still looks brand new.
Sat in the new RDX and loved the push button auto tranny/P button, sure wished I had that on my Golf. If I had gone for the "SEL" model, would've gotten push button start and the better sport seats and looking back, should've just spent the extra $ and gotten one. Just those little tings some how make the ownership so much better!

ab348

I don't like any wheels that have a look resembling ninja star weapons, which many Hondas seem to.

roadburner

I still prefer a traditional shift lever but I acclimated to the beer tap quicker than I thought I would.
In other news, I just received word that the KY courts will remain mostly shut down until 5/31.

oldfarmer50

snakeweasel said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jipster said:

Have to catch up on today 's posts, but what do you guys think of these "Limited Lifetime Powertrain Warranty" offered thru dealerships? Honda World here in Louisville offers this. You have to follow their recommended service schedule, which according to another dealership (see below), includes tires rotations. Seems like it would be more trouble, and $, than its worth.

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS – In order to keep your Lifetime Limited Powertrain Warranty valid, you must follow the maintenance procedures listed below.

You are responsible for making sure the oil warning light gauge and the temperature warning light gauge are functioning before driving the vehicle.
Your vehicle must receive all scheduled maintenance as recommended by both time and mileage, in accordance with your Purchase and Sales Contract, including, but not limited to, oil and filer changes and tire rotations.
You must keep copies of all repair orders. Copies must indicate; customer name, repair order number, repair order date, Vehicle Identification Number, a description of your vehicle, repair order mileage, and a complete description of services performed.
We may require you to furnish us with proof that the specified services have been performed. Failure to show proof that all scheduled maintenance and repairs have been performed may void coverage under this Lifetime Limited Powertrain Warranty.

Depends on the integrity of the dealer/manufacturer. Ask the poster whose Hyundai blew up and they stiffed him. Personally, I don’t trust them.

Or you can ask the poster whose Hyundai blew up at just over 99k miles and got a replacement engine no questions asked and whose other Hyundai developed a cracked exhaust manifold at 135k miles that Hyundai fixed no questions asked.

Overall I am very happy with Hyundai's warranty service

As I said, it depends.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Trust me. When you have tan lab hair on you all the time, the black interior shows everything too!

Jip, you might get use out of the warranty. Following Honda schedule is easy. Just wait for the Maintenance minder to light up, then do what it calls for which usually isn’t much. They know that not many people keep their car long enough for it to kick in, and if they do, won’t have continued to follow the schedule.

I drove a rental with the dial. That I hated and always had to look at. The RDX has the push button design. Now that I have some time in it, gotten used to it but still not as nice as a normal gear selector. A gimmick but not that big of a deal once it becomes familiar.

Never liked the dials, didn’t like the buttons either. Prefer the stick on the console or column. Easier to shift from forward to reverse and back.

imidazol97

A little humor from the China virus and the safety measures we should all be using, like frequent hand washing...

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

jipster said:

Also, a turn dial or push button gear selector???? I'm seeing this on a lot of cars now as well. Can't say I like this much.(But looks good in the TLX )The Ford Fusion I tested had a turn dial, couldn't tell if I was in reverse or drive with the sun glare on it.

I don't know which of those I would prefer, but I know I would take either in place of the BMW-style electronic beer tap shifter that Cadillac now has adopted and may be making its way into other GM models. It is completely non-intuitive to me and I hate it every time I have to use one.

I fumbled with those for a while before I got the hang of them. At least the Caddy eventually took mercy on you and displayed the correct technique on the dash. Almost like it was dealing with a stupid child.

laurasdada

Self-insure the warranty: Take the cost of the warranty, put it in a safe (or not, up to you!) interest-bearing account (yeah, I know, best I have now is online 1.5%) for use after the original warranty expires. If you need repairs, you have the saved money + interest/apprciation. If you don't need costly repairs, you've still got your money, rather than the dealer.

jwm40517

I looked up the cost of real Honda Care extended warranty for a new van from one New England area dealers that offer deep discounts . I think it was about $1350 for 8 year 120,000 miles with no deductible . We had that on our 2009 Honda van and it was worth the cost.

