Early ice is forming on Lake Superior. Oh wait. You're not in the UP anymore, are you! Lucky.
Give me a few years and I'll probably start missing the white stuff again. Snowboard trips are a bit of a drive from here and since my wife's broken leg at Bogus, it's harder to round up skiing companions.
Speaking of "what's the big deal?" in fast food, a friend is in L.A. right now and mentioned that he went to In-N-Out not long after arrival. I asked him if it was as good as the hype. He said that A&W here was better. What a disappointment!
Those of you who follow the CCBA thread know that I went to look at a 2010 CPO Challenger SRT8 yesterday, it was advertised as having the high-zoot Kicker audio system but it turns out it has the base Boston Acoustics system.I was pretty disgusted since I won't settle for a vehicle that isn't equipped the way I want it(see: the M Sport 540i that lacked the CWP or the E46 M3 w/o Xenons). Anyway, I did a bit of research and found that Mopar offers a relatively inexpensive($950) retrofit kit that lets you install the entire Kicker system. In an afternoon.So here's my plan...
The sled has been on the lot since late July; I credit the presence of three pedals and the lack of a hole in the roof- which are major pluses for me. If it is still there on Black Friday I'm making them a take it or leave it offer- and part of the deal will be that they sell me the upgrade kit at dealer cost. If they take it, fine. If not? Well, my latest oil analysis shows the Mazda's engine is in excellent shape after 146k miles- so I'll wait until something else strikes my fancy...
A guy at work has a 392cu in. Challenger with stick. He loves it. I never figured you for a Mopar guy. Good luck.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
What about the folks south of the MASON-DIXON LINE?
It's 86 degrees out and partly cloudy right now. But over the rest of this week, temps are supposed to dip into the low 60's at night and low 70's during the day. A downright cold spell!
I hope you're not wanting sympathy. I keep telling myself that people in Florida have hurricanes and sink holes to deal with.
And there are the little old ladies driving who shouldn't be out driving in the snow. They act like they are so afraid to move their big SUV over 25 mph. They sit at the stop sign and watch you approach and come to complete stop before they will move. They are afraid you might slide through the intersection and into them I guess.
So I end up waiting while they slowly creep across the four-way stop. Why can't they go when they see someone is slowing down to stop on the cross street. They could have been across while I was still slowing down and stopping. Sheeeesh. Do people do that in Florida?
I saw my first "snow bird" this morning as I drove to work in about an inch of snow. That's what we call people who drive like it's still July and fly off into the trees.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Speaking of "what's the big deal?" in fast food, a friend is in L.A. right now and mentioned that he went to In-N-Out not long after arrival. I asked him if it was as good as the hype. He said that A&W here was better. What a disappointment!
When I was in Las Vegas last winter, I could see one from my hotel but never had a chance to try it. I'm going again in a few weeks. Maybe I will give it a try.
I remember when Sonic opened up here in New England. I've been once. It wasn't anything special although my mid-west friends rave over it.
Another thing I noticed is that the sun sets here at 5:40 PM while up in the Northeast, it sets about 30-40 minutes later. We are farther west than Boston and New York and that gives us a later sunset. Also because we are about 1100 miles south we end up with a longer day in winter.
In-N-Out Burgers are outstanding. Greasy, cheesy, etc. I used to order a triple-triple which is a humongous burger. They have Carl's Jr. Out there as well.
Robr, when out in Vegas, you must try See's Candies - especially their chocolates. Best chocolate I ever had. They open a kiosk here at our Boca Mall during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays (Nov-Dec) and again between Valentines Day and Easter. You must try some - you'll love it!
Those of you who follow the CCBA thread know that I went to look at a 2010 CPO Challenger SRT8 yesterday, it was advertised as having the high-zoot Kicker audio system but it turns out it has the base Boston Acoustics system.I was pretty disgusted since I won't settle for a vehicle that isn't equipped the way I want it(see: the M Sport 540i that lacked the CWP or the E46 M3 w/o Xenons). Anyway, I did a bit of research and found that Mopar offers a relatively inexpensive($950) retrofit kit that lets you install the entire Kicker system. In an afternoon.So here's my plan...
