Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

houdini1

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Love that white one. I would like to see the Corvette evolve back toward that particular style. Or maybe even a new model along those lines....smaller, lighter, more simple, etc.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

E400 has 25k miles on it.
I have had to fill it up with air once a week for the last 3 weeks....right front tire.
I take it in tomorrow at 8 a.m.
If they just plug it, no problem (good if they can do that, can't do it with BMW run flats - hate that)
If they want to sell me a new tire that is OK....will I have to buy in pairs or in fours?
Should I put new tires on back or front?

Any thoughts. opinions, or wisecracks?

Might be time to trade it in for a new one! LOL
No one's done that for a while on here--taken the car in for service or drive by
the store and just happen to bring home a new one!

roadburner

cdnpinhead said:

Well, that meets the need for the new inventory, but changing the battery in recent BMWs is much like taking out a mortgage. None of this going to Auto Zone to buy one and throw it in on a Sunday afternoon. Yet another reason why I've fallen out of love with BMW.

It's not that much of a hassle; while I agree that it's a bit of a pain, more and more indie shops have the equipment that allows the battery to be registered to the car.

roadburner

jmonroe said:

Son #1 has always said if you want a sports car, Corvette is the biggest bargain on the road. After he's done with schooling for his 3 sons, (the oldest is 14 with 2 more 2 years apart) it wouldn't surprise me to see a Vette in his garage. Heck, the way he talks sometimes, I don't think it will be that long.

jmonroe

I went to an event at the Corvette Museum a few months ago; I rode down in a friend's C6 and back in another friend's C&. Both were great cars but I felt kind of cramped in both of them- and I'm only 5'9". It wasn't so much the headroom as much as it was the feeling I was stuffed into it. I did like how you could reconfigure the IP of the C& to display the information you wanted.

As for Corvette vs M6, I think it's a case of apples vs oranges- the Corvette is a sports car, the M6 is a big GT. Munich's competitors to the Corvette would be the M3/M4- especially when fitted with the Competition Package.
As for me, my favorite Bimmer remains the 2 Series- in either M2 or M235i flavors.

graphicguy

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Imid....totally agree. Why have a show car if you don't want to show it?

I mentioned some time ago that my best friend has a '15 'vette convertible. It has 800 miles. He just doesn't drive it because he's "saving it" (for what, I'm not quite sure). It sits in his garage with a cover on it. He pulls it out every 4-5 weeks, and either drives it around the block to keep the tires from getting flat spots. Or, in the winter, pulls it out and lets it idle for 10-15 minutes. I tell him that's probably the worst thing he can do to the car as that would be considered "extreme" use.

He took it in for its first yearly oil chnage a few weeks ago at his Chevy dealer. They told him the same thing.

He doesn't care.

BTW...I'll take the white one over all the others in the pics.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Want an old white Corvette? My 84 is for sale again at the repair shop down the street. Looks like the guy I sold it to put in a new leather interior, drove it 3000 more miles and then got tired of it.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/5673639801.html



I loved that car but it promised to become a money pit. Still long for a convertible or an open sunroof because of it.

stever

houdini1 said:

Sandy, have you ever driven a Miata? Sounds perfect for you.

Sandy's back may not agree with you.

Mr_Shiftright

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Imid....totally agree. Why have a show car if you don't want to show it?

I mentioned some time ago that my best friend has a '15 'vette convertible. It has 800 miles. He just doesn't drive it because he's "saving it" (for what, I'm not quite sure). It sits in his garage with a cover on it. He pulls it out every 4-5 weeks, and either drives it around the block to keep the tires from getting flat spots. Or, in the winter, pulls it out and lets it idle for 10-15 minutes. I tell him that's probably the worst thing he can do to the car as that would be considered "extreme" use.

He took it in for its first yearly oil chnage a few weeks ago at his Chevy dealer. They told him the same thing.

He doesn't care.

BTW...I'll take the white one over all the others in the pics.

I don't blame him actually. Corvettes are IMO really lousy daily drivers, (great on the track though) and you can definitely tell right away that they are built to a price.

ab348

roadburner said:

I went to an event at the Corvette Museum a few months ago; I rode down in a friend's C6 and back in another friend's C&. Both were great cars but I felt kind of cramped in both of them- and I'm only 5'9". It wasn't so much the headroom as much as it was the feeling I was stuffed into it.

I remember riding in a C3 and feeling like I was in a tank, not because it was so solid, but because you sat way down in it and the front fenders and door windowsills rose up in front of you. You really felt confined in there. Didn't like it much but I imagine you get used to it.

dino001

driver100 said:

I hate scammers......especially illiterate scammers!