jipster

In the Honda World service lounge, now.
The only car that said, "Buy me, Jip", besides the Acura TLX, has been the Honda Accord EX. Test drove that silver with black interior certified preowned with 1,000 miles. Thought I would not like the black interior, but I do. All the interior trim and materials flow so well together. Excellent design. Front seat isone, if not the most comfortable I've sat in. Handling and being connected to the road excellent. Can't really say anything negative. Rear seat room great. 1.5 liter turbo fun_good....sure would like the 2
0. Getting to go look at the TLX base in about 30 minutes.

suydam

graphicguy said:

I know when I bought my TLX, the dealer only had one red interior (mine) and the rest were black. I even talked to the GM about it regarding why. He said that’s what sells the easiest. And, it was a fluke that mine got through their ordering process with red interior.

Personally, I find it hard to believe people overwhelmingly want black interiors. I think if dealerships ordered different interior colors, they’d be surprised how popular they’d become.

I avoid black interiors if I can. They are the least favorite color of any interior given a choice.

Black is a deal-killer for me. I prefer either a mocha/espresso or a light grey. Right now I’ve got one of each.

suydam

It is a world-wide pandemic, so please refer to it as COVID-19 or a corona virus. Its point of origin is still actually not all that clear, and in any case has no bearing on the situation. Thank you.

carnaught

COVID19 originated in China, whatever one wants to call it. There is little if any doubt about it unless someone can present reliable information to the contrary.

28firefighter

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

suydam

We think so at this time, but it is related to other Coronaviruses that have originated elsewhere too, like SARS and MERS. The point is not its origin, but that it is a worldwide pandemic. A deadly disease can start anywhere.

dino001

28firefighter said:

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

Using same logic, Spanish Flu should have been called American Flu, or "better" yet Kansas Flu. There is a classic scheme, people don't "understand" others objecting when it comes to those others not wanting to be singled out ("I'm just being precise" or some other similar convenient dog whistle), but when it comes to themselves getting singled out, then the indignation has no end. I call it "selective outrage".

Language has always reflected our attitude towards others, the world. I'm not big on political correctness, but I also recognize how the language can be used to distract, shift blame, deflect attention from ones failures to subtly suggest some other sinister plan was in place, preferably by those who are sometimes called "unsympathetic defendants".

qbrozen

black is my last choice most of the time, too, but I go for the deal before the color. In any case, some pull it off better than others. My wife's is pretty nice. Helped greatly by the lighter trim and LED lighting strips everywhere.

fintail

Absolute power but zero responsibility, it's the new thing direct from the top.

dino001 said:

Using same logic, Spanish Flu should have been called American Flu, or "better" yet Kansas Flu. There is a classic scheme, people don't "understand" others objecting when it comes to those others not wanting to be singled out ("I'm just being precise" or some other similar convenient dog whistle), but when it comes to themselves getting singled out, then the indignation has no end. I call it "selective outrage".

Language has always reflected our attitude towards others, the world. I'm not big of political correctness, but I also recognize how it can be used to distract, shift blame, deflect attention from ones failures to subtly suggest some other sinister plan was in place, preferably by those who are sometimes called "unsympathetic defendants".

driver100

jipster said:

In the Honda World service lounge, now.
The only car that said, "Buy me, Jip", besides the Acura TLX, has been the Honda Accord EX. Test drove that silver with black interior certified preowned with 1,000 miles. Thought I would not like the black interior, but I do. All the interior trim and materials flow so well together. Excellent design. Front seat isone, if not the most comfortable I've sat in. Handling and being connected to the road excellent. Can't really say anything negative. Rear seat room great. 1.5 liter turbo fun_good....sure would like the 2
0. Getting to go look at the TLX base in about 30 minutes.

Sounds like the Accord would suit you. Like I say, if the one you want has a black interior might as well go for it, especially if moving to another color costs a lot more.....you learn to adjust.
How much do you save though because of the 1000 miles! Remember new ones in the color you want can be found for around $23000!

