Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

qbrozen

Actually, the Fit seems like a helluva deal. I come up with roughly $185-$190/mo with only first month due at signing. The nearly $11k residual is super inflated. I was offered less than that at carmax when mine was only 18 mos old.

nyccarguy

@oldfarmer50 - they do what they can to get people in the door. Somebody who knows nothing about leasing and just shops the monthly payment walks right into their trap. And like Craig says, those who can't afford the car to begin with have to have leather, navigation...

graphicguy

tjc78 said:

I had the opposite experience of @imidazol97.  The aftermarket (not Safelight, but from a respected independent shop) was flawless in my LaCrosse with HUD.  Tough day Mike.  Hang in there.  

On another note... anyone ever use this stuff?  It's like spray detailer on steroids   No hazing just rub on, rub off.  Did a nice quick job.  It won't replace a good waxing, but for in between creates a nice shine.

Every once in a while I'll try some other wax product. In the end, I still come back to my old tried and true Zaino. It's easy to put on/take off. It doesn't stain "non-painted" trim. It lasts about 6 months. It gives a nice shine. Can't ask for much more than that. Been using it for years. I used to do the entire regimen.....Dawn wash to remove old wax, clay bar, first coat, top coat and then sealant.

To be honest, it got to the point of diminishing returns. Now, I wash my cars with whatever car wash Costco had when I needed some. I use Zaino's AIO (all-in-one) product, and I'm done. Shine's as well, lasts a long.

Given that my cars are always garaged, I'm sure that helps with the long lasting shine and protection.

driver100

I have read some reports that say after market glass is different from original equipment, for example it could be thinner. It even said some dealers will make you pay a penalty if you return a leased car with non OEM glass.

Then I read this article which makes some really good points;
IS AFTERMARKET GLASS AS GOOD AS OEM?

Some really good points were:


Insurance Companies OEM Versus Aftermarket Auto Glass Windshield Replacement Insurance Claims?
Auto Insurance policy language normally states that they will provide “Like Kind & Quality Replacement Parts” which includes auto glass. That means aftermarket auto glass, NOT OEM auto glass with the manufacturer name and logo stamp on the replacement window.

TIP: If your vehicle is less than two years old, many insurance companies will authorize an OEM windshield replacement. It also said if your car is fairly rare, OEM glass may be all that is available. BOTH APPLY TO MIKE.

What If Your Insurance Adjuster Is Telling You They Will Not Pay For OEM Glass?
The standard and legal answer is you can get the OEM windshield installed, but you will be responsible for the price difference.

When Will The Insurance Adjuster Approve OEM Glass?
Some insurance companies have a no exception rule while others do. This is something you should consider when you are considering one auto insurance company over another if an OEM auto glass window replacement is important to you.

Now I am confused....Look up is aftermarket windshield as good as OEM, when you sort it out let me know.

iluvmysephia1

Nice dog, explorerx4. Here's my Akita Chow, Meggy May.

imidazol97

oldfarmer50 said:

Is the average customer that gullible?

Yes.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

Those are my thoughts.  The service manager is diagnosing the chip and when I go over to the dealership tomorrow morning, he'll give me his opinion.  His service department does the installation and contacts my insurance company.  

Thanks for everyone's input.  I'll know more tomorrow morning when I drop off my two other key fobs for the 7 series and then speak with him.

I suspect you're best off to just have insurance pay what they will, if not all in this case at the dealer, and have a BMW-sourced and labeled windshield put in.

You could ask the salesman to show you on their new and used lot if any windshields were replaced on the cars. Look in through the side window so you're looking through the front windshield and move your head and body so that things in the distance move from one part of the glass to adjacent parts and watch for the squiggles and wobbles. Especially obvious on things with straight lines like power lines and buildings.

The manufacturer may make the BMW-labeled stuff and the regular label, but the manufacturing specs don't have to be the same. On my leSabre with the heads up display and the inner coating it had, the label of the glass installed by Guardian was different than the original GM had put in. I could see some waves, but it was better than some replacements. On some inexpensive brand cars I see lots of squiggles on glass that I suspect is the OEM that came on the car, but might have been replacement.

