Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

oldfarmer50

I get that all the lux brands are tossing their hats into the 4 cyl turbo ring. All seem to be 2.0L, also.


They're just catching up on what Mitsu started.

fintail

Which is funny, as the automaker has a lot more to lose with an unhappy customer than a PB maker. Ego might be involved more. Oh well, at least grocery stores aren't like stereotypical car dealers

ab348 said:

Probably a bit easier to get a PB manufacturer, either foreign or domestic, to do a buyback for an unhappy customer than with an automaker though.

houdini1

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

Beat me to it. Thinks a Genesis is a Bentley, wants a V8 to replace his MB 550 (S550? E550? SL550? CLK550?) I don't know if I want advice from that guy

A Benz 550 is a V8.

Yeh, that guy is out of it almost as much as JMonroe. That guy should buy a Genesis since he doesn't know what he he is driving anyway....he's wasting a beautiful Mercedes when he could get the knock off version!

The Genesis V8 is no "knock-off" of anything I am aware of except perhaps the G90 (formerly the Equus)!  I drove one last year and, for the money, it's in a class of its own - luxurious, fast and pretty stylish - except for the grillework on the new models.

I don't know how well the Genesis G80 maintains its handling and performance after 3-5 years, but I'd be willing to give it a try (if I didn't have to deal with that over-the-top grillework) - a bit too much flair for my tastes.  I also would prefer the 6 cylinder with a turbo for down here in "flat" Florida.  But in PA with all those hills and mountains, the V8 might be necessary

.

It is a good car and certainly a great value.....but, it isn't quite the same as the real thing. I will quote Edmunds which praises the Genesis 80, but says it is lacking compared to the segment leaders;

Just like last year's Genesis, nothing can match the G80's value for the money. But there are better luxury sedans if you're willing to pay more. The sporty Cadillac CTS comes to mind, as does the refined and supple Lexus GS 350. If you have extra-deep pockets, the BMW 5 Series is a perennial favorite, and the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class will floor you with its meticulously crafted cabin. The G80 might not have the panache or brand recognition of these rivals, but you also won't have to take out a second mortgage just to get a truly desirable midsize luxury sedan

Driver, it's an E Class. They use them as taxi's in many parts of the world. I imagine that S Class owners wouldn't be caught dead in one, so get over it.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

What's important is not the cost of the car or what other people think of it based on real or on "push" opinions from the MainStream auto media, but does it turn you on. I still like this commercial from 2008.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p639LPzZ8aI

That Cadillac commercial says it all!

driver100

"houdini1 said

Driver, it's an E Class. They use them as taxi's in many parts of the world. I imagine that S Class owners wouldn't be caught dead in one, so get over it.

You mean I spent all this dough and I don't get the envy of everyone on the road ?

ab348

I mean, it had Kate Walsh and her sexy voice. She could sell me a Yugo.

driver100

Regarding Denny's........I read this today;

Denny’s has a slogan, “If it’s your birthday, the meal is on us.” If you’re in Denny’s and it’s your birthday, your life sucks!

imidazol97

fintail said:

I think much of it is on the take, or wants to be. Thankfully there's no breitbart or infowars for cars

Aren't mags like Motor Trend, Road and Track, Car and Driver, and to a degree Motorweek the Infowars? They're always "testing" cars that 99% of the car buyers couldn't buy or maintain due to income or their driving needs. The occasional pedantic vehicle tested and shown approbation is usually one of the predictable vehicle brands that the testers "like."

Is there a real unbiased source? When all the MSM were kvetching about Malibu's having a back seat with more legroom than the Sonata/Optima twins of that year but not liking either the posture or the C-pillar's blocking the view from the rear with no triangular window, I did find a couple of youtube reviewers who did unbiased comparisons. One was the trunk guy, who always climbed into the trunk as a way of gauging the usable room, LOL. His review was clear that the driving characteristics of the 2.5L Malibu were on a par with the Accord, but he just preferred the Accord (probably because he was used to driving a Accord and was familiar with it's controls and positions for the driver).

