Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

imidazol97 said:

Even worse, I recalled an earlier concert performance by the Serendipity Singers. I'll no one else here is old enough to remember them, let alone have seen them live.

Sailing Away? Don't Let the Rain Come Down. And the one banned on some radio, Beans in My Ears.
Risque.

I remember that group. Bad year though...was married a few months later in that year.

jmonroe

This information may come in handy some day....I will keep it on file!

If @roadburner comes through with my request you won’t be here some day.

jmonroe

Yeh, but that quote has been left at my lawyers office and it will be opened on that eventful day.

Is that a threat or a promise?

jmonroe

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

imidazol97 said:

Even worse, I recalled an earlier concert performance by the Serendipity Singers. I'll no one else here is old enough to remember them, let alone have seen them live.

Sailing Away? Don't Let the Rain Come Down. And the one banned on some radio, Beans in My Ears.
Risque.

I remember that group. Bad year though...was married a few months later in that year.

jmonroe

This information may come in handy some day....I will keep it on file!

If @roadburner comes through with my request you won’t be here some day.

jmonroe

Yeh, but that quote has been left at my lawyers office and it will be opened on that eventful day.

Is that a threat or a promise?

jmonroe

You won't be smiling when Mrs JM gets a copy in the mail one day...

graphicguy

stickguy said:

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:

graphicguy said:

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

Peter Frampton does or did live in a very tony area of Cincinnati. He was known to pop up at different venues unannounced and play.....for free. Saw him a couple of times, once at a little place called the Blind Lemon. They have an outdoor area and I was sitting there with my GF when he popped up with an Acoustic Guitar and played for about 90 minutes, all by himself. I was probably 15 feet from him. That was a great time.

The late Gerry Garcia’s wife was from Cincinnati. James Brown recorded here (King Records). Funk star Bootsy Collins shows up everywhere in Cincinnati.

Beach Boys used to play for free after a Reds game every summer at Great American Ballpark.

But, although I was only in Jr High, my older sister took me to see Chicago (when they were an avant-garde jam band and not the pop outfit they became after Terry Kath’s death) and took me to see the best concert I’ve ever seen/heard that had a line up of...

-Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
-The Band
-Jesse Collin Young (Youngbloods)
-Santana

Each artist was in their prime. I also smelled a lot of “funny odors” there, that may be familiar to my CO friends.

I have Chicago's first album when they were known as The Chicago Tansit Authority. To bad I no longer have a way to play it.

Cool...I had the CTA album, Chicago (silver) and the Chicago Live set (3 albums). I lost interest when they started going "pop".

Mentioned before, I had was redoing a vintage Thorens turntable. I've been working on it for a couple of years. Parts are hard to come by. So, I've never been able to play it reliably. Thinking of inviting in one of the new "internet only" turntable companies (i.e. U-Turn or Fluance).

I’d turn to Ebay and get a mid-late 70s Technics, Pioneer or Marantz. Many people restore those and they are great IMO

I love my Technics SL-1900. It wasn’t a super high end model back in the day but it’s built like a tank and sounds awesome even with a low end cartridge.

Kinda keeping an eye out. I can fix those vintage turntables, if parts are available. What I can’t do is fabricate the parts that are no longer available, which is the situation I’m in with the vintage Thorens.

My TT from the mid-late 80s is still in the box on a shelf. Technics SLQD33 I think it is. Probably still works, though all the vinyl is long gone.

That's the slim one, right? If so, I remember those. Technics turntables are highly regarded now. Their newer ones are selling in the 4 figure range.

stickguy

Dang. Yes, it was pretty low profile.

graphicguy

kyfdx said:

suydam said:

We are still going to a few concerts a year, so not in the past for us. We were supposed to see Taj Majal in October, but I doubt if it’s happening. And I think we are slated to see Tedeschi Trucks next time they swing through here, but who knows when that will be?

We saw Tedeschi Trucks in 2018. They were great!