They're not illiterate. Bad English is on purpose. They discovered that if something is written too well, too many people respond, decreasing the chance of a "score". Apparently those not deterred by the poorly written emails are much more likely to fall for scams. Essentially it's a first "selection" tool for a mark.

One of good con tactics, as I understand it from watching movies about cons, which as we all know of course are as good source for such information than TV shows for national security , gives a mark a feel of being "superior" to the scammer. Nothing is better than thinking this poor guy must be a simpleton, look at his English, it has to be legit...

driver100

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

I hate scammers......especially illiterate scammers!

They're not illiterate. Bad English is on purpose. They discovered that if something is written too well, too many people respond, decreasing the chance of a "score". Apparently those not deterred by the poorly written emails are much more likely to fall for scams. Essentially it's a first "selection" tool for a mark.

One of good con tactics, as I understand it from watching movies about cons, which as we all know of course are as good source for such information than TV shows for national security , gives a mark a feel of being "superior" to the scammer. Nothing is better than thinking this poor guy must be a simpleton, look at his English, it has to be legit...

Interesting. I love learning about stuff like that....the psychology of the scamster. That is why I love Judge Judy and Hot Bench........they usually get to the truth, and they uncover the truth. So, the bad grammer is to weed out the people who are more sophisticated and will just tie up the scamster.

driver100

The old white Corvette would be my favorite too! I guess that was about a 64. I like it better than the hardtop with that pointy rear deck and odd rear window.

driver100

About my tire experience.
I took the car in at 8 a.m. By 9 they found that the right front tire was punctured and it was close to the sidewall, the tire had to be replaced. I asked if both fronts had to be replaced and the service manager checked with the mechanic and said the tread was pretty good on the other tire, so just go with one....I appreciate the honesty.

New tire was $380 (about $300 US) installed with tax. That is about the price I found online. I find a lot of dealers can be competitive when it comes to tires. Besides, I wouldn't go to a tire store to save $50, it is better to have it done by professionals who know what they are doing, especially when there are pressure monitors etc. involved.

I did sit in a 2017 E300. I really like the electronic instrument panel...looks like an arcade game. I didn't like the smaller rear window which was raised just behind the rear headrests,,,,I like the flat shelf in mine more. But, overall, I like the car and will certainly try one when the time comes......a little too early for now.

sda

Any word on how abacomike (Mike) is doing? I miss his dialogue and hope he is doing well.

houdini1

He is OK, but going thru another possible cancer scare. I also miss him here.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

About my tire experience.
I took the car in at 8 a.m. By 9 they found that the right front tire was punctured and it was close to the sidewall, the tire had to be replaced. I asked if both fronts had to be replaced and the service manager checked with the mechanic and said the tread was pretty good on the other tire, so just go with one....I appreciate the honesty.

New tire was $380 (about $300 US) installed with tax. That is about the price I found online. I find a lot of dealers can be competitive when it comes to tires. Besides, I wouldn't go to a tire store to save $50, it is better to have it done by professionals who know what they are doing, especially when there are pressure monitors etc. involved.

I did sit in a 2017 E300. I really like the electronic instrument panel...looks like an arcade game. I didn't like the smaller rear window which was raised just behind the rear headrests,,,,I like the flat shelf in mine more. But, overall, I like the car and will certainly try one when the time comes......a little too early for now.

Any hole in the sidewall regardless of where it is, is going to cause the tire to be replaced.

I wouldn't want to match a new tire on the same axle or anywhere else on my car with one that is not nearly new. Nearly new to me means less than 10K miles but that's the way I would do it.

As for wanting a professional to do the work, I want that too and the Firestone store I have been using is the best I have come across in all the years I have been buying tires. They actually use a torque wrench when installing the lug nuts.

Coincidentally, Mrs. j's Subie is at the Firestone store as I make this post. I took it in this morning to have the tires rebalanced, rotated and have the car aligned. It won't cost me a penny because I paid for the lifetime balancing and the lifetime alignment when I had the OEM tires replaced several years ago. I think I paid about $3 more for the lifetime balancing per tire and about $55 more for the lifetime alignment. I've had the car back 4 times since I bought the upgrade package so I'm way ahead on that deal. That alone is why I will not buy tires at a dealer because the ones around me don't offer that. Gee, I wonder why.

The funny part of this is, Firestone called me about 2 hours ago to come get my car but I'm stuck in my house because they are doing a cheap street resurfacing by doing a tar and chips coating :@ . So, I'm waiting for as many cars to go up and down my street to throw off as many chips as possible. I mentioned this to the guy when he called and he said he could keep the car in the garage when they closed tonight then put it in his lot when they open tomorrow morning if I wanted to do that. I just might take him up on that offer.