I go by the glass maker Fuyao and they have a big pile of glass in a pit to be trucked away, where they destroy product that's not up to standard. I'm sure all of it isn't from line startup and shut down problems. (Fuyao uses part of the defunct local Moraine truck plant that GM closed after the UAW didn't protect the IBEW workers in the GM size reduction.)

ab348

oldfarmer50 said:

The big lease numbers look nice until you read the fine print and find out it's based on as much as a $4000 down payment and a $600 "acquisition fee".

Is the average customer that gulible?

Those are some pretty eye-popping figures, both the low monthly payments and the fine print.

Up here Honda is moving vehicles at a dizzying pace, especially the Civic, with some relatively aggressive lease numbers but nothing like those. The Civic here has a semi-permanent $750 incentive available and lease numbers around or under $300/mo w/o anything much up front, which for this market are very good. It is an attractive offer compared to most of the competition. Even Hyundai, which has a reputation as willing to do almost anything to move the metal, still show ridiculously high numbers on their website. If there are deals to be had on them, you need to go in and grind away with their somewhat sleazy dealers here.

I looked at the new Civic on the dealer lot here a week or two ago and I can see the appeal. If you can get past the overdone exterior, the interior on the Touring model looks rather nice for the money and the car seems to be roomy inside. I just don't understand why the hatch model needed to have such an awful roofline compared to the sedan. The sedan trunk opening appears to be too small for much except grocery bags. Just give it a hatch and be done with it.

driver100

I wonder if glass from a wreckers is any good to use? If it was OEM then theoretically it should be fine. I guess it should be examined to make sure it hadn't been filled, and the savings would have to be significant to make it worthwhile.....and then you have to find someone who will install it properly. I just talked myself out of that idea.

However, that could make for a good business for hoopty type vehicles. If you have an older car that isn't worth a whole lot, my business plan calls for me to find one at a wreckers and then my experts install it for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

Michaell

@oldfarmer50 - the acquisition fee is imposed by the bank and is non-negotiable.

Yeah, the posted payments are pretty aggressive, but the down payment requirements change the deal.

As @qbrozen said, the Fit is not that bad of a deal. I didn't run the numbers for all the other ads, but I suspect they are in-line with what I'm seeing posted in the forums.

stickguy

so much info. I think that I will just ignore my ding, and hope it does not get too big. Thankfully, it is way on the edge of the passenger side, so does not annoy me by being in line of sight. If it spreads too much, I will take care of it. Might even just call dealer, to see if they can do it for the same price as I would pay at lease turn in.

driver100

I don't know what I think?


I think the hatchback above has some pizzaz for a lower priced car. The sedan below looks like it was designed by about 12 different people....each one worked on their section without consulting the others;

driver100

stickguy said:

so much info. I think that I will just ignore my ding, and hope it does not get too big. Thankfully, it is way on the edge of the passenger side, so does not annoy me by being in line of sight. If it spreads too much, I will take care of it. Might even just call dealer, to see if they can do it for the same price as I would pay at lease turn in.

Stick, I was on tablet and now I have serious jetlag....a big fuzzy head full of wool feeling.

I missed the ding problem....I assume this is a windshield problem. Take it to Safelite, for under $120 they at least fill it so the windshield has it's strength and it will probably save it from spreading. They may or may not notice when you return it.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?


I think the hatchback above has some pizzaz for a lower priced car. The sedan below looks like it was designed by about 12 different people....each one worked on their section without consulting the others;

For me, if they would replace the hatchback's rear bumper with a solid unit like that on the sedan, it would look FAR FAR better. Still, though, I just don't get what is with that 2-layered trunklid. Pointless and awkward.