LOVE Tedeschi Trucks Band.

https://youtu.be/PG1_LAAL4w0

stickguy

I never did like having 2 drummers. Just looks odd.

But they are quite good.

graphicguy

Did a dealer trade transport for Acura today. Cincinnati-Dayton round trip. ILX swap...took at ILX A-Spec to Dayton and brought back a "regular" ILX. Good looking little cars. I didn't even know there was an A-Spec ILX. I can see where a HP boost for a new ILX would be very appealing.

stickguy

It’s quick. Same engine as my tlx, with a little less weight.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

imidazol97 said:

Even worse, I recalled an earlier concert performance by the Serendipity Singers. I'll no one else here is old enough to remember them, let alone have seen them live.

Sailing Away? Don't Let the Rain Come Down. And the one banned on some radio, Beans in My Ears.
Risque.

I remember that group. Bad year though...was married a few months later in that year.

jmonroe

This information may come in handy some day....I will keep it on file!

If @roadburner comes through with my request you won’t be here some day.

jmonroe

Yeh, but that quote has been left at my lawyers office and it will be opened on that eventful day.

Is that a threat or a promise?

jmonroe

You won't be smiling when Mrs JM gets a copy in the mail one day...

I’ll take that as a threat.

jmonroe

sda

graphicguy said:

Did a dealer trade transport for Acura today. Cincinnati-Dayton round trip. ILX swap...took at ILX A-Spec to Dayton and brought back a "regular" ILX. Good looking little cars. I didn't even know there was an A-Spec ILX. I can see where a HP boost for a new ILX would be very appealing.

How did it drive? CU complains it’s noisy with a poor ride and an overpriced wannabe.

stickguy

I had an ILX loaner after I bought the TLX, and the dealer needed to keep it a day. Powertrain was fine, but the rest of the car was obviously a cut below. Ride, noise, handling.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I had an ILX loaner after I bought the TLX, and the dealer needed to keep it a day. Powertrain was fine, but the rest of the car was obviously a cut below. Ride, noise, handling.

Like an Acura Cimmaron?

stickguy

could be.

stickguy

But Acura really does need to replace that model. I assume as soon as the new MDX hits this winter, ILX replacement info will start leaking.

andres3

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

Mercedes said there is nothing they can do about the chattering wipers. They won't replace the windshield and since the service department already tried the waxing and buffing, it is something I will have to live with!

Those idiots can't fix the problem and don't want to have any further discussions about the issue with the wipers not clearing the water correctly from my windshield.

If that's the way Mercedes Benz treats their customers then people should avoid buying their cars. I have purchased 22 cars from Mercedes and this is the thanks I get!

Sorry to hear that but not surprised. If they replaced the windshield they would lose money on the sale of the car, and it might not fix the problem. I don't know how loud the noise is but it is a bit of a personal thing...some people are more sensitive to the sound than others. I guess the good news is your hearing is probably pretty good. The problem may go away as the rubber gets softer. Saying you won't buy another MB is pointless, they don't care....money given back is money out of their pocket, the future is a crap shoot. You might buy another one and might not, they don't care - they'll take the loss but somewhere there is an Audi buyer with a transmission that failed that will buy an MB next time....and on it goes............

Except when they lose so much market share that they are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and have to whine and cry for the tax payers to bail them out for it in order for ANY of them to keep their jobs. Then they will care.

At least enough to take a private jet to grovel and beg to the people that give handouts out to failed corporations.

stickguy

pretty sure that the German government won't be all that interested in hearing their whining.

ab348

stickguy said:

pretty sure that the German government won't be all that interested in hearing their whining.

I wouldn’t be so sure of that.

driver100

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

I had an ILX loaner after I bought the TLX, and the dealer needed to keep it a day. Powertrain was fine, but the rest of the car was obviously a cut below. Ride, noise, handling.

Like an Acura Cimmaron?