I've got to move into a more upscale hood where they do a real paving job or pay more taxes in my hood.

jmonroe

graphicguy

driver100 said:

The old white Corvette would be my favorite too! I guess that was about a 64. I like it better than the hardtop with that pointy rear deck and odd rear window.

See...I like that better than the split window. But, the split window is the 'vette everyone wants. I know it was limited production. But, it doesn't look as good as the one above, IMHO!

graphicguy

J....one word....UBER!

graphicguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Imid....totally agree. Why have a show car if you don't want to show it?

I mentioned some time ago that my best friend has a '15 'vette convertible. It has 800 miles. He just doesn't drive it because he's "saving it" (for what, I'm not quite sure). It sits in his garage with a cover on it. He pulls it out every 4-5 weeks, and either drives it around the block to keep the tires from getting flat spots. Or, in the winter, pulls it out and lets it idle for 10-15 minutes. I tell him that's probably the worst thing he can do to the car as that would be considered "extreme" use.

He took it in for its first yearly oil chnage a few weeks ago at his Chevy dealer. They told him the same thing.

He doesn't care.

BTW...I'll take the white one over all the others in the pics.

I don't blame him actually. Corvettes are IMO really lousy daily drivers, (great on the track though) and you can definitely tell right away that they are built to a price.

I know you're right Mr SR. But still....800 miles in a year? Doesn't have to be a daily driver. But, if you're going to be afraid of every nick, gravel road, parking lot, etc that holds a pontential paint chip, put it on a trailer and don't bring it out at all.

Probably in the minority, but I error on the side of getting a car to drive it, not just look at it, or hold it as only a possession. Can't imagine he will live long enough for it to appreciate or be a collectors item.

andres3

roadburner said:

jmonroe said:

Son #1 has always said if you want a sports car, Corvette is the biggest bargain on the road. After he's done with schooling for his 3 sons, (the oldest is 14 with 2 more 2 years apart) it wouldn't surprise me to see a Vette in his garage. Heck, the way he talks sometimes, I don't think it will be that long.

jmonroe

I went to an event at the Corvette Museum a few months ago; I rode down in a friend's C6 and back in another friend's C&. Both were great cars but I felt kind of cramped in both of them- and I'm only 5'9". It wasn't so much the headroom as much as it was the feeling I was stuffed into it. I did like how you could reconfigure the IP of the C& to display the information you wanted.

As for Corvette vs M6, I think it's a case of apples vs oranges- the Corvette is a sports car, the M6 is a big GT. Munich's competitors to the Corvette would be the M3/M4- especially when fitted with the Competition Package.
As for me, my favorite Bimmer remains the 2 Series- in either M2 or M235i flavors.

I wouldn't mind an M2 at all if I was able to order one cheaply with like a 7% discount and they offered some more interesting variety of color selection both inside and out. Headroom without the moonroof is probably acceptable.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Want an old white Corvette? My 84 is for sale again at the repair shop down the street. Looks like the guy I sold it to put in a new leather interior, drove it 3000 more miles and then got tired of it.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/5673639801.html



I loved that car but it promised to become a money pit. Still long for a convertible or an open sunroof because of it.

No matter how great a car is...if you have to keep pouring money into it..........it kind of loses it's appeal very quickly.

If it hadn't been a money pit OF.....would you like it otherwise?

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

About my tire experience.
I took the car in at 8 a.m. By 9 they found that the right front tire was punctured and it was close to the sidewall, the tire had to be replaced. I asked if both fronts had to be replaced and the service manager checked with the mechanic and said the tread was pretty good on the other tire, so just go with one....I appreciate the honesty.

New tire was $380 (about $300 US) installed with tax. That is about the price I found online. I find a lot of dealers can be competitive when it comes to tires. Besides, I wouldn't go to a tire store to save $50, it is better to have it done by professionals who know what they are doing, especially when there are pressure monitors etc. involved.

I did sit in a 2017 E300. I really like the electronic instrument panel...looks like an arcade game. I didn't like the smaller rear window which was raised just behind the rear headrests,,,,I like the flat shelf in mine more. But, overall, I like the car and will certainly try one when the time comes......a little too early for now.

Any hole in the sidewall regardless of where it is, is going to cause the tire to be replaced.

I wouldn't want to match a new tire on the same axle or anywhere else on my car with one that is not nearly new. Nearly new to me means less than 10K miles but that's the way I would do it.

As for wanting a professional to do the work, I want that too and the Firestone store I have been using is the best I have come across in all the years I have been buying tires. They actually use a torque wrench when installing the lug nuts.