PF_Flyer

Just got back from a week in the Savannah, GA area, and I must say it's nice to be back looking at NICE cars. With no required safety inspections in GA, I can't recall the last time I saw so many cars on the road being held together by duct tape, wire, rope, or whatever else was at hand.

stickguy

Driver, yes, a windshield star. I can try to have it filled. Would probably still have to pay Hyundai because it is there. Not sure if it is even fillable now, or I am already into new windshield territory, and I would rather not pay twice. So I will see how it goes I guess!

Michaell

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?


I think the hatchback above has some pizzaz for a lower priced car. The sedan below looks like it was designed by about 12 different people....each one worked on their section without consulting the others;

For me, if they would replace the hatchback's rear bumper with a solid unit like that on the sedan, it would look FAR FAR better. Still, though, I just don't get what is with that 2-layered trunklid. Pointless and awkward.

The sedan is the previous body style. Here is a pic of the latest sedan:

ab348

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?

I know what I think: "Man, that is one fugly rear end".

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

I wonder if glass from a wreckers is any good to use? If it was OEM then theoretically it should be fine. I guess it should be examined to make sure it hadn't been filled, and the savings would have to be significant to make it worthwhile.....and then you have to find someone who will install it properly. I just talked myself out of that idea.

However, that could make for a good business for hoopty type vehicles. If you have an older car that isn't worth a whole lot, my business plan calls for me to find one at a wreckers and then my experts install it for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

When we found that the rear window defroster was inoperative on my son's 2005 Sable ($3500) we went cheap. Mr. Windshield went straight to a used one. Maybe new wasn't available but the price was right. Was installed for about $300 total. Works fine and you can't tell it from new.

I supose a used front might have to be examined for pitting but for a normal non-HUD I'd go used again.

murphydog

So I spent Sunday doing the final tidy of the garage - the new truck fits, but wanted to make sure I could open all the doors and get to things even when the truck is in there. I did not do one final sweep of the floor, so of course I picked up a screw. Jumped in yesterday morning and the screen immediately lights up, the rear passenger tire is low - not flat, just low. Topped it off with air compressor and ran out the door.

Called the the 2 nearby tire stores and they both had several hour waits to repair a tire, so I checked with the corner gas station (they have a good reputation for service work) and the guy told me to stop by around 2:00.

Roll in at 2:00 and sure enough he is free, I tell him the issue and he goes to the other side and as luck would have it the screw was visible, in fact right at the top of the tire. He looks at it, pulls back on the screw a bit and we immediately hear the rush of air, so yup that is the leak. No problem he says, in fact I can fix it right here without taking the tire off.

So he pulls the screw, cleans the hole, inserts/glues in a plug and tops off the air pressure and I am off. 15 minutes tops.

It has been ages since I had a tire repaired, but I recall having them plugged before and never having an issue...however my neighbor tells me that plugs are terrible and I should have it patched. Of course I google it and see several conflicting articles, plugs are terrible, may last a few hundred miles, plugs are fine should last the life of the tire, etc, etc.

My question to all of you, does anybody have direct experience of a plug failing?

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?


I think the hatchback above has some pizzaz for a lower priced car. The sedan below looks like it was designed by about 12 different people....each one worked on their section without consulting the others;

I don't think either one looks particularly bad although they were designed for two different markets. If I was a 20 something boi racer I'd be drooling over the hatchback with thoughts of how to fit a giant muffler on it.

ab348

I know years ago in the days of bias-ply tires, plugs were commonly used. I remember my dad getting them done and even witnessed it one time. The rope-like plus was dipped in some kind of sticky compound and inserted with a special tool. The end of the plug protruded through the tread and would wear off. I heard that with radial tires plugs were a no-no and they needed to be patched from the inside, but I don't know if that's true or why.

oldfarmer50

PF_Flyer said:

Just got back from a week in the Savannah, GA area, and I must say it's nice to be back looking at NICE cars. With no required safety inspections in GA, I can't recall the last time I saw so many cars on the road being held together by duct tape, wire, rope, or whatever else was at hand.