These two reviewers didn't seem to get advertising nor did they get payment from any companies other than the youtube hits which I guess carries some payments for high volume videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKyCl0USS4w


The bias shown once the MS auto media had something they could "push" as the negative is the point. The importance of the backseat in most midsize vehicles is minimal. Only twice in years have I seen a group of 4 adults get out of a midsize car to go into ChickFilA to eat, e.g.. This is at a local store in the center of lots of multistory business offices where lotsa folks go out for lunch.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

I mean, it had Kate Walsh and her sexy voice. She could sell me a Yugo.

X2 on the voice and Kate.

fintail

I think the traditional magazine names are more like the CBS, CNN, FOX etc of automotive information. They are all somewhat beholden to advertisers, and never say anything terribly negative, even if it is deserved. The expensive car reviews sell magazines and get hits, those aren't going anywhere. It's amusing, if you read the British or German motoring press, they will take a car to task a lot more strongly than the American press. If the trunk guy is one Scotty Kilmer, he too definitely lets his opinions flow, and has biases against some makes. Everyone seems to have biases against something or other, just like those who have schadenfreude at the possibility of some brands having problems.

I don't believe there is a truly unbiased source, for car reviews or other news. Opinions and subjective favorites come into play for everyone. And that's what most people seem to want - if someone just wants to read a spec sheet, they can get that data and not need to watch a video or read an article.

imidazol97 said:

Aren't mags like Motor Trend, Road and Track, Car and Driver, and to a degree Motorweek the Infowars? They're always "testing" cars that 99% of the car buyers couldn't buy or maintain due to income or their driving needs. The occasional pedantic vehicle tested and shown approbation is usually one of the predictable vehicle brands that the testers "like."

Is there a real unbiased source? When all the MSM were kvetching about Malibu's having a back seat with more legroom than the Sonata/Optima twins of that year but not liking either the posture or the C-pillar's blocking the view from the rear with no triangular window, I did find a couple of youtube reviewers who did unbiased comparisons. One was the trunk guy, who always climbed into the trunk as a way of gauging the usable room, LOL. His review was clear that the driving characteristics of the 2.5L Malibu were on a par with the Accord, but he just preferred the Accord (probably because he was used to driving a Accord and was familiar with it's controls and positions for the driver).

The bias shown once the MS auto media had something they could "push" as the negative is the point. The importance of the backseat in most midsize vehicles is minimal. Only twice in years have I seen a group of 4 adults get out of a midsize car to go into ChickFilA to eat, e.g.. This is at a local store in the center of lots of multistory business offices where lotsa folks go out for lunch.

ab348

I dunno where I would go to find truly unbiased reviews on vehicles. You'd think CR, but they treat vehicles like an appliance and judge sporty cars by the standards of a sedan (I don't know if they criticize 2-seaters for lack of rear-seat room or not though).

I gave up on MT decades ago, though maybe it has improved from the days where their COTY award was basically sold to the highest bidder. I got tired of R&T and C&D by the early 90s when every cover was either a Porsche or a Ferrari. TTAC is on its last legs and has always been full of bias. Even our host site shows some of that, though it was worse in the halcyon days of Inside Line. Maybe The Car Connection? It's tough to find the "best" review site for sure.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

Regarding Denny's........I read this today;

Denny’s has a slogan, “If it’s your birthday, the meal is on us.” If you’re in Denny’s and it’s your birthday, your life sucks!

And you didn't know this?

jmonroe

suydam

I have to say that when I was buying midsize vehicles back seat comfort was very important, because at that time we had 3 tall kids living at home as well as my father. Ingress and egress was important too. That was something I looked for in reviews. Now that it's just the two of us we prefer more compact vehicles because 95% of the time it's just us and maybe the dog.

qbrozen

Just read a writeup on the upcoming Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. That thing is off the wall nuts. Of course I would want one. But $80k for a Jeep? Not a chance.

Mr_Shiftright

Wha? You have some doubts about Jeep quality control? I'm shocked....SHOCKED....

RE: Car Reviews --- so much is subjective. The review can't be objective because by the time you see it, it has already run through a bunch of "filters". First of all there's the filter of the reviewer. What's his/her history? Demographic? Part of the country they grew up in? etc. etc.

Then we have the filter of the editors...they can red-line or add as they please.

Then we have the filter of the Internet itself. Who gets read? Who gets a high google page?

And then there is the final filter----you. What are your prejudices?

By the time you are done, there's the realization that a lot of this isn't rational at all.

