Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

imidazol97

driver100 said:

True, but not much upside and a lot of downside......so, I am going to try to avoid it no matter what I drive.

The problem is big government is involved and also big benefits to certain companies who receive subsidies (US tax monies for the plants that generate ethanol, at an environmental loss in my humble opinion). Then the fuel distributors are required to use the ethanol. On the other hand they used to not be taxed on the ethanol in the fuel, so that lowered the prices of the 10% at first. I do not know if that's true today but I'm sure the leaning forward network will tell us if it sounds good for their politician. But the ethanol mixtures need to compete on their own in the marketplace instead of having all the subsidies. I'm surprised that the many people who complain about GM's having received bailout money (along with UAW) don't boycott the ethanol fuels because of the subsidies which they receive.

isellhondas

I once got a flat in downtown Oakland on a Saturday night on my way to the airport. So much for taking a short cut!

I'll bet I set a world record putting on the spare!

If you've ever been to Oakland, you'll know!

imidazol97

fezo said:

Lose the E-15 and while we're at it lose the E-10. I would have to go across the state to but actual plan old gasoline. Plan to abandon my last gasoline powered piece of yard equipment - a lawn tractor - this year. It's not made for ethanol at all.

I have two pieces of Japanese lawn equipment and I use midgrade ethanol in them per the owner manual for one. I suspect that's because of the hotter burning and the midgrade burns slower which may compensate. They're Tanaka brand, by the way. That's not the airbag company that has all the bad airbags that first showed up in Hondas.

driver100

I was reading the car news in the newspaper today and see that;

* The 2015 Ford F-150 made with aluminum got rave reviews. As good as the old F150 was, this one is better in every way. More solid, nicer interior, better vision, lots of new features.

*Jeep Wrangler is looking at going aluminum too. It would be the biggest change ever made to the Wrangler, which traces its roots back to the Jeeps of WWII, and even more radical than Ford’s use of aluminum body panels on the 2015 F-150, which retains a steel frame. But the Wrangler could follow that route, as well. It could cut about 800 pounds from the current model. They need to boost gas mileage from the current 18 mpg.

They would move production from Toledo Ohio but it would stay in the U.S. - very important to their image. The plant would need radical changes, but, Chrysler said the plant will get another car.

* I read the 2015 Chrysler 200 is a very good car in that segment, and much better than the old 200, which the reviewer said could be one of the worst cars made in the last few years. They suggested, the old C 200 was so bad, the new model should get a completely new name.

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

Speaking of 2015 Mustangs I just watched a video of the 2.3L turbo pulling 12.56 in the quarter mile and an almost stock GT doing it in 11.77.

Is that good?

It's on YouTube. Called Mustang .99 challenge.

For the pricepoint, yes, its good. They're pretty far from stock, though. Both cars had open exhaust, tune, and racing slicks. The engineer saying "we only messed with the intake" is BS according to the mod list.

imidazol97

10.7 seconds in the quarter and 2.9 sec to 60. Wouldn't that Hellcat be better?

And the rumor is that they backed off the throttle in the quarter mile run so the car, possibly, can
be even faster in the quarter mile.

Not sure why I'd need that speed. I 'd be almost to Kroger by the time I could get on the brakes.
Wonder how it will be on wet or icy roads? How about 4 inches of snow?

driver100

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

True, but not much upside and a lot of downside......so, I am going to try to avoid it no matter what I drive.

I'm surprised that the many people who complain about GM's having received bailout money (along with UAW) don't boycott the ethanol fuels because of the subsidies which they receive.

Politically incorrect, to boycott a green product that is supposed to be good for us.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

robr2 said:

driver100 said:

I'd really like to know if the information is true! It was a gentle dig because i really don't know...it sounds serious....you will void your warranty from 10 manufacturers if you use E15 gasoline. They said this gas is available in many states. It will ruin your gaskets and other engine parts if used. This was on TV as a news story. If anyone has good knowledge I would appreciate hearing back

E15 Gas voids warranty on many cars!

What a horrible piece of "journalism." "This fuel is approved and pushed by our government."

If one looks at the graphics indicated in the story, it states that E15 is sold by 10 stations in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. In reality it's available in other states but they didn't bother to do their research. Further, E15 has to be marked as such and can't be sold as normal gasoline.

So if someone takes 5 seconds to read the label inside their gas filler door, they will realize what they need to use in terms of fuel.

As for voiding warranties, it is the same as using the incorrect octane or oil in one's car. If you don't operate or maintain a vehicle correctly, the warranty may be voided.

IMHO, it's nothing but a scare piece.

Fair and Balanced!

