just spotted one in the local autoshopper. '09 GT with 3100 miles, automatic, moonroof. $21k! Now, for that kind of value, I could stomach the quality.
'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
Pitiful that our great country can't offer reasonable health care for every citizen...more like OBSCENE!
This great country does offer exceptional health care to every one of its citizens. If you are unable to pay for those services, it only hurts your credit rating. That doesn't seem like the end of the world to me.
I'll always have as a federal worker...concerned about the millions of folks that can't afford ANY health insurance or don't qualify. You obviously have insurance. Imagine being someone who doesn't! And bankruptcy is not an option in my household...we live within our means with no mortgage or credit card debt. If we don't have the cash...we do without it!
Unfortunately, GM also doesn't offer anything I'd want to buy at this point. When they do and can match the foreign competition...I'll be 1st in line!
The Sandman :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
My parents have a Deere garden tractor with a Yanmar diesel in it. It's way oversized for the house and lot they have now, but that thing is built like a tank. If memory serves, the only non-wear items in over ten years of ownership have been a fuel filter mount (broke when changing the fuel filter) and the reflectors on the front grille (fell off).
I hire out the mowing at my house--I hate yard work, especially when it's as hot as it's been lately.
There is a difference between having health insurance and health care. Everyone receives health care. I live by those same spending rules in my household. A large number of uninsured people choose to not pay for insurance. Many drive newer cars than I do, and eat out more frequently than I do. I consider things like phones, cable, internet, and eating out as luxury items. I will bet you that most of the people you are worried about, find money for those items.
Surely you know that we "have" to be the only Western Democracy where at least 25% of our citizens can't afford health insurance. We don't want to end up like those awful "socialist" Canadians, Europeans, Brits, Japanese, where people don't have to live in terror of losing their health insurance, going bankrupt because of medical bills, &/or actually dying because they can't get proper treatment. (???)
GM: Personally I'd buy--instead--almost any used or new lexus, honda, toyota in the same price range as a new GM car. Or a 3 y.o. volvo. But then I felt that way 10 & 20 years before GM went bankrupt.....
GM: Personally I'd buy--instead--almost any used or new lexus, honda, toyota in the same price range as a new GM car.
So I can have a blandatstic Camry or a blandastic Malibu? Whats the difference? If one would rather have a Lexus ES than a Cadillac CTS, eh, that is either an age related issue or some type of prejudice.
This lady must be the antithesis to all of us with CCB syndrome... 45 years and 500,000+ miles with the same car. I don't think anyone sells car batteries with lifetime warranties anymore.
Sure, the used G8 is a good value at $21K, but then it was a huge depreciation hit for the 1st owner. GM is better off pushing the new Camaro and the Vette as performance halo cars, since they sell closer to MSRP, not at fire sale prices.
That's funny. I don't think you'd be able to do that with today's cars without having a garage full of spare sensors and computers to replace the ones that fail.
I think I got a free battery out of a lifetime warranty maybe twice. Back when you could buy Shell brand batteries at the Shell station.
The one I really remember was on this old 62 Chevy panel truck we had. We had to start it by popping the clutch and went from place to another to another in the snow getting the run around. Th guy that finally replaced it had stories about all the Shell regional folks and why we kept getting turned down and loads of stuff in language that I can't repeat here. His stories were worth all the running around.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
in this little saga, it all ended today: my sister's friend managed to make some kind of deal where they will renegotiate the loan on her Mitsubishi, thereby allowing her to sell it for cash for less than what is owed. VERY good luck! Good luck #2: she found a buyer who can fix it himself AND is willing to take her on her word and wait for the credit union to release the title in a couple of weeks, AND therefore gave her a whopping $1600 for it. Even for someone who could fix it himself, I thought that was about the max she could get out of that one.
She then turned around and had her mother buy the '05 Saturn for her, using the $1600 cash as down payment. She is headed home to Texas tomorrow.
This woman should be buying lottery tickets DAILY with this kind of luck....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
On another note, the shuddering in my G6 resurfaced recently. The dealer put some sort of additive in the transmission, and it seems to have gotten better. At least it's still under warranty, and I've come to realize from looking at the data on TrueDelta that every make and model of vehicle have quality control issues.
...as every vehicle in the fleet at the Michaell household needs attention.