ILX....Acura badge at a bargain price.
Edmunds rating;
Our verdict 6.6 / 10
How does the ILX drive? 6.0
How comfortable is the ILX? 6.5
How’s the interior? 6.5
How’s the tech? 6.0
How’s the storage? 6.5
How economical is the ILX? 8.5
Is the ILX a good value? 8.0
Wildcard 6.5

6.6.....probably something better on the market.

stickguy

it is basically a fancied up prior generation Civic with more goodies and much better seats (and the drivetrain out of the TLX). Most likely, what the next ILX will be! Though I believe there is a brand new Civic due out this winter, so the Acura likely jumps ahead 2 iterations.

Also possible it is a shrunken version of the new TLX's stand-alone platform. And hopefully in a compact CUV model also.

tjc78

Acura is missing out on a smaller SUV, that is for sure. Something Kona sized with the TLX engine would be nice.

stickguy

exactly what I have been saying the ILX replacement should be. can certainly make a sedan version of it too.

fintail

No way in heck the German government would let a major automaker fail. I think the government owns significant stock in the big names, too.

ab348 said:

I wouldn’t be so sure of that.

driver100

stickguy said:

exactly what I have been saying the ILX replacement should be. can certainly make a sedan version of it too.

In that market....SUVs seem a lot more popular than sedans, at least in the U.S. Might make sense to only import the SUV version.

ab348

Small premium compact sedans seem dead in the water in the North American market. I was surprised that Buick did not get a version of the 2nd-gen Cruze when that came out as around here I saw a lot of first-gen Veranos on the roads, and the rare turbo version beat the pants of the ILX in various comparison tests. Having a Buick/GM car beat a Honda product is virtually impossible among auto reviewers but it was pretty much unanimous. I guess GM saw the trends and decided to not even try.

graphicguy

stickguy said:

I had an ILX loaner after I bought the TLX, and the dealer needed to keep it a day. Powertrain was fine, but the rest of the car was obviously a cut below. Ride, noise, handling.

I agree with all of that. But, if you’re looking for a small car that has some nifty styling all loaded up with a quasi-luxury badge, it would fit the bill.

At the risk of being called a sexist, I can see the ILX being the kind of car a female would want right after her first big promotion.

Wanted to see the customer who bought the A-Spec, but I don’t linger once I’ve dropped off the vehicles. I don’t drink coffee or sodas, nor do I eat in transport vehicles. I drop them off in the exact same condition as I picked them up. I’m actually thinking of getting some paper floor protectors printed up with my LLC name on them.

stickguy

Fair assumption on the ILX. I’m sure my daughter would like it to replace her Jetta!

One other drawback. Same engine as TLX, pretty close in MPG real world, but gas tank is about 4 gallons smaller.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

I never did like having 2 drummers. Just looks odd.

But they are quite good.

Guitarist is Derek Trucks. His father was in the Allman Brothers.
If you like bluesy guitar, he is a virtuoso, and featured prominently.

roadburner

Comparing my M235i to the Club Sport, the 2er is 10 inches longer and weighs 685 pounds more. More importantly, the 2er has 182 more hp and 200 lb-ft of torque- over twice what the Club Sport has. On the road the difference is considerable- the 2er hits 100 mph 17.4 seconds ahead of the Club Sport.
At the end of the day however, both cars are perfect for their intended use. The Club Sport shines on a twisting rural two lane; the steering is nearly telepathic and it has just enough power to make things interesting.
The M235i is a close coupled Junior GT; a couple of British magazines described it as a German take on a American ponycar- and that sounds about right.

stickguy

You can also add the HP to the old car, but can’t make the newer one a lightweight!

dino001

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

pretty sure that the German government won't be all that interested in hearing their whining.

I wouldn’t be so sure of that.

