Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

cdnpinhead

You gotta love a huge vehicle to put up with such stuff.

Different strokes. . .

ab348

oldfarmer50 said:

I was going to post something but this site is getting so glitchy it's hardly worth it any more. Sometimes when I hit the quote button I'm taken to an advertisement or Edmunds loan calculators or some other unrelated page. Occasionally after I post I can't post again without removing the first post which stays stuck in the posting box. Sometimes typed letters are missing from the middle of words making me look drunk or stupid. (no cracks jmonroe).

What's going on?

I haven't seen that on my PC using Firefox. It is a bit more challenging on the iPad but most things are.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

I was going to post something but this site is getting so glitchy it's hardly worth it any more. Sometimes when I hit the quote button I'm taken to an advertisement or Edmunds loan calculators or some other unrelated page. Occasionally after I post I can't post again without removing the first post which stays stuck in the posting box. Sometimes typed letters are missing from the middle of words making me look drunk or stupid. (no cracks jmonroe).

What's going on?

Time for a new computer oldfarmer. What are you using....Windows 7?
I get a few glitches, usually missing quotation shading...but, other than that, no major gremlins. Occasionally a grammatical or spelling error.......usually a Canada/USA related problem!

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

andres3 said:

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:

A little more information RE Lost Key;

The key has a chip matched to the Toyota van's internal electronics and any replacement would have to be programmed with a code at the original dealership. They are offering a $500 reward for anyone who finds and returns the lost keys.

The Higgens family told All Points West guest host Richard Zussman that they had just bought the car a few weeks before and were only given the one key.

"There is so much technology in this car that we were unaware of because this is the newest car that we've ever owned," Maria said. "We just did not know how critical this master RFID chip key was."

Toyota Canada confirmed that they could not cut a copy of the key for the Higgens because the 15-year-old vehicle was imported and not intended for the North American market so they do not have the necessary technology.

Yeh, why would someone export the car to here, why would you buy a car and not get a duplicate key made right away? One reason I don't like one of a kind cars.

So, sounds like this is a case of someone who got a "deal" on a grey market vehicle. Deal isn't looking so good right about now.

This happens in the audio electronics world all the time. Someone finds a "deal" on an amplifier or other piece of gear. It happens to be meant for a different part of the world. Something goes sideways with it and they find out no one will fix it for them (or can, but charges an onerous fee).

I have a new policy regarding receivers and amps. Never pay to have them fixed. First, buy brands that have quality and reliability built-in, and secondly, if it breaks in some way, sell it as-is. I made the mistake of repairing a high-end Harmon Kardon receiver so that I could sell it for top-dollar. Granted, I let it sit for a very long time, but I tested it, and everything worked, and sold it. The buyer got it, and within 10 minutes reported that a channel of the amp went out (different problem than originally fixed by the repair shop; so couldn't blame them). Although I sold it as-is, my personal honor would have required the thing to work as advertised for 24-48 hours at least. Since it broke within minutes of being tested, I had to ante up.

Ended up paying in the two repairs what I sold it for. Broke even. The good thing was that the buyer took it back, and was glad I "warrantied" it for him.

I sell most of my used electronics gear on Ebay. I make a point of telling the buyer that I strongly suggest getting insurance as, even though I can guarantee that it worked when it left my hands, there are NO GUARANTEES it will work once FedEx or UPS gets done with it. And, if there are issues, it will be because of shipping, not any malfeasance on my end. It's used equipment, any thing can go wrong.

That said, I have a whole closet full of equipment that I plan on "getting around to using" some day. Most of the manufacturers are no longer in business. Just had to move a "heavy as a wheelbarrel of bricks B&K amp this a.m. to get at another piece of gear I'm repurposing.

That's why I'm reluctant to sell a car to someone I know. If something breaks they'll assume you scammed them. With this recent sale I provided every repair record and was honest about every defect to a fault. Mostly he didn't care. I told him he could go out on the highway and pound on it but he declined. Easiest sale I ever made.