You mean like this?

oldfarmer50

murphydog said:

So I spent Sunday doing the final tidy of the garage - the new truck fits, but wanted to make sure I could open all the doors and get to things even when the truck is in there. I did not do one final sweep of the floor, so of course I picked up a screw. Jumped in yesterday morning and the screen immediately lights up, the rear passenger tire is low - not flat, just low. Topped it off with air compressor and ran out the door.

Called the the 2 nearby tire stores and they both had several hour waits to repair a tire, so I checked with the corner gas station (they have a good reputation for service work) and the guy told me to stop by around 2:00.

Roll in at 2:00 and sure enough he is free, I tell him the issue and he goes to the other side and as luck would have it the screw was visible, in fact right at the top of the tire. He looks at it, pulls back on the screw a bit and we immediately hear the rush of air, so yup that is the leak. No problem he says, in fact I can fix it right here without taking the tire off.

So he pulls the screw, cleans the hole, inserts/glues in a plug and tops off the air pressure and I am off. 15 minutes tops.

It has been ages since I had a tire repaired, but I recall having them plugged before and never having an issue...however my neighbor tells me that plugs are terrible and I should have it patched. Of course I google it and see several conflicting articles, plugs are terrible, may last a few hundred miles, plugs are fine should last the life of the tire, etc, etc.

My question to all of you, does anybody have direct experience of a plug failing?

Had lots of plugs and never had a problem. The glue/sealant that goes in with them is pretty good these days.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

@oldfarmer50 - they do what they can to get people in the door. Somebody who knows nothing about leasing and just shops the monthly payment walks right into their trap. And like Craig says, those who can't afford the car to begin with have to have leather, navigation...

I like the ads where they bury a "Customer trade-in" of $4000 or more in the fine print...

PF_Flyer

oldfarmer50 said:

PF_Flyer said:

Just got back from a week in the Savannah, GA area, and I must say it's nice to be back looking at NICE cars. With no required safety inspections in GA, I can't recall the last time I saw so many cars on the road being held together by duct tape, wire, rope, or whatever else was at hand.

You mean like this?

LOVE Red Green...LOL

Yea, pretty much like that. All sort of cars that had been in varying degrees of wrecks, front clips almost dragging on the road, fenders caved in and then pried back so the wheels could turn.

isellhondas

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

Here is what I ended up with!

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/6192480588.html

I spotted this about ten minutes after he posted it. And he actually posted his (gasp!) phone number unlike
95% of the other ads. You can't believe how many ads I responded to through emails and how few people responded back to me! I would think maybe some of these cars had sold but not many since I kept refreshing my search.

The Explorer is very unusual. The owner was anal in his care and there is an inch thick folder of receipts. Anything the Ford Dealership suggested was done ahead of schedule. Synthetic oil etc. It is immaculate inside
and out and given the 5000 miles/yr I'll put on it should be good for awhile.

Any suggestions on how I can remove the dark tint on the front two windows? I'll admit it looks cool for on dark rainy days tint REALLY cuts down on the visability. Besides, cops hate dark tint and this is so dark it
may be illegal.

No, I didn't pay his asking price!

Boy that's a beautiful SUV. Extremely clean. That's the kind of owner you want to deal with. All repair records are a big plus. I agree, a phone number is a big plus. And he didn't conceal his license plate either. Nothing to hide.

What engine does it have...the 3.5L?

How aggressively did you grind on price? Hope you didn't use your Jedi car salesman mind tricks on the poor guy.

I ended up giving him 4200.00 for it. If I get tired of it after a couple of years I might lose a grand I figure.

Does anyone know why people conceal their license plates? I don't get it!

Not bad. In my area they ask $5-6k for not as good.

I always figure that plate hiders are trying to hide that they are not the owner listed on the title. Of course it could just be someone afraid that an axe murder will find their address and come over to chop.

A 4.0? Old reliable technology. From what I've read about them you should get another 200k miles out of it.

Good to hear! I know nothing about the 4.0 engines.

Hmmm another 200,000? Lets see now....at 4000 miles a year if that.....it'll last me 50 years!