The sled has been on the lot since late July; I credit the presence of three pedals and the lack of a hole in the roof- which are major pluses for me. If it is still there on Black Friday I'm making them a take it or leave it offer- and part of the deal will be that they sell me the upgrade kit at dealer cost. If they take it, fine. If not? Well, my latest oil analysis shows the Mazda's engine is in excellent shape after 146k miles- so I'll wait until something else strikes my fancy...
A guy at work has a 392cu in. Challenger with stick. He loves it. I never figured you for a Mopar guy. Good luck.
Well, aside from my hopped-up Monte Carlo I ran in the '70s and '80s I never had a V8 musclecar. If I had the coin I'd go with a Boss 302, but then you are talking at least $10k more. And it's different; in my neck of the woods you see scads of Mustangs and Camaros, but few Challengers- and even fewer SRT8s- especially in Hemi Orange.
Not a fan of Sonic, other than their drink selection. I do try to get to In-N-Out every time I visit my family in California. There are a few Carls Jr here in CO - they are the same as Hardee's back east.
It was a balmy 20F today- a perfect time to replace the bad right front speaker in the Jeep. A friend of mine who runs a car audio store sold me a set of barely used MB Quart 4X6 speakers for next to nothing. Not a tough install, but I couldn't wear gloves due to the small mounting screws and such. I managed to get it hooked up and installed before frostbite set in- now the Wrangler is 100% ready for winter's worst...
Another thing I noticed is that the sun sets here at 5:40 PM while up in the Northeast, it sets about 30-40 minutes later. We are farther west than Boston and New York and that gives us a later sunset. blockquote>
I wondered why it gets dark here so early. I thought the evening would be light longer in the South.
Another thing I noticed is that the sun sets here at 5:40 PM while up in the Northeast, it sets about 30-40 minutes later. We are farther west than Boston and New York and that gives us a later sunset.
We were about as far west as you can get in the Eastern time zone in the UP (west of Chicago) and enjoyed the same late evenings. It was sort of that way in Boise too, but no such luck here. Just past 5:20 pm and it's getting dim fast. I suppose we could move to Newfoundland and be a half hour off and really confused.
Another thing I noticed is that the sun sets here at 5:40 PM while up in the Northeast, it sets about 30-40 minutes later. We are farther west than Boston and New York and that gives us a later sunset. Also because we are about 1100 miles south we end up with a longer day in winter.
I think you meant the opposite. The sun sets in the northeast earlier because we are further east. Our sunset was at 4:19 and it's totally dark in Boston by about 4:35 PM.
As for See's, thanks for the tip. Two seasonal shops just opened in my town and they are available at Lord & Taylor at the local mall year round. I'm not really a candy person but I'll check it out if I come across one of the stores.
People tend to rave about local things when they move away. For instance, I love Dunkin Donuts. Not so much the food, but the coffee. I'd go crazy if I lived anywhere without a DD close by. But in reality, the coffee isn't anything special but it's the coffee I like.
Yes, I misspoke, erred - meant it the way you stated.
Sees Candy is headquartered in the San Franciso area and is distributed throughout the western US. I was amazed to see them set up a kiosk here in Boca a few years ago. They said the reason they keep coming back is because of very brisk sales. They sell more candy at their kiosk here in Boca during the holiday seasons than they do at many of their full sized stores in CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, and UT. I was surprised to hear that. But there are many Californians here, like me, so I guess they have found a niche here.
Took the Explorer in to get some front suspension work and have rear diff fluid changed. Good news, front end is much better. Bad news, back wheels still bind up a bit once in a while. Not putting any more money into it. Told my wife the same and she agreed. Question is, what is next? I do like having an extra vehicle around, but I can get away without one.
In-N-Out Burgers are outstanding. Greasy, cheesy, etc. I used to order a triple-triple which is a humongous burger. They have Carl's Jr. Out there as well.