I was so confident in my '03 Honda Accord at 65,000 miles that I offered my brother in law a 100,000 mile warranty free of charge. And I was offering to sell at a price $250 below what I actually sold it for 5 months later. He was the cause of 3 of those 5 months of delay in selling it, as he claimed he was gonna buy it from me, but backed out. Terrible decision on his part if you ask me. Made no sense, but someone may have convinced him a new car would be more reliable and/or cheaper than a used car (of course we all know the latter is highly unlikely).

explorerx4

I put my F150 extended cab in the garage once, just to see if it would fit.
One of my garage bays is plenty deep enough, but I built some 2 foot deep shelves(great place to lose stuff) and there are 2 bicycles in front of the shelves. If I removed one of the bikes it would just fit.
It's an outside dog.

stickguy

I already know that if I get a PU, it will be parked in the driveway. On the plus side, that leaves my side of the garage open for a toy. And pretty sure if I got a truck, I would need a car to go along with it!

explorerx4

@stickguy,
I have a sedan(Fusion) in addition to the truck.
My daughter drove the car today and said she felt like she was driving a rental car because I don't keep a lot of stuff in it.
'Your console storage was completely empty'.

pensfan83

How do you like your Fusion? I am test driving a Fusion Sport on Friday.

abacomike

andres3 said:

A little more information RE Lost Key;

The key has a chip matched to the Toyota van's internal electronics and any replacement would have to be programmed with a code at the original dealership. They are offering a $500 reward for anyone who finds and returns the lost keys.

The Higgens family told All Points West guest host Richard Zussman that they had just bought the car a few weeks before and were only given the one key.

"There is so much technology in this car that we were unaware of because this is the newest car that we've ever owned," Maria said. "We just did not know how critical this master RFID chip key was."

Toyota Canada confirmed that they could not cut a copy of the key for the Higgens because the 15-year-old vehicle was imported and not intended for the North American market so they do not have the necessary technology.

Yeh, why would someone export the car to here, why would you buy a car and not get a duplicate key made right away? One reason I don't like one of a kind cars.

So, sounds like this is a case of someone who got a "deal" on a grey market vehicle. Deal isn't looking so good right about now.

This happens in the audio electronics world all the time. Someone finds a "deal" on an amplifier or other piece of gear. It happens to be meant for a different part of the world. Something goes sideways with it and they find out no one will fix it for them (or can, but charges an onerous fee).

I have a new policy regarding receivers and amps. Never pay to have them fixed. First, buy brands that have quality and reliability built-in, and secondly, if it breaks in some way, sell it as-is. I made the mistake of repairing a high-end Harmon Kardon receiver so that I could sell it for top-dollar. Granted, I let it sit for a very long time, but I tested it, and everything worked, and sold it. The buyer got it, and within 10 minutes reported that a channel of the amp went out (different problem than originally fixed by the repair shop; so couldn't blame them). Although I sold it as-is, my personal honor would have required the thing to work as advertised for 24-48 hours at least. Since it broke within minutes of being tested, I had to ante up.

Ended up paying in the two repairs what I sold it for. Broke even. The good thing was that the buyer took it back, and was glad I "warrantied" it for him.

I sell most of my used electronics gear on Ebay. I make a point of telling the buyer that I strongly suggest getting insurance as, even though I can guarantee that it worked when it left my hands, there are NO GUARANTEES it will work once FedEx or UPS gets done with it. And, if there are issues, it will be because of shipping, not any malfeasance on my end. It's used equipment, any thing can go wrong.

That said, I have a whole closet full of equipment that I plan on "getting around to using" some day. Most of the manufacturers are no longer in business. Just had to move a "heavy as a wheelbarrel of bricks B&K amp this a.m. to get at another piece of gear I'm repurposing.

That's why I'm reluctant to sell a car to someone I know. If something breaks they'll assume you scammed them. With this recent sale I provided every repair record and was honest about every defect to a fault. Mostly he didn't care. I told him he could go out on the highway and pound on it but he declined. Easiest sale I ever made.

I was so confident in my '03 Honda Accord at 65,000 miles that I offered my brother in law a 100,000 mile warranty free of charge. And I was offering to sell at a price $250 below what I actually sold it for 5 months later. He was the cause of 3 of those 5 months of delay in selling it, as he claimed he was gonna buy it from me, but backed out. Terrible decision on his part if you ask me. Made no sense, but someone may have convinced him a new car would be more reliable and/or cheaper than a used car (of course we all know the latter is highly unlikely).