Coincidentally, Mrs. j's Subie is at the Firestone store as I make this post. I took it in this morning to have the tires rebalanced, rotated and have the car aligned. It won't cost me a penny because I paid for the lifetime balancing and the lifetime alignment when I had the OEM tires replaced several years ago. I think I paid about $3 more for the lifetime balancing per tire and about $55 more for the lifetime alignment. I've had the car back 4 times since I bought the upgrade package so I'm way ahead on that deal. That alone is why I will not buy tires at a dealer because the ones around me don't offer that. Gee, I wonder why.


jmonroe

Mrs JM's Legacy is 4 years old! It seems like only yesterday....................

How many miles are on that puppy....can't be too many?

andres3

My loaner for the day is a brand spanking new under 500 mile 2017 all-new redesigned this year Audi A4 2.0T Quattro with the 7-speed DSG.

What an improvement! The car feels very quick with this engine/transmission combo (and lighter weight chassis). I like the interior a lot, roomy (but not so roomy for the right leg and right knee for those that like that). Beautiful sedan.

I got the fully tarted up model that stickers for what I bought my '14 S4 for (granted that was well below sticker). This thing is loaded to the gills though. 19" wheels, sport seats, sport suspension (s-line), quattro, navigation, B&O Audio. I took it for a good hooning break in.

Sandman6472

Wife's A3 had a bubble in one of her front tires a couple months back. Dealer wanted a lot to replace it so called an old friend from New York who manages the Tires Plus near my house. He called his warehouse and got me the exact tire, installed and balanced for over $50 cheaper. He said he can get me almost any tire at his cost so when my time comes, I will be calling him. Like the Goodyear Assurance right now but the Continental's I've got now still looking good at over 20K. The A3 has Pirelli's.
My spinal issues really dictate what I can drive and honestly, the Tucson was about perfect in this respect because I could just slide in and out...the major reason I got it in the first place. That and I was tired of looking and never made it to the Mazda store the next building up the street. Sat in the HR-V a number of times now and again, I can slide right in and out. Same with the Tiguan. Figuring the X1 would work also.
Figuring on working another two years and doing about 12K/year...should put me at about 50K when that day comes. Hopefully the Golf will still be trouble free and if so, it'll stay in the herd. And if not, will deal with it then. In the mean time, socking away funds in the new car account until needed.

The Sandman

jmonroe

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Imid....totally agree. Why have a show car if you don't want to show it?

I mentioned some time ago that my best friend has a '15 'vette convertible. It has 800 miles. He just doesn't drive it because he's "saving it" (for what, I'm not quite sure). It sits in his garage with a cover on it. He pulls it out every 4-5 weeks, and either drives it around the block to keep the tires from getting flat spots. Or, in the winter, pulls it out and lets it idle for 10-15 minutes. I tell him that's probably the worst thing he can do to the car as that would be considered "extreme" use.

He took it in for its first yearly oil chnage a few weeks ago at his Chevy dealer. They told him the same thing.

He doesn't care.

BTW...I'll take the white one over all the others in the pics.

I don't blame him actually. Corvettes are IMO really lousy daily drivers, (great on the track though) and you can definitely tell right away that they are built to a price.

I know you're right Mr SR. But still....800 miles in a year? Doesn't have to be a daily driver. But, if you're going to be afraid of every nick, gravel road, parking lot, etc that holds a pontential paint chip, put it on a trailer and don't bring it out at all.

Probably in the minority, but I error on the side of getting a car to drive it, not just look at it, or hold it as only a possession. Can't imagine he will live long enough for it to appreciate or be a collectors item.

..."every nick, gravel road, parking lot, etc that holds a pontential paint chip".

I hope he doesn't live in a hood like mine where they do a tar and chips street resurfacing like I just mentioned in a post above. He'd have a conniption that would register off the chart.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Want an old white Corvette? My 84 is for sale again at the repair shop down the street. Looks like the guy I sold it to put in a new leather interior, drove it 3000 more miles and then got tired of it.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/5673639801.html



I loved that car but it promised to become a money pit. Still long for a convertible or an open sunroof because of it.

No matter how great a car is...if you have to keep pouring money into it..........it kind of loses it's appeal very quickly.

If it hadn't been a money pit OF.....would you like it otherwise?

Yeah, I guess. It was fun to drive and a great conversation piece. Handled well for an old car. Cramped like others have said particularly with the roof on.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

About my tire experience.
I took the car in at 8 a.m. By 9 they found that the right front tire was punctured and it was close to the sidewall, the tire had to be replaced. I asked if both fronts had to be replaced and the service manager checked with the mechanic and said the tread was pretty good on the other tire, so just go with one....I appreciate the honesty.

New tire was $380 (about $300 US) installed with tax. That is about the price I found online. I find a lot of dealers can be competitive when it comes to tires. Besides, I wouldn't go to a tire store to save $50, it is better to have it done by professionals who know what they are doing, especially when there are pressure monitors etc. involved.