Robr, when out in Vegas, you must try See's Candies - especially their chocolates. Best chocolate I ever had. They open a kiosk here at our Boca Mall during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays (Nov-Dec) and again between Valentines Day and Easter. You must try some - you'll love it!
Mike-
See's must be expanding quickly. I thought I remembered seeing one in Pittsburgh. I checked their web site and sure enough there they were. Some seasonal and some seem to be permanent.
I did a little nosing around and there are also shops in Maryland, Delaware, and Massachusetts. That's the only zip codes I tried.
There are many things I miss here in Florida that I enjoyed in California. See's Chocolates is one. In-N-Out Burger is another. I used to love Trader Joe's out in Southern California (specialty wines and imported cheeses, caviar, groceries). They just opened 5 Trader Joe's down here in Browatd and Palm Beach Counties. I go to the one in Delray Beach and I just love their stuff.
When I was in California, I missed Dunkin' Donuts (they have Winchells out there) and their great coffee.
Many of these franchises are slowly but surely expanding nationwide.
There's one in the Detroit airport. Unfortunately you can't get to it without a boarding pass. I miss the old days when you could get fresh sourdough bread from San Fran in many airports.
Those reasons you mentioned are why I dig the Challenger. They definitely have a presence on the road (especially in HEMI Orange), you don't see that many to begin with (and even fewer SRT 8 models), I've always dreamed of owning a car with a V8.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
I have owned a lot of cars over the years, but only one V8. a 1970ish Nova. That apparently had a rod knock or some such malady. Did not own that one very long, and never registered it. Almost traded it for an Orange Pinto wagon one of my HS friends had. I do remember the Nova came with a spare hood for some reason that I stashed on the side of my parents house behind the bushes. That was there for a while before my father got tired of it and did something with it!
Yeah, in those days, I swam in the deep end of the crap car pool!
The first was the Pontiac or Buick version of the Nova ... late 70's model. Totaled my '79 Sunbird just a few months before graduating college in 1985 and needed wheels. I think I paid around $1200-1500 for it. It had a 350 but only 7 of the 8 cylinders worked (hey, I was a kid, what did I know?). Sold it for a couple hundred bucks the day I graduated.
Second was a '99 Expedition with the 4.6L. A whopping 210 (or so) HP. Needed every one of them to get that barge around. Wife wanted an SUV, and these were leasing better than the Explorers at the time. I remember gas at or below $1/gal. Nice car, did what we asked of it, downsized to the new for 2002 Explorer at the end of the lease.
The first was the Pontiac or Buick version of the Nova ... late 70's model. Totaled my '79 Sunbird just a few months before graduating college in 1985 and needed wheels. I think I paid around $1200-1500 for it. It had a 350 but only 7 of the 8 cylinders worked (hey, I was a kid, what did I know?). Sold it for a couple hundred bucks the day I graduated.
Second was a '99 Expedition with the 4.6L. A whopping 210 (or so) HP. Needed every one of them to get that barge around. Wife wanted an SUV, and these were leasing better than the Explorers at the time. I remember gas at or below $1/gal. Nice car, did what we asked of it, downsized to the new for 2002 Explorer at the end of the lease.
Through my misspent youth, had plenty of V8s. Had a ratty Mustang track car with a 351 Cleveland. Body looked like hell (we drilled, scraped, tossed every bit of weight we could to get that car light). Fun car, built it with my best HS buddy. He moved away. I told him to take the 'stang with him as I had a family to raise.
Had a 'mid '80s Trans Am. V8 made more noise than power. Bought it used. Thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Road like a brick on wheels. Couldn't be any more unreliable....no wonder the original owner dumped it.
At varying times, as my late parents both gave up their licenses, I came to possess a Lincoln with a V8 (can't kill those things) and a Cadillac STS with a Northstar (wished I could have killed it).