That's why we have Camrys. It is completely inoffensive to anyone.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Just read a writeup on the upcoming Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. That thing is off the wall nuts. Of course I would want one. But $80k for a Jeep? Not a chance.

For not much more you could get a Dodge Demon.

graphicguy

I like Tom Voelk at The NY Times and Brain Cooley at CNET as auto journalists. C&D is good for its writing....probably the best of all the major car rags.

That said, we all have our favorites, all for differently reasons.

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

There was a story on Automotive News Canada the last week or so about how M-B has withdrawn all diesel models from the Canadian market because of problems getting certification from regulators. That probably doesn't mean a whole lot given the small size of the Canadian market and the expense involved in certification but it is another data point at least.

One of my friends has a 2016 A6 diesel that his wife drives. They like the car, but, she wants to go back to an SUV, mainly because she loads the car up with junk and she likes to just throw stuff in the back. He wanted to trade it in but no one will take it as a trade-in, not even an Audi dealer. I guess everyone is waiting to find out what the payout will be....but, this doesn't make you want to buy another one.

Even if they got certified, it seems people aren't as interested in diesels since the VW dilemma. That is what fintail was saying, sales of diesels have really fallen off. Maybe diesel fuel will get even cheaper though!

I think the pollution mandates will ultimately kill diesels in cars. The system's required are very finicky and expensive. Also the ultra low sulphur fuel is more expensive than unleaded regular. I can run my Mustang on regular if I want to but there's no alternative for ULS diesel except French fry oil.

Where I'm at diesel #2 is cheaper than RUG. Has been for the last couple years consistently.

Still, when I drive I'm not really trying to maximize gas mileage as that would make my trips take longer.

As my license plate says "I'll Slow down .....when I get there!"

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

Just read a writeup on the upcoming Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. That thing is off the wall nuts. Of course I would want one. But $80k for a Jeep? Not a chance.

For not much more you could get a Dodge Demon.

Seems like car companies are already making new models alluding to being a Demon slayer.

Exorcist?

I think you could name a new model "Demon Slayer" Of course, that is very targeted and limited.

"Eats Hellcats for Breakfast?"

M-car murderer?

AMG Assassin?

andres3

Audi TTS Update:

Received a phone call yesterday (5/2/17) that apparently the rear differential assembly part came in on the first, that the tech went ahead and installed it, and that the car was ready for pickup in the afternoon of the second.

I told the service adviser that I'd pick it up first thing this morning since they are about 1.5 miles from my work place. Not enough of a test drive, but they did do a mini-detail on the car. Probably was sitting outside the last month.

So they finished the job 10 days ahead of when I was told they would receive the much needed part for the replacement repair. I have a feeling they gave me the worst case scenario, under-promised, and over-delivered. The adviser didn't know what was going on as he had Monday off, which is why I got a call out of the blue yesterday (Tuesday) that the car was already done.

So if everything test drives and checks out OK, I'm a happy camper. However, there better not be any more problems, however minor, in the next 6 months and 5,000 miles (18 month/18,000 mile mark for lemons), as they did have the car in the shop for just over a month.

They are lucky I've already put serious money into this car; mainly the expensive wheels, tires, but also the next set of brake pads and SS lines. Shows I had a lot of confidence in the car, but not everything that will fail prematurely, fails in the first 10,000 miles (or at least gets noticed).

jmonroe

andres3 said:

Audi TTS Update:

Received a phone call yesterday (5/2/17) that apparently the rear differential assembly part came in on the first, that the tech went ahead and installed it, and that the car was ready for pickup in the afternoon of the second.

I told the service adviser that I'd pick it up first thing this morning since they are about 1.5 miles from my work place. Not enough of a test drive, but they did do a mini-detail on the car. Probably was sitting outside the last month.

So they finished the job 10 days ahead of when I was told they would receive the much needed part for the replacement repair. I have a feeling they gave me the worst case scenario, under-promised, and over-delivered. The adviser didn't know what was going on as he had Monday off, which is why I got a call out of the blue yesterday (Tuesday) that the car was already done.

So if everything test drives and checks out OK, I'm a happy camper. However, there better not be any more problems, however minor, in the next 6 months and 5,000 miles (18 month/18,000 mile mark for lemons), as they did have the car in the shop for just over a month.