I don't find a contemporaneous Fox News story on E15. I found one from last year. Sounds pretty factual to me. We're talking about big money here for several large companies in the US that donate to congress that supply the alcohol from corn for auto fuel at the expense of inflation in the food market due to diversion of corn from being used as a livestock food. But the gov't data says there's no inflation. My inflation gauge says about 10%/annun at the grocery. The increase in use of corn says that the gov't isn't ignoring the lobbyists as promised in 2008 election.

Maybe the Lean Forward network can give you their version and explain about warranties that might be negated by E15 use. http://smarterfuelfuture.org/resource-center/videos

Just my opinion, but the truth is recorded in all the news sources - and thanks for pointing out the same report from the forward network and other sources. Actually, since they reported the same story but in a less hyper way, I can see that there is real cause for concern, but, I realize the sky isn't going to fall. The news report I saw was done in an over the top news report....but, the basic facts seem pretty certain. Many people think we should just do away with E15 fuel, too much risk of a problem. Only 5% of the cars on the road are really built to use it. It will void warranties and it will ruin smaller engines or engines not made to handle it. It will cause food prices to rise and possibly people will starve.

It is worth knowing about and double check we don't use E15 unless our cars were made for it.
Good sensible report about E15 Fuel

When E10 first came out I swear there was a conspiracy between government and the news media to suppress the bad effects on small engines. As a result I replaced numerous carburetors at no small expense. It wasn't until much later I figured out the truth.

Based on that track record I'd tend to believe the most hysterical interpretation.

ab348

Well, made the last payment on the lease of the Regal Turbo yesterday. Also happened to be at the dealer while they replaced some moldings under warranty.

Still not a peep out of them either there or otherwise about anything related to replacing it. Bizarre.

abacomike

ab348 said:

Well, made the last payment on the lease of the Regal Turbo yesterday. Also happened to be at the dealer while they replaced some moldings under warranty. Still not a peep out of them either there or otherwise about anything related to replacing it. Bizarre.

That is the problem with dealerships who do not have an employee working on nothing but end-of-lease term customers.  I had a salesman who did nothing but contact customers 120/90/60/30 days prior to the termination of their leases.  Thus, every 30 days, a follow-up call was made beginning 4 months prior to lease term end.

It was that salesman's responsibility to continually follow up. 

I am flabbergasted that a dealership would not cultivate potential car sales.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

robr2 said:

driver100 said:

I'd really like to know if the information is true! It was a gentle dig because i really don't know...it sounds serious....you will void your warranty from 10 manufacturers if you use E15 gasoline. They said this gas is available in many states. It will ruin your gaskets and other engine parts if used. This was on TV as a news story. If anyone has good knowledge I would appreciate hearing back

E15 Gas voids warranty on many cars!

What a horrible piece of "journalism." "This fuel is approved and pushed by our government."

If one looks at the graphics indicated in the story, it states that E15 is sold by 10 stations in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. In reality it's available in other states but they didn't bother to do their research. Further, E15 has to be marked as such and can't be sold as normal gasoline.

So if someone takes 5 seconds to read the label inside their gas filler door, they will realize what they need to use in terms of fuel.

As for voiding warranties, it is the same as using the incorrect octane or oil in one's car. If you don't operate or maintain a vehicle correctly, the warranty may be voided.

IMHO, it's nothing but a scare piece.

Fair and Balanced!

I don't find a contemporaneous Fox News story on E15. I found one from last year. Sounds pretty factual to me. We're talking about big money here for several large companies in the US that donate to congress that supply the alcohol from corn for auto fuel at the expense of inflation in the food market due to diversion of corn from being used as a livestock food. But the gov't data says there's no inflation. My inflation gauge says about 10%/annun at the grocery. The increase in use of corn says that the gov't isn't ignoring the lobbyists as promised in 2008 election.

Maybe the Lean Forward network can give you their version and explain about warranties that might be negated by E15 use. http://smarterfuelfuture.org/resource-center/videos

Just my opinion, but the truth is recorded in all the news sources - and thanks for pointing out the same report from the forward network and other sources. Actually, since they reported the same story but in a less hyper way, I can see that there is real cause for concern, but, I realize the sky isn't going to fall. The news report I saw was done in an over the top news report....but, the basic facts seem pretty certain. Many people think we should just do away with E15 fuel, too much risk of a problem. Only 5% of the cars on the road are really built to use it. It will void warranties and it will ruin smaller engines or engines not made to handle it. It will cause food prices to rise and possibly people will starve.

It is worth knowing about and double check we don't use E15 unless our cars were made for it.
Good sensible report about E15 Fuel

When E10 first came out I swear there was a conspiracy between government and the news media to suppress the bad effects on small engines. As a result I replaced numerous carburetors at no small expense. It wasn't until much later I figured out the truth.