Well, Q doesn't think the top end will make it but I found this as inspiration.

http://www.listingallcars.com/details/2003-Ford-Explorer-Used/2790889707087602067

From what I hear it'll need a transmission before it'll need engine work. From what I've been able to tell they usually fail just under 200,000 miles. This Explorer has been babied however! Synthetic oil, transmission services etc. It has a hitch that has never been used and I doubt if anyone has ever been in the second row seats much less the third row. No tobacco, kids or dogs. Who knows? If it were to need a transmission overhaul it would be effectively totaled!

andres3

fintail said:

2016 model MB CLA (the one like a mini CLS).

driver100 said:

Was it a BMW?

My Kia had the trunk pop open for no good reason yesterday, first time it happened without me noticing right away (noticed it when I started up the car). Since it's the first time the error happened where it bothered me, and that's in over 9,500 miles, I'm letting it slide for now.

andres3

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

Here is what I ended up with!



https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/6192480588.html



I spotted this about ten minutes after he posted it. And he actually posted his (gasp!) phone number unlike

95% of the other ads. You can't believe how many ads I responded to through emails and how few people responded back to me! I would think maybe some of these cars had sold but not many since I kept refreshing my search.



The Explorer is very unusual. The owner was anal in his care and there is an inch thick folder of receipts. Anything the Ford Dealership suggested was done ahead of schedule. Synthetic oil etc. It is immaculate inside

and out and given the 5000 miles/yr I'll put on it should be good for awhile.



Any suggestions on how I can remove the dark tint on the front two windows? I'll admit it looks cool for on dark rainy days tint REALLY cuts down on the visability. Besides, cops hate dark tint and this is so dark it

may be illegal.



No, I didn't pay his asking price!

Boy that's a beautiful SUV. Extremely clean. That's the kind of owner you want to deal with. All repair records are a big plus. I agree, a phone number is a big plus. And he didn't conceal his license plate either. Nothing to hide.



What engine does it have...the 3.5L?



How aggressively did you grind on price? Hope you didn't use your Jedi car salesman mind tricks on the poor guy.

I ended up giving him 4200.00 for it. If I get tired of it after a couple of years I might lose a grand I figure.



Does anyone know why people conceal their license plates? I don't get it!

Not bad. In my area they ask $5-6k for not as good.



I always figure that plate hiders are trying to hide that they are not the owner listed on the title. Of course it could just be someone afraid that an axe murder will find their address and come over to chop.



A 4.0? Old reliable technology. From what I've read about them you should get another 200k miles out of it.

Good to hear! I know nothing about the 4.0 engines.



Hmmm another 200,000? Lets see now....at 4000 miles a year if that.....it'll last me 50 years!

Well, Q doesn't think the top end will make it but I found this as inspiration.



http://www.listingallcars.com/details/2003-Ford-Explorer-Used/2790889707087602067

To paraphrase Shifty, you can make any car go for any number of miles with enough money. 

I believe a requirement for joining Trump's cabinet is to have the financial means to get a Dodge Neon up to 100,000 miles. I only got to 65,000 so I won't be on the cabinet anytime soon.

stickguy

Turns out the service plan I bought also covers window repairs. So need to check with them. So hopefully can get repared and at least keep it from spreading.

Mr_Shiftright

I was thinking of starting up an Automotive Therapy practice for people in bad marriages with their cars. We'd discuss things like unrealistic expectations, idealization of the mate, the trade-offs of sado-masochistic relationships, and perhaps encouragement to join CraigslistMatch.Com to find a new parrtner

stickguy

The philly franchise will go straight to finding the car down by the river, lit on fire.

driver100

andres3 said:

fintail said:

2016 model MB CLA (the one like a mini CLS).

driver100 said:

Was it a BMW?

My Kia had the trunk pop open for no good reason yesterday, first time it happened without me noticing right away (noticed it when I started up the car). Since it's the first time the error happened where it bothered me, and that's in over 9,500 miles, I'm letting it slide for now.