The L300 is due for a scheduled LOF, which I'll do at the local Midas here in town. It just turned over 84,000 miles this past week, so I know some larger maintenance items are going to be due within the next year or so.
On the drive to work this morning, my wife reported that the ION is showing a brake warning light. Not sure exactly what this represents, but it's only got 27,000 miles on it - can it be time to get the brakes done? (new pads and shoes, I suspect) This, too, will be addressed in town.
The big issue is the wife's '08 VUE. We've noticed a red liquid puddling underneath it in the garage. Is this transmission or brake fluid? I've got an appointment with the dealer scheduled for Saturday on this one. As it's still under warranty, I'm not worried about the cost, just the aggravation of having to travel 45 minutes to the dealer for the service, then having to wait around for it to be done.
When it rains, it pours.
EDIT: nippon, what model of Saturn did she end up getting? I'm not sure you mentioned it in your earlier posts.
On the drive to work this morning, my wife reported that the ION is showing a brake warning light. Not sure exactly what this represents, but it's only got 27,000 miles on it - can it be time to get the brakes done? (new pads and shoes, I suspect) This, too, will be addressed in town.
Does the brake warning light stay on all the time, or is it intermittent? Usually the only time I've ever seen that light come on, it was when the brake pressure was too low. And even then, it would only come on when you pressed the brakes, and the pedal got low enough to the floor. Otherwise, the only time I saw that light would be if the parking brake didn't fully disengage.
Maybe cars are "smart" enough nowadays though, to warn you when the pads are getting too thin?
Oh, as for the red fluid, that could be transmission fluid or power steering fluid...unless the Vue has electric steering? Brake fluid is usually clear, when you put it in, although when it leaks out it's often a greasy looking brown. And I guess nowadays, coolant could look reddish.
One common spot for cars to leak transmission fluid is where the cooling tubes connect to the radiator. In the "good old days" they used metal tubes, but nowadays they're usually rubber hoses. This was a common problem on the Intrepid...I've heard stories of them practically leaking right on the showroom floor! I got lucky though, and didn't need to replace my hoses until around the 130,000 mile mark.
The red fluid is probably transmission fluid. Most GM vehicles use a clear "power steering fluid." If it's like a lot of recent GM vehicles, there is no dipstick for the transmission, and you have to warm the car up and put it on a lift to check the level.
The brake warning light can mean low brake fluid. You might want to check the level before driving it any further.
Thanks, guys, for the quick feedback. I knew I could count on you!
The ION is at my wife's work today (daughter and wife work together in the summer, so they alternate which car to drive). I've called the wife to have her contact a parent in her child care program who does auto work to have him check the brake fluid level (I'd do it myself, but I've got workers coming to the house today to replace our kitchen floor).
I've not noticed any change in behavior in the VUE with regards to shifting, but it does kinda suck that I can't check the transmission fluid level myself, since it's sitting in the garage today.
this old 62 Chevy panel truck we had. We had to start it by popping the clutch and went from place to another to another in the snow getting the run around
That's a good story, LOL--worthy of Peter Egan, or Jean Shephard even? I remember taking my '67 Barracuda--which I had already almost ruined in several ways--to a local gas station mechanic in the mid-west, with my 3 hippie-long-hair college buddies. His tune-up advice was to install "hotter spark plugs". I asked him why hotter spark plugs, & his answer included various graphic references to what one could do, or not do, with a hot, or cold, uuummmm......Whatever I paid him, $50 or whatever, I don't think the car ran better, but we laughed about it for weeks......
The guy came over and checked out the ION ... brake fluid looked fine, maybe a bit low, but not enough to set off the dash warning light.
Cursory inspection of the pads and shoes showed no undue wear.
He thinks it may be a faulty switch - of course, this had to happen 2 weeks after the 3/36 warranty expired. Does GM build this into all their cars?
nippon - wonder if she got the 2.4L 4-cyl or the Honda sourced 3.5L V6. My wife had an '05 V6 and loved the power. The refinement of the '08, however, won her over.
Okay, I don't know what I am going to do. I can't take that rolling retirement home anymore. Its a perfectly nice car, nothing is wrong with it at all, I am not upside down in it. It gets 30-34 mpg on my commute (on reg gas). It can carry real grown ups in the two rear outboard seat positions with the child seat in the middle position. Ride quality is pleasant, the controls are pleasant, it has one of the best FWD manual transmissions in the business, but it is just dull.