That's what happens when you try to deal with "family" when trading or selling anything.  Ask driver about his experiences with his SIL.  Big mistake!

roadburner

BMW of Cincinnati North hosted the monthly Buckeye Chapter meeting tonight so my son and I took the 2 Series up to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a while. The dealer provided a nice very meal along with test drives and shirts and hats for all participants. On the way back I averaged 69 mph and the car returned 32.6 mpg. Not bad...

murphydog

fordfool said:

murphydog said:

Garage test



That is about 1 inch between the bumper and the door

When I get a new car I center it in the garage (left-right and front-back), then climb
up to the garage rafters and adjust a tennis ball on a string so that the ball just
touches the windshield where the rear view mirror is attached. There after when
entering the garage I line up on the tennis ball and stop when it touches the
windshield. Eazy-peazey. People ask about the tennis ball, usually assuming
that it's a pet toy.

I am going to take a look at doing that - though the backup camera is pretty sharp. I may just try a few times using it alone - if It works I may skip the tennis ball.

No doubt it is big, and I live in the city, so just getting into my driveway can be a challenge. However since I van pool to and from work I will be driving this beast when I want to and to places it will be worth driving. Wife and I are heading out to Hurricane Ridge this weekend, going to check on the changes to the Elwha River now that both dams have been removed.
https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-elwha.htm

driver100

explorerx4 said:

I put my F150 extended cab in the garage once, just to see if it would fit.
One of my garage bays is plenty deep enough, but I built some 2 foot deep shelves(great place to lose stuff) and there are 2 bicycles in front of the shelves. If I removed one of the bikes it would just fit.
It's an outside dog.

$100 bike gets stored in the garage.......$50000 truck is parked outside

graphicguy

roadburner said:

BMW of Cincinnati North hosted the monthly Buckeye Chapter meeting tonight so my son and I took the 2 Series up to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a while. The dealer provided a nice very meal along with test drives and shirts and hats for all participants. On the way back I averaged 69 mph and the car returned 32.6 mpg. Not bad...

They still send me invites, even though I haven't had a BMW in quite some time. I keep up my membership just for the discount offered if (who am I kidding, WHEN) I buy another BMW. If I'd known you were going to be there RB, I would have come to the event.

driver100

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

BMW of Cincinnati North hosted the monthly Buckeye Chapter meeting tonight so my son and I took the 2 Series up to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a while. The dealer provided a nice very meal along with test drives and shirts and hats for all participants. On the way back I averaged 69 mph and the car returned 32.6 mpg. Not bad...

They still send me invites, even though I haven't had a BMW in quite some time. I keep up my membership just for the discount offered if (who am I kidding, WHEN) I buy another BMW. If I'd known you were going to be there RB, I would have come to the event.

GG, Give us an update on how the TLX is working out. Comparisons to the Infinity and CTS would be interesting.

driver100

abacomike said:

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

andres3 said:

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:

A little more information RE Lost Key;



The key has a chip matched to the Toyota van's internal electronics and any replacement would have to be programmed with a code at the original dealership. They are offering a $500 reward for anyone who finds and returns the lost keys.



The Higgens family told All Points West guest host Richard Zussman that they had just bought the car a few weeks before and were only given the one key.



"There is so much technology in this car that we were unaware of because this is the newest car that we've ever owned," Maria said. "We just did not know how critical this master RFID chip key was."



Toyota Canada confirmed that they could not cut a copy of the key for the Higgens because the 15-year-old vehicle was imported and not intended for the North American market so they do not have the necessary technology.



Yeh, why would someone export the car to here, why would you buy a car and not get a duplicate key made right away? One reason I don't like one of a kind cars.

So, sounds like this is a case of someone who got a "deal" on a grey market vehicle. Deal isn't looking so good right about now.



This happens in the audio electronics world all the time. Someone finds a "deal" on an amplifier or other piece of gear. It happens to be meant for a different part of the world. Something goes sideways with it and they find out no one will fix it for them (or can, but charges an onerous fee).

