Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

driver100

roadburner said:

$250 for an oil change and a vehicle check is about twice what I pay for my BMWs and Mini. The tech working on the car sends a short video showing the condition of the tires, brakes and drivetrain, and undercarriage- a nice touch.
As for other fluids, I change the DOT 4 every two years on my street cars and every six months if they see the track. Coolant is changed every two years using BMW/Mini coolant.
Transmissions(automatic or manual) get a 60,000 mile change interval. Ditto for final drives and transfer cases.

$250 Cdn is about $150 U.S., and I don't have to register any parts used
Fluid changes are a bit on the early side but within range IMO.
How do we know the video isn't like the moon landing videos?

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

I took a big risk today but I think it will be OK. My E40 is 4 years old and no more warranty or prepaid maintenance. It only has 28000 miles on it, and I only went 6000 miles this year....with covid lockdowns.
The E had a complete prepaid A Service last year. The monitor said I was due for a B Service which I think costs about $500. Here is what is on a B service;
Everything on the A Service:
Function Check:
Check Tele-Aid by pressing SOS button to make test call to response center.
Horn, headlamp flasher, hazard flasher, turn signals
Warning/indicator lamps, illumination and interior lighting
Exterior lighting incl. headlamps
Windshield wiper, windshield washer system
Headlamp cleaning system
Check Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) hydraulic unit
Reset FSS counter in instrument cluster


Wheels, Brakes:
Check brake pads for lining thickness front (remove right front wheel)
Check tires for damage and condition
Correct tire inflation

Engine Compartment:
Engine oil and filter change
Check and correct fluid level:
Windshield washer system
Starter battery, wet cell (located at R/H strut) Check battery acid level, replenish
Additionally, check battery using "Midtronics MCR 717" tester. Attach Midtronics MCR 717 Test Report print out here.
Clean water drain in air/water duct
Lubricate catch, safety catch and hinges on engine hood for proper operation. Replace components with even the slightest malfunction.

Front, rear of vehicle:
Check wiper blade condition


Vehicle passenger compartment
Check seat belts for damage and proper function
Replace combination filters (2)

Wheels, brakes
Remove and reinstall wheels, rotate if necessary, does not apply for vehicles with different tire sizes front/rear
Check brake pads for lining thickness front/rear
Check condition of brake discs front and rear
Measure tread depth, enter in mm

Vehicle underbody:
Visual check for leakage - major components
Check condition of front axle ball joints and rubber boots
Check condition of steering's mechanical components and rubber boots

Engine compartment:
Visually check for leakage - major components
Check and correct fluid level:
Active Body Control (ABC)
Power steering
Check condition of poly-V-belt


Additional work:

Every 50,000 mi/80,000 km or 4 years:
Check condition of drive shaft flex discs

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 4 years:
Replace air cleaner filter element

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 5 years:
Replace fuel filter

Every 150,000 mi/250,000 km or 15 years:
Replace coolant

Every 2 years:
Replace brake fluid
Check body for paint damage
Check chassis and supporting body parts for damage and corrosion

Every 100,000 mi/160,000 km or 5 years:
Replace spark plugs

Since I only did half a years worth of driving and the car only has 28k miles, I did an oil change, check tires and check fluid levels. Cost $250.

I wonder how many people go by the actual service plans and how necessary is it? I don't even think the prepaid plan is worth it if you aren't doing at least average driving a year. Though, with the prepaid plan you should have no problems no matter what goes wrong - then they guaranty everything completely and that is worth something.

Headlight cleaning system? What does that involve, filling up with blinker fluid?

oldfarmer50

fintail said:

I had (prepaid) Service B on my car a few weeks ago - only about 6K miles since service A a year ago. Funny thing, their paperwork recommends another oil change in 6 months or 5K miles - a bit excessive for synthetic. I wonder how many go for that these days. Nah, it'll be fine for another year no matter the mileage, which may not be a ton as I anticipate being WFH for a while yet.