German government was essentially complicit with the dieselgate (unrealistic standards and laws requiring just passing the tests, i.e. not explicitly disallowing defeat devices) and allowed VW to show big middle finger to all its European customer to suck on as a compensation for their cheating, obvious reason being number of sold units was more than order of magnitude higher than here in the US, so any kind of compensation would basically put the company out of business, or at least significantly cripple it for long term. Owning the stock of VW plus knowing how German government is dependent on its heavy industry (very similar relationship as here between Washington and Wall Street), one knew they won't let any real harm to happen to them.

BTW, if Mike thinks his life is tough on the wiper chatter issue, there is a story of a Polish customer who bought (leased) top of the line S63 AMG with transmission vibrations and steering problems. There are multiple YouTube videos (they have English captions) with the saga, including recorded conversations with the service "advisors", correspondence with the importer company, etc. They flat out refuse to fix anything, claim everything is "normal" under tests, but also refuse to provide any kind of logs or records of those alleged "tests". There are different laws in Poland making Benz much more privileged in relation with customers vs. here, e.g. they guy can't even sue because he's formally not an owner, the lease company (MB Bank) is the owner and they refuse to recognize that MB gave them a defective product (but they are happy to collect payments from the customer of course). Complaints to the HQ in Germany brought absolutely no response, either. It's a story for the ages, one of those that makes you realized that ambulance chaser lawyers do have some useful purpose in society besides being a good ballast for a ship's anchor .

graphicguy

sda said:

graphicguy said:

Did a dealer trade transport for Acura today. Cincinnati-Dayton round trip. ILX swap...took at ILX A-Spec to Dayton and brought back a "regular" ILX. Good looking little cars. I didn't even know there was an A-Spec ILX. I can see where a HP boost for a new ILX would be very appealing.

How did it drive? CU complains it’s noisy with a poor ride and an overpriced wannabe.

Smaller than I prefer. Needs a bit more HP and a lot more low end torque. Tossable...light on its feet (which I felt when I got back in my Stinger, which isn’t a slouch in the handling dept). Stereo wasn’t to my liking, but the TLX’s had the best car stereo I’ve ever heard. And, the Stinger’s stereo is still quite good.

It is noisy, but compared to what? Compared to my Stinger or my former TLX, yeah...it makes a lot of racket for not a lot of power. I sort of expected the choppy ride. But, most of the trip was on the interstate, both up and back. It was fine....cruised nicely...comfortable on the highway. I think a little more wheelbase would help, but that would make it even slower with the same drivetrain.

Put Honda’s 2.0T in it and it would be a blast.

sda

ab348 said:

Small premium compact sedans seem dead in the water in the North American market. I was surprised that Buick did not get a version of the 2nd-gen Cruze when that came out as around here I saw a lot of first-gen Veranos on the roads, and the rare turbo version beat the pants of the ILX in various comparison tests. Having a Buick/GM car beat a Honda product is virtually impossible among auto reviewers but it was pretty much unanimous. I guess GM saw the trends and decided to not even try.

I liked the Verano. It was very nicely done. Too bad the back seat legroom was so limited.

stickguy

I’m lucky in that back seat legroom is almost irrelevant to me. Frees up more options!

driver100

This was in todays newspaper:
DENNIS O’SULLIVAN Answers to your car questions
Dennis, I have a 2018 Ford Edge Titanium 2.0 L Eco boost with approximately 42,000 kilometres on it. I had an oil change plus a general overall inspection done at the dealer recently and when I picked the vehicle up, there were several services that the dealer recommended that I should do. One of the suggestions, which surprised me, was a transmission service. When I asked why it would need the transmission fluid changed at 42,000 kilometres, I was told that Ford considers this area to be one with extreme driving conditions, with the cold winters and hot summers. According to the owner’s manual, the recommended interval for changing the fluid is 240,000 kilometres. The only conditions noted for changing the fluid at 48,000 kilometres are towing a trailer; extensive idling; low speed driving (delivery, taxi etc.) or in dusty or sandy conditions, none of which apply to me. Even with the current pandemic, probably 70% of my driving is highway. I have been driving for over fifty years and have had many vehicles and never had a dealer recommend changing the transmission fluid at 48,000 kilometres. I do not plan on having the fluid changed at this time but would appreciate knowing your thoughts on when it should be done. Thank you