They are lucky I've already put serious money into this car; mainly the expensive wheels, tires, but also the next set of brake pads and SS lines. Shows I had a lot of confidence in the car, but not everything that will fail prematurely, fails in the first 10,000 miles (or at least gets noticed).

Good luck with the repair or should I say replacement rear end. I'm sure you'll give it a good work out.

Just be sure if you over work it, you wipe off the track dust before having it hooked to the dealer. Not too many street driven cars need multiple rear ends in a year.

jmonroe

fintail

Speaking of good car review sources, I always liked the British magazine "CAR", especially in the late 80s and 90s. When I was around 12 or so, a local bookstore started carrying it - somewhat surprising in a small town. From the first issue I bought - not cheap, either - I'd read every word. Very amusing, thorough, and they'd lay it on hard when it came to substandard cars. They didn't have any strong nationalistic bias either.

driver100

Reading car reviews is like analyzing any kind of news. Pick out the bits of information that you are interested in, eliminate opinions that do not apply, just take the basic facts and decide if the car is still of interest to you.

I stopped reading car magazines a long time ago because they seem to review the cars I would never be interested in buying. If they review an Aston Martin they may as well review a Ferrari for all I care, now a Ford Fusion, Jeep, Dodge Charger, Mustang, Audi, Infinity, Lexus, I can identify with.

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

And subsidizing Tesla and Leaf drivers, too. I suspect the EV tax will be a pittance, more than compensated for by ridiculous tax credits.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not in California. There's a new tax coming down the pike and it looks like diesel fuel will take something like a .20 cents a gallon spike. This tax is for road and transit infrastructure repair. Increases in gas taxes are not peculiar to CA--some 17 states have raised gas taxes since 2013, and half of them are GOP-controlled, so it appears to be a bi-partisan solution in state government--since the Federal government won't do it.

There will also be an annual tax on electric vehicles and an increase in all vehicle registration fees.

The tax comes about due to decreased revenue from falling gas prices, higher fuel efficiency, more EVs and hybrids.

Since CA is the diesel car's largest market, it puts a little more grief into diesel car marketing, making diesel fuel more expensive than RUG now.

OK, let me understand this. CA gives you a tax credit for buying an EV but then taxes you to own it? Doesn't that seem a tad schizophernic?

Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, doesn't it seem it would be more efficient to just dish out less and make it untaxable? I suppose if Mitt Romney is taking the $400/week benefit then he'll still have to pay his 15% on 15 billion.

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

andres3

jmonroe said:

andres3 said:

Audi TTS Update:

Received a phone call yesterday (5/2/17) that apparently the rear differential assembly part came in on the first, that the tech went ahead and installed it, and that the car was ready for pickup in the afternoon of the second.

I told the service adviser that I'd pick it up first thing this morning since they are about 1.5 miles from my work place. Not enough of a test drive, but they did do a mini-detail on the car. Probably was sitting outside the last month.

So they finished the job 10 days ahead of when I was told they would receive the much needed part for the replacement repair. I have a feeling they gave me the worst case scenario, under-promised, and over-delivered. The adviser didn't know what was going on as he had Monday off, which is why I got a call out of the blue yesterday (Tuesday) that the car was already done.

So if everything test drives and checks out OK, I'm a happy camper. However, there better not be any more problems, however minor, in the next 6 months and 5,000 miles (18 month/18,000 mile mark for lemons), as they did have the car in the shop for just over a month.

They are lucky I've already put serious money into this car; mainly the expensive wheels, tires, but also the next set of brake pads and SS lines. Shows I had a lot of confidence in the car, but not everything that will fail prematurely, fails in the first 10,000 miles (or at least gets noticed).

Good luck with the repair or should I say replacement rear end. I'm sure you'll give it a good work out.

Just be sure if you over work it, you wipe off the track dust before having it hooked to the dealer. Not too many street driven cars need multiple rear ends in a year.

jmonroe

You bring up a couple interesting points.

First, I've never had a car that needed a new rear differential either. This is my first; probably a "freak" occurrence for all intents and purposes.

Second, I am very curious how the word "need" applies to my repair. For instance, had this failure occurred at 100,000 miles, out of warranty, would I have "needed" to replace the diff, or could I have just refilled the fluid every so often and put a tray or pan under my parking space in the garage to catch the drop or two per day?