The old car gets a LOF and general inspection every year.

driver100 said:

I took a big risk today but I think it will be OK. My E40 is 4 years old and no more warranty or prepaid maintenance. It only has 28000 miles on it, and I only went 6000 miles this year....with covid lockdowns.

I wonder how many people go by the actual service plans and how necessary is it? I don't even think the prepaid plan is worth it if you aren't doing at least average driving a year. Though, with the prepaid plan you should have no problems no matter what goes wrong - then they guaranty everything completely and that is worth something.

I was changing the oil every year in the Mustang even though I didn’t come close to the 5k synthetic schedule I use. I might reach 5k after two years so I’ll wait till then.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

History buffs and National Museum of the US Air Force fans:

https://daytondailynews.com/local/just-in-lead-d-day-invasion-plane-to-land-at-air-force-museum/S5DXPGCGQVDJTLDQAC43DXNJR4/

In 1979 we went to Milwaukee and we few from Chicago in one of those. Noisy as heck and bumpy because it couldn’t fly above the turbulence.

driver100

A friend who has a 1983 Avalon that looks brand new has done his own oil changes, fluid level checks, brakes, install a new battery and other routine repairs, and he keeps his cars going for a long time.
He offered to do my oil change, check the fluids and do a brake job and change the battery in the GLK (which is 6 years old)......which was really nice of him.
I declined for a few reasons. An MB may be a little different, they like to make it hard for outsiders to do these things. But a bigger reason is if the car is recalled it would be nice that they see regular service has been done by the dealer. Also, I think it is worth more as a trade-in, if they know it has been serviced by the dealer......and then there is the memory of our friend and fellow poster JMonroe.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

I took a big risk today but I think it will be OK. My E40 is 4 years old and no more warranty or prepaid maintenance. It only has 28000 miles on it, and I only went 6000 miles this year....with covid lockdowns.
The E had a complete prepaid A Service last year. The monitor said I was due for a B Service which I think costs about $500. Here is what is on a B service;
Everything on the A Service:
Function Check:
Check Tele-Aid by pressing SOS button to make test call to response center.
Horn, headlamp flasher, hazard flasher, turn signals
Warning/indicator lamps, illumination and interior lighting
Exterior lighting incl. headlamps
Windshield wiper, windshield washer system
Headlamp cleaning system
Check Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) hydraulic unit
Reset FSS counter in instrument cluster


Wheels, Brakes:
Check brake pads for lining thickness front (remove right front wheel)
Check tires for damage and condition
Correct tire inflation

Engine Compartment:
Engine oil and filter change
Check and correct fluid level:
Windshield washer system
Starter battery, wet cell (located at R/H strut) Check battery acid level, replenish
Additionally, check battery using "Midtronics MCR 717" tester. Attach Midtronics MCR 717 Test Report print out here.
Clean water drain in air/water duct
Lubricate catch, safety catch and hinges on engine hood for proper operation. Replace components with even the slightest malfunction.

Front, rear of vehicle:
Check wiper blade condition


Vehicle passenger compartment
Check seat belts for damage and proper function
Replace combination filters (2)

Wheels, brakes
Remove and reinstall wheels, rotate if necessary, does not apply for vehicles with different tire sizes front/rear
Check brake pads for lining thickness front/rear
Check condition of brake discs front and rear
Measure tread depth, enter in mm

Vehicle underbody:
Visual check for leakage - major components
Check condition of front axle ball joints and rubber boots
Check condition of steering's mechanical components and rubber boots

Engine compartment:
Visually check for leakage - major components
Check and correct fluid level:
Active Body Control (ABC)
Power steering
Check condition of poly-V-belt


Additional work:

Every 50,000 mi/80,000 km or 4 years:
Check condition of drive shaft flex discs

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 4 years:
Replace air cleaner filter element

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 5 years:
Replace fuel filter

Every 150,000 mi/250,000 km or 15 years:
Replace coolant

Every 2 years:
Replace brake fluid
Check body for paint damage
Check chassis and supporting body parts for damage and corrosion

Every 100,000 mi/160,000 km or 5 years:
Replace spark plugs

Since I only did half a years worth of driving and the car only has 28k miles, I did an oil change, check tires and check fluid levels. Cost $250.