Based on that track record I'd tend to believe the most hysterical interpretation.

Most people probably believe E10 - E15 was a big mistake, but too hard to backtrack now that it is in place. Too hard to dismantle what has been done. Too hard to admit we was wrong.

If news is hysterical, it sounds to me like one is protesting too much - like the boy crying wolf. If the facts are presented in a calm way I am more likely to take it seriously.

I believed the articles Imidaza suggested, but I wasn't sure that news report was for real or a spoof..

driver100

ab348 said:

Well, made the last payment on the lease of the Regal Turbo yesterday. Also happened to be at the dealer while they replaced some moldings under warranty.

Still not a peep out of them either there or otherwise about anything related to replacing it. Bizarre.

So, what's the deal? Did you buy the Regal at the end of the lease? How many miles? Did you get an extended warranty? Did you do the right thing by leasing rather than buying? It is strange that the dealer didn't try to talk you into a new one.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

10.7 seconds in the quarter and 2.9 sec to 60. Wouldn't that Hellcat be better?

And the rumor is that they backed off the throttle in the quarter mile run so the car, possibly, can
be even faster in the quarter mile.

Not sure why I'd need that speed. I 'd be almost to Kroger by the time I could get on the brakes.
Wonder how it will be on wet or icy roads? How about 4 inches of snow?

You'd drive a car like that in the snow?

imidazol97

oldfarmer50 said:

You'd drive a car like that in the snow?

Gotta get to Krogers somehow. :grin

stickguy

Likely only once though

ab348

driver100 said:

So, what's the deal? Did you buy the Regal at the end of the lease? How many miles? Did you get an extended warranty? Did you do the right thing by leasing rather than buying? It is strange that the dealer didn't try to talk you into a new one.

I haven't done anything yet. The lease technically is over at the end of October. Presumably sometime over the next month someone from this dealer will finally contact me to either buy the car or return it. Though it would not surprise me if I never heard from them until something occurs to them in November or beyond.

Unless something changes, I expect to buy it. I like the car and I have a very good residual number. No idea about what an extended warranty would cost. Full warranty will continue for a bit after the end of the lease and powertrain warranty goes another year beyond that.

driver100

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

So, what's the deal? Did you buy the Regal at the end of the lease? How many miles? Did you get an extended warranty? Did you do the right thing by leasing rather than buying? It is strange that the dealer didn't try to talk you into a new one.

I haven't done anything yet. The lease technically is over at the end of October. Presumably sometime over the next month someone from this dealer will finally contact me to either buy the car or return it. Though it would not surprise me if I never heard from them until something occurs to them in November or beyond.

Unless something changes, I expect to buy it. I like the car and I have a very good residual number. No idea about what an extended warranty would cost. Full warranty will continue for a bit after the end of the lease and powertrain warranty goes another year beyond that.

Thanks for the answers - interesting. Would like to know if you leased for financial reasons or because you weren't sure you would want to keep the Regal after the lease was over?

That's a bit personal so you don't have to answer. I am one person who thinks leasing is a good solution in many cases. I would definitely lease in certain situations.

I found dealers were pretty lackadasical about getting leases back...I wondered if it was a trick, make me go past the date and then catch me in some kind of penalty.

abacomike

@driver100‌

I was at my dealership today and decided to test drive a 2014 E550 with the same options as I ordered on the 2015 E400.  To be quite honest, I found that there is a significant difference in the way the E handled and my CLS handled.  The CLS is much more rigid, much lower in stance and in the interior, and more luxurious.  But, The E was a bit stiffer in the seating and much roomier than the CLS.  Both cars weigh within 100 pounds of each other.  Visibility is also much better in the E.

I am beginning to have second thoughts about buying the 2015 E400.  They expect it to be delivered to the dealership in 7-10 days, or sooner.  Once they get the car in, I'll go up there and test drive it with the new bi-turbo V6.  I'll decide then whether or not to get it.

My CLS has 8200 miles on it and is just now breaking in.  If I decide to keep the CLS, I will have to do the A Service on it in a few weeks.  

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

houdini1

abacomike said:

ab348 said:

Well, made the last payment on the lease of the Regal Turbo yesterday. Also happened to be at the dealer while they replaced some moldings under warranty.

Still not a peep out of them either there or otherwise about anything related to replacing it. Bizarre.

That is the problem with dealerships who do not have an employee working on nothing but end-of-lease term customers.  I had a salesman who did nothing but contact customers 120/90/60/30 days prior to the termination of their leases.  Thus, every 30 days, a follow-up call was made beginning 4 months prior to lease term end.