Have had plenty of cars with 6 cyl blown engines. First one was a late '90s Grand Prix with the 3.6 supercharged motor. Considering the general malaise of GM during that period, that was a robust car, and a fun drivetrain. The Grand Prix body was probably the most rigid thing I had ever driven up until that point, and it could get up and scoot with the best of them.
BMW 3.0 twin scroll turbo....very nice. Power is way underated. Put the performance tuning pack from the factory bumping it up 10% for HP ant torque across the board. Again, still way underated. I could run late model muscle cars and embarrass most.
The Supercharged 3.0 V6 in my S4 was great. Not a lot on the road that could beat that unless it said "Boss", "SS" or "Corvette" on it....and even those wouldn't be a challenge if they hadn't been made in the last 5 years. Too bad everything else was so poorly done (DSG trans and Quattro in particular) in that car.
I like these little 4 cyl turbo motors out now. Love the one in my CTS.....almost 300 ft/lb torque and right around 275 HP. No turbo lag. And torque hits low in the rev range.
Although a little down on power, the Lincoln 4 cyl turbo was a nice piece, too.
I like the 4 cyl turbo in the 328i's. But, compared to the Lincoln and the Caddy motors, it sounds "thrashy"....not what you want in a $45K-$50K car.
Surprisingly, I'm only on my 4th v8 right now. I've actually had more turbo engines with 5 in total (one 6-cyl, two 5-cyl, and three 4-cyl).
I have a really hard time picking my favorite engine. I guess, if I put reliability aside, I'd have to award it to the twin-turbo I6 in my 135i. So smooth and powerful throughout the rev range... when it was running right, which wasn't often. That had the best trans, too. That ZF 6-speed is fantastic.
The 4 liter V8 in my Lincoln LS was pretty sweet, actually. Gas mileage was awful, though. Then there was the 2.5 I6 in our e30 325is. I guess I might give that the all-around award. Decent mileage, super smooth, good power given its age, and rock-solid reliable. Quite hampered by the auto trans my wife insists on, but I guess I shouldn't hold that against it.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Best engine? The Nissan V series from the '90s. Because of the joint venture with Ford, my VG was non-interference too. Ford apparently doesn't believe in interference engines.
Mitsubishi was a pioneer (at least in modern times) of the balance shaft principle (1975, Astron "Silent Shaft" engine) and licensed this patent to Porsche, Saab and Fiat.
The V-6 engine is very susceptible to engine vibration (as are any engines with an odd # of cylinder on any one bank), so a balance shaft solves that.
Also large displacement 4 cylinder engines can get "cranky" and may need assistance in this area.
Joe started off telling me unfortunately the repair would not be covered by Audi Canada because a clutch is warranteed for 1 year or 12000 miles.
I thought, that makes their situation even worse. The car has 10K miles, but is 2 years old, so doesn't qualify. Does that mean that a clutch could just naturally wear out over that extra 12 months?
I went on to explain how the car was not abused. I did say I have the parts but they may not tell us much, whether it was wear and tear or a fault with the car it won't really tell us who is at fault. Burned out parts are burned out parts. I said their one year warranty on a clutch is convenient for them, but doesn't take into account it could be a manufaturing defect.
I told him there is a 2% chance we broke the part, so I would pay half (I know that is generous but it is worth it to me to get this overwith, and using the Driver Method of Racionalizing) it will be like paying an extra $500 a year for having an Audi) $1000 plus tax. If that's not acceptable I'll go to CAMVAP where I could win the total amount or even make them buy the car back. I told him I had nothing to lose by going that route, but, a lot to gain.
He said he wouldn't close my file, he will take it higher up, and someone will report back to me.
I checked with my Audi expert, and he says he is unaware of any common factory defect with Audi clutches---which he says are generally rather long-lived.
I have to say, though, that he also asked the question: "Is there a teenager in the house? That's usually the problem".
Without really good evidence, it's hard to get a clutch warrantied. It's always been tough for people to accomplish this.