I have a new policy regarding receivers and amps. Never pay to have them fixed. First, buy brands that have quality and reliability built-in, and secondly, if it breaks in some way, sell it as-is. I made the mistake of repairing a high-end Harmon Kardon receiver so that I could sell it for top-dollar. Granted, I let it sit for a very long time, but I tested it, and everything worked, and sold it. The buyer got it, and within 10 minutes reported that a channel of the amp went out (different problem than originally fixed by the repair shop; so couldn't blame them). Although I sold it as-is, my personal honor would have required the thing to work as advertised for 24-48 hours at least. Since it broke within minutes of being tested, I had to ante up.



Ended up paying in the two repairs what I sold it for. Broke even. The good thing was that the buyer took it back, and was glad I "warrantied" it for him.

I sell most of my used electronics gear on Ebay. I make a point of telling the buyer that I strongly suggest getting insurance as, even though I can guarantee that it worked when it left my hands, there are NO GUARANTEES it will work once FedEx or UPS gets done with it. And, if there are issues, it will be because of shipping, not any malfeasance on my end. It's used equipment, any thing can go wrong.



That said, I have a whole closet full of equipment that I plan on "getting around to using" some day. Most of the manufacturers are no longer in business. Just had to move a "heavy as a wheelbarrel of bricks B&K amp this a.m. to get at another piece of gear I'm repurposing.

That's why I'm reluctant to sell a car to someone I know. If something breaks they'll assume you scammed them. With this recent sale I provided every repair record and was honest about every defect to a fault. Mostly he didn't care. I told him he could go out on the highway and pound on it but he declined. Easiest sale I ever made.

I was so confident in my '03 Honda Accord at 65,000 miles that I offered my brother in law a 100,000 mile warranty free of charge. And I was offering to sell at a price $250 below what I actually sold it for 5 months later. He was the cause of 3 of those 5 months of delay in selling it, as he claimed he was gonna buy it from me, but backed out. Terrible decision on his part if you ask me. Made no sense, but someone may have convinced him a new car would be more reliable and/or cheaper than a used car (of course we all know the latter is highly unlikely).

That's what happens when you try to deal with "family" when trading or selling anything.  Ask driver about his experiences with his SIL.  Big mistake!

Big mistake. But I did trade it in and made it clear the SIL was buying it from the dealer - not from me. Even then, I still don't like it because if there is a problem I will still be blamed. To cover myself I say, you can buy my car through the dealer....I would prefer you buy another car, but, if you do buy my trade-in, I take absolutely no responsibility for what happens. If it was my SIL I would have him sign a legal document.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Comparisons to the Infinity and CTS would be interesting.

For the inquiring minds among us, the CTS that GG had is now owned by General Motors LLC and titled in Franklin County (Columbus Metro), Ohio. It is marked as a buyback on the title. It's been a few months since the buyback occurred, but this title was issued on May 18. So I'm inferring the processing took this long?

stickguy

Wonder if it got fixed yet?

driver100

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Comparisons to the Infinity and CTS would be interesting.

For the inquiring minds among us, the CTS that GG had is now owned by General Motors LLC and titled in Franklin County (Columbus Metro), Ohio. It is marked as a buyback on the title. It's been a few months since the buyback occurred, but this title was issued on May 18. So I'm inferring the processing took this long?

Is it registered to Mary Barra? (highest paid auto CEO $18 million a year)

Seriously, I wonder who will end up with it though?

stickguy

Someone will get a good deal. Could be fine if they finally fixed it correctly.

ab348

stickguy said:

Wonder if it got fixed yet?

IIRC correctly it was fixed.

Mr_Shiftright

carnaught said:

That C "pillar" is a nightmare. So is the rear visibility.

How clever--they create a problem with the styling, then sell you various camera packages to solve it!

graphicguy

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

Wonder if it got fixed yet?

IIRC correctly it was fixed.

Not really. They did a rush job (if you can call 3-4 months a rush job) at the end to get it back to me. There were several other issues with it as a result of "the fix" that I did report but am unsure whether they were ever fixed. They did a lot of re-routing, not only of wiring, but other components, too. Plus, pulling the drivetrain out of it, and replacing it, there were a lot of untoward sounds and handling issues that needed to be addressed (at least one of the shocks was leaking significantly).

I can tell you if they did no more to it after I reported everything, even after "the fix", they'll have a hard time selling it...even with a "buyback" title. The issues will become readily apparent on a test drive.