Maybe popping trunks are caused when someone else pops their trunk and the wrong trunk lid pops open.

fintail

Is the trunk open button within easy/accidental reach?

I had a Chrysler 300 rental with a similar issue - fuel door button near the door panel pocket, every time I put something in it, I would hit the button and open the fuel door.

andres3 said:

My Kia had the trunk pop open for no good reason yesterday, first time it happened without me noticing right away (noticed it when I started up the car). Since it's the first time the error happened where it bothered me, and that's in over 9,500 miles, I'm letting it slide for now.

driver100

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?

I know what I think: "Man, that is one fugly rear end".

I'd really have trouble buying a car that looked like that.....people would think I had no taste :@

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

I don't know what I think?


I think the hatchback above has some pizzaz for a lower priced car. The sedan below looks like it was designed by about 12 different people....each one worked on their section without consulting the others;

I don't think either one looks particularly bad although they were designed for two different markets. If I was a 20 something boi racer I'd be drooling over the hatchback with thoughts of how to fit a giant muffler on it.

Yeh, that's it, 20 year old kid who loves Star Wars would love that look!

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of starting up an Automotive Therapy practice for people in bad marriages with their cars. We'd discuss things like unrealistic expectations, idealization of the mate, the trade-offs of sado-masochistic relationships, and perhaps encouragement to join CraigslistMatch.Com to find a new parrtner

Forget the therapy....just get a new model.

tjc78

RE: Tire plugs. I've had several plugged and never had a problem. None of the chains will do it anymore, only small shops. I'm not sure why.

Just this weekend coming back from the shore I picked up a hook in one of the Enclave's tires. Little mom and pop gas station had me on my way in 20 mins. I didn't even have to take the family out of the car. If had to patched it would have been a much longer process.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

@oldfarmer50 - the acquisition fee is imposed by the bank and is non-negotiable.

Yeah, the posted payments are pretty aggressive, but the down payment requirements change the deal.

As @qbrozen said, the Fit is not that bad of a deal. I didn't run the numbers for all the other ads, but I suspect they are in-line with what I'm seeing posted in the forums.

So what would that Fit lease for with zero down? I think qbrozen said $189. Are those acquisition fee mandatory on all leases? That alone would kill it for me. I'm sure there are fees on the back end too. No thanks.

oldfarmer50

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

oldfarmer50 said:

isellhondas said:

Here is what I ended up with!

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/6192480588.html

I spotted this about ten minutes after he posted it. And he actually posted his (gasp!) phone number unlike
95% of the other ads. You can't believe how many ads I responded to through emails and how few people responded back to me! I would think maybe some of these cars had sold but not many since I kept refreshing my search.

The Explorer is very unusual. The owner was anal in his care and there is an inch thick folder of receipts. Anything the Ford Dealership suggested was done ahead of schedule. Synthetic oil etc. It is immaculate inside
and out and given the 5000 miles/yr I'll put on it should be good for awhile.

Any suggestions on how I can remove the dark tint on the front two windows? I'll admit it looks cool for on dark rainy days tint REALLY cuts down on the visability. Besides, cops hate dark tint and this is so dark it
may be illegal.

No, I didn't pay his asking price!

Boy that's a beautiful SUV. Extremely clean. That's the kind of owner you want to deal with. All repair records are a big plus. I agree, a phone number is a big plus. And he didn't conceal his license plate either. Nothing to hide.

What engine does it have...the 3.5L?

How aggressively did you grind on price? Hope you didn't use your Jedi car salesman mind tricks on the poor guy.

I ended up giving him 4200.00 for it. If I get tired of it after a couple of years I might lose a grand I figure.

Does anyone know why people conceal their license plates? I don't get it!

Not bad. In my area they ask $5-6k for not as good.

I always figure that plate hiders are trying to hide that they are not the owner listed on the title. Of course it could just be someone afraid that an axe murder will find their address and come over to chop.

A 4.0? Old reliable technology. From what I've read about them you should get another 200k miles out of it.