The problem is that to get the evidence, the car needs to be torn apart, and this puts Audi in a very strong position---by saying "Nope, the clutch wasn't defective..what would you like to do next?" while pointing to your car in a hundred pieces.
Your only move there is to hire a mechanic to come look at the parts---and THEN you run into "The Code of Silence" among the Brotherhood.
It's a hassle no matter how you cut it. I feel you have something coming but I can't think of an easy way for you to get it.
Joe started off telling me unfortunately the repair would not be covered by Audi Canada because a clutch is warranteed for 1 year or 12000 miles.
I thought, that makes their situation even worse. The car has 10K miles, but is 2 years old, so doesn't qualify. Does that mean that a clutch could just naturally wear out over that extra 12 months?
I went on to explain how the car was not abused. I did say I have the parts but they may not tell us much, whether it was wear and tear or a fault with the car it won't really tell us who is at fault. Burned out parts are burned out parts. I said their one year warranty on a clutch is convenient for them, but doesn't take into account it could be a manufaturing defect.
I told him there is a 2% chance we broke the part, so I would pay half (I know that is generous but it is worth it to me to get this overwith, and using the Driver Method of Racionalizing) it will be like paying an extra $500 a year for having an Audi) $1000 plus tax. If that's not acceptable I'll go to CAMVAP where I could win the total amount or even make them buy the car back. I told him I had nothing to lose by going that route, but, a lot to gain.
He said he wouldn't close my file, he will take it higher up, and someone will report back to me.
Driver, it would appear that you need a couple of "paddles" to assist you in directing that boat of yours from "up the creek" to "down the creek!" Even I would give up at this point if the guy from Audi does not get back to you with an answer that is acceptable. Getting on with life, at this point, is much more important than stewing over a clutch that you have already replaced.
I would guess that in a couple of years, you will be faced with the same exact problem - a burned out clutch - because if it happened this time, it will happen again - kind of a "Murphy's Law" approach to stress.
If you are that upset with Audi, and your wife would drive an automatic with paddle shifters, when you get home for the holidays, drop by Mercedes and get her a C300 4MATIC Sedan. It will serve her well and I am sure you can get a great deal on a second car within weeks of your first car - I would offer them invoice and see if they bite. As long as they give you book value or better on your Audi.
If I were you, I would never buy another Audi - After your experiences, I sure won't buy one.
Joe started off telling me unfortunately the repair would not be covered by Audi Canada because a clutch is warranteed for 1 year or 12000 miles.
I thought, that makes their situation even worse. The car has 10K miles, but is 2 years old, so doesn't qualify. Does that mean that a clutch could just naturally wear out over that extra 12 months?
I went on to explain how the car was not abused. I did say I have the parts but they may not tell us much, whether it was wear and tear or a fault with the car it won't really tell us who is at fault. Burned out parts are burned out parts. I said their one year warranty on a clutch is convenient for them, but doesn't take into account it could be a manufaturing defect.
I told him there is a 2% chance we broke the part, so I would pay half (I know that is generous but it is worth it to me to get this overwith, and using the Driver Method of Racionalizing) it will be like paying an extra $500 a year for having an Audi) $1000 plus tax. If that's not acceptable I'll go to CAMVAP where I could win the total amount or even make them buy the car back. I told him I had nothing to lose by going that route, but, a lot to gain.
He said he wouldn't close my file, he will take it higher up, and someone will report back to me.
Driver, it would appear that you need a couple of "paddles" to assist you in directing that boat of yours from "up the creek" to "down the creek!" Even I would give up at this point if the guy from Audi does not get back to you with an answer that is acceptable. Getting on with life, at this point, is much more important than stewing over a clutch that you have already replaced.
I would guess that in a couple of years, you will be faced with the same exact problem - a burned out clutch - because if it happened this time, it will happen again - kind of a "Murphy's Law" approach to stress.
If you are that upset with Audi, and your wife would drive an automatic with paddle shifters, when you get home for the holidays, drop by Mercedes and get her a C300 4MATIC Sedan. It will serve her well and I am sure you can get a great deal on a second car within weeks of your first car - I would offer them invoice and see if they bite. As long as they give you book value or better on your Audi.