I wonder how many people go by the actual service plans and how necessary is it? I don't even think the prepaid plan is worth it if you aren't doing at least average driving a year. Though, with the prepaid plan you should have no problems no matter what goes wrong - then they guaranty everything completely and that is worth something.

Headlight cleaning system? What does that involve, filling up with blinker fluid?

Several of my BMWs have had it; high pressure sprayers that work with the windshield washer system.

abacomike

Genesis recommends oil/filter changes every 6,000 miles using full synthetic. Their free 3 year maintenance program covers all maintenance including:

Oil, oil filter, air filter, interior air filtration filters, tire rotation and balancing, wiper blades, brake discs, brake fluid, front and rear alignments, to name a few. That’s pretty impressive.

An update on my vehicle connect system:

Got a call from Genesis USA and the service manager at my dealership. I am bringing the car in on Monday morning and the dealer is giving me a G80 to use while my G90 is in service. They offered to pick up my car and deliver the loaner to me, but I prefer dropping it off to them - only 2 miles from my home. They expect it will take a few days to diagnose the connection issue and determine if they need to install a new module which they suspect is the culprit. They are already ordering a new module and shipping it to the dealership in order to expedite things.

If it wasn’t for my persistence in getting Genesis USA involved, nothing would have been done. It’s the dealership’s fault for not getting this taken care of without my contacting Genesis headquarters in California. I can’t wait to fill out the sales and service surveys.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

$250 for an oil change and a vehicle check is about twice what I pay for my BMWs and Mini. The tech working on the car sends a short video showing the condition of the tires, brakes and drivetrain, and undercarriage- a nice touch.
As for other fluids, I change the DOT 4 every two years on my street cars and every six months if they see the track. Coolant is changed every two years using BMW/Mini coolant.
Transmissions(automatic or manual) get a 60,000 mile change interval. Ditto for final drives and transfer cases.

$250 Cdn is about $150 U.S., and I don't have to register any parts used
Fluid changes are a bit on the early side but within range IMO.
How do we know the video isn't like the moon landing videos?

The video is verifiable because it’s registered.

jmonroe

ab348

This was the first of 2 emails I got from Motor Trend on Demand today:

Hey MotorFriend,

Thank you for your support of MotorTrend! We hope you have enjoyed the ride!

We will continue to look for opportunities to bring your favourite motoring shows to your territory but for now the MotorTrend standalone service will be closing its doors in your territory as of 18 August 2021.

You will continue to have access to the content until the service closes or until your subscription expires, whichever comes first.

The last monthly auto renewal will occur on or before 07 July 2021 based on your regular bill cycle and you will not be billed after that date.

If you have an annual subscription that extends beyond 18 August 2021 you will be refunded the remaining balance within 30 days of closure.

If you need more information, visit the help centre at help.motortrendondemand.com.

A short time later, a second email arrived saying "oops, sorry, shouldn't have sent that, please ignore."

Whatever, it seems likely they may be planning on pulling the plug. Wouldn't be a huge loss, TBH. I find most of what's there unwatchable and have rarely visited over the last few months as a result. It's a real opportunity lost but their programming emphasis is so wrong.

tjc78

driver100 said:

A friend who has a 1983 Avalon that looks brand new has done his own oil changes, fluid level checks, brakes, install a new battery and other routine repairs, and he keeps his cars going for a long time.
He offered to do my oil change, check the fluids and do a brake job and change the battery in the GLK (which is 6 years old)......which was really nice of him.
I declined for a few reasons. An MB may be a little different, they like to make it hard for outsiders to do these things. But a bigger reason is if the car is recalled it would be nice that they see regular service has been done by the dealer. Also, I think it is worth more as a trade-in, if they know it has been serviced by the dealer......and then there is the memory of our friend and fellow poster JMonroe.