Garry from Dundas

I thought Dennis's answer would be, "Who ever heard of spelling Garry with 2 Rs", but most of the answer is in the next post. I think the dealership is probably a little slow these days, so trying to add to their profit.

driver100

Most of the answer;
ANSWER

Ford of Canada is all over the map as to when the transmission fluid should be changed, anywhere from 60,000 kilometres to 150,000 kilometres. If not based on mileage, then it is recommended that the fluid be changed every two to four years and that in itself, will depend on the type of driving one does. The transmission oils used in today’s vehicles have so many additives and most transmissions have many solenoids and electrical connections that are susceptible to any type of contamination in the oil. It is wise to let your dealer make the determination as to when the transmission oil should be changed. That being said, it is also very wise for any Ford owner to make sure that the dealer is totally upfront with you as to why they are making the determination that the transmission fluid should be changed and the reasons given. “Ford considers this area to be one with extreme driving conditions with the cold winters and hot summers” is not a reason that I am aware of. I was not the inspecting technician so I cannot second-guess what he or she saw in regards to the condition of your vehicle’s transmission oil.

driver100

Good review GG, hit on the points that are important to me and explained nicely.

stickguy

most likely, what the service adviser saw was a chance to pad his commission.

but, in general, I am a proponent of changing the transmission fluid more often than required (which for many cars now, is never). A mindset I guess you learn having multiple Honda V6 ATs at the same time!

sda

graphicguy said:

stickguy said:

I had an ILX loaner after I bought the TLX, and the dealer needed to keep it a day. Powertrain was fine, but the rest of the car was obviously a cut below. Ride, noise, handling.

I agree with all of that. But, if you’re looking for a small car that has some nifty styling all loaded up with a quasi-luxury badge, it would fit the bill.

At the risk of being called a sexist, I can see the ILX being the kind of car a female would want right after her first big promotion.

Wanted to see the customer who bought the A-Spec, but I don’t linger once I’ve dropped off the vehicles. I don’t drink coffee or sodas, nor do I eat in transport vehicles. I drop them off in the exact same condition as I picked them up. I’m actually thinking of getting some paper floor protectors printed up with my LLC name on them.

Funny you should say that "I can see the ILX being the kind of car a female would want". When I was browsing CPO Acuras I glanced at a very nice ILX. The salesman looked at me and quipped, "You want a TLX, the ILX is for chicks."

ab348

It sounds like the Ford dealer that Garry from Dundas uses went to the same profit margin improvement course my dealer's service dept went to. Their constant recommendations for extra and unnecessary services went from laughably funny to annoying to downright infuriating. Every time I bring the car in they try to sell me extra things it does not need. Even when Cadillac is paying for maintenance they do things the car may not need if Cadillac will pay for it. When I had it in there this time last year they did the requisite brake inspection as part of the 50-point check Caddy pays for, which meant they pulled the wheels. As it turned out, when they put them back on they messed up somehow and the car developed a rotational "graunch graunch" sound at the rear. It was fairly soft so you didn't hear it all the time but when the radio was off and you were coming to a stop it was audible. I complained so I took it back. The service advisor went out with me and said she could hear it. But her recommendation was their $100 brake service that involved lubing the caliper sliders. I passed.

Of course it had nothing to do with the brakes. When I took it to my tire shop a few months later it was still doing it after the dealer said they could find nothing wrong. When the winter wheels went on the sound went away. When they put the OE wheels back on this spring the sound did not return either. Clearly it was something the dealer did when they had the wheels off and then put them back on. But all they wanted to do to fix it was make me pay for something I did not need.