If I were you, I would never buy another Audi - After your experiences, I sure won't buy one.
I have to go out now, but I want to reply to you and Mr_S later this afternoon. I agree we will look for another car next time, probably an MB, but I will go to the arbitrator if Audi doesn't pay half...I have nothing to lose and they may have to take the car back if I win.
Also, parts are parts. I don't think examining them means a thing at this point. If the clutch plate didn't return it would show the same wear and tear....I don't think the parts will reveal a thing.
If I were you, I would never buy another Audi - After your experiences, I sure won't buy one.
Mike, you seem to be quickly running out of companies, from whom you could buy your next car. Benz messed up, so it's gone, Audi - no, because what they did to Driver, BMW - some sore memories from the past, can't do that, Lexus - we know the story with your GS, Cadillac - well GM and its ignition switch debacle. Who is left out there?
I understand "broken heart" attitude, when companies don't live up to our expectations for one reason or another. However, the truth is, it's bound to happen, more than once. To me it's never a single bad experience. It has to be more than one, actually a pattern. Grass always looks greener over there, then you move in and suddenly it loses its luster. I think we can read and quote hundreds of horror stories about any of the manufacturers, from Kia and Hyundai to Benz and Porsche. That's why I'm not "brand loyal", I approach each transaction as a new event - there may be predispositions, preferences, or history, but bottom line, in my mind nothing is automatic, good or bad.
Lexus made me a lifelong customer when they stepped up and completely repainted our 2000 LX 470 when it had been out of warranty for several years. It had some slightly faded blotches on the hood. When we got the invoice it showed a cost of $7800. The truck looked like new. We paid nada. No stress or threats on our part, they just looked at the paint and said no problem, that shouldn't happen.
Comments
2000 Totoya Tacoma - $8000
Hard frost here overnight. Brrr.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
For lunch I stopped at a Chik-Fil-A to see what the deal was. It was ok. Nothing to write home about. IMHO, it was a tad salty.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
And I'll have everyone know that truck is a lovely shade of high desert brown.
Well, that was easy ! Thanks steve.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Here is another...sun was in my eyes !
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I remember when Sonic opened up here in New England. I've been once. It wasn't anything special although my mid-west friends rave over it.
2021 Genesis G90
Robr, when out in Vegas, you must try See's Candies - especially their chocolates. Best chocolate I ever had. They open a kiosk here at our Boca Mall during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays (Nov-Dec) and again between Valentines Day and Easter. You must try some - you'll love it!
2021 Genesis G90
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Truck looks great. I think the guy got a steal for $10K !
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
( @houdini1, what @driver100 said).
As for See's, thanks for the tip. Two seasonal shops just opened in my town and they are available at Lord & Taylor at the local mall year round. I'm not really a candy person but I'll check it out if I come across one of the stores.
People tend to rave about local things when they move away. For instance, I love Dunkin Donuts. Not so much the food, but the coffee. I'd go crazy if I lived anywhere without a DD close by. But in reality, the coffee isn't anything special but it's the coffee I like.
Yes, I misspoke, erred - meant it the way you stated.
Sees Candy is headquartered in the San Franciso area and is distributed throughout the western US. I was amazed to see them set up a kiosk here in Boca a few years ago. They said the reason they keep coming back is because of very brisk sales. They sell more candy at their kiosk here in Boca during the holiday seasons than they do at many of their full sized stores in CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, and UT. I was surprised to hear that. But there are many Californians here, like me, so I guess they have found a niche here.
2021 Genesis G90
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Good news, front end is much better. Bad news, back wheels still bind up a bit once in a while.
Not putting any more money into it. Told my wife the same and she agreed.
Question is, what is next? I do like having an extra vehicle around, but I can get away without one.
See's must be expanding quickly. I thought I remembered seeing one in Pittsburgh. I checked their web site and sure enough there they were. Some seasonal and some seem to be permanent.