Avalon wasn’t introduced until 1994. Did you mean Camry? If so life is waaayyyy too short to drive something like that nearly 40 years.

explorerx4

@ab348,
I feel all these streaming services are just a way to try to extract more money from the consumer.
Personally, I don't want to pay a bunch small added charges to watch disney+, discovery+, etc...

roadburner

tjc78 said:

driver100 said:

A friend who has a 1983 Avalon that looks brand new has done his own oil changes, fluid level checks, brakes, install a new battery and other routine repairs, and he keeps his cars going for a long time.
He offered to do my oil change, check the fluids and do a brake job and change the battery in the GLK (which is 6 years old)......which was really nice of him.
I declined for a few reasons. An MB may be a little different, they like to make it hard for outsiders to do these things. But a bigger reason is if the car is recalled it would be nice that they see regular service has been done by the dealer. Also, I think it is worth more as a trade-in, if they know it has been serviced by the dealer......and then there is the memory of our friend and fellow poster JMonroe.

Avalon wasn’t introduced until 1994. Did you mean Camry? If so life is waaayyyy too short to drive something like that nearly 40 years.

I would have jumped off an extremely tall building 1-2 months in- never mind 40 soul-slaughtering years.

driver100

tjc78 said:

driver100 said:

A friend who has a 1983 Avalon that looks brand new has done his own oil changes, fluid level checks, brakes, install a new battery and other routine repairs, and he keeps his cars going for a long time.
He offered to do my oil change, check the fluids and do a brake job and change the battery in the GLK (which is 6 years old)......which was really nice of him.
I declined for a few reasons. An MB may be a little different, they like to make it hard for outsiders to do these things. But a bigger reason is if the car is recalled it would be nice that they see regular service has been done by the dealer. Also, I think it is worth more as a trade-in, if they know it has been serviced by the dealer......and then there is the memory of our friend and fellow poster JMonroe.

Avalon wasn’t introduced until 1994. Did you mean Camry? If so life is waaayyyy too short to drive something like that nearly 40 years.

You're right...it was a mid 90s model....the lights look like about a 95 to 98 Avalon. He takes great pride in keeping it going, as a second car now. But that car has taken them from Canada to Florida for over a decade. He has a newer Venza that he will probably keep for many years too.....I am going to explain more in the next post.

driver100

roadburner said:

tjc78 said:

driver100 said:

A friend who has a 1983 Avalon that looks brand new has done his own oil changes, fluid level checks, brakes, install a new battery and other routine repairs, and he keeps his cars going for a long time.
He offered to do my oil change, check the fluids and do a brake job and change the battery in the GLK (which is 6 years old)......which was really nice of him.
I declined for a few reasons. An MB may be a little different, they like to make it hard for outsiders to do these things. But a bigger reason is if the car is recalled it would be nice that they see regular service has been done by the dealer. Also, I think it is worth more as a trade-in, if they know it has been serviced by the dealer......and then there is the memory of our friend and fellow poster JMonroe.

Avalon wasn’t introduced until 1994. Did you mean Camry? If so life is waaayyyy too short to drive something like that nearly 40 years.

I would have jumped off an extremely tall building 1-2 months in- never mind 40 soul-slaughtering years.

That is funny but everyone has different circumstances. This friend came to Canada from Germany when he was 6 years old. They were extremely poor, he always had to work at a few jobs to help the family. He studied and he became a teacher......and his wife always worked for many years at a legal firm.
They have a nice home, have gone to Florida for the winter for years, have traveled to Europe a few times, raised two children who are doing well, have lots of friends....but they both have worked hard to have what they have, and a new car would be a wasteful expense for them. He is a tremendously talented tennis player...also plays a good game of soccer, golf and table tennis. He always offers to help people who have potential, he has probably given me about 40 lessons which if I was paying for them would cost me $2400...at $60 a lesson. He also gives lessons in Florida.
He loves cars.......and he thinks it is great that he can keep this car going, and it is perfectly clean and kept up....even the trunk was perfect - like new.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

$250 for an oil change and a vehicle check is about twice what I pay for my BMWs and Mini. The tech working on the car sends a short video showing the condition of the tires, brakes and drivetrain, and undercarriage- a nice touch.
As for other fluids, I change the DOT 4 every two years on my street cars and every six months if they see the track. Coolant is changed every two years using BMW/Mini coolant.
Transmissions(automatic or manual) get a 60,000 mile change interval. Ditto for final drives and transfer cases.