It was that salesman's responsibility to continually follow up. 

I am flabbergasted that a dealership would not cultivate potential car sales.

Every time I see the word flabbergasted used I remember one of those funny definitions that are supposed to match the way the word sounds: "The look of shock that a fat person gets when he looks in a mirror."

OK, so why didn't Mike's reply show up inside the box??

abacomike

@houdini‌ said:

"Every time I see the word flabbergasted used I remember one of those funny definitions that I once heard for it: "The feeling a fat person gets when he looks in the mirror."

I would think "blubbergasted" would be more identifiable with that feeliing!  

jayrider

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

A car that meets most of your needs is a car worth keeping. As I've gotten older, the thrill of a new car only lasts a day or two. Good luck on your decision.

imidazol97

Some of these quotes have gotten really long in some nested quotes that I've put up.

I'm trying cutting out some of the "blockquotes....." with it's corresponding "/blockquote"
at the beginning and each. Each is surrounded by the less than and greater than symbols
that mark it as html code.

ab348

driver100 said:

Thanks for the answers - interesting. Would like to know if you leased for financial reasons or because you weren't sure you would want to keep the Regal after the lease was over?

That's a bit personal so you don't have to answer. I am one person who thinks leasing is a good solution in many cases. I would definitely lease in certain situations.

I found dealers were pretty lackadasical about getting leases back...I wondered if it was a trick, make me go past the date and then catch me in some kind of penalty.

I don't mind telling the story. Back in '09 I needed a new car as I was driving a 2002 Olds Intrigue that was starting to fail in lots of places and I did not have a good feeling about it long-term. I wasn't really looking for one, but a different local dealer than the one I am now using had a 2009 Buick Allure (the Lacrosse in the US, the old W-body car) in late summer of '09 at a ridiculously good price thanks to the GM restructuring. It was a really nice car, silver, chrome wheels, gray leather, and they were virtually giving it away as it was their last new one on the lot and they had it there for a while. The deal made me buy it and then everything started to go downhill with it. The biggest issue was the transmission which was out of the car at least 3 times, maybe 4, with consistent problems the dealer could not fix, along with other nagging issues. After owning it for a year the selling dealer had gone out of business (for good reason if their service dept was any indication). But in the last year I owned it I took it to another GM dealer for more warranty work and they seemed to be not much better at putting it right. All told, in a little over 2 years of ownership I had been in service loaners or rentals for close to 6 weeks while they tried to fix the transmission with no success. I lost all confidence or faith in the car and started to think I better move on.

In October 2011 I happened to be going past the dealer I am now using and saw the Regal there. It caught my eye and upon further investigation I discovered it was a Turbo model which was the one I wanted, in colors I liked, and that it was a dealer demo. The deal I got on it was really good too and I ended up with a 0% lease with a residual of $14K along with about $7000 on the hood. The problem was that the '11 Regals were introduced in late spring of 2010 and with the long model year they stopped selling and GM had to put incentives on them by the fall of '11 to move them out. I could have bought it with similar terms but after my other experience with Buick I wanted the ability to walk away should it prove to be troublesome. As it happened, this has not been a bad car at all, I actually quite like it, and since the market value is more than the residual I will probably buy it in a month's time. But I was and continue to be disappointed that the dealer seems totally uninterested in trying to sell me anything to replace it. I figured the situation would be reversed and that they would be pestering me. Their disinterest in selling cars amazes me. They really need a customer relationship management system or something that will automatically bring "sales prospect" situations like mine forward for follow-up. I assume they have nothing like that.

sterlingdog

abacomike said:

@oldfarmer50‌ said:

"I was thinking the same thing myself. Dealers aren't stupid. If the public THINKS the best deals are at the end of the month I'm sure dealers will be ready with a pitch to make them think the deals are better then."

Actually, deals "can" be better at the end of the month.  It really depends on whether or not the dealership has achieved its volume goal got the month.  In most cases, goals are only achieved through aggressively selling cars at rock-bottom prices At the end of each month.

The two dealerships I worked for would take any reasonable deal at the end of the month even at 0 profit or even at a slight loss in order to reach sales goals.  I remember one deal I made when I was a manager where we had a net loss on the car - behind invoice and behind hold-back.  But that's what was needed to sell that last car of the month.  Sometimes the saying. "...whatever it takes..." Is actually true.

I would recommend to anyone looking to lease or buy a car to do it on the last day of the month - it's the best time to buy a car.  You may have to settle for a second or third choice in color or equipment, but the deal would be worth it!

One of the best deals that I ever got was around 8 PM on a New Year's Eve. Dealer was trying to meet annual goals for Honda. Man, was he dealing!