Sandman6472

That's a nice looking BMW dash, really nice. Could get used to seeing that on a daily basis!! What's the length of her X2? Anything under 174" should be able to fit on my side of the garage though something closer to 172" would be better. That Buick Encore GX is around 172" and am starting to really like it. It's definitely on my short list when the time does come to replace the Golf. But the X2's dash is quite striking!

tjc78

qbrozen said:

black is my last choice most of the time, too, but I go for the deal before the color. In any case, some pull it off better than others. My wife's is pretty nice. Helped greatly by the lighter trim and LED lighting strips everywhere.

I was really on the fence about it when I was working the S60 deal. The option was a loaner special Black on Black or a new exact same options and MSRP. If it was another exterior color maybe I would have pulled the trigger but just wouldn’t have been happy with it.

IIRC correctly the difference was just under $40 a month on the lease.

driver100

I got an email that mentions a lot of things - that do you remember? 45 speed records, green stamps, towels in laundry detergent etc.
One thing they mention was "When a 57 Chevy was everyone's dream car .. to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady".
IIRC it seems to be the 57 Chev was a nice car, but didn't really become a big hit until years later. In fact it seemed to me that in 1957 Ford outsold Chevy, with a very low sleek new model, and Plymouths had those beautiful at the time fins.
So low you could pat your dog...or one ad had a guy picking up his briefcase;

qbrozen

Sandman6472 said:

That's a nice looking BMW dash, really nice. Could get used to seeing that on a daily basis!! What's the length of her X2? Anything under 174" should be able to fit on my side of the garage though something closer to 172" would be better. That Buick Encore GX is around 172" and am starting to really like it. It's definitely on my short list when the time does come to replace the Golf. But the X2's dash is quite striking!

172" long

cdnpinhead

28firefighter said:

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

Su;re -- Lyme disease is named after a town in CT.

suydam

Because it’s home to a species of tick that lives there and all the research for years was done nearby. Not the same.

28firefighter

I'm tapping out.

explorerx4

Of course, we all know Lyme disease really came from Plumb Island.

fintail

I like how the ad uses length as a selling point - gotta be longer, lower, wider! And with a heavy refresh or all new design almost every year, you'll have plenty of buyers. The living wage working class was heading for its peak.

I think my grandpa had a 57 before a 59, both blue and white I think (long before my time).

driver100 said:

IIRC it seems to be the 57 Chev was a nice car, but didn't really become a big hit until years later. In fact it seemed to me that in 1957 Ford outsold Chevy, with a very low sleek new model, and Plymouths had those beautiful at the time fins.
So low you could pat your dog...or one ad had a guy picking up his briefcase;

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

If you believe CCP press, it did.

I’m in a good mood today. I just finished all my taxes, on paper forms, on time for the traditional April 15th deadline. A personal victory for me.

oldfarmer50

My delight at getting my taxes done is tempered by my frustration with the Labor Dept. I think I mentioned that after multiple unsuccessful attempts at finishing my UI claim I got a robot call telling me I was approved and no further action was necessary.

Today I got a phone call from a person claiming to be from UI wanting to help me finish. Huh? I thought I was approved?

Anyway, she asks if I got a phone call and I replied yes. She asked if the automated call said I was approved. I said yes. To this she replied that I was all set to go and I should start calling a claims phone number weekly to certify for benefits.

After she hung up I tried the number and got an automated response that I couldn’t claim benefits because my application was still incomplete. What? I called the number that the woman was calling from and got a message that it was a disconnected number from the Labor Dept.

Normally I wouldn’t bother trying to fuss with this but now it seems there’s an extra $600/week benefit floating around. That’s significant.

houdini1

28firefighter said:

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

28firefighter said:

Would you call it the America Virus if it had originated here?