IMID...thanks for the detective work. Wonder if a dealer in Columbus has it? Obviously, the selling dealer wanted no part of it so they let it go back to GM.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

I was going to post something but this site is getting so glitchy it's hardly worth it any more. Sometimes when I hit the quote button I'm taken to an advertisement or Edmunds loan calculators or some other unrelated page. Occasionally after I post I can't post again without removing the first post which stays stuck in the posting box. Sometimes typed letters are missing from the middle of words making me look drunk or stupid. (no cracks jmonroe).

What's going on?

Far be it from me to call anyone drunk or stupid after I couldn't see a C350 from a C550 on the back of a MB at the Dunkin Doughnuts shop a while back.

But since I'm in here, I'm thinking you may have opted for the hooptie version of the Edmunds subscription to this site vs. the premium package that the rest of us have.

Satisfied now?

jmonroe

explorerx4

Well, they are my wife's bicycles. One of them is pretty nice, carbon fiber. Weighs next to nothing.
I only paid about 40k for the truck, so outside it sits.

@murphydog,
One thing about backup cameras is that they get dirty.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

BMW of Cincinnati North hosted the monthly Buckeye Chapter meeting tonight so my son and I took the 2 Series up to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a while. The dealer provided a nice very meal along with test drives and shirts and hats for all participants. On the way back I averaged 69 mph and the car returned 32.6 mpg. Not bad...

They still send me invites, even though I haven't had a BMW in quite some time. I keep up my membership just for the discount offered if (who am I kidding, WHEN) I buy another BMW. If I'd known you were going to be there RB, I would have come to the event.

GG, Give us an update on how the TLX is working out. Comparisons to the Infinity and CTS would be interesting.

I spotted a very rare Acura TLX today. I'm assuming it was new or newer. Very nice looking from the rear.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I was going to post something but this site is getting so glitchy it's hardly worth it any more. Sometimes when I hit the quote button I'm taken to an advertisement or Edmunds loan calculators or some other unrelated page. Occasionally after I post I can't post again without removing the first post which stays stuck in the posting box. Sometimes typed letters are missing from the middle of words making me look drunk or stupid. (no cracks jmonroe).

What's going on?

Far be it from me to call anyone drunk or stupid after I couldn't see a C350 from a C550 on the back of a MB at the Dunkin Doughnuts shop a while back.

But since I'm in here, I'm thinking you may have opted for the hooptie version of the Edmunds subscription to this site vs. the premium package that the rest of us have.

Satisfied now?

jmonroe

Thanks for explaining it to me.

ab348

explorerx4 said:

Well, they are my wife's bicycles. One of them is pretty nice, carbon fiber. Weighs next to nothing.
I only paid about 40k for the truck, so outside it sits.

@murphydog,
One thing about backup cameras is that they get dirty.

Only if you don't clean them.

tbirdmarco

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

abacomike

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

carnaught

abacomike said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

@abacomike, glad, at least, you had a big comfortable car for a very challenging trip, and that you're home safe and sound.

abacomike

carnaught said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

@abacomike, glad, at least, you had a big comfortable car for a very challenging trip, and that you're home safe and sound.

You are correct!  With almost any compact car, it would have been suicide to drive in that rain.

driver100

abacomike said:

 

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

I thought that car had an automatic bathroom....just wave your hand and..............

Maybe you didn't get that far in the manual!

(just joking, but a 6+ hour drive is a lot more tiring than 4+ hours. Glad to hear you are back, safe and sound.....and dry)

Might have to consider wearing depends for long drives in Florida, anything can happen.

driver100

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

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

The part about the 2018 Sonata was just 90 seconds long. Lots of features and changes that really make this a classy looking car. I have been impressed with Sonata rentals I have had........fairly basic driving but excellent value for the money.

Followed by a 30 second segment on how Mazda is trying to make nicer dealerships......something to try to sell more cars. Not sure why the masses buy Toyotas, but don't take to Mazdas nearly as much. Any theories?

berri

Aba - at your age and condition you should probably always have one of those large size plastic cups from McDonalds or wherever with a lid in your car. Relief while minimizing collateral damage

qbrozen

driver100 said:

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

The part about the 2018 Sonata was just 90 seconds long. Lots of features and changes that really make this a classy looking car. I have been impressed with Sonata rentals I have had........fairly basic driving but excellent value for the money.