Richard

sterlingdog

stickguy said:

Farmer. I had a promising discussion yesterday on the TL but it seemed to fizzle out (the guy had a bunch of questions, ran a car fax, asked for more pictures, then "had to go talk to his car savvy coworkers"). Another guy on Saturday was coming, but found something else first.

Volvo, I think 1 or 2 initial inquiries that never responded when I got back to them.

I thought the TL would get a lot more action, but you never can tell.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/4664371494.html

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/4687243679.html

Your ad looks great to me---lots of info and nice pix. Your second ad has been removed by author.

Richard

sterlingdog

stickguy said:

for those following my saga, I know only have 1 car of my own (2 in family counting my wife's). The TL has moved on to a new home.

as I suspected, when someone finally came to look, they would realize it was better than the usual crap in the price range, and pull out a bunch of Benjamins and take it home with them. And that is what happened.

relieved to have trimmed the fleet. Now, if someone does show up and wants the Volvo, I could be down to none. And we all know what that means.

No wonder the second ad said it was removed by author. I posted before reading more. Congratulations!

Richard

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

I was at my dealership >I am beginning to have second thoughts about buying the 2015 E400.  They expect it to be delivered to the dealership in 7-10 days, or sooner.  Once they get the car in, I'll go up there and test drive it with the new bi-turbo V6.  I'll decide then whether or not to get it.

My CLS has 8200 miles on it and is just now breaking in.  If I decide to keep the CLS, I will have to do the A Service on it in a few weeks.  

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

That is a difficult decision to make. The CLS is still a new car. It sounds like the E will have some qualities you will enjoy....better seating, more comfortable, better vision, softer ride.

You will have to test drive an E to find out. I tested an E350 so I expect the E400 to be if anything even better. Best to test it first....if you do decide to wait a year (which may be difficult for you) the E400 will still be there.

abacomike

jayrider said:

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

A car that meets most of your needs is a car worth keeping. As I've gotten older, the thrill of a new car only lasts a day or two. Good luck on your decision.

I don't know, jayrider, at this point in time. As driver would say, "...I must be facing a dilemna" or something like that!

abacomike

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

I was at my dealership >I am beginning to have second thoughts about buying the 2015 E400.  They expect it to be delivered to the dealership in 7-10 days, or sooner.  Once they get the car in, I'll go up there and test drive it with the new bi-turbo V6.  I'll decide then whether or not to get it.

My CLS has 8200 miles on it and is just now breaking in.  If I decide to keep the CLS, I will have to do the A Service on it in a few weeks.  

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

That is a difficult decision to make. The CLS is still a new car. It sounds like the E will have some qualities you will enjoy....better seating, more comfortable, better vision, softer ride.

You will have to test drive an E to find out. I tested an E350 so I expect the E400 to be if anything even better. Best to test it first....if you do decide to wait a year (which may be difficult for you) the E400 will still be there.

Yes, driver, it is quite a "dilemna" as you would say.

I will test drive the new one when it comes in as it is less powerful than the E550, but should have enough "gusto" with the new V6 bi-turbo. If I decide to get the new one, at least I am not shelling out any money for it. But I suspect I will be getting a call from the dealership within the next week or so.

We'll have to see.

driver100

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Thanks for the answers - interesting. Would like to know if you leased for financial reasons or because you weren't sure you would want to keep the Regal after the lease was over?

That's a bit personal so you don't have to answer. I am one person who thinks leasing is a good solution in many cases. I would definitely lease in certain situations.

I found dealers were pretty lackadasical about getting leases back...I wondered if it was a trick, make me go past the date and then catch me in some kind of penalty.

The problem was that the '11 Regals were introduced in late spring of 2010 and with the long model year they stopped selling and GM had to put incentives on them by the fall of '11 to move them out. I could have bought it with similar terms but after my other experience with Buick I wanted the ability to walk away should it prove to be troublesome. As it happened, this has not been a bad car at all, I actually quite like it, and since the market value is more than the residual I will probably buy it in a month's time. But I was and continue to be disappointed that the dealer seems totally uninterested in trying to sell me anything to replace it. I figured the situation would be reversed and that they would be pestering me. Their disinterest in selling cars amazes me. They really need a customer relationship management system or something that will automatically bring "sales prospect" situations like mine forward for follow-up. I assume they have nothing like that.

Yeh, I try to shorten the replied to post too...sometimes I mess up and it is hard to fix.

Thanks for the explanation. Yours is a perfect example of when a lease makes sense. If I am uncertain about a car I would prefer to lease it. There are other times when a lease makes sense....I think it is good for a new graduate who needs a reliable car, but doesn't have savings...and has a good first job.