I did a little nosing around and there are also shops in Maryland, Delaware, and Massachusetts. That's the only zip codes I tried.
Who knew?
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
There are many things I miss here in Florida that I enjoyed in California. See's Chocolates is one. In-N-Out Burger is another. I used to love Trader Joe's out in Southern California (specialty wines and imported cheeses, caviar, groceries). They just opened 5 Trader Joe's down here in Browatd and Palm Beach Counties. I go to the one in Delray Beach and I just love their stuff.
When I was in California, I missed Dunkin' Donuts (they have Winchells out there) and their great coffee.
Many of these franchises are slowly but surely expanding nationwide.
2021 Genesis G90
Those reasons you mentioned are why I dig the Challenger. They definitely have a presence on the road (especially in HEMI Orange), you don't see that many to begin with (and even fewer SRT 8 models), I've always dreamed of owning a car with a V8.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
I like Car and Driver's summary from their July 2008 test:
Highs:
The thrusty 6.1 powerhouse, the purposeful highway stride, the crowd that gathers.
Lows:
How’s my driving? In Hemi Orange, everybody knows.
Verdict:
The strutting ’70s showoff, gone for 35 years, is back with a slick new act.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Yeah, in those days, I swam in the deep end of the crap car pool!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The first was the Pontiac or Buick version of the Nova ... late 70's model. Totaled my '79 Sunbird just a few months before graduating college in 1985 and needed wheels. I think I paid around $1200-1500 for it. It had a 350 but only 7 of the 8 cylinders worked (hey, I was a kid, what did I know?). Sold it for a couple hundred bucks the day I graduated.
Second was a '99 Expedition with the 4.6L. A whopping 210 (or so) HP. Needed every one of them to get that barge around. Wife wanted an SUV, and these were leasing better than the Explorers at the time. I remember gas at or below $1/gal. Nice car, did what we asked of it, downsized to the new for 2002 Explorer at the end of the lease.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Had a 'mid '80s Trans Am. V8 made more noise than power. Bought it used. Thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Road like a brick on wheels. Couldn't be any more unreliable....no wonder the original owner dumped it.
At varying times, as my late parents both gave up their licenses, I came to possess a Lincoln with a V8 (can't kill those things) and a Cadillac STS with a Northstar (wished I could have killed it).
Have had plenty of cars with 6 cyl blown engines. First one was a late '90s Grand Prix with the 3.6 supercharged motor. Considering the general malaise of GM during that period, that was a robust car, and a fun drivetrain. The Grand Prix body was probably the most rigid thing I had ever driven up until that point, and it could get up and scoot with the best of them.
BMW 3.0 twin scroll turbo....very nice. Power is way underated. Put the performance tuning pack from the factory bumping it up 10% for HP ant torque across the board. Again, still way underated. I could run late model muscle cars and embarrass most.
The Supercharged 3.0 V6 in my S4 was great. Not a lot on the road that could beat that unless it said "Boss", "SS" or "Corvette" on it....and even those wouldn't be a challenge if they hadn't been made in the last 5 years. Too bad everything else was so poorly done (DSG trans and Quattro in particular) in that car.
I like these little 4 cyl turbo motors out now. Love the one in my CTS.....almost 300 ft/lb torque and right around 275 HP. No turbo lag. And torque hits low in the rev range.
Although a little down on power, the Lincoln 4 cyl turbo was a nice piece, too.
I like the 4 cyl turbo in the 328i's. But, compared to the Lincoln and the Caddy motors, it sounds "thrashy"....not what you want in a $45K-$50K car.
I have a really hard time picking my favorite engine. I guess, if I put reliability aside, I'd have to award it to the twin-turbo I6 in my 135i. So smooth and powerful throughout the rev range... when it was running right, which wasn't often. That had the best trans, too. That ZF 6-speed is fantastic.
