Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

explorerx4

I saw an ad yesterday that Ram is offering 0% for 72 months plus 90 days no payments.
Are the deals coming back or is there no inventory to buy?

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

I saw an ad yesterday that Ram is offering 0% for 72 months plus 90 days no payments.
Are the deals coming back or is there no inventory to buy?

Did you forget it is a Chrysler product?

jmonroe

benjaminh

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/08/gm-upset-with-battery-supplier-expands-bolt-recall-again/

"On Friday, General Motors announced that its recall of the Chevrolet Bolt would result in a loss of $1 billion. But only after it expanded the campaign to encompass every electric vehicle it has produced. Rather than a single $800-million defect requiring fire-prone models to come back for repairs, GM is now confronting two problems and including Bolts (and Bolt EUVs) from 2019 onwards. The automaker has said this will necessitate an additional billion-dollar financial setback.

Keen to avoid being the recipient of the swelling public outrage, the manufacturer has been trying to shift criticism onto battery supplier LG Chem.The South Korean firm has been involved in numerous fire-related recalls pertaining to electric vehicles and GM would very much like to remind you of that, rather than take the blame for building and selling EVs that it’s advising customers not to charge too much or park anywhere near their home."

benjaminh

https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-sure-didnt-sound-certain-about-full-self-driv-1847370575

"Tesla has been selling this service for years now, and Elon is saying that for it to be a “compelling value,” the company will “need to make full self-driving work.” That sure sounds like he’s saying that anyone who has already paid for FSD both does not yet have a system that works, and their purchase was not a “compelling value.”



I like to drive my own car, and so Tesla's theoretical Full Self Driving (FSD) has no appeal for me.

But the bigger story is Tesla's seeming scam in getting people to pay $10k for something that doesn't exist and doesn't work. Google is probably ahead in self driving, since Google probably has better hardware (lidar) and software, but it's still years away for Google too. But at least Google isn't selling people a 10k product that doesn't yet exist.

explorerx4

@benjaminh,
Tesla also takes away that 10k feature when you sell your car.

benjaminh

Yeah, that's something isn't it? Tesla has some good engineering, but there's also a lot of hype that seems designed to elevate the stock. Having just read that book about Tesla, at this point I'm not a fan of Elon Musk. I thought I might like him more after reading the nitty gritty details of what he's done, but even by the standards of arrogant CEOs he seems to be quite a difficult person, and one who constantly blames others—year and year—for his own mistakes and unrealistic promises.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

I mentioned on C&C that a friend had flipped his Dinan E46 M3 for an M2 Comp. I forgot to mention that the dealer only gave him $26k for it.
If only I had known... :@

That’s gotta hurt. Like the big fish that got away.

My first car was like that. We offered to pay the owner whatever the dealer would give and got a bargain.

stickguy

I got the TL that my son drove for 6 years in HS through college that way. My sister's car. Called me from the dealership (sitting at the desk) asking if I wanted it for what they were offering her on trade. Obvious Yes at that price. Ended up selling it all those years later for what I had in it. Once of my better purchases.

oldfarmer50

xwesx said:

stickguy said:

Wes, what was the outcome of the mechanical problem you had that required an emergency dealer stop someplace in the Midwest?

Nothing, yet. I took it to Audi of Erie on the 12th, as scheduled, and they took a look at the log file. He said that it probably will need a new EGR valve, at least, but he could not actually break into the the system without having the data in the onboard computer. Since I had to clear it in order to keep driving without being in that limp mode (restricted speed and no cruise control), and it didn't recode afterward, there was nothing he could do.

His suggestion was to take it to the nearest dealer if it codes again before 120,000 miles. Otherwise, I'm out of luck (and warranty). So, if it does it again before I hit the warranty cap, I'll do that. Otherwise, I'm just going to retune it without the EGR and DEF systems and call it good. I'd prefer to keep the car running "clean," but I won't do it at the expense of several thousand dollars every year or two, which is about how long the reductant system has gone between major failures so far.

One of our bus mechanics called the DEF systems on diesels the “mechanic full employment system” because they would always need work. Another stated that diesels were never made to operate with pollution controls.

xwesx

Yeah, it just isn't well-executed. I have a feeling that the temperature extremes in which I operate the car don't do urea systems any favors, as the fluid freezes at very mild temperatures. The onboard heating system doesn't keep the stuff thawed while the car is off, so there's a lot of cycling between thermal states.

nyccarguy

Not a punch, but as of yesterday it is very cool and comfortable in my house. I’ve got a new Bosch Condenser w/ Heat Pump, air handler, and new ductwork. It’s been a very long 3 weeks.

corvette

Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

nyccarguy

@corvette said:
Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

As I understand it, when you plot your destination into the Tesla nav, it figures out where you’ll have to stop. For instance, let’s say your Tesla has a range of 300 miles. Maybe it will have you drive 150 miles, then charge up. Next you’ll drive 80 miles, then charge up. After that it will send you 200 miles….

stickguy

Did the new AC setup fix the hot spot issue? Other than being cool again does it feel more even?