As someone mentioned the other day, the Spanish Flu actually started in the U.S., Kansas to be more specific. I live in the U.S and in Kansas, and I was not even a little bit upset. It probably should be called the Kansas Flu. It was interesting. We have to investigate and know the origins of these deadly diseases to try to keep them from happening again. Besides, China did not do themselves any favor keeping this outbreak under wraps for so long, and if true, they need to answer for that. The government, not the people of China. I am sure the people there want the same things we do, peace, prosperity, and freedom.

houdini1

Jmonroe, I saw this cartoon today that made me think of you. It was entitled Lupiswaxaphobia, and said it was the fear of being chased around the dining room table by wolves, while only wearing socks on a freshly waxed floor.

jipster

driver100 said:

jipster said:

In the Honda World service lounge, now.
The only car that said, "Buy me, Jip", besides the Acura TLX, has been the Honda Accord EX. Test drove that silver with black interior certified preowned with 1,000 miles. Thought I would not like the black interior, but I do. All the interior trim and materials flow so well together. Excellent design. Front seat isone, if not the most comfortable I've sat in. Handling and being connected to the road excellent. Can't really say anything negative. Rear seat room great. 1.5 liter turbo fun_good....sure would like the 2
0. Getting to go look at the TLX base in about 30 minutes.

Sounds like the Accord would suit you. Like I say, if the one you want has a black interior might as well go for it, especially if moving to another color costs a lot more.....you learn to adjust.
How much do you save though because of the 1000 miles! Remember new ones in the color you want can be found for around $23000!

The certified Accord EX I test drove is priced at $26,000. Looks like dealerships add about 2 grand to anything they call "certified" . I think the new 2020 EX Michael had linked in the "Prices Paid" thread was $24,000.

The black interior of the Accord had a certain elegance to it. The dark wood trim on dash and door panels looked nice. Actually liked it a bit better than the black and ivory trim in a LX Accord I looked at. Had a "real" gear selector, not a push button or dial.

I did take a look at that base Acura TLX in red. My saleslady did not have time to let me test drive, but she had it pulled out of the showroom into the front lot. I liked the red color, but the "leatherette" wasn't quite what I was hoping for. It was nice, but not close to being in the same league as the TLX with tech package.

So...thought about taking another look at the Mazda 6, but probably won't. No complaints on the Camry, did everything well, but a tad vanilla driving experience. Very comfortable though. Maybe.
The Sonata out. Fusion out. Optima out. Nissan Altima, too nervous. Acura TLX with tech package, a long shot, but still in the running.

benjaminh

Thanks for the reports @jipster . The Accord is a solid choice!+++ As mentioned earlier, I think you'll find the single touch screen on the Accord (and on some other cars too) easier to learn than the two screen set up in the TLX. If you can get an Accord EX for c. 26k you will definitely save thousands compared to buying a TLX Tech. Just my 2 cents, but maybe you've shopped enough?

jmonroe1

houdini1 said:

Jmonroe, I saw this cartoon today that made me think of you. It was entitled Lupiswaxaphobia, and said it was the fear of being chased around the dining room table by wolves, while only wearing socks on a freshly waxed floor.

I don't have an imagined phobia, I have real fear.

jmonroe

driver100

fintail said:

I like how the ad uses length as a selling point - gotta be longer, lower, wider! And with a heavy refresh or all new design almost every year, you'll have plenty of buyers. The living wage working class was heading for its peak.

I think my grandpa had a 57 before a 59, both blue and white I think (long before my time).

driver100 said:

IIRC it seems to be the 57 Chev was a nice car, but didn't really become a big hit until years later. In fact it seemed to me that in 1957 Ford outsold Chevy, with a very low sleek new model, and Plymouths had those beautiful at the time fins.
So low you could pat your dog...or one ad had a guy picking up his briefcase;

Yes, cars were completely different every year. Many years dealers would introduce the new models on a certain day...not allowed to see them before. I usually looked for a Motor Trend or sometimes Popular Mechanics would show the new cars before the launch date.
Ford rarely outsold Chevy, but they did in 57 and 59. My father was a sales rep and he had a large area to cover, so he got a new car every 2 years, a Ford or a Mercury....we had a 57 and a 59.

driver100

Agree Jip...the Accord should be a good car for you. You can see that in Florida you can get that model for $24300
ACCORD $24300
But only one dealer........and they get lots of stars but their TV ads don't seem to be entirely honest....new Accords from $169 a month.........until you get there and they tell you did you honestly think you would get a brand new car for that price....that's funny! That is what happened to one neighbor/friend.

benjaminh

@jipster : I don't know if it's worth it, but for just $900 more you can get a brand new Accord EX with the light interior....