So I have the '07 Accord EX 4 cyl sedan with a manual. It is totally practical and meets every need. Its wants where it falls on its face. The car is about as exciting to drive as, well, watching paint dry. I am not a CCB. I can add H&R mild springs that drop the car less than a inch and bump up the spring rate slightly, and put on some real shocks, and add sway bars and tires and wheels, but now I have a car that is unsellable, and I am out an additional $2k.
So do I leave it stock and look for a cheap mid-90s Miata to add to the fleet? Accept a lot of miles and try to pick up an inexpensive E36 M3 (or an E46 330i) and deal with the maintenance?
Initially I thought I was going to get a Speed6, but apparently with an '07 Accord with 4k in equity doesn't get me very far towards a '07 Speed6 GT that is running 19k. Another thought is a Legacy GT, but we already have a Legacy wagon (which I do seem to prefer driving dynamics to the Accord, if ride quality is a bit harsher). Or a WRX.
So my paths are 1. Dump the Accord and get something ~$15-17k that is more fun (and is a real car with at least 4 seatbelts, likely 4 doors) 2. Keep the Accord and get something fun to play with on the side (Miata, 914, 90s 300ZX, Eclipse GSX, etc) 3. Drop some money into making the Accord more fun to drive and accept that I will never get it back.
Wife has a real car (05 Legacy wagon) that we both love and its in good shape with relatively low miles (although we now kinda wish we sprung for the GT Limited vs the 2.5i base), so getting family around isn't such a big deal, but you can't use the outboard seatbelts when the baby seat is in the middle, so there is a utility trade-off there.
I am too young to drive a car that makes me feel this old.
My crystal ball says that the 2008, next-generation, larger and more boring Accord is not an upgrade path for you.
"I can add H&R mild springs that drop the car less than a inch and bump up the spring rate slightly, and put on some real shocks, and add sway bars and tires and wheels, but now I have a car that is unsellable, and I am out an additional $2k."
That's pretty much the same reason I sold my Altima. Looking back, that was one of the better cars I've owned. It wasn't perfect (the heater never worked well--a common problem with the first couple of years of the 3rd generation), and it wasn't exciting, but it rode and accelerated well, handled okay, was invisible to speed traps, and was easy as pie to maintain.
"Accept a lot of miles and try to pick up an inexpensive E36 M3 (or an E46 330i) and deal with the maintenance?"
Do you have a nearby independent mechanic who specializes in European cars? If so, I'd consider going for it. If not, we're in a similar situation, and I'd consider something like an Acura TSX or Lexus, which shouldn't need much work, or buying the BMW as a second vehicle and wrenching on it yourself.
"...apparently with an '07 Accord with 4k in equity doesn't get me very far towards a '07 Speed6 GT that is running 19k."
I also know that feeling. I have "retail equity" on my G6 (if it were declared a total loss, I wouldn't be in the hole), but not "trade equity" (wholesale is less than I owe). This is probably good from a financial perspective since it makes me more reluctant to trade.
Do you have a nearby independent mechanic who specializes in European cars? If so, I'd consider going for it. If not, we're in a similar situation, and I'd consider something like an Acura TSX or Lexus, which shouldn't need much work, or buying the BMW as a second vehicle and wrenching on it yourself.
The TSX was underwhelming to me when I got the Accord, I test drove it and it felt the same to me, except for a little more cramped. Its main attractions were the extra gear and better tire size. I decided it wasn't worth $10k to me at the time. That vehicle was never on the short list. The Lexus seems to be going in the opposite direction of where I want to be.
I am pretty proficient as far as backyard mechanics go and I have a house with a garage, so that's another thumbs up. I feel comfortable with wrenching on the small BMWs through the end of the E46s and parts availability seems fine. I have also noticed a lot of 944s popping up lately, I am sure with "deferred maintenance" issues. That could be fun as well. I don't mind sweat equity.
Yes, I have traded in too many times in past 20 years and now will stick with my 4 year old Sentra. Step 1 of "Carbuying Anonymous", admit you are powerless over new cars and ...
Or, just simply realize it is not worth it and keep the buggy :shades: running as my grandparents did in the Depression and WW2. And parents did in 70s/80s recessions.