Would the problem get worse over time, would the leak increase? How long would that take, another 100,000 miles, or was I on borrowed time? Anybody here qualified to pick up a wrench want to chime in an opinion?

Since my car is under warranty, any leak, no matter how slow a rate of leak, is unacceptable, but for most people with cars over 100,000 miles, I have a feeling many owners would opt to see just how long they can get away with the leak before buying a new expensive replacement part. Another option would be a "stop gap" type repair. For instance, when I told someone the punctured gas tank on my A3 had to be replaced, at a pretty steep cost (insurance claim), they told me they just would have just epoxied it for a couple bucks and called it a day.

andres3

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

This is the only 190E I covet:

I covet them all but that is the nicest. I love the rounded trunk and the straight clean lines. Timelessly beautiful!

Looks like a re-badged K-Car to me.

jmonroe

Well, what do you expect when a guy buys a Genesis and thinks he is buying something comparable to a Mercedes.

When did I ever say I wanted my car to be comparable to a Mercedes? I wanted something beyond that. I don't want to be afraid to own it when it is out of warranty. When is the last time you had a 6 year old car in the last 10 years?

When you buy a sought after badged car your car should not look like a K-car from Detroit.

You should get what you pay for. I didn't pay so I didn't get anything unexpected. That's only fair.

jmonroe

chicken and the egg scenario. Didn't Detroit copy the MB look? Not the other way around.

they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. too bad Detroit couldn't imitate Japan's durability and reliability.

As to my Kia.... it has been uber reliable. However, I think Hyundai/ Kia are still paying off the EPA under the table as those EPA ratings seem a bit inflated, even taking into account my heavy right foot.

cdnpinhead

andres3 said:

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

The increase in diesel cost is on the order of $0.20 per gallon, as I understand it. If you buy anything delivered by a truck, you can expect to pay more for it, but it's beautifully hidden. There is a reason CA gas/fuel costs so much more today than it does anywhere else, so making it even more so will be invisible to the unwashed masses, and the goal will have been achieved.

The side effects will take 5 - 15 years to work out. Should be interesting.

roadburner

jmonroe said:

Just be sure if you over work it, you wipe off the track dust before having it hooked to the dealer. Not too many street driven cars need multiple rear ends in a year.

jmonroe

I'm at the point where I refuse to buy a performance car from a manufacturer that voids the warranty if if you take the car to the track.

Mr_Shiftright

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

And subsidizing Tesla and Leaf drivers, too. I suspect the EV tax will be a pittance, more than compensated for by ridiculous tax credits.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not in California. There's a new tax coming down the pike and it looks like diesel fuel will take something like a .20 cents a gallon spike. This tax is for road and transit infrastructure repair. Increases in gas taxes are not peculiar to CA--some 17 states have raised gas taxes since 2013, and half of them are GOP-controlled, so it appears to be a bi-partisan solution in state government--since the Federal government won't do it.

There will also be an annual tax on electric vehicles and an increase in all vehicle registration fees.

The tax comes about due to decreased revenue from falling gas prices, higher fuel efficiency, more EVs and hybrids.

Since CA is the diesel car's largest market, it puts a little more grief into diesel car marketing, making diesel fuel more expensive than RUG now.

OK, let me understand this. CA gives you a tax credit for buying an EV but then taxes you to own it? Doesn't that seem a tad schizophernic?

Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, doesn't it seem it would be more efficient to just dish out less and make it untaxable? I suppose if Mitt Romney is taking the $400/week benefit then he'll still have to pay his 15% on 15 billion.

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

Yes, diesel in CA will cost an extra .20 cents a gallon.

andres3

ab348 said:

28firefighter said:

I'm a millennial. I far from worship weed - never actually tried it. To me, it falls in the same boat as alcohol. You want to use it, great - do so responsibly and let's generate some revenue for it; if not, who cares. 

What I care is using valuable and stretched law enforcement resources to police simple possession of marijuana. Focus on those under the influence that are posing a threat to others (e.g. By driving). 

The few LEOs I've known here in the Seattle area have been thrilled not to deal with the paperwork. 

I was poking back at Fin for poking at me.

Around here law enforcement only invoked the laws as an add-on to something more serious they were charging someone with. Nobody here got arrested for it otherwise in years. I suspect that is the same in most areas.