Michaell

ab348 said:

It sounds like the Ford dealer that Garry from Dundas uses went to the same profit margin improvement course my dealer's service dept went to. Their constant recommendations for extra and unnecessary services went from laughably funny to annoying to downright infuriating. Every time I bring the car in they try to sell me extra things it does not need. Even when Cadillac is paying for maintenance they do things the car may not need if Cadillac will pay for it. When I had it in there this time last year they did the requisite brake inspection as part of the 50-point check Caddy pays for, which meant they pulled the wheels. As it turned out, when they put them back on they messed up somehow and the car developed a rotational "graunch graunch" sound at the rear. It was fairly soft so you didn't hear it all the time but when the radio was off and you were coming to a stop it was audible. I complained so I took it back. The service advisor went out with me and said she could hear it. But her recommendation was their $100 brake service that involved lubing the caliper sliders. I passed.

Of course it had nothing to do with the brakes. When I took it to my tire shop a few months later it was still doing it after the dealer said they could find nothing wrong. When the winter wheels went on the sound went away. When they put the OE wheels back on this spring the sound did not return either. Clearly it was something the dealer did when they had the wheels off and then put them back on. But all they wanted to do to fix it was make me pay for something I did not need.

We had the daughter's MINI in for service a couple of weeks ago. They start off by texting a video inspection - brakes, tires, a quick peek at the undercarriage. All very nice, and, in the case of her car, everything had plenty of life left on it.

After a bit, an email dropped into my inbox, with a list of "suggested" services. Close to $2K, most of which they claimed was based on age (6 years) or miles (just over 44K). I passed on all of it, this time.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Most of the answer;
ANSWER

Ford of Canada is all over the map as to when the transmission fluid should be changed, anywhere from 60,000 kilometres to 150,000 kilometres. If not based on mileage, then it is recommended that the fluid be changed every two to four years and that in itself, will depend on the type of driving one does. The transmission oils used in today’s vehicles have so many additives and most transmissions have many solenoids and electrical connections that are susceptible to any type of contamination in the oil. It is wise to let your dealer make the determination as to when the transmission oil should be changed. That being said, it is also very wise for any Ford owner to make sure that the dealer is totally upfront with you as to why they are making the determination that the transmission fluid should be changed and the reasons given. “Ford considers this area to be one with extreme driving conditions with the cold winters and hot summers” is not a reason that I am aware of. I was not the inspecting technician so I cannot second-guess what he or she saw in regards to the condition of your vehicle’s transmission oil.

You will recall I got a letter from Kia concerning oil change intervals. They suggested that “most or all” driving in my area should be considered “severe” and that motor oil should be changed at 3750 miles rather than 7500. Despite calls and emails I never got an answer as to whether this advice included synthetic oils as well. One guy said the intervals were for both conventional and synthetic which told me he was clueless.

I suspect that many of these manufacturers are trying to head off future lawsuits over sludging engines and failed transmissions by calling for more frequent changes. Something is telling them there are problems in the pipeline.

Personally, I change conventional oil every 3000 miles or every two years. Synthetic gets it at 5000 miles. Transmission I have always done at 50,000 miles. I always thought I was OCD. Changing it every two years is nuts.

I’ve heard that on AWD Fords the transfer case fluid needs to be changed at 30k miles which is interesting since older models don’t even have drain plugs.

venture

It's finally raining here after what seemed like months...



but I didn't even get out of the car wash.

andres3

stickguy said:

You can also add the HP to the old car, but can’t make the newer one a lightweight!

Well... light weight wheels, carbon fiber, brake kits out of aluminum.... aluminum suspension components, aluminum exhaust systems, and more.

imidazol97

venture said:

It's finally raining here after what seemed like months...



but I didn't even get out of the car wash.

I'm jealous. I want a good rain and we're going to be missed mostly by Laura's leftovers.

sda

venture said:

It's finally raining here after what seemed like months...



but I didn't even get out of the car wash.

Did you get a rain check?