Followed by a 30 second segment on how Mazda is trying to make nicer dealerships......something to try to sell more cars. Not sure why the masses buy Toyotas, but don't take to Mazdas nearly as much. Any theories?

Because Mazda tries to cater to the car enthusiast, but few of those people are interested in a FWD economy car. They picked a niche and are largely sticking with it, which means limited sales.

stickguy

nice job on the 2018 Sonata. I was already going to look at the new Camry and Accord. Might as well look at this too. Heck, go with the turbo, and it will be like a whole new car!

berri

Wonder if they are also updating the Kia Optima?

stickguy

most likely, but could be a year off.

stickguy

interesting. I read through the website on it, and they did a better job with model optioning. The sport 2.0T actually has exactly the stuff I would want. Looks like an Elantra sport, with a lot more goodies on it. MoonRoof included. Supposed to be out in the summer. Will be interesting come year end, how aggressive they would be on a lease for a returnee (that is worth a good $900 between waiving the turn in fee, and getting the current lease credit).

If I am going to get a new lease anyway, might as get one with some power and a nice set of goodies.

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/2018-sonata/index.aspx

Michaell

abacomike said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

Glad you're home safely. Could you have found a place to pull over and rest while it was raining?

driver100

Michaell said:

abacomike said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

Glad you're home safely. Could you have found a place to pull over and rest while it was raining?

Probably a choice of over 20 casinos on that stretch of road. Miccosukee Resort & Gaming has a steak and lobster dinner for $9.99, includes salad and chocolate cake!

bwia

Sounds like you day today? welcome to the club.

bwia

oops!

abacomike

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

Glad you're home safely. Could you have found a place to pull over and rest while it was raining?

Probably a choice of over 20 casinos on that stretch of road. Miccosukee Resort & Gaming has a steak and lobster dinner for $9.99, includes salad and chocolate cake!

 Not on the east coast!  There's nothing in Titusville except for something they call "historic Titusville" - whatever that means!  

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

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

The part about the 2018 Sonata was just 90 seconds long. Lots of features and changes that really make this a classy looking car. I have been impressed with Sonata rentals I have had........fairly basic driving but excellent value for the money.



Followed by a 30 second segment on how Mazda is trying to make nicer dealerships......something to try to sell more cars. Not sure why the masses buy Toyotas, but don't take to Mazdas nearly as much. Any theories?

Because Mazda tries to cater to the car enthusiast, but few of those people are interested in a FWD economy car. They picked a niche and are largely sticking with it, which means limited sales.

Have to wonder what kind of enthusiast they are going for. They did away with the 3.7L V6 in the Mazda 6.

My BIL was a big Mazda fan but switch to Nissan when he felt they weren't competitive in horsepower.

imidazol97

The new Sonata looks like a better appearing Fusion front end than the Fusion has. The rear looks like it is related to the Malibu, somewhat uninsulting to the eyes.

fintail

Is that Sonata really a "redesign", or a facelift? Looks like the same car with a Jag/Ford-ish front end, and some rear end updates.

graphicguy

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

BMW of Cincinnati North hosted the monthly Buckeye Chapter meeting tonight so my son and I took the 2 Series up to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a while. The dealer provided a nice very meal along with test drives and shirts and hats for all participants. On the way back I averaged 69 mph and the car returned 32.6 mpg. Not bad...

They still send me invites, even though I haven't had a BMW in quite some time. I keep up my membership just for the discount offered if (who am I kidding, WHEN) I buy another BMW. If I'd known you were going to be there RB, I would have come to the event.

GG, Give us an update on how the TLX is working out. Comparisons to the Infinity and CTS would be interesting.

Driver.....TLX and Acura's philosophy in general is different from the Infiniti and the CTS. Not sure about the other TLX models, but my ASpec has a firmer ride (not harsh, just firmer) than the Q50 and the CTS. Handling is better, too. Given the CTS's handling prowess, that's saying something. I think that's where the torque vectoring comes in. Mentioned before, the TLX eats up corners and I'd be hard pressed to get it in the weeds.