The liquor business, where I used to work, took decades to get past the stigma it had in the early 20th century. It was a very dirty business back in those days. Pot has a far worse image attached to it from what I can tell. Lawmakers can say that when you wake up tomorrow you're no longer a criminal because they changed the laws, but that doesn't change the mindset that led those people to disrespect the laws in the first place.

Some laws are simply indefensible. In those cases; usually the majority rules, but occasionally you'll have a large group (minority) insist on civil disobedience.

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

And subsidizing Tesla and Leaf drivers, too. I suspect the EV tax will be a pittance, more than compensated for by ridiculous tax credits.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not in California. There's a new tax coming down the pike and it looks like diesel fuel will take something like a .20 cents a gallon spike. This tax is for road and transit infrastructure repair. Increases in gas taxes are not peculiar to CA--some 17 states have raised gas taxes since 2013, and half of them are GOP-controlled, so it appears to be a bi-partisan solution in state government--since the Federal government won't do it.

There will also be an annual tax on electric vehicles and an increase in all vehicle registration fees.

The tax comes about due to decreased revenue from falling gas prices, higher fuel efficiency, more EVs and hybrids.

Since CA is the diesel car's largest market, it puts a little more grief into diesel car marketing, making diesel fuel more expensive than RUG now.

OK, let me understand this. CA gives you a tax credit for buying an EV but then taxes you to own it? Doesn't that seem a tad schizophernic?

Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, doesn't it seem it would be more efficient to just dish out less and make it untaxable? I suppose if Mitt Romney is taking the $400/week benefit then he'll still have to pay his 15% on 15 billion.

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

Yes, diesel in CA will cost an extra .20 cents a gallon.

how much is regular or premium unleaded gas going up though, or is that the delta in the increases?

andres3

roadburner said:

jmonroe said:

Just be sure if you over work it, you wipe off the track dust before having it hooked to the dealer. Not too many street driven cars need multiple rear ends in a year.

jmonroe

I'm at the point where I refuse to buy a performance car from a manufacturer that voids the warranty if if you take the car to the track.

Ditto.

That's like saying "we put the rev limiter at 7K, but if you go over 3K, warranty is void."

Or "we put the top speed limiter at 155 MPH, but if you go over 100 MPH, warranty is void."

I told America's/Discount Tires the same thing on a Continental warranty claim. I said if they are going to call this a high-performance tire (or ultra high, or max performance), it is kind of silly to void a warranty due to so-called "abuse" Continental covered the rubber chunking issue; no hassle from them.

andres3

ab348 said:

I dunno where I would go to find truly unbiased reviews on vehicles. You'd think CR, but they treat vehicles like an appliance and judge sporty cars by the standards of a sedan (I don't know if they criticize 2-seaters for lack of rear-seat room or not though).

I gave up on MT decades ago, though maybe it has improved from the days where their COTY award was basically sold to the highest bidder. I got tired of R&T and C&D by the early 90s when every cover was either a Porsche or a Ferrari. TTAC is on its last legs and has always been full of bias. Even our host site shows some of that, though it was worse in the halcyon days of Inside Line. Maybe The Car Connection? It's tough to find the "best" review site for sure.

I think CR's bias towards being clinical about cars is a good thing though. They look at cars unemotionally. Sure, it means they weigh the non-fun-factors more heavily than others might, but it makes them more objective in my mind. They do understand good handling, sound, and acceleration are all important factors in a sports car, but that doesn't mean they penalize poor fuel economy any less.

andres3

driver100 said:

fintail said:

There are a number of reasons I like my diesel. Torque, range, the sound/clatter, efficiency, price was good as a leftover final run car in the dieselgate era. Diesel works well for cars in this segment too, as fuel must be compared with premium rather than regular. That diesel costs less than regular right now is just a fun bonus.

driver100 said:

Maybe fintail can tell us why he loves his diesel...I think it is also the possibility it can last for a long time.

Me, I am slow to change, I always dreamed of having a decent car, and in my dreams it was always a gas powered car.

Sb55 and your reasons help me to understand the attraction of diesels to some people. One friend had a Jetta diesel and he loved the fact it only cost him $150 or some ridiculously low amount of money to drive from Toronto to L.A.
Just a theory, but it seems that the technology is interesting to people, and a diesel engine is efficient in certain ways....better gas mileage and longevity. It is also a bit unique....not as common as gas.
I get it........but, I still like my life to be as simple as possible, so I like to go with what is most popular, and I don't have to look for a diesel fuel station...I can use 90% of the pumps etc., not saying gas is better, and I get the fascination with diesels, just seems like more effort to maintain and more to think about.