Good to hear! I know nothing about the 4.0 engines.

Hmmm another 200,000? Lets see now....at 4000 miles a year if that.....it'll last me 50 years!

Well, Q doesn't think the top end will make it but I found this as inspiration.

http://www.listingallcars.com/details/2003-Ford-Explorer-Used/2790889707087602067

From what I hear it'll need a transmission before it'll need engine work. From what I've been able to tell they usually fail just under 200,000 miles. This Explorer has been babied however! Synthetic oil, transmission services etc. It has a hitch that has never been used and I doubt if anyone has ever been in the second row seats much less the third row. No tobacco, kids or dogs. Who knows? If it were to need a transmission overhaul it would be effectively totaled!

I've read discussionss where they reccommend installing a seperate cooler for the tranny on those. Hey, you could tell people that it's an inter cooler for the turbo.

qbrozen

murphydog said:

So I spent Sunday doing the final tidy of the garage - the new truck fits, but wanted to make sure I could open all the doors and get to things even when the truck is in there. I did not do one final sweep of the floor, so of course I picked up a screw. Jumped in yesterday morning and the screen immediately lights up, the rear passenger tire is low - not flat, just low. Topped it off with air compressor and ran out the door.

Called the the 2 nearby tire stores and they both had several hour waits to repair a tire, so I checked with the corner gas station (they have a good reputation for service work) and the guy told me to stop by around 2:00.

Roll in at 2:00 and sure enough he is free, I tell him the issue and he goes to the other side and as luck would have it the screw was visible, in fact right at the top of the tire. He looks at it, pulls back on the screw a bit and we immediately hear the rush of air, so yup that is the leak. No problem he says, in fact I can fix it right here without taking the tire off.

So he pulls the screw, cleans the hole, inserts/glues in a plug and tops off the air pressure and I am off. 15 minutes tops.

It has been ages since I had a tire repaired, but I recall having them plugged before and never having an issue...however my neighbor tells me that plugs are terrible and I should have it patched. Of course I google it and see several conflicting articles, plugs are terrible, may last a few hundred miles, plugs are fine should last the life of the tire, etc, etc.

My question to all of you, does anybody have direct experience of a plug failing?

Plugs are fine. I've used 2 different kinds over the years and neither has ever failed. And I have done a few with the tire still on the car. 

I actually wonder if failures are due to leaving the excess sticking out. I'd rather not have the pavement pounding away on the end of the plug. I have always trimmed them down to below the tread.

qbrozen

@oldfarmer
yes, my guess is somewhere in that 180-190 zip code depending on the MF and your local DMV fees. Most leases have some sort of Acqusition/bank fee.

abacomike

Dealer estimate including tax to replace windshield is $2736.00.  Good grief!!!  I wonder if my insurance company will deny the claim.  

jmonroe

PF_Flyer said:

Just got back from a week in the Savannah, GA area, and I must say it's nice to be back looking at NICE cars. With no required safety inspections in GA, I can't recall the last time I saw so many cars on the road being held together by duct tape, wire, rope, or whatever else was at hand.

I know very well what you mean.

I lived in SC for 5 years (early '92 to early '97) and I saw quite a few cars that would never be on PA roads because they could not have passed the annual PA state inspection.

The first year I was there I asked some of the locals where I should take my car for inspection and was told to take it to an old time gas station that actually did service work on cars and it just happened to be very close to where I lived, so that's where I went.

I pulled into this run down station and parked right in front of the big plate glass window and went inside. There were 3 guys there and I asked if I could make an appointment for an inspection because I didn't want to drop it off then come back for it. The guy who owned the place said, "on that car right there" as he pointed to it (this was my '80 Park Ave). I said yes. He then says, "go out to the car and turn on your lights. When I raise my arm, turn on the high beams and when I lower my arm turn them off". I did what he said then he motioned to me to come back into the station, so I did. He starts to right up the sticker and I said, "is that it"? He said, "yep, that's it. Your car looks like it's in pretty nice shape so I'm not going to spend any more time with it". Then one of the other guys laughingly says, "you don't have to feel all that proud about your car, although it is in nice shape. He doesn't check too much more than that on very many cars he inspects".