I did sit in a 2017 E300. I really like the electronic instrument panel...looks like an arcade game. I didn't like the smaller rear window which was raised just behind the rear headrests,,,,I like the flat shelf in mine more. But, overall, I like the car and will certainly try one when the time comes......a little too early for now.

Any hole in the sidewall regardless of where it is, is going to cause the tire to be replaced.

I wouldn't want to match a new tire on the same axle or anywhere else on my car with one that is not nearly new. Nearly new to me means less than 10K miles but that's the way I would do it.

As for wanting a professional to do the work, I want that too and the Firestone store I have been using is the best I have come across in all the years I have been buying tires. They actually use a torque wrench when installing the lug nuts.

Coincidentally, Mrs. j's Subie is at the Firestone store as I make this post. I took it in this morning to have the tires rebalanced, rotated and have the car aligned. It won't cost me a penny because I paid for the lifetime balancing and the lifetime alignment when I had the OEM tires replaced several years ago. I think I paid about $3 more for the lifetime balancing per tire and about $55 more for the lifetime alignment. I've had the car back 4 times since I bought the upgrade package so I'm way ahead on that deal. That alone is why I will not buy tires at a dealer because the ones around me don't offer that. Gee, I wonder why.


jmonroe

Mrs JM's Legacy is 4 years old! It seems like only yesterday....................

How many miles are on that puppy....can't be too many?

I know exactly how many miles are on it, at least when I picked it up at the Firestone store about and hour ago.

Against my better judgment I let Mrs. j talk me into getting her Subie tonight vs. tomorrow morning like I wanted to do because of the tar and chips resurfacing. Why, you ask, did I cave? Because she does water aerobics during the week in the morning and she likes the instructor on Tuesday's and Thursday's better than the one on Monday's and Wednesday's. So, she didn't want to miss tomorrows session. PLUS, the girls go out for their monthly lunch tomorrow after class. Just my luck!

OK, now for the miles, 25,621. When I got the lifetime tire balancing and lifetime alignment it entitled me to tire rebalancing, rotation and alignment every 5K miles. I remember saying to the guy, "well, I guess I'll only be seeing you about once a year then, based on how many miles my wife drives". His, response was, "that's what the book says but you can bring it in twice a year if you want to, we're not going to hold you to the 5K mile thing". Just another reason why I like this particular Firestone store.

Get this, when I was at the desk getting the paperwork, Mrs. j was right there when I asked how the balancing and the alignment was. He said, "2 of the tires needed tweaked, 2 were fine and the alignment was right on. Whoever is driving this car has done a great job at missing pot holes". Man, that's all she had to hear. She piped right up and took credit for her driving skills. Don't let that fool you. At the speed she drives, the car could fall into a cave and barely come out with a scratch. I doubt that she has ever had it over 2500 RPM and I'm serious.

@oldfarmer50 is probably licking his chops waiting for her to want a new car.

jmonroe

roadburner

graphicguy said:

Probably in the minority, but I error on the side of getting a car to drive it, not just look at it, or hold it as only a possession. Can't imagine he will live long enough for it to appreciate or be a collectors item.

I agree; when I had my M6 some folks were shocked to learn that it was my daily driver- and that I tracked it.

Sandman6472

I've had the alignment policies on most of our vehicles and have it on both kid's vehicles. Only difference is I can go in as often as I'd like to get the 4 wheel alignment done. The lifetime one is not transferrable but the 3 year one is, but only once. I was lucky in that one of the managers that's retired now let me do my last one twice so it started in the Civic and went to the Tucson and then onto the Golf. It expired in mid March so right now, I have none on either of our vehicles but am thinking of doing it again. Am keeping a close watch on tire wear on all eight tires and so far, we are good. Around December, will probably get another one if the price is right.

The Sandman

stickguy

I actually did that once, with the alignment, on our odyssey. they were running a special, and it was only about $20 more for 3 years, so I did it. And ended up transferring it over to the RDX just before it expired.

nice thing about our Acura dealer, they check the alignment when they take the car in, so without even asking, last oil change I got the summary. surprisingly, was still all within spec. that was just last month, so pretty sure the tires will wear out from miles long before uneven wear.

driver100

"jmonroe"

OK, now for the miles, 25,621. When I got the lifetime tire balancing and lifetime alignment it entitled me to tire rebalancing, rotation and alignment every 5K miles. I remember saying to the guy, "well, I guess I'll only be seeing you about once a year then, based on how many miles my wife drives". His, response was, "that's what the book says but you can bring it in twice a year if you want to, we're not going to hold you to the 5K mile thing". Just another reason why I like this particular Firestone store.
.
jmonroe

My father got one of those deals from a local chain...free alignment and rotation once a year for the life of the car as long as he owned it. The franchise was sold to a new owner and he wouldn't honor the warranty :@

berri

He is OK, but going thru another possible cancer scare. I also miss him here.