CTS handled well, but once the tires gave up, it was abrupt and things got sideways quickly. Not sure, but the TLX had 19" tires and the CTS and Q50 had 18". Maybe that had something to do with it. Q50 was more predictable, but didn't have as high of limits as the TLX, nor the CTS.

RIDE...mentioned the TLX has a firm ride. Not uncomfortable at all, though. Part of that has to do with the seats. They are among the most comfortable in any car I've ever owned with nice bostering and really up scale leather. The CTS had leather, but little side bolstering. The Q50 had nice vinyl seats, but most of the bolsetering was on the bottom cushion and didn't have much even there.

BRAKES....all had exemplary brakes.

Drivetrain and transmissions....Q50 had a 7-speed, CTS had an 8-speed, TLX has a 9-speed. Q50 was smooth. Probably a low 5 second 0-60 time. The engine, twin turbo 3.0 V6, had so much torque down low, it launced easily. That was a hoot. The downside, when the trans kicked down a cog or two, the turbos spooled quickly and things could get a little hairy, especially in the rain. Other than that, Infiniti has a worthy successor to the great 3.7L V6. The 3.0 is smooth, has plenty of power, and was relatively frugal.

The CTS had a 2.0L turbo 4. Good low end torque. Ran out of steam quickly. High 5 second-low 6 second 0-60 time. Having had V6 loaners, the 8-speed did better with the 6 than the 4. In the 4, again a couple of kickdown cogs caused things to go sideways pretty quickly. Other than that, the CTS trans did not shift as smoothly as either the Q50 or the TLX. The trans headed to higher gears quickly. It would then kick down a couple of gears when floored, causing jerkiness. More of an issue being in a smaller motor than anything else. V6s are just smoother.

TLX....The 3.5L V6 tied to the 9-speed is a good coupling. I had heard this trans was problematic, particularly harsh in the 2-3 and 3-2 shifts. I paid particular attention to it during test drives. Had no issues whatsoever. It shifts smoothly, kicks down quickly, is positive in its engagement. It doesn't hesitate. Where the 3.5L VTECH shines is how smoothly and quickly it gets to the power band. This motor has to be wound out a little to get serious speed going. But, it makes great sounds in doing so. It was the smoothest of the bunch. 0-60 times probably in mid 5s.

CONSUMPTION....just had my first fillup in the TLX. Was pleasantly surprised....all city driving, with me keeping my foot in it stoplight to stoplight, in hilly Cincinnati, on a green engine (it had all of 9 miles on the odometer when I did the test drive) I got 23 MPG. Looking at the service manual, it will probably call for an oil change every 7K-10K miles. My dealer sends out coupons regularly for $50 oil changes, tire rotation and inspection. So, my hope is that it's cheap to maintain, too.

Q50, with a twin turbo, got around 21-22 MPG in the same environment. I hit 30 MPG on an all highway trip with it. Which, I thought was very good, all things considered. Got an oil change in the Q50, but it was covered by the dealership. So, not really sure what oil changes cost. I'd say probably in the $70 range.

CTS....about the same MPG as the TLX, so no complaints there. Oil changes and maintenance were included, so I never came out of pocket for anything.

All were good there.

STEERING....hefty, linear and positive in the TLX. Love the steering wheel..fat...nice leather....feels good. CTS...hefty...positive. A little light in the Q50. Not so much as it bothered me. Just surprised is was as light as it was for what's supposed to be a sports sedan.

BUILD AND QUALITY OF MATERIALS......no complaints in any of these cars. Q50 did not have leather, surprising for a car that stickered for nearly $48K. Build was fine, though...aluminum throughout. CTS....leather, wood and soft touch materials all around. Nice accent lighting. Compared to the Q50 and the TLX, was kind of surprised the switches had rough edges (power windows, control stalks) and felt like they came from a Chevy Sprint. Paint on the CTS was good (white metallic)....right for the price.

Q50 lots of aluminum trim. Shift knob, window switches, steering wheel...all appropriate feel for a sport lux sedan. Paint was fitting for a luxury sport sedan.

TLX has lots of leather (even on the doors) and what they call "brushed metal accents". Not sure what the brushed metal is, but will assume it is aluminum. Nice accent lighting (red) on the doors and dash. Downside is, it's only in red. Suits my car fine since it is Red. Might clash with other colors like Blue, though. Swithches all feel good and suitable upgrade in feel over the Accord. All are finished nicely, too. Notable, body seems and fit, door and trunk shuts....all are some of the best I've ever seen in a car. The door shut reminds me a lot of the Mercedes. Acura paid attention to that detail. Paint it deep, wet looking and rich.