https://www.louisvillehondaworld.com/new-Jefferson+County-2020-Honda-Accord-EX-1HGCV1F46LA040940

And as you know there are two Honda dealers in town. When we got our Honda CR-V a couple of years ago Jeff Wyler Honda seemed to take personal delight in beating the deal offered by Honda World. We got the car from Wyler. You might consider calling them up and seeing if they can give you a better price on an Accord EX....

https://jeffwylerhondaautomall.com/

PS And I hesitate to say this, but did you listen to the stereo in the Accord EX? It's probably good enough for your needs. But if you're someone who likes a really good stereo in your car the Accord EX isn't your best choice. The Accord EXL has a significantly better stereo.

PPS Also hesitate to mention this, but have you considered the Accord Hybrid (c. 45 mpg) or the Accord 2.0 with the 10-speed (0-60 in c. 5.8, compared to c. 7.2 with the 1.5CVT). Probably neither of those are what you are wanting, but just in case....

jwm40517

Hey oldfarmer, I got an email from IRS recently that said they would not be processing paper returns anytime soon. If you have a refund coming it will be awhile.

ab348

driver100 said:

Yes, cars were completely different every year. Many years dealers would introduce the new models on a certain day...not allowed to see them before. I usually looked for a Motor Trend or sometimes Popular Mechanics would show the new cars before the launch date.

Back when I became a car-crazy kid in the late ‘60s, new-car introduction week was a big deal. I would pester the parents to take me out one night that week to all the domestic dealers on automobile row here to see the new models. It was a busy time too, most of the showrooms were crowded, they often had soft drinks, snacks, giveaway trinkets and of course racks full of brochures. A few even cleared out their service departments to act as a sort of showroom annex with more new models on display indoors. It is a great memory. I think the parents liked it as much as I did - a night out of the house, seeing some people they knew, and some fantasizing about cars they knew they couldn’t afford.

stickguy

Jip, sounds like you found the sweet spot for you. Accord is a great car if you liked it, and very good value. Try the local people. if they have an online "get our special price" feature do that. And try True car. Can sometimes get a surprising offer from that.

oldfarmer50

jwm40517 said:

Hey oldfarmer, I got an email from IRS recently that said they would not be processing paper returns anytime soon. If you have a refund coming it will be awhile.

Ha ha, I owed money. Sure fooled them.

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

jwm40517 said:

Hey oldfarmer, I got an email from IRS recently that said they would not be processing paper returns anytime soon. If you have a refund coming it will be awhile.

Ha ha, I owed money. Sure fooled them.

If you said something, I'm sure I could have saved you 15% maybe more. Too late now.

jmonroe

jipster

benjaminh said:

Thanks for the reports @jipster . The Accord is a solid choice!+++ As mentioned earlier, I think you'll find the single touch screen on the Accord (and on some other cars too) easier to learn than the two screen set up in the TLX. If you can get an Accord EX for c. 26k you will definitely save thousands compared to buying a TLX Tech. Just my 2 cents, but maybe you've shopped enough?

The single touch screen on the Accord is a bit more appealing. And yeah, I've. looked at a lot of cars the past couple of weeks. I have It narrowed down ,.I'll think about it a little more, but pretty sure I'm gonna go with the Accord. ...or the TLX. Have to look at trim level.and.new.or certified with the Accord, With the TLX I'd want the tech package, which is.probably more.than I'd like to spend.

jipster

benjaminh said:

@jipster : I don't know if it's worth it, but for just $900 more you can get a brand new Accord EX with the light interior....

https://www.louisvillehondaworld.com/new-Jefferson+County-2020-Honda-Accord-EX-1HGCV1F46LA040940

And as you know there are two Honda dealers in town. When we got our Honda CR-V a couple of years ago Jeff Wyler Honda seemed to take personal delight in beating the deal offered by Honda World. We got the car from Wyler. You might consider calling them up and seeing if they can give you a better price on an Accord EX....

https://jeffwylerhondaautomall.com/

PS And I hesitate to say this, but did you listen to the stereo in the Accord EX? It's probably good enough for your needs. But if you're someone who likes a really good stereo in your car the Accord EX isn't your best choice. The Accord EXL has a significantly better stereo.