Keep the Accord and get something fun to play with on the side.. (wait, is this marriage counseling?).
You'll never find something practical to commute in, that you'll love... unless you want to commute in an M5.. The Accord is perfect for that.. I'm guessing that you thought the stickshift would turn your commuter drone into a fun car... I made the same mistake..
"You'll never find something practical to commute in, that you'll love... unless you want to commute in an M5.."
Or a Corvette - my 'practical commuter' for 2+ years. Quite reasonable gas mileage, even! Loved it. Or [ at a significantly lower price point ] a G8 GT = my current 'hobby' & Daily Driver... Love it. - Ray Dropped a couple of MPG moving to the G8 GT - oh, well...
The Accord is perfect for that.. I'm guessing that you thought the stickshift would turn your commuter drone into a fun car... I made the same mistake..
I still think the manual helps; I can't imagine having an automatic to drive on that commute. I would fall asleep on my drive in and kill myself. I end up driving a lot of different cars for work and the Lexus ES350 took the cake. I think if they just turned down the bed a little and left a mint on my seat, I would be sleeping like a baby.
At the same time, I know this can be taken to extremes. When I was doing a lot of HPDEs, I was pretty happy to get back into the Contour or the old Accord as opposed to driving the nervous, over-tired, rigid-suspended "weekend race vehicle" back to San Jose from Buttonwillow or Willow Springs.
hmmm... ya know, I've warned so many people about the Accord that I can't remember them all.
Do I owe you an "I told you so"? ;b
I think you might have still been in the honeymoon phase with yours when I got mine. Like I said, there really isn't anything wrong with it, its totally serviceable for its intended purpose, its just as interesting as a box of rocks to drive.
ah. if you got yours new, then you are probably right. I think it took me 6 months to realize I may have made a mistake and 18 months to get downright sick of 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
...as every vehicle in the fleet at the Michaell household needs attention.
Join the club; here's the June fleet service update:
1975 2002- Leaking transmission cooler line turned out to actually be a dying radiator. Will install an upgraded radiator along with a new fan and shroud when time and budget permit. Until then it will just sit, giving our house a kind of "Yuppie Appalachia" vibe.
1995 318ti- Noisy idler pulley just cropped up yesterday. I'll fix it myself this weekend for @$40.
1999 Wrangler- Left turn signal blinks fast as if a bulb was out. Cleaned all grounds and replaced multifunction column shift. No joy, though I may have finally traced it to a bad socket. Currently loaned to a friend who needs a car while his wife's Taurus is in the shop.
2004 X3- Oil and coolant service came due. Total at dealer: $117
2007 Mazdaspeed 3- 40,000 mile service. Total at dealer: $69
At this point I'm afraid to even start the 1996 Speed Triple...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Not too bad ... $225 to get everything in order again.
Update on the ION - The brake warning light didn't come on during the drive home from work the other day. Could be a short?
VUE goes in tomorrow to the dealer; I was planning on taking a sample of the dripping fluid (I'd put it onto an index card, then into a baggie) for the service guys to review.
I'm off work next week, so will probably get the L300 in for the LOF at that time.
I wrote the check for my new windows yesterday. In doing the trim work around the windows, the installer pulled back the soffit and found an area of my roof that was leaking blown-in insulation from the attic. This is probably happening because the roof decking in that area is rotted through. Rest of the roof looks okay, so it can probably be patched.
nippon - wonder if she got the 2.4L 4-cyl or the Honda sourced 3.5L V6. My wife had an '05 V6 and loved the power. The refinement of the '08, however, won her over.
She got the 4-cylinder, stick shift. Crank windows and push locks, but it does have the alloys and a pretty expensive aftermarket stereo system.
At this point, she is so happy to have wheels that run, she would think it was the best thing since sliced bread no matter WHAT she had ended up with. She is now back in Texas.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Would need a UHaul to get all the flat packs home for something like that!
Nippon ... I think the 4-cyl 5 speed with no power options would make a good, simple vehicle. Especially with the composite panels and high ground clearance.
What do you think might happen if IKEA were to buy GM and start selling cars retail?
I think if IKEA made cars, they wouldn't be painted but totally covered in micro-thin contact paper that shows the fake-wood-byproduct underneath with every door ding, nick or scratch. Also, should the car ever get wet, all that contact paper will curl up and bubble.