TECH....this is where the TLX wins, hands down. Everything works....like it's supposed to. And, there's a lot of tech going on, too. Apple Car Play, voice recognition, NAV (not really fancy but quite legible and accurate), BLISS, radar cruise, Lane keep assist, power seat thigh extender, etc...all of it, works well....as it always does in Acuras. Voice regognition is excellent, to use with NAV as you can announce an entire address with city and state and it recognizes it. Apple Car Play is something I value, as you can tell. Speak a command for audio, call, map search, etc, it does so correctly and quickly. The ELS stereo is the best factory sound I've heard in any car, at any price.

The Q50 uses Bose stereo, which seems to have come a long way. It played everything from my iPhone. The NAV system would hang on occasion and reboot. And, it was a bit slow (especially compared to the TLX's tech). No radar cruise, though. Not a deal breaker for me, however.

CTS...CUE..love it or hate it, it's there. I personally didn't have the issues others had with it. It was relatively quick. Did what it was supposed to do. But, speech recognition was pretty dismal. I rarely used the car's NAV because it wasn't very accurate, and was difficult to get it to do what you wanted it to do. It was slower than the Q50 and the TLX, too. Bose sounded similar as the system in the Q50. No issues and sounded good.

(TBC....)

graphicguy

(continued)....

VALUE...hands down winner, the TLX. While the TLX won't win in any category (with the exception of seats and stereo), it does everything I care about well...acceleration, handling, braking, quality, etc. And, it does so without any muss or fuss. It has a It stickered for around $45K. Even at that price, it's a lot of car for that kind of money. You could spend a whole lot more and get a whole lot less. I paid a little over $2K less than sticker...essentially getting it for invoice. I understand they have lease support, though. Something I don't do.

Q50...there again, high on the value meter. Would I have paid anything close to sticker (about $47K and change). Nope! But, I paid $37K for it. And, at that price, I feel it was a bargain for what you get. Just a very nice luxury sport sedan. Yeah, Infiniti softened it up vs the G/Q with the 3.7L (seems to be a trend), but it's still a fast, fun car with nice luxury touches throughout.

CTS...y'all know the details there. Not going to bore with any more. At a $57K-$58K sticker, without any HEFTY discounts, probably not going to be on anyone's short list. But, it does look good. And, if you're bound and determined to get one, get the V6. The 2.0L turbo's use in the CTS does not seem to fit well, for a variety of reasons. I like the motor as it's torquey and has a nice growl. But, it really doesn't do justice in a $50K-$60K car.
And, given a choice between it and its competition (E Class, 5 Series, A6, etc), I'd take any of those over the CTS. No knowledge about this but the CTS is getting a little long in the tooth. It needs a redesign....from the bottom up. Not sure about this, but it's probably Cadillac's poorest selling model. Who knows if they'll do an update.

Your mileage may vary!

jmonroe

abacomike said:

Finally got home after a terrible trip from the Jacksonville area.  Southbound I-95 was shut down at Titusville due to a rollover crash of a truck, SUV and a car.  I sat on I-95 for almost 2-hours until I was able exit at the Titusville exit and circumnavigate around the closed area where the accident occurred.  When I got back onto I-95 southbound, the heaviest rains I have ever driven through started and lasted on and off for 2-straight hours.  It was horrible and scary.  I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of my car.

So after over 6-1/2 hours of driving down I-95 on a trip that is usually 4-1/2 hours long, I am exhausted.  

During that tie-up on I-95, I had to use the washroom so badly I could almost taste it.  That's what I call a "real plumbing back-up"!  Ugh!!! 

Glad you made it home safely and without a plumbing leak. That has to be hell for an old man.

Still waiting to hear how Son #1 is doing with his trip. Went to Toronto yesterday at 4 PM during a very heavy rain here for a hockey tournament for his #2 and #3 sons and some sight seeing over the weekend with the teams.

Boy, I don't want to be him when he gets back. He didn't report in as his mother told him to do before he left.

jmonroe