$250 Cdn is about $150 U.S., and I don't have to register any parts used
Fluid changes are a bit on the early side but within range IMO.
How do we know the video isn't like the moon landing videos?

The video is verifiable because it’s registered.

jmonroe

Which video is registered and by whom...BMWs or the moon landing?

mcdawgg

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

kyfdx said:

explorerx4 said:

I live a couple of miles from a Toyota dealer, but have never seen the new Supra in the flesh.

The one I saw when servicing the Tacoma seemed to be nailed to the showroom floor. Plus, it was locked up.

They had probably 8-10 of them at Performance Toyota when I was there yesterday. They had 3 or so out front of the dealership, and another 5-6 in the back lot

I’ve only seen one Supra in the wild; I doubt that there are more than 12 new ones for sale between all of the Louisville area dealers.

7 new Supras for sale within a 25 mile radius of zip code 40209.

venture

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

tjc78

I kinda get the blue/orange theme... but the graphic is too much and why the black on the edge of the hood and spoiler? Wheels aren’t my first choice either.

Park job is ummm..... I’ll just leave it at that.

abacomike

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

When the parking lot fills up and parking spaces become less available, that Mustang could acquire artistry in the form of “keyed designs and lines” on its doors, hood and hatch. Dings and scrapes from shopping carts could also add additional artistry.

driver100

abacomike said:

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

When the parking lot fills up and parking spaces become less available, that Mustang could acquire artistry in the form of “keyed designs and lines” on its doors, hood and hatch. Dings and scrapes from shopping carts could also add additional artistry.

He probably just had the art work done and doesn't want his beautiful design (cough, choke, barf) ruined.
No matter how much he likes it...I think he will get tired of it very quickly.
Parking in 4 spots is asking for trouble.....especially at Sams Club.

graphicguy

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

I don’t think that’s a 5.0 GT, either. The GTs don’t have the “pony” in the grill. If I’m wrong, please correct me.

Either way, that’s an abomination.

Funny, was at a stop light with the windows down last night when a guy in a Mustang 4cyl turbo pulls up next to me, reving his obvious 4 cyl in an effort to do a little cafe racing. Funny part is, I don’t know what he did to his wastegate, but it was constantly hissing while he was reving. Stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

Oh yeah, I became juvenile and smoked him until the next stop light, where he would not pull beside me to see me gloat.

And yes, I am that juvenile.

driver100

stickguy said:

$250 is 5 times what Acura charges, including the whole multipoint inspection sheet.

Wait until you hear what it costs to install a new main battery in the GLK. The auxiliary battery in the rear that runs the STOP/START feature to make driving more economical was replaced last April for about $400 CDN.....almost $300 U.S.
The main battery was $400 for the battery and $170 to install, $566! About $400 U.S.!
Part of the status of an MB is bragging about how much repairs cost
If you run out of small talk at the country club you can see who paid more for service work.

ab348

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

Why is there never a monster truck around when you really need one?

qbrozen

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

I would have left a note. "Your car's ugliness will keep others away. No need to also park like an a'hole."

imidazol97

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

snakeweasel

graphicguy said:

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

I don’t think that’s a 5.0 GT, either. The GTs don’t have the “pony” in the grill. If I’m wrong, please correct me.

Either way, that’s an abomination.

Funny, was at a stop light with the windows down last night when a guy in a Mustang 4cyl turbo pulls up next to me, reving his obvious 4 cyl in an effort to do a little cafe racing. Funny part is, I don’t know what he did to his wastegate, but it was constantly hissing while he was reving. Stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

Oh yeah, I became juvenile and smoked him until the next stop light, where he would not pull beside me to see me gloat.

And yes, I am that juvenile.