Since you like the car, and since your buy back is very reasonable, I can see why you would buy it back.

Your dealer isn't too swift about contacting you...maybe that's a good thing, they aren't really slick guys, kind of like old fashioned easy way of doing business - no pressure.

driver100

jayrider said:

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

A car that meets most of your needs is a car worth keeping. As I've gotten older, the thrill of a new car only lasts a day or two. Good luck on your decision.

Excellent point.....I don't know if a chronic car buyer can do it though.

I was reading in the paper about a guy and his wife told him he needed a new car. He isn't a car guy at all so he didn't know what to get. So, he ended up with a new Challenger, black with a bright cherry red interior.

He just liked the way it represented the 60s, when cars were cars. It isn't softenned to be more European for world wide sales....like a Mustang. He said, this is good old American muscle car, made for America. I wondered what thet would be like...just getting a Challenger just for the pure enjoyment of having a "real car".

sterlingdog

imidazol97 said:

Car companies and the secret warranties: IIRC I mentioned these before in our discussion about other cars and recalls.

Via Columbus Dispatch:
"Most of the time, unadvertised warranties are special extensions of existing warranties that automakers provide in response to a high number of service calls for certain components. Sometimes, the actions are in response to litigation.
"Unlike with a product recall, the companies do not need to notify consumers. Some automakers do notify and some don’t.
"Customers need to find out about the programs on their own, or leave it to a dealership’s service department to realize that a certain repair is covered. You might be out of luck if you take the vehicle to an independent repair shop.
"Most automakers have one or two of these warranty extensions.
"Honda has at least six, an unusually high number. That includes Honda’s Acura brand."

The Dispatch suggested asking the dealer to run the VIN occasionally to keep up on any hidden recalls.
Even with a new car.

Great advice to run that vin # occasionally! I would never have thought of that.

Richard

sterlingdog

driver100 said:

Iwas just sent this email that many gas stations now have E15 (ethanol made from corn oil) and this gas can ruin your engine. 5 car companies will void your warranty if you use this highly corrosive fuel in any car built before 2012.

Do not use E15 gas - which is now available in many states.
It was on FOX news, so must be true!

Your link goes to a Gmail account ad. I assume that your comment about FOX news was a slur. Well, at least you watch it or you wouldn't have known about E15 gas.

Richard

sterlingdog

bwia said:

imidazol97 Resist the itch and wait for the Cadillac CT6.

By the way, what's with all these blue colors on vehicles posted here. Is blue the new red? I saw a blue Ford F-150 XLT yesterday and that was a stunner. And Ford built tough too; I wonder if the new aluminium aluminum truck will be as tough.

That's why I bought the 2014 F150. I was told by the dealer that Ford Tough won't be as tough with the new materials. While that could have been a sales pitch to sell a 2014, I was inclined to agree. BTW, my convertible that I traded for the Ruby Red truck was a bright blue. Both the blue and Ruby Red make pretty cars.

Richard

sterlingdog

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

fezo said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

It was on FOX news, so must be true!

That's sounding dangerously like a political comment needing
a response.

Relax. Let a gentle dig be a gentle dig.

Exactly!

I'l have to start putting in some gentle digs. Expect. :grin

Me, too. Let's see now. Canada is so-----------------

Richard

sterlingdog

nelsonf said:

"It's in the garage, but I'm afraid to back it out as going in just pushed the door up and backing out will tear the door out of the tracks. Oh well...you'll have that."

Let the air out of the back tires, and back it out slowly. Might give you enough clearance.

Nelson

Clever idea!

Richard

sterlingdog

imidazol97 said:

stever said:

Hm, got the current van in May, newer Michelins on it. Two flats on it...so far. The TPMS gave me enough notice to drive ~8 miles to a tire shop the second time. The first one just went down fast and I had to struggle with the spare. But at least I had one (really should have just called for a tow). Nails both times.

I have a $20 air pump from Harbor Freight that plugs into auxiliary power on the car and pumps the tire back up. The last two times my low tire alarm went off on '03, I just pulled in, checked pressure to see which tire was low (couldn't tell by sidewall) and pumped her back up. It'd be nicer to have the individual tire pressure gauges like my Cobalt and Malibu have.

Does the air pump have a really long cord? I'm trying to visualize this from the dash all the way to the rear tire.

Richard

sterlingdog

robr2 said:

driver100 said:

I'd really like to know if the information is true! It was a gentle dig because i really don't know...it sounds serious....you will void your warranty from 10 manufacturers if you use E15 gasoline. They said this gas is available in many states. It will ruin your gaskets and other engine parts if used. This was on TV as a news story. If anyone has good knowledge I would appreciate hearing back

E15 Gas voids warranty on many cars!