Very sorry to hear that. I miss Mike too. He was a wealth of insight and knowledge, but also a good sense of humor. Sometimes we need that funny side here before we get too serious

I also miss Lemko and only hearing from Andre once in awhile, because those guys know their stuff on classic cars.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

"jmonroe"

OK, now for the miles, 25,621. When I got the lifetime tire balancing and lifetime alignment it entitled me to tire rebalancing, rotation and alignment every 5K miles. I remember saying to the guy, "well, I guess I'll only be seeing you about once a year then, based on how many miles my wife drives". His, response was, "that's what the book says but you can bring it in twice a year if you want to, we're not going to hold you to the 5K mile thing". Just another reason why I like this particular Firestone store.
.
jmonroe

My father got one of those deals from a local chain...free alignment and rotation once a year for the life of the car as long as he owned it. The franchise was sold to a new owner and he wouldn't honor the warranty :@



My lifetime thingy is with Firestone not the specific Firestone store that I use. Therefore, I'm not going to worry until Firestone goes belly up.

I know, it's possible but not likely and even if that happened, I got my moneys worth already.

jmonroe

bwia

driver100 said:

Firefighter....congrats!

Quick question:
E400 has 25k miles on it.
I have had to fill it up with air once a week for the last 3 weeks....right front tire.
I take it in tomorrow at 8 a.m.
If they just plug it, no problem (good if they can do that, can't do it with BMW run flats - hate that)
If they want to sell me a new tire that is OK....will I have to buy in pairs or in fours?
Should I put new tires on back or front?

Any thoughts. opinions, or wisecracks?

I am late to the suggestion box but perhaps you consider inflating the tires with nitrogen. I remember having Michelin's on my Avalon but after I switched to all nitrogen I never had that flatulence again.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

Firefighter....congrats!

Quick question:
E400 has 25k miles on it.
I have had to fill it up with air once a week for the last 3 weeks....right front tire.
I take it in tomorrow at 8 a.m.
If they just plug it, no problem (good if they can do that, can't do it with BMW run flats - hate that)
If they want to sell me a new tire that is OK....will I have to buy in pairs or in fours?
Should I put new tires on back or front?

Any thoughts. opinions, or wisecracks?

Checking and filling up air in your tire on a weekly basis, welcome to the world of motorcycle ownership.

Wait, an E400 isn't a motorcycle. Sorry.

driver100

bwia said:

driver100 said:

Firefighter....congrats!

Quick question:
E400 has 25k miles on it.
I have had to fill it up with air once a week for the last 3 weeks....right front tire.
I take it in tomorrow at 8 a.m.
If they just plug it, no problem (good if they can do that, can't do it with BMW run flats - hate that)
If they want to sell me a new tire that is OK....will I have to buy in pairs or in fours?
Should I put new tires on back or front?

Any thoughts. opinions, or wisecracks?

I am late to the suggestion box but perhaps you consider inflating the tires with nitrogen. I remember having Michelin's on my Avalon but after I switched to all nitrogen I never had that flatulence again.

Good idea....the tires did have nitrogen in them to begin with....if that is what the green cap means. Since then they have been refilled with air several times, so not much nitro left.

Turns out it was a puncture near sidewall, only a new tire will fix that problem. For my $380 I did get a nice car wash and they even did the interior....plus a cup of coffee served in a china cup!

driver100

My lifetime thingy is with Firestone not the specific Firestone store that I use. Therefore, I'm not going to worry until Firestone goes belly up.

I know, it's possible but not likely and even if that happened, I got my moneys worth already.

jmonroe

Good idea getting your warranty through the chain head office. One year we gave 3 employees gift certificates for a very nice local restaurant......it burned down (as restaurants often seem to do) about a week later. I made a rule, only get gift certificates from a chain that is actually doing quite well financially.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Good idea....the tires did have nitrogen in them to begin with....if that is what the green cap means. Since then they have been refilled with air several times, so not much nitro left.

I can guarantee they have 78% nitrogen in them.

sda

stickguy said:

I actually did that once, with the alignment, on our odyssey. they were running a special, and it was only about $20 more for 3 years, so I did it. And ended up transferring it over to the RDX just before it expired.

nice thing about our Acura dealer, they check the alignment when they take the car in, so without even asking, last oil change I got the summary. surprisingly, was still all within spec. that was just last month, so pretty sure the tires will wear out from miles long before uneven wear.