The GT's do have the pony on the grill but the Shelby GT's have the cobra.

snakeweasel

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

Not something I would wish on anyone. Good luck with getting everything cleaned up and repaired.

tjc78

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

Ice maker line?

Any damage to the cabinets and floor?

kyfdx

Water is the enemy of every homeowner..

jmonroe1

venture said:

This is not only ugly, but it was also taking up 4 parking spots. It looks like it's far away from everyone else, but it isn't. This is at Sam's Club about 10 minutes before it opens for regular members.

I told the story about when I was a working stiff about two guys who drove old pickups that could teach that driver a lesson he/she would never forget. Might even bring tears to the the eyes of the driver too, like they did to a young lady who couldn’t keep her Series 3 between the lines in the company parking lot. They got so close to her car they damn near took off the top coat of wax on her beauty.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

tjc78 said:

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

Ice maker line?

Any damage to the cabinets and floor?

The fridge is on the other side of the kitchen so it isn't that. Going by the amount of water in the basement it wasn't going for to long. The basement floor was a little more than half dry with the wet areas with barely enough standing water to make a splash if you jumped in it. Water didn't even make it to the ejector pump. The cabinets and floor should be ok, there are a few things in the basement that got waterlogged but most of it was simply junk we just haven't gotten around to hauling upstairs and out to the curb.

jmonroe1

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

You’re in heaven and don’t even know it.

jmonroe

driver100

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

It could be worse.....you could be out of wine and whiskey.

fintail

I think some of those points may be a bit of an anachronism, not sure if MB has headlight cleaners anymore on any model today. Most probably remember when many models had headlight wipers.

Of course, BMWs have no need for blinker fluid

oldfarmer50 said:

Headlight cleaning system? What does that involve, filling up with blinker fluid?

fintail

Once it's out of warranty, find a well-regarded indy shop - these cars sell in enough volume that any town or city of import will have one. Sometimes dealer shops will have specials that undercut indys, but generally,the larger the job, the more you'll save - just shop around.

driver100 said:

Wait until you hear what it costs to install a new main battery in the GLK. The auxiliary battery in the rear that runs the STOP/START feature to make driving more economical was replaced last April for about $400 CDN.....almost $300 U.S.
The main battery was $400 for the battery and $170 to install, $566! About $400 U.S.!
Part of the status of an MB is bragging about how much repairs cost
If you run out of small talk at the country club you can see who paid more for service work.

Sandman6472

It's always something in a house, home ownership is not for the weak at heart. Just had the sprinkler system fixed last week, needed a new pump plus numerous other things. Since we got the stimulus check, figured might as well spend it on something we truly need. Before that, last December, the reset button for the bathroom power went plus it blew a wire so that half the master bedroom had no electricity. We have a contract on the house but it only covers "light electrical work", whatever that means. Of course, this bad wire didn't meet their definition so we had to get an electrician in to locate the bad wire & replace it. Took him a couple of hours, a lot of it up in the attic, but he found it and replaced it. $702 dollars later, we're good to go.
Just like any vehicle, a house is going to cost money after awhile. And we just have to pay the man if we want it fixed right. Again, the stimulus came in handy for us!

driver100

fintail said:

I think some of those points may be a bit of an anachronism, not sure if MB has headlight cleaners anymore on any model today. Most probably remember when many models had headlight wipers.

Of course, BMWs have no need for blinker fluid

oldfarmer50 said:

Headlight cleaning system? What does that involve, filling up with blinker fluid?

I didn't get the A and B Service plans from a new site....in fact I got it for the 2014 C250 so there could be additions and deletions since then.
I have kept cars for up to about 80000 - 90000 miles, and I don't recall lubricating the door and trunk locks etc. It sounds like a good thing to do maybe every 3 or 4 years but not sooner. Things like light bulbs seem to show up fairly quickly if they go out....kind of like killing a fly with a canon to check them all every year or even two.

driver100

@snakeweasel What is the latest "Breaking News" on the flood situation?

graphicguy

snakeweasel said:

It's a wonderful morning here at Casa Snakeweasel. I wake up go downstairs walk into the kitchen and hear the wonderful sound of running water and a wet floor. So I run downstairs to a wet basement and shut off the main. Well we cleaned up the mess and called the plumber (I think it's the dishwasher but who knows) but now I sit in a house with no running water :@ with nothing to drink but wine and whiskey.