As a partial owner of a former TDI (wife did most of the driving) I can vouch for the following:

- I thought the limited gas station thing would be a negative factor, but in all the time we owned it, never did we have to look past more than 1 station to find one with diesel in the State of CA. Was a non-issue in the real world experiment we took. Most of your driving is to and from work to your home, so you know which gas station(s) you will use most of the time.

However, I did wish Costco would pick up diesel. I heard they were going to, but that was before diesel-gate.

Mr_Shiftright

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

And subsidizing Tesla and Leaf drivers, too. I suspect the EV tax will be a pittance, more than compensated for by ridiculous tax credits.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not in California. There's a new tax coming down the pike and it looks like diesel fuel will take something like a .20 cents a gallon spike. This tax is for road and transit infrastructure repair. Increases in gas taxes are not peculiar to CA--some 17 states have raised gas taxes since 2013, and half of them are GOP-controlled, so it appears to be a bi-partisan solution in state government--since the Federal government won't do it.

There will also be an annual tax on electric vehicles and an increase in all vehicle registration fees.

The tax comes about due to decreased revenue from falling gas prices, higher fuel efficiency, more EVs and hybrids.

Since CA is the diesel car's largest market, it puts a little more grief into diesel car marketing, making diesel fuel more expensive than RUG now.

OK, let me understand this. CA gives you a tax credit for buying an EV but then taxes you to own it? Doesn't that seem a tad schizophernic?

Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, doesn't it seem it would be more efficient to just dish out less and make it untaxable? I suppose if Mitt Romney is taking the $400/week benefit then he'll still have to pay his 15% on 15 billion.

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

Yes, diesel in CA will cost an extra .20 cents a gallon.

how much is regular or premium unleaded gas going up though, or is that the delta in the increases?

About 12 cents per gallon for RUG and PUG

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

And subsidizing Tesla and Leaf drivers, too. I suspect the EV tax will be a pittance, more than compensated for by ridiculous tax credits.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not in California. There's a new tax coming down the pike and it looks like diesel fuel will take something like a .20 cents a gallon spike. This tax is for road and transit infrastructure repair. Increases in gas taxes are not peculiar to CA--some 17 states have raised gas taxes since 2013, and half of them are GOP-controlled, so it appears to be a bi-partisan solution in state government--since the Federal government won't do it.

There will also be an annual tax on electric vehicles and an increase in all vehicle registration fees.

The tax comes about due to decreased revenue from falling gas prices, higher fuel efficiency, more EVs and hybrids.

Since CA is the diesel car's largest market, it puts a little more grief into diesel car marketing, making diesel fuel more expensive than RUG now.

OK, let me understand this. CA gives you a tax credit for buying an EV but then taxes you to own it? Doesn't that seem a tad schizophernic?

Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, doesn't it seem it would be more efficient to just dish out less and make it untaxable? I suppose if Mitt Romney is taking the $400/week benefit then he'll still have to pay his 15% on 15 billion.

From what I understand, CA will increase diesel tax more steeply than regular gas, which I suppose should even out the bottom line cost per gallon. In most states, it seems diesel is already more costly.

Yes, diesel in CA will cost an extra .20 cents a gallon.

how much is regular or premium unleaded gas going up though, or is that the delta in the increases?

About 12 cents per gallon for RUG and PUG

So they are un-leveling the play field by $0.08/gallon. I wonder what the justification is for that. I suppose the more efficient the fuel, the more you have to tax it. By those standards, electricity should be taxed through the roof.

imidazol97

andres3 said:

Second, I am very curious how the word "need" applies to my repair. For instance, had this failure occurred at 100,000 miles, out of warranty, would I have "needed" to replace the diff, or could I have just refilled the fluid every so often and put a tray or pan under my parking space in the garage to catch the drop or two per day?

Would the problem get worse over time, would the leak increase? How long would that take, another 100,000 miles, or was I on borrowed time? Anybody here qualified to pick up a wrench want to chime in an opinion?