Given state inspections were a total farce in SC at that time and everyone knew it, including the state legislators, the state did away with them by the time I was due for another one the next year (maybe it was the following year, not sure now). In any case that was the end of state inspections in SC.

I lived in a town close to Augusta GA, so I was in GA quite a few times so I saw a lot of what you are talking about, and so I was told, GA never had state inspections.

I guess you might say, "misery loves company".

jmonroe

abacomike

To hopefully solve the inadvertent trunk opening problem, they are going to reprogram my computer in the car so that in order to open the trunk, the car must first be unlocked.  They are replacing the trunk liners - top, sides and bottom - to avoid mildew and other problems.

I have no idea when my car will be returned to me.  

stickguy

Mike, you lead an interesting life.

My car has an auto trunk feature. If you stand right behind if for the think 3 seconds, it pops open. Just a little, so you still have to grab the lid to raise it. Seems pointless.

After finding it open a few times, I turned the feature off.

thebean

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:

I had the opposite experience of @imidazol97.  The aftermarket (not Safelight, but from a respected independent shop) was flawless in my LaCrosse with HUD.  Tough day Mike.  Hang in there.  

On another note... anyone ever use this stuff?  It's like spray detailer on steroids   No hazing just rub on, rub off.  Did a nice quick job.  It won't replace a good waxing, but for in between creates a nice shine.

Every once in a while I'll try some other wax product. In the end, I still come back to my old tried and true Zaino. It's easy to put on/take off. It doesn't stain "non-painted" trim. It lasts about 6 months. It gives a nice shine. Can't ask for much more than that. Been using it for years. I used to do the entire regimen.....Dawn wash to remove old wax, clay bar, first coat, top coat and then sealant.

To be honest, it got to the point of diminishing returns. Now, I wash my cars with whatever car wash Costco had when I needed some. I use Zaino's AIO (all-in-one) product, and I'm done. Shine's as well, lasts a long.

Given that my cars are always garaged, I'm sure that helps with the long lasting shine and protection.

I love me some Zaino. I also use the AIO product. We do the wash, clay bar, and Zaino routine twice a year. Our cars are also garaged, so the shine lasts well. I love how easy the Zaino wipes off.

andres3

fintail said:

Is the trunk open button within easy/accidental reach?

I had a Chrysler 300 rental with a similar issue - fuel door button near the door panel pocket, every time I put something in it, I would hit the button and open the fuel door.

andres3 said:

My Kia had the trunk pop open for no good reason yesterday, first time it happened without me noticing right away (noticed it when I started up the car). Since it's the first time the error happened where it bothered me, and that's in over 9,500 miles, I'm letting it slide for now.

I think the problem is more that the "3 second trunk opening" feature from standing behind the car gets too aggressive and quick with its 3-count. Having the Key FOB in your pocket makes the car nervous; such as moving the side mirrors back and forth as you walk back and forth around the car.

andres3

abacomike said:

Dealer estimate including tax to replace windshield is $2736.00.  Good grief!!!  I wonder if my insurance company will deny the claim.  

For that much money I'd expect the windshield to be able to withstand several .50 caliber rounds hitting the same spot!

andres3

tjc78 said:

RE: Tire plugs. I've had several plugged and never had a problem. None of the chains will do it anymore, only small shops. I'm not sure why.

Just this weekend coming back from the shore I picked up a hook in one of the Enclave's tires. Little mom and pop gas station had me on my way in 20 mins. I didn't even have to take the family out of the car. If had to patched it would have been a much longer process.

The last plug I had done was at a gas station. He claimed he off-roaded his plugged tires and "never" had a problem. I never had a problem either, but I always preferred the patch & plug method for tire repairs.

I think the tire industry has a lobby with a lot of clout. It seems tire shops are afraid to be sued over anything that happens.