IKEA makes furniture for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Ethan Allen, Pennsylvania House, Henredon or something like that. I would rather have something that was actually made out of wood and has been around for 20 or 50 years and will be here for 50 more, vs something disposable.
What he said. I really like Stickley furniture, but it is not cheap. I still have an ugly, worn-out, multi-tiered fiberboard computer desk at home because I can't find a "real" desk that's as functional.
I really like Stickley furniture, but it is not cheap.
I have one piece of Stickley furniture in my house ... an end table that is between my couch and loveseat in the family room. My wife and I commonly refer to it as the "forever table", given the cost.
OK, point taken on what IKEA built cars would be like. I just found the photo funny when associated to a mythical IKEA / GM merger.
IKEA makes furniture for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Ethan Allen, Pennsylvania House, Henredon or something like that.
Huh. Ya know, I don't think the merger sounds all that crazy when you put it that way. Look, all ya need to do is exchange some of the brands in your statement and it fits perfectly:
GM makes cars for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan or something like that.
;b
'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
I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Ethan Allen, Pennsylvania House, Henredon or something like that
Henredon is really nice. Don't forget Baker Furniture--one of the great american furniture makers. Pompanoosuc Mills - Fine Hardwood Furniture Handmade in Vermont--is very high quality. "Simple" looking, really nicely crafted. Expensive new, for normal people, but I'd kill to get a great deal on a used piece or 2.
But, when finishing our basement last year, I needed a countertop behind the bar.. Something simple... 5' long... but, no backsplash attached, as it's a custom installation..
HD and Lowes only had the pre-contructed with the rolled edge and attached backsplash.. My carpenter said he could build the countertop, if I just purchased a sheet of Formica.. One sheet of the upscale looking stuff: $148!! Didn't really want to spend the money on granite or tile, as this spot is pretty much out of sight lines, and I'd already dropped $1700 on maple for the bar and entertainment center..
So... got a six-foot pre-made countertop from IKEA.. faux-granite look (actually attractive), with a nice contemporary look edge treatment, no backsplash... Easily customizable (rip 3/4" off the back, cut down by 1', etc).. Cost = $49
So.... furniture might be dorm room, apartment quality... But, I saved a couple hundred dollars on one small item.. (What's $50K minus $200? :sick: )
I really like Stickley... Wish I had a nice Craftsman style house to outfit it with..
Comments
I did see a black G8 GT at the gas station where I normally fill up. Driven by a 40-something woman who was quite scantily dressed. :surprise:
(not sure what that says about the owner or the car, or perhaps it's just that the weather has been particularly nice lately)
(not sure what that says about the owner or the car, or perhaps it's just that the weather has been particularly nice lately)
40-something, that's outrageous!
Now, for that kind of value, I could stomach the quality.
'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
'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
This great country does offer exceptional health care to every one of its citizens. If you are unable to pay for those services, it only hurts your credit rating. That doesn't seem like the end of the world to me.
Unfortunately, GM also doesn't offer anything I'd want to buy at this point. When they do and can match the foreign competition...I'll be 1st in line!
The Sandman :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I hire out the mowing at my house--I hate yard work, especially when it's as hot as it's been lately.
GM: Personally I'd buy--instead--almost any used or new lexus, honda, toyota in the same price range as a new GM car. Or a 3 y.o. volvo. But then I felt that way 10 & 20 years before GM went bankrupt.....
GM: Personally I'd buy--instead--almost any used or new lexus, honda, toyota in the same price range as a new GM car.
So I can have a blandatstic Camry or a blandastic Malibu? Whats the difference? If one would rather have a Lexus ES than a Cadillac CTS, eh, that is either an age related issue or some type of prejudice.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I think I got a free battery out of a lifetime warranty maybe twice. Back when you could buy Shell brand batteries at the Shell station.
The one I really remember was on this old 62 Chevy panel truck we had. We had to start it by popping the clutch and went from place to another to another in the snow getting the run around. Th guy that finally replaced it had stories about all the Shell regional folks and why we kept getting turned down and loads of stuff in language that I can't repeat here. His stories were worth all the running around.
She then turned around and had her mother buy the '05 Saturn for her, using the $1600 cash as down payment. She is headed home to Texas tomorrow.