What a horrible piece of "journalism." "This fuel is approved and pushed by our government."

If one looks at the graphics indicated in the story, it states that E15 is sold by 10 stations in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. In reality it's available in other states but they didn't bother to do their research. Further, E15 has to be marked as such and can't be sold as normal gasoline.

So if someone takes 5 seconds to read the label inside their gas filler door, they will realize what they need to use in terms of fuel.

As for voiding warranties, it is the same as using the incorrect octane or oil in one's car. If you don't operate or maintain a vehicle correctly, the warranty may be voided.

IMHO, it's nothing but a scare piece.

The fact that the fuel is approved and pushed by the government doesn't make me feel better.

Richard

sterlingdog

driver100 said:

I was reading the car news in the newspaper today and see that;

* The 2015 Ford F-150 made with aluminum got rave reviews. As good as the old F150 was, this one is better in every way. More solid, nicer interior, better vision, lots of new features.

*Jeep Wrangler is looking at going aluminum too. It would be the biggest change ever made to the Wrangler, which traces its roots back to the Jeeps of WWII, and even more radical than Ford’s use of aluminum body panels on the 2015 F-150, which retains a steel frame. But the Wrangler could follow that route, as well. It could cut about 800 pounds from the current model. They need to boost gas mileage from the current 18 mpg.

They would move production from Toledo Ohio but it would stay in the U.S. - very important to their image. The plant would need radical changes, but, Chrysler said the plant will get another car.

* I read the 2015 Chrysler 200 is a very good car in that segment, and much better than the old 200, which the reviewer said could be one of the worst cars made in the last few years. They suggested, the old C 200 was so bad, the new model should get a completely new name.

More solid? Sounds like a bunch of propaganda to me. The biggest argument was that it wouldn't be as solid. I'm afraid that I'll need more proof on that. As for better vision, I can't imagine. My 2014 is absolutely great in that category due in part to the large windows. When the 2015s arrive in January, I'll be anxious to see the changes.

Richard

driver100

sterlingdog said:

driver100 said:

Iwas just sent this email that many gas stations now have E15 (ethanol made from corn oil) and this gas can ruin your engine. 5 car companies will void your warranty if you use this highly corrosive fuel in any car built before 2012.

Do not use E15 gas - which is now available in many states.
It was on FOX news, so must be true!

Your link goes to a Gmail account ad. I assume that your comment about FOX news was a slur. Well, at least you watch it or you wouldn't have known about E15 gas.

Richard

No, just a small dig - said in jest (could have been made against any news service that presents a story made to sound like the sky is going to fall).

I got the clip from a friend, by email, not by watching....I do watch on occassion, have nothing against FN per sey. The way it was presented I had to check the story out on Snopes because I didn't know if it was real or a parody. The story is an interesting one and important, but, all they had to do was give us the facts.....and not make it sound like a conspiracy of some kind (I doubt it is a conspiracy - just a misdirected government program, happens all the time). If you look up the facts about E15 you will see some excellent articles (like the one Imid gave the link for) and get some good solid information, That will convince you it is probably not a good thing. The scare story made me almost ignore it - thought it could be satire, or a Saturday Night Live skit.

Someone said it best earlier: You watch the news that supports your own beliefs and/or values.

driver100

sterlingdog said:

bwia said:

imidazol97 Resist the itch and wait for the Cadillac CT6.

By the way, what's with all these blue colors on vehicles posted here. Is blue the new red? I saw a blue Ford F-150 XLT yesterday and that was a stunner. And Ford built tough too; I wonder if the new aluminium aluminum truck will be as tough.

That's why I bought the 2014 F150. I was told by the dealer that Ford Tough won't be as tough with the new materials. While that could have been a sales pitch to sell a 2014, I was inclined to agree. BTW, my convertible that I traded for the Ruby Red truck was a bright blue. Both the blue and Ruby Red make pretty cars.

Richard

I just read a pretty detailed review about the 2015 F-150. As good as the 2014 F-150 is, the 2015 is even better, and the new aluminum makes it stronger.
There is no way Ford would mess with the 150 and make it inferior. Mileage is up substantially just because of the lower weight.

The review I just read said there were lots of features on the 2015 model to keep it ahead of the competitors. This new aluminum seems to be the way to go for the future, lighter but stronger.

sterlingdog

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

So, what's the deal? Did you buy the Regal at the end of the lease? How many miles? Did you get an extended warranty? Did you do the right thing by leasing rather than buying? It is strange that the dealer didn't try to talk you into a new one.