PPS Also hesitate to mention this, but have you considered the Accord Hybrid (c. 45 mpg) or the Accord 2.0 with the 10-speed (0-60 in c. 5.8, compared to c. 7.2 with the 1.5CVT). Probably neither of those are what you are wanting, but just in case....

Yeah, trying to decide on new or certified. The new Accords have about a grand in dealer add ons. Don't think that is reflected in the internet price. I'll have to check. Maybe add $200 to the price.

Jeff Wyler sent me an email on the Accord. I'll have to check that too.

I listened to the stereo in the EX. Sounded pretty good to me. Better than the tin can speakers in the Mariner. So they'll do. ;-)

I actually liked the cloth seats better than the leather. More comfortable. My salesman said it would take about 4 months to break that new leather in. Sounds reasonable.

Actually I did consider the 2.0. Thinking about going back out in a couple of days and having a test drive.. But, I thought the Honda 1.5 much better than what was in any of the other similar sized engines I test drove..

Sandman6472

Ours still not done but we're always her last, some sort of tradition I guess. The girls have her do theirs, our son does theirs himself, which doesn't surprise me much. Funny how our kids, or anyone's for that matter, personalities show up pretty quickly when young. Some are more dominant than others, some more private, but they all let us know certain traits early on. All very interesting really.

roadburner

So I've been researching the M Performance Power and Sound Kit; it turns out that BMW provides a new torque converter in addition to the low restriction exhaust and the ECU remap- so that increases the installation costs a bit. The new exhaust doesn't drone and is only significantly louder than stock above 4500 rpm. For me the fact that the system was engineered by BMW makes it worth the added expense. I'd definitely want it installed on the 540i xDrive.

benjaminh

jipster said:

....The new Accords have about a grand in dealer add ons. Don't think that is reflected in the internet price....

When it comes to dealer add-ons so far I've been successful when saying, more or less, "I don't want any of that add on stuff. That would be a deal breaker." They sometimes fuss a little, but then they just throw in the floor mats, pinstripes, "fabric protector" or whatever for no cost.

Although I prefer the TLX's 2.4/DCT, the Accord's standard 1.5T/CVT has good acceleration and impressive mpg. That standard Accord has almost as much interior room as a full-size car from the 1980s (like the 1988 Olds 98 I used to own), but it's rated to get c. 38 mpg on the highway. My Olds was a downsized car, but with its 6-cylinder engine and 4-speed auto I got about 25 on the highway. And if you went back to before the Olds 98 was downsized the previous generation of 98 with a V-8 probably got about 18 on the highway. So over 40 years the highway mpg of a car with full-sized room has doubled—and the standard Accord accelerates more quickly than those old full-size cars too.

And jipster, unless you want a sports car level of acceleration you might not need the Accord's 2.0. And it will add a few thousand dollars to the price, and of course it gets lower mpg—32 on the highway.

Finally, since you keep your cars a very long time, you are probably aware that in general turbo engines probably won't last as long as naturally aspirated engines. A turbo engine is just more complicated, and there are more things that can wear out and fail if you are keeping the car for ten years or more. A turbo puts more stress on various things. Honda only started building turbo engines in a big way starting about 5 years ago, and so we don't know what the long-term reliability and durability will be for these turbo engines at this point. And so my earlier guess that almost all Honda engines when meticulously maintained are going to last 200,000 miles was really quite a guess. That might not pan out, which might make that Honda World "lifetime" warranty something to think about.

benjaminh

My local Acura dealer is clearly still making deals during this crisis, because just in the last week their TLX stock has fallen from 17 to 13 (I've been checking every couple of days as jipster has been doing his car shopping). Selling four sedans in a week seems pretty good in this market, and it's mostly been the higher end models that have sold.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jwm40517 said:

Hey oldfarmer, I got an email from IRS recently that said they would not be processing paper returns anytime soon. If you have a refund coming it will be awhile.

Ha ha, I owed money. Sure fooled them.

If you said something, I'm sure I could have saved you 15% maybe more. Too late now.

jmonroe

As much as I enjoy reading your posts I don’t think I want to share a jail cell with you.