This woman should be buying lottery tickets DAILY with this kind of luck....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
On another note, the shuddering in my G6 resurfaced recently. The dealer put some sort of additive in the transmission, and it seems to have gotten better. At least it's still under warranty, and I've come to realize from looking at the data on TrueDelta that every make and model of vehicle have quality control issues.
The L300 is due for a scheduled LOF, which I'll do at the local Midas here in town. It just turned over 84,000 miles this past week, so I know some larger maintenance items are going to be due within the next year or so.
On the drive to work this morning, my wife reported that the ION is showing a brake warning light. Not sure exactly what this represents, but it's only got 27,000 miles on it - can it be time to get the brakes done? (new pads and shoes, I suspect) This, too, will be addressed in town.
The big issue is the wife's '08 VUE. We've noticed a red liquid puddling underneath it in the garage. Is this transmission or brake fluid? I've got an appointment with the dealer scheduled for Saturday on this one. As it's still under warranty, I'm not worried about the cost, just the aggravation of having to travel 45 minutes to the dealer for the service, then having to wait around for it to be done.
When it rains, it pours.
EDIT: nippon, what model of Saturn did she end up getting? I'm not sure you mentioned it in your earlier posts.
Does the brake warning light stay on all the time, or is it intermittent? Usually the only time I've ever seen that light come on, it was when the brake pressure was too low. And even then, it would only come on when you pressed the brakes, and the pedal got low enough to the floor. Otherwise, the only time I saw that light would be if the parking brake didn't fully disengage.
Maybe cars are "smart" enough nowadays though, to warn you when the pads are getting too thin?
Oh, as for the red fluid, that could be transmission fluid or power steering fluid...unless the Vue has electric steering? Brake fluid is usually clear, when you put it in, although when it leaks out it's often a greasy looking brown. And I guess nowadays, coolant could look reddish.
One common spot for cars to leak transmission fluid is where the cooling tubes connect to the radiator. In the "good old days" they used metal tubes, but nowadays they're usually rubber hoses. This was a common problem on the Intrepid...I've heard stories of them practically leaking right on the showroom floor! I got lucky though, and didn't need to replace my hoses until around the 130,000 mile mark.
The brake warning light can mean low brake fluid. You might want to check the level before driving it any further.
The ION is at my wife's work today (daughter and wife work together in the summer, so they alternate which car to drive). I've called the wife to have her contact a parent in her child care program who does auto work to have him check the brake fluid level (I'd do it myself, but I've got workers coming to the house today to replace our kitchen floor).
I've not noticed any change in behavior in the VUE with regards to shifting, but it does kinda suck that I can't check the transmission fluid level myself, since it's sitting in the garage today.
I'll keep everyone posted as to what I find out.
Still, no car buying on the horizon.
That's a good story, LOL--worthy of Peter Egan, or Jean Shephard even? I remember taking my '67 Barracuda--which I had already almost ruined in several ways--to a local gas station mechanic in the mid-west, with my 3 hippie-long-hair college buddies. His tune-up advice was to install "hotter spark plugs". I asked him why hotter spark plugs, & his answer included various graphic references to what one could do, or not do, with a hot, or cold, uuummmm......Whatever I paid him, $50 or whatever, I don't think the car ran better, but we laughed about it for weeks......
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The guy came over and checked out the ION ... brake fluid looked fine, maybe a bit low, but not enough to set off the dash warning light.
Cursory inspection of the pads and shoes showed no undue wear.
He thinks it may be a faulty switch - of course, this had to happen 2 weeks after the 3/36 warranty expired. Does GM build this into all their cars?
nippon - wonder if she got the 2.4L 4-cyl or the Honda sourced 3.5L V6. My wife had an '05 V6 and loved the power. The refinement of the '08, however, won her over.
So I have the '07 Accord EX 4 cyl sedan with a manual. It is totally practical and meets every need. Its wants where it falls on its face. The car is about as exciting to drive as, well, watching paint dry. I am not a CCB. I can add H&R mild springs that drop the car less than a inch and bump up the spring rate slightly, and put on some real shocks, and add sway bars and tires and wheels, but now I have a car that is unsellable, and I am out an additional $2k.