The Honda dealer where I bought the Accord and also have it serviced does the same thing, an alignment check at each service. At 58k the Accord is still on the factory alignment, never been touched. Tires are wearing evenly and it tracks true. Also, still on original tires. They are at 5/32..putting off replacing for a while longer as I look for a new job. Knock on wood.

sda

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

the new Audi building by me (actually, both local Audi dealers just built new palaces. Must be doing OK!) has all the showroom cars hooked up to a power supply. Nice for moving seats, etc. but annoying because the door open chimes go off! Or maybe it was the lights left on. Something annoying.

the other newer one, which is even bigger I think, had every car on the floor in white. Stylish I guess, but kind of odd looking.

My Mercedes dealer often has all white cars - about 20 of them all in front in the shallow pool. This picture shows black and white cars alternating, which they sometimes do.

What a sharp looking dealership, totally first class! I assume it is located in Canada?

oldfarmer50

Well, all GG's talk about Challengers got my Mopar mojo going so...............

What do you think?




















No not really. Belongs to a woman at work. It's chipped to put out 750hp. She drives it like......well like a school bus driver. What a waste.

driver100

sda said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

the new Audi building by me (actually, both local Audi dealers just built new palaces. Must be doing OK!) has all the showroom cars hooked up to a power supply. Nice for moving seats, etc. but annoying because the door open chimes go off! Or maybe it was the lights left on. Something annoying.

the other newer one, which is even bigger I think, had every car on the floor in white. Stylish I guess, but kind of odd looking.

My Mercedes dealer often has all white cars - about 20 of them all in front in the shallow pool. This picture shows black and white cars alternating, which they sometimes do.

What a sharp looking dealership, totally first class! I assume it is located in Canada?

It is in Canada, 30 miles west of Toronto. They treat you like a king, very friendly and accommodating. It is a dealer that you really want to stay with, as they make driving and owning the car as carefree as possible.

btw....those cars in front are in about an inch of water. I am waiting to see some guy wear rubber boots and go up and take a look inside.

graphicguy

OF....you wear that Challenger well. I think you'd look better if you were behind the wheel.

Funny.....after all the hoopla about the Hellcat, every Dodge dealer I've visited, about 3, recently, they all have at least 2 Hellcats. I thought I heard Chryco said they sold out of the entire production run? Either they were a tad bit optimistic, or they made a whole lot more of them.

Also, noticing a lot of used low mileage '15 SS Camaros on the lots. Not sure why, unless the '16 is THAT MUCH better. The one I test drove ('16) was really hard to see out of. That was a deal breaker for me....something that fast, that I can't see out of.

There are some incentives on '16 Mustangs right now. Trying to make sense of them, but I think (emphasis on I really don't know) there is something like $2K Ford cash on specific models.....mostly V6s but some GTs (California option group?). That, and I can get X-Plan, has made me give the new ones another look.

Going to talk to the Cobra 'vert owner again tonight. $11,500 is all the money, but going to push hard for $11K. If "no sale", I'm OK.

Was thinking last night.....I've been all over the map. First, the Caddy debacle, thinking I'm going to flip the '16 CTS. Ended up liking it. So, now trying to scratch a muscle car itch. My how fickle I am with my car buying. I must be a real PITA in the car selling community.

ab348

@oldfarmer50 - wheels look dirty on that Hellcat. Another issue with black wheels that makes me dislike them. Tell her about it, maybe she'll sell it to you!

@graphicguy - up here in Canada Ford is offering "employee pricing" right now. There is a '16 Mustang GT Premium on the lot locally that caught my eye, Guard paint, saddle bronze leather inside, very pretty, stickered at $46K Cdn, now on for $41K.

murphydog

Updates -

So 2 hits on the Ghia ad this week and one person is going to come look at it tonight. Keeping fingers crossed. I will of course provide details once I finally sell it.

Alignment and other stuff - My 08 C350 clearly has lead a charmed life. Just hit 48K miles. Have not done brakes or alignment - just the annual routine maintenance. Still tracks straight and true, and at last service was told rear pads are down to 4mm, so maybe next near I will have to change them. Between both neighbors we do most repairs, and brakes are so dang simple I am sure we will do them on my car next year. I do have the staggered wheel, so no tire rotations. OEM Continentals were done at 20K and replacement Michelins failed about 10K later - tread was chunking off on all 4. Latest replacement Michelins have ~ 18K on them and seem to be holding up well.

I figure I will keep the car another 2 years, and then look for something a bit newer...perhaps a 1 year old C450 AMG convertible will come calling...

graphicguy

ab348 said:

@oldfarmer50 - wheels look dirty on that Hellcat. Another issue with black wheels that makes me dislike them. Tell her about it, maybe she'll sell it to you!

@graphicguy - up here in Canada Ford is offering "employee pricing" right now. There is a '16 Mustang GT Premium on the lot locally that caught my eye, Guard paint, saddle bronze leather inside, very pretty, stickered at $46K Cdn, now on for $41K.