Well, that’s a bad way to start the day. Sorry to hear....been there. I sux majorly. But, your idea for hydration has lots of merit.

fintail

Some of those I have suspicions are not actually done, like the door or lock lubrication you mention (that reminds me, a rear door on the fintail is getting stiff, needs a dose). With the cost of wiper blades these days, I sometimes wonder if those are changed as claimed, as well.

driver100 said:

I didn't get the A and B Service plans from a new site....in fact I got it for the 2014 C250 so there could be additions and deletions since then.
I have kept cars for up to about 80000 - 90000 miles, and I don't recall lubricating the door and trunk locks etc. It sounds like a good thing to do maybe every 3 or 4 years but not sooner. Things like light bulbs seem to show up fairly quickly if they go out....kind of like killing a fly with a canon to check them all every year or even two.

ab348

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

qbrozen

ab348 said:

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

Brake caliper lube? That’s a new one on me. Good grief.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

@snakeweasel What is the latest "Breaking News" on the flood situation?

Well it's hard to get a plumber at a moments notice but one should be here in an hour or two. I think it's the dishwasher. Will update later after the guy shows up.

driver100

ab348 said:

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

I will say, I told my MB dealer exactly what I wanted done and they did it. My BMW dealer always tried to get me to buy extras. Even when I took it in for prepaid service, they would find something that needed to be done. My MB dealer is always ready for me when I come in, the BMW guys stacked the cars up and the service advisors were always running around doing other things while I sat in a chair waiting......and finally, the free ride guy was never around when I needed him - usually was called out on an unexpected long trip or something. Sometimes I think if I really liked a BMW more I would buy it, but the difference in dealerships is a big road block.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

@snakeweasel What is the latest "Breaking News" on the flood situation?

Well it's hard to get a plumber at a moments notice but one should be here in an hour or two. I think it's the dishwasher. Will update later after the guy shows up.

....at least your not drowning yet

imidazol97

ab348 said:

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

That sounds as bad as the local regional chain tire and repair store. They used to try to sell power steering fluid flushes to everyone, by phone or in person if they were waiting for the car.

Now they try to sell brake flushes and some other things.

A longtime great manager at the one store I went to left because he was tired of the pressure to fix things that weren't needed on people's cars just to increase the cash flow. Last I heard he was at a large Buick, BMC, and recreational vehicle store. I keep thinking I should stop to see if he's still there and say hello. But I try to stay out of dealerships when I can.

snakeweasel

qbrozen said:

ab348 said:

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

Brake caliper lube? That’s a new one on me. Good grief.

Yep there is brake caliper lube, it's used to lubricate the caliper slide pins (the pins that the brake pads/caliper slide along) and they should be lubed every brake job.

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

qbrozen said:

ab348 said:

I can tell when the dealership lubes the door hinges and latches because they always manage to get lubricant all over the surrounding area and fail to clean it off.

My ATS is going in tomorrow for its 6-month service, gratis thanks to Cadillac. They tried to sell me a 4-wheel alignment, brake fluid flush and brake caliper lube during the call to make the appointment as per usual, I passed.

Brake caliper lube? That’s a new one on me. Good grief.

Yep there is brake caliper lube, it's used to lubricate the caliper slide pins (the pins that the brake pads/caliper slide along) and they should be lubed every brake job.

They also can check the slide pins while they have the caliper open with the wheel off and are checking the lube. Occasionally they can start to corrode, and cause uneven wear on the pads or uneven braking.
It's a trivial job that might be done once if pads normally last 80 K Miles at 60K miles into the life of the GM pads.

tjc78

kyfdx said:

Water is the enemy of every homeowner..

Yep. My good friend’s dad used to say the same thing all the time.