So do I leave it stock and look for a cheap mid-90s Miata to add to the fleet? Accept a lot of miles and try to pick up an inexpensive E36 M3 (or an E46 330i) and deal with the maintenance?
Initially I thought I was going to get a Speed6, but apparently with an '07 Accord with 4k in equity doesn't get me very far towards a '07 Speed6 GT that is running 19k. Another thought is a Legacy GT, but we already have a Legacy wagon (which I do seem to prefer driving dynamics to the Accord, if ride quality is a bit harsher). Or a WRX.
So my paths are
1. Dump the Accord and get something ~$15-17k that is more fun (and is a real car with at least 4 seatbelts, likely 4 doors)
2. Keep the Accord and get something fun to play with on the side (Miata, 914, 90s 300ZX, Eclipse GSX, etc)
3. Drop some money into making the Accord more fun to drive and accept that I will never get it back.
Wife has a real car (05 Legacy wagon) that we both love and its in good shape with relatively low miles (although we now kinda wish we sprung for the GT Limited vs the 2.5i base), so getting family around isn't such a big deal, but you can't use the outboard seatbelts when the baby seat is in the middle, so there is a utility trade-off there.
I am too young to drive a car that makes me feel this old.
Not sure... There are days when I want to see how long I can make my G6 last, and there are days when I have an itch for a used G35.
"I can add H&R mild springs that drop the car less than a inch and bump up the spring rate slightly, and put on some real shocks, and add sway bars and tires and wheels, but now I have a car that is unsellable, and I am out an additional $2k."
That's pretty much the same reason I sold my Altima. Looking back, that was one of the better cars I've owned. It wasn't perfect (the heater never worked well--a common problem with the first couple of years of the 3rd generation), and it wasn't exciting, but it rode and accelerated well, handled okay, was invisible to speed traps, and was easy as pie to maintain.
"Accept a lot of miles and try to pick up an inexpensive E36 M3 (or an E46 330i) and deal with the maintenance?"
Do you have a nearby independent mechanic who specializes in European cars? If so, I'd consider going for it. If not, we're in a similar situation, and I'd consider something like an Acura TSX or Lexus, which shouldn't need much work, or buying the BMW as a second vehicle and wrenching on it yourself.
"...apparently with an '07 Accord with 4k in equity doesn't get me very far towards a '07 Speed6 GT that is running 19k."
I also know that feeling. I have "retail equity" on my G6 (if it were declared a total loss, I wouldn't be in the hole), but not "trade equity" (wholesale is less than I owe). This is probably good from a financial perspective since it makes me more reluctant to trade.
The TSX was underwhelming to me when I got the Accord, I test drove it and it felt the same to me, except for a little more cramped. Its main attractions were the extra gear and better tire size. I decided it wasn't worth $10k to me at the time. That vehicle was never on the short list. The Lexus seems to be going in the opposite direction of where I want to be.
I am pretty proficient as far as backyard mechanics go and I have a house with a garage, so that's another thumbs up. I feel comfortable with wrenching on the small BMWs through the end of the E46s and parts availability seems fine. I have also noticed a lot of 944s popping up lately, I am sure with "deferred maintenance" issues. That could be fun as well. I don't mind sweat equity.
Or, just simply realize it is not worth it and keep the buggy :shades: running as my grandparents did in the Depression and WW2. And parents did in 70s/80s recessions.
You'll never find something practical to commute in, that you'll love... unless you want to commute in an M5.. The Accord is perfect for that.. I'm guessing that you thought the stickshift would turn your commuter drone into a fun car... I made the same mistake..
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Or a Corvette - my 'practical commuter' for 2+ years.
Quite reasonable gas mileage, even!
Loved it.
Or [ at a significantly lower price point ] a G8 GT =
my current 'hobby' & Daily Driver...
Love it.
- Ray
Dropped a couple of MPG moving to the G8 GT -
oh, well...
Do I owe you an "I told you so"? ;b
'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
I still think the manual helps; I can't imagine having an automatic to drive on that commute. I would fall asleep on my drive in and kill myself. I end up driving a lot of different cars for work and the Lexus ES350 took the cake. I think if they just turned down the bed a little and left a mint on my seat, I would be sleeping like a baby.
At the same time, I know this can be taken to extremes. When I was doing a lot of HPDEs, I was pretty happy to get back into the Contour or the old Accord as opposed to driving the nervous, over-tired, rigid-suspended "weekend race vehicle" back to San Jose from Buttonwillow or Willow Springs.