Thanks, AB. Weird down in the lower 48. It seems not all '16 GTs have Ford cash on them. Best I can tell, it's only on the California editions, which offer little more than some cosmetic bolt ons.

Plus, '16s GTs are getting a bit scarce in and around the OHIO Valley! Got a bead on a blue one hear Dayton, OH. But, have reached out to them online and they seem to not respond to multiple emails. Maybe sold it already, but would hope them would at least drop a quick note telling me that. That's the courteous thing to do. I even gave them my phone number.....crickets!

houdini1

oldfarmer50 said:

Well, all GG's talk about Challengers got my Mopar mojo going so...............

What do you think?






No not really. Belongs to a woman at work. It's chipped to put out 750hp. She drives it like......well like a school bus driver. What a waste.

Nice, but I would like something with a little more H.P.

andres3

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

Probably in the minority, but I error on the side of getting a car to drive it, not just look at it, or hold it as only a possession. Can't imagine he will live long enough for it to appreciate or be a collectors item.

I agree; when I had my M6 some folks were shocked to learn that it was my daily driver- and that I tracked it.

Yes, it's funny the way some people think that if you hit the accelerator to the floor the car will suddenly self-com-bust. Or driving a quattro through mud pits (although my father did potentially cause some problems with an old Audi way back when driving through water puddles when I was a little boy).

I have to say without bias I think this comes from previous American auto quality (or lack thereof) where you couldn't hit the accelerator past 15% or run the RPM's over 3K without destroying something.

I think German cars have higher thresholds since they are designed to loaf and coast at 120+ MPH down the Autobahn all day long without breaking a sweat or going into "limp" mode.

My wife was surprised when I told her my intent was to indeed track the TTS.

andres3

jmonroe said:

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

Speaking of Corvettes, why go to a car show if you're going to cover the top of your Corvette. The interiors are most of what I glance at on Vettes.

For larger picture, click on name of jpeg under post.


Sometimes Corvettes overwhelm cruise-ins above what I'd like to see. IF I had to pick a Vette, this is the puppy I'd like to take home.

Imid....totally agree. Why have a show car if you don't want to show it?

I mentioned some time ago that my best friend has a '15 'vette convertible. It has 800 miles. He just doesn't drive it because he's "saving it" (for what, I'm not quite sure). It sits in his garage with a cover on it. He pulls it out every 4-5 weeks, and either drives it around the block to keep the tires from getting flat spots. Or, in the winter, pulls it out and lets it idle for 10-15 minutes. I tell him that's probably the worst thing he can do to the car as that would be considered "extreme" use.

He took it in for its first yearly oil chnage a few weeks ago at his Chevy dealer. They told him the same thing.

He doesn't care.

BTW...I'll take the white one over all the others in the pics.

I don't blame him actually. Corvettes are IMO really lousy daily drivers, (great on the track though) and you can definitely tell right away that they are built to a price.

I know you're right Mr SR. But still....800 miles in a year? Doesn't have to be a daily driver. But, if you're going to be afraid of every nick, gravel road, parking lot, etc that holds a pontential paint chip, put it on a trailer and don't bring it out at all.

Probably in the minority, but I error on the side of getting a car to drive it, not just look at it, or hold it as only a possession. Can't imagine he will live long enough for it to appreciate or be a collectors item.

..."every nick, gravel road, parking lot, etc that holds a pontential paint chip".

I hope he doesn't live in a hood like mine where they do a tar and chips street resurfacing like I just mentioned in a post above. He'd have a conniption that would register off the chart.

jmonroe

I like driving cars. To me, something being worn out is an opportunity to get a better faster "upgrade" go-faster part as a replacement with the costs being fully justified.

andres3

driver100 said:

"jmonroe"

OK, now for the miles, 25,621. When I got the lifetime tire balancing and lifetime alignment it entitled me to tire rebalancing, rotation and alignment every 5K miles. I remember saying to the guy, "well, I guess I'll only be seeing you about once a year then, based on how many miles my wife drives". His, response was, "that's what the book says but you can bring it in twice a year if you want to, we're not going to hold you to the 5K mile thing". Just another reason why I like this particular Firestone store.
.
jmonroe

My father got one of those deals from a local chain...free alignment and rotation once a year for the life of the car as long as he owned it. The franchise was sold to a new owner and he wouldn't honor the warranty :@



Speaking of honor. I am going to go after the $299 we paid extra for the 20K and 30K mile service agreement with our VW dealer on the TDI. I want my money back, and should get it, as we will never need those services with the buyback program currently underway. Even if we pass 20K miles (doubtful), why waste money maintaining the TDI when those dollars could be better spent elsewhere (longevity and durability are no longer any concern of ours).