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Most of the answer;
ANSWER

Ford of Canada is all over the map as to when the transmission fluid should be changed, anywhere from 60,000 kilometres to 150,000 kilometres. If not based on mileage, then it is recommended that the fluid be changed every two to four years and that in itself, will depend on the type of driving one does. The transmission oils used in today’s vehicles have so many additives and most transmissions have many solenoids and electrical connections that are susceptible to any type of contamination in the oil. It is wise to let your dealer make the determination as to when the transmission oil should be changed. That being said, it is also very wise for any Ford owner to make sure that the dealer is totally upfront with you as to why they are making the determination that the transmission fluid should be changed and the reasons given. “Ford considers this area to be one with extreme driving conditions with the cold winters and hot summers” is not a reason that I am aware of. I was not the inspecting technician so I cannot second-guess what he or she saw in regards to the condition of your vehicle’s transmission oil.

I suspect that many of these manufacturers are trying to head off future lawsuits over sludging engines and failed transmissions by calling for more frequent changes. Something is telling them there are problems in the pipeline.

I think it is looking for extra work for the dealership, and adding commissions for the service advisor. Why make a car that can go X miles and then tell customers the work should be done at the half way mark. Dealers feel ripped off by the manufacturers who call the shots.....they make most of their profit from servicing cars....dealers are trying to make as much as they can from the service department.

driver100

ab348 said:

It sounds like the Ford dealer that Garry from Dundas uses went to the same profit margin improvement course my dealer's service dept went to. Their constant recommendations for extra and unnecessary services went from laughably funny to annoying to downright infuriating.

Exactly. I remember when quick oil change and lube places first started up....for many years they did basic work. Then slowly they put mileage stickers on which were half the recommended oil change level....fair enough to be extra safe....if you want. But then came wipers, coolant flush, gas filters....anything they could scare you into thinking you needed. This seems to be the same. Lots of professions now have courses in how to bill extra $$$s, vets, dentists, chiropractors to name a few....I am sure dealers can do the same.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

It sounds like the Ford dealer that Garry from Dundas uses went to the same profit margin improvement course my dealer's service dept went to. Their constant recommendations for extra and unnecessary services went from laughably funny to annoying to downright infuriating.

Exactly. I remember when quick oil change and lube places first started up....for many years they did basic work. Then slowly they put mileage stickers on which were half the recommended oil change level....fair enough to be extra safe....if you want. But then came wipers, coolant flush, gas filters....anything they could scare you into thinking you needed. This seems to be the same. Lots of professions now have courses in how to bill extra $$$s, vets, dentists, chiropractors to name a few....I am sure dealers can do the same.

FWIW, I agree with you but don’t you think you should come clean and tell us how many courses you took to learn how to sell more books than what stores wanted.

jmonroe

omarman

This pic of Speed Demon 715 pulled me into the GM Authority article about the world's fastest piston engine car. It's powered by a methanol-fueled 557 cubic inch Chevy big block with two 88mm Precision turbochargers making 3,156 horsepower and 2,106 pound-feet of torque.

About 5 days before this record setting run Speed Demon had managed to hit 455 mph on just seven cylinders! A valve cover gasket failed which started an oil fire. Data revealed that cylinder #4 went lean and melted the piston.

The team had a smaller LS based engine available as a spare but decided to rebuild the big block with a spare piston and keep going for the record. Can't argue with the logic considering that the big block engine recorded a 455 mph exit speed even with a hole in the #4 piston! Amazing.
After making engine repairs, rebuilding a fire damaged wiring harness and resolving mechanical issues along the way Speed Demon Racing set a new AA/BFS record on Thursday August 13.

At another Chevy fan page I saw that a brand new 50th Anniversary 1957 Chevy convertible steel body with chassis is available for purchase now from CARS Inc.

Wonder if Team Speed Demon is still carrying around that spare LS engine?

tjc78

They keep working on that 557 and eventually it will be fast enough for @roadburner