Just put sawdust in the differential. That'll plug the leaks.

andres3

imidazol97 said:

The nice new highway that we built in Dayton for Driver100 to use has been damaged already. A gasoline tank truck was hit by a driver going north in the southbound lanes.

Here's a picture of the resulting explosion after the fire has been burning for a while. Notice the huge black cloud that has existed for several minutes and note the northbound drivers on the right who refuse to slow down or move over far to the right to avoid the danger. One car is almost hit by a plume of burning gas.

You will have to click on the video to view. The web site is awful with all kinds of things loading.

http://fox45now.com/news/local/odot-cameras-catch-vehicle-explosion-on-i-75-south-in-dayton

Does it really matter how fast you drive through a plume of burning gas? I would think that it would actually be a bad thing to drive through it slowly as you give the burning gas more time to catch you on fire.

Michaell

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

explorerx4

@michaell,
Try replacing the burner. They rust out. Cheap fix!
BTW, one of my BIL's who loves to chef, has a Charbroil gas grille.

driver100

Michaell said:

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

I just tried firing up our BBQ for the first time this season too....and the igniter wouldn't ignite the gas.

We bought it 8 years ago from a very honest dealer who said if you are just doing basic stuff get a plain one without any extras........but, get a name brand so you can get parts etc.

Ours was a base model Broil King which is now about $400 Cdn which is probably $275 to $300 U.S.. Ours was about $275 8 years ago so I think I got my use out of it for about $40 a year.



Warning: I am far from knowledgeable in this matter....just threw it out there

Michaell

Thanks!

I think our current grille cost us around $100-150 and we've had it for 6-8 years.

Our igniter is a hit and miss thing; that and the hot and cold spots is causing mrs. michaell to approve appropriations for the new grille.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

Get the $2 one at the gas station and a bag of charcoal. Spend the money you saved on better steaks.

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

Michaell said:

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

Get the $2 one at the gas station and a bag of charcoal. Spend the money you saved on better steaks.

I've done the charcoal grille before ... not for me.

I was at Lowe's - saw a grille for $999 that has Bluetooth. Allows you to control your grille temp from your phone.

I'm afraid we're going to end up like the humans in WALL-E, if this continues.

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aXiqCT8nzX0

stickguy

I bought one at Lowes a couple years back. 3 burner, no side burner ( I never ever used that feature). Probably cost about $150. Works great. I think it is a char broil, but something had a ton of.

hard to justify a lot of rebuilding. Parts are so expensive, costs nearly the same as buying a new grill.

jmonroe

explorerx4 said:

@michaell,
Try replacing the burner. They rust out. Cheap fix!
BTW, one of my BIL's who loves to chef, has a Charbroil gas grille.

I also have a Charbroil grill.

I've had it since the summer of 1999. So, it is the very old style cast aluminum box. That thing will never rust out which is why I still have it. I can't begin to tell you how any burner assemblies and grates I have bought for it over the years and it works as well today as the day we bought it. After the third igniter I went to the butane flame stick. I'd be broke by now if I had to keep replacing that thing every other year.

Mrs. j has said for years now, "if you are going to keep that thing you can at least paint it. It used to be a nice green color . Now you can barely tell what color it was originally". I keep telling her, "the inside does the cooking not the outside. It ain't broke so I ain't going to try fixing it".

I've already been told I've probably bought my last car so I might as well have bought my last grill too. :@

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

Michaell said:

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

This cooker looks interesting

Pit Barrel Cooker

jmonroe

roadburner said:

jmonroe said:

Just be sure if you over work it, you wipe off the track dust before having it hooked to the dealer. Not too many street driven cars need multiple rear ends in a year.

jmonroe

I'm at the point where I refuse to buy a performance car from a manufacturer that voids the warranty if if you take the car to the track.

Almost like a carpenter buying a shiny new hammer then telling him, "you can't use it to build houses. Just use it to drive thumb tacks".

jmonroe

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Michaell said:

Solicitation of advice .... my BBQ is in need of replacing.

Looking for input on brands and such.

I'm not looking to spend a ton of money. My current grille is starting to experience spotty heating.

And, I don't need anything huge - usually grilling 3 of whatever.

Thanks in advance!

Get the $2 one at the gas station and a bag of charcoal. Spend the money you saved on better steaks.

If you really want to save some money.......

OR
Staying with cars.......