I haven't done anything yet. The lease technically is over at the end of October. Presumably sometime over the next month someone from this dealer will finally contact me to either buy the car or return it. Though it would not surprise me if I never heard from them until something occurs to them in November or beyond.

Unless something changes, I expect to buy it. I like the car and I have a very good residual number. No idea about what an extended warranty would cost. Full warranty will continue for a bit after the end of the lease and powertrain warranty goes another year beyond that.

I can identify with your puzzlement. I have leased one vehicle in my life---2000 Tahoe. After three years, it was time to return it. I arrived at the dealership and a quick inspection was done. The guy comes out and says all is ok. No one asked me if I wanted a new car and no one called or wrote to me either before or after the lease. I couldn't believe it. My wife picked me up at the dealership and we went shopping for a new car---but not at that dealership.

Richard

driver100

sterlingdog said:

driver100 said:

I was reading the car news in the newspaper today and see that;

* The 2015 Ford F-150 made with aluminum got rave reviews. As good as the old F150 was, this one is better in every way. More solid, nicer interior, better vision, lots of new features.

*Jeep Wrangler is looking at going aluminum too. It would be the biggest change ever made to the Wrangler, which traces its roots back to the Jeeps of WWII, and even more radical than Ford’s use of aluminum body panels on the 2015 F-150, which retains a steel frame. But the Wrangler could follow that route, as well. It could cut about 800 pounds from the current model. They need to boost gas mileage from the current 18 mpg.

They would move production from Toledo Ohio but it would stay in the U.S. - very important to their image. The plant would need radical changes, but, Chrysler said the plant will get another car.

* I read the 2015 Chrysler 200 is a very good car in that segment, and much better than the old 200, which the reviewer said could be one of the worst cars made in the last few years. They suggested, the old C 200 was so bad, the new model should get a completely new name.

More solid? Sounds like a bunch of propaganda to me. The biggest argument was that it wouldn't be as solid. I'm afraid that I'll need more proof on that. As for better vision, I can't imagine. My 2014 is absolutely great in that category due in part to the large windows. When the 2015s arrive in January, I'll be anxious to see the changes.

Richard

I have to go...but will try to find the review for you soon.

sterlingdog

jayrider said:

I'm just not sure at this point if I am doing the right thing for me.

A car that meets most of your needs is a car worth keeping. As I've gotten older, the thrill of a new car only lasts a day or two. Good luck on your decision.

My truck thrill has lasted for two weeks and still counting. Then again, at my age, I'm thrilled each time that I can go to the bathroom.

Richard

imidazol97

sterlingdog said:

imidazol97 said:

I have a $20 air pump from Harbor Freight that plugs into auxiliary power on the car and pumps the tire back up. The last two times my low tire alarm went off on '03, I just pulled in, checked pressure to see which tire was low (couldn't tell by sidewall) and pumped her back up. It'd be nicer to have the individual tire pressure gauges like my Cobalt and Malibu have.

Does the air pump have a really long cord? I'm trying to visualize this from the dash all the way to the rear tire. Richard

This has a long cord that reaches from the cigarette lighter inside well past the rear wheel. The only downside is that the pump has to be started first and then I have to screw on the hose to the tire valve stem. It does not have enough ooomph (that's oooumph in Canadian ) to start up against the air pressure from the tire. But it's light weighing only a few pounds to carry in the trunk with jumper cables and my AAA card.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12v-100-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-61788.html

stever

sterlingdog said:

That's why I bought the 2014 F150. I was told by the dealer that Ford Tough won't be as tough with the new materials.

My brother got his newish ('12) F-150 with the "old" engine because he didn't think the Ecoboost would be as "tough". I probably would have gone with the new tech myself.

oldfarmer50

"...He just liked the way it represented the 60s, when cars were cars. It isn't softenned to be more European for world wide sales....like a Mustang. He said, this is good old American muscle car, made for America. I wondered what thet would be like...just getting a Challenger just for the pure enjoyment of having a "real car"..."

Not sure what you mean by the Mustang being "softened". Are you referring to the new IRS?

oldfarmer50

Aggressive salesmanship:

http://www.powernationtv.com/post/dealership-forces-sale-by-blocking-elderly-womans-driveway

jayrider

oldfarmer50 said:

Aggressive salesmanship:

http://www.powernationtv.com/post/dealership-forces-sale-by-blocking-elderly-womans-driveway

Talking about salesmanship -- I've been getting recorded messages from someone with an Indian/Pakastani accent telling me I am about to be brought up on charges in Federal Court. If I call him back, he will help me out of this dire situation.

qbrozen

there is a lot missing from that story. She bought the car. Not sure how she returned it in the first place.