Do I owe you an "I told you so"? ;b
I think you might have still been in the honeymoon phase with yours when I got mine. Like I said, there really isn't anything wrong with it, its totally serviceable for its intended purpose, its just as interesting as a box of rocks to drive.
'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
Join the club; here's the June fleet service update:
1975 2002- Leaking transmission cooler line turned out to actually be a dying radiator. Will install an upgraded radiator along with a new fan and shroud when time and budget permit. Until then it will just sit, giving our house a kind of "Yuppie Appalachia" vibe.
1995 318ti- Noisy idler pulley just cropped up yesterday. I'll fix it myself this weekend for @$40.
1999 Wrangler- Left turn signal blinks fast as if a bulb was out. Cleaned all grounds and replaced multifunction column shift. No joy, though I may have finally traced it to a bad socket. Currently loaned to a friend who needs a car while his wife's Taurus is in the shop.
2004 X3- Oil and coolant service came due. Total at dealer: $117
2007 Mazdaspeed 3- 40,000 mile service. Total at dealer: $69
At this point I'm afraid to even start the 1996 Speed Triple...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Hardly seems worth mentioning.
Update on the ION - The brake warning light didn't come on during the drive home from work the other day. Could be a short?
VUE goes in tomorrow to the dealer; I was planning on taking a sample of the dripping fluid (I'd put it onto an index card, then into a baggie) for the service guys to review.
I'm off work next week, so will probably get the L300 in for the LOF at that time.
She got the 4-cylinder, stick shift. Crank windows and push locks, but it does have the alloys and a pretty expensive aftermarket stereo system.
At this point, she is so happy to have wheels that run, she would think it was the best thing since sliced bread no matter WHAT she had ended up with. She is now back in Texas.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Worst case scenario might be something like this:
Would need a UHaul to get all the flat packs home for something like that!
Nippon ... I think the 4-cyl 5 speed with no power options would make a good, simple vehicle. Especially with the composite panels and high ground clearance.
I think if IKEA made cars, they wouldn't be painted but totally covered in micro-thin contact paper that shows the fake-wood-byproduct underneath with every door ding, nick or scratch. Also, should the car ever get wet, all that contact paper will curl up and bubble.
IKEA makes furniture for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Ethan Allen, Pennsylvania House, Henredon or something like that. I would rather have something that was actually made out of wood and has been around for 20 or 50 years and will be here for 50 more, vs something disposable.
I have one piece of Stickley furniture in my house ... an end table that is between my couch and loveseat in the family room. My wife and I commonly refer to it as the "forever table", given the cost.
OK, point taken on what IKEA built cars would be like. I just found the photo funny when associated to a mythical IKEA / GM merger.
Huh. Ya know, I don't think the merger sounds all that crazy when you put it that way. Look, all ya need to do is exchange some of the brands in your statement and it fits perfectly:
GM makes cars for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan or something like that.
;b
'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
Henredon is really nice. Don't forget Baker Furniture--one of the great american furniture makers. Pompanoosuc Mills - Fine Hardwood Furniture Handmade in Vermont--is very high quality. "Simple" looking, really nicely crafted. Expensive new, for normal people, but I'd kill to get a great deal on a used piece or 2.
But, when finishing our basement last year, I needed a countertop behind the bar.. Something simple... 5' long... but, no backsplash attached, as it's a custom installation..
HD and Lowes only had the pre-contructed with the rolled edge and attached backsplash.. My carpenter said he could build the countertop, if I just purchased a sheet of Formica.. One sheet of the upscale looking stuff: $148!! Didn't really want to spend the money on granite or tile, as this spot is pretty much out of sight lines, and I'd already dropped $1700 on maple for the bar and entertainment center..
So... got a six-foot pre-made countertop from IKEA.. faux-granite look (actually attractive), with a nice contemporary look edge treatment, no backsplash... Easily customizable (rip 3/4" off the back, cut down by 1', etc).. Cost = $49
So.... furniture might be dorm room, apartment quality... But, I saved a couple hundred dollars on one small item.. (What's $50K minus $200? :sick: )
I really like Stickley... Wish I had a nice Craftsman style house to outfit it with..
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