The 4 liter V8 in my Lincoln LS was pretty sweet, actually. Gas mileage was awful, though. Then there was the 2.5 I6 in our e30 325is. I guess I might give that the all-around award. Decent mileage, super smooth, good power given its age, and rock-solid reliable. Quite hampered by the auto trans my wife insists on, but I guess I shouldn't hold that against it.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Best engine? The Nissan V series from the '90s. Because of the joint venture with Ford, my VG was non-interference too. Ford apparently doesn't believe in interference engines.
Smoothest engine I ever had is in that red car pictured above. Like butter.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The V-6 engine is very susceptible to engine vibration (as are any engines with an odd # of cylinder on any one bank), so a balance shaft solves that.
Also large displacement 4 cylinder engines can get "cranky" and may need assistance in this area.
Joe started off telling me unfortunately the repair would not be covered by Audi Canada because a clutch is warranteed for 1 year or 12000 miles.
I thought, that makes their situation even worse. The car has 10K miles, but is 2 years old, so doesn't qualify. Does that mean that a clutch could just naturally wear out over that extra 12 months?
I went on to explain how the car was not abused. I did say I have the parts but they may not tell us much, whether it was wear and tear or a fault with the car it won't really tell us who is at fault. Burned out parts are burned out parts. I said their one year warranty on a clutch is convenient for them, but doesn't take into account it could be a manufaturing defect.
I told him there is a 2% chance we broke the part, so I would pay half (I know that is generous but it is worth it to me to get this overwith, and using the Driver Method of Racionalizing) it will be like paying an extra $500 a year for having an Audi) $1000 plus tax. If that's not acceptable I'll go to CAMVAP where I could win the total amount or even make them buy the car back. I told him I had nothing to lose by going that route, but, a lot to gain.
He said he wouldn't close my file, he will take it higher up, and someone will report back to me.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I have to say, though, that he also asked the question: "Is there a teenager in the house? That's usually the problem".
Without really good evidence, it's hard to get a clutch warrantied. It's always been tough for people to accomplish this.
The problem is that to get the evidence, the car needs to be torn apart, and this puts Audi in a very strong position---by saying "Nope, the clutch wasn't defective..what would you like to do next?" while pointing to your car in a hundred pieces.
Your only move there is to hire a mechanic to come look at the parts---and THEN you run into "The Code of Silence" among the Brotherhood.
It's a hassle no matter how you cut it. I feel you have something coming but I can't think of an easy way for you to get it.
I would guess that in a couple of years, you will be faced with the same exact problem - a burned out clutch - because if it happened this time, it will happen again - kind of a "Murphy's Law" approach to stress.
If you are that upset with Audi, and your wife would drive an automatic with paddle shifters, when you get home for the holidays, drop by Mercedes and get her a C300 4MATIC Sedan. It will serve her well and I am sure you can get a great deal on a second car within weeks of your first car - I would offer them invoice and see if they bite. As long as they give you book value or better on your Audi.
If I were you, I would never buy another Audi - After your experiences, I sure won't buy one.
2021 Genesis G90
Also, parts are parts. I don't think examining them means a thing at this point. If the clutch plate didn't return it would show the same wear and tear....I don't think the parts will reveal a thing.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I understand "broken heart" attitude, when companies don't live up to our expectations for one reason or another. However, the truth is, it's bound to happen, more than once. To me it's never a single bad experience. It has to be more than one, actually a pattern. Grass always looks greener over there, then you move in and suddenly it loses its luster. I think we can read and quote hundreds of horror stories about any of the manufacturers, from Kia and Hyundai to Benz and Porsche. That's why I'm not "brand loyal", I approach each transaction as a new event - there may be predispositions, preferences, or history, but bottom line, in my mind nothing is automatic, good or bad.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Lexus made me a lifelong customer when they stepped up and completely repainted our 2000 LX 470 when it had been out of warranty for several years. It had some slightly faded blotches on the hood. When we got the invoice it showed a cost of $7800. The truck looked like new. We paid nada. No stress or threats on our part, they just looked at the paint and said no problem, that shouldn't happen.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460