Michaell

A new dealer popped up in my hometown.

Was perusing the inventory, and I found this for @roadburner

https://www.rmeurosport.com/inventory/2020-bmw-m2-competition/421110

benjaminh

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2022-ford-maverick-reservations-100k/

"Reservations for the 2022 Ford Maverick Top 100,000

It may—or may not—be that the diehard fans (who reminisce about the "real" mini trucks that have roamed the streets for 30 years) are making reservations for the Maverick. But somebody is—in abundance. According to a Bloomberg report, over 100,000 reservations have been made on the new hybrid pickup....

The Ford Maverick may be a jack of all trades and a master of none, as the saying goes. But at just over $20,000, returning a potential 40 mpg, and an open bed for stuff, jacks beats master. A lot of people apparently agree."

tjc78

Huge hit for Ford. Imagine if it wasn’t competing against the Santa Cruz.

oldfarmer50

benjaminh said:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2022-ford-maverick-reservations-100k/

"Reservations for the 2022 Ford Maverick Top 100,000

It may—or may not—be that the diehard fans (who reminisce about the "real" mini trucks that have roamed the streets for 30 years) are making reservations for the Maverick. But somebody is—in abundance. According to a Bloomberg report, over 100,000 reservations have been made on the new hybrid pickup....

The Ford Maverick may be a jack of all trades and a master of none, as the saying goes. But at just over $20,000, returning a potential 40 mpg, and an open bed for stuff, jacks beats master. A lot of people apparently agree."

I spotted a Subaru Baja the other day and it reminded me of the current unibody trucks. I see it was only made from 2002-2006. It makes me wonder how long the Maverick and Santa Cruz will last before the fad wears off.

coldinohio

corvette said:

Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

that is a great tour; spearfish is really nice as is crazy horse and mt rushmore... we did tour while living in Minnesota... drove or 1985 Honda Acoord.. visited corn palace in mitchell SD on way out...

roadburner

@Michaell said:
A new dealer popped up in my hometown.

Was perusing the inventory, and I found this for @roadburner

https://www.rmeurosport.com/inventory/2020-bmw-m2-competition/421110

That’s spot on, the miles are a tick higher than most- but mileage rarely correlates to price on these cars.

stickguy

There’s your car. Jump on it. Fun road trip home too this time of year.

stickguy

@oldfarmer50 said:
I spotted a Subaru Baja the other day and it reminded me of the current unibody trucks. I see it was only made from 2002-2006. It makes me wonder how long the Maverick and Santa Cruz will last before the fad wears off.

Santa Cruz may fade but Maverick won’t. It’s a “real” truck, just smaller, which many people are going to still want I bet.

kyfdx

@nyccarguy What was the final damage?

nyccarguy

kyfdx said:

@nyccarguy What was the final damage?

I'm waiting for the final bill, then I'll let you know.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

Did the new AC setup fix the hot spot issue? Other than being cool again does it feel more even?

Yes. The house cools evenly and held its temperature despite yesterday's heat & humidity. I kept checking my Honeywell Home app (I have a Lyric). The temperature inside did not budge above 70 degrees all day.

stickguy

70? You rich Connecticut guys can keep your houses like meat lockers!

rayainsw

"very cool and comfortable"
nyccarguy -
Great - and a big relief, I'm sure.
- Ray
My AC crapped out [ my house near HotLanta ] a few years ago.
VERY uncomfortable...

ab348

stickguy said:

70? You rich Connecticut guys can keep your houses like meat lockers!

Must be using an old-style GM A6 compressor. Those things gave vent temps in the 30s F when used with R12.

tjc78

@ab348 said:
Must be using an old-style GM A6 compressor. Those things gave vent temps in the 30s F when used with R12.

My 79 Continental would blow frost on humid day with that compressor and R12. Unbelievable cold, you really never even needed high fan speeds.

Nothing compares to it today. Modern AC in cars isn’t what it used to be.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
70? You rich Connecticut guys can keep your houses like meat lockers!

I run 73 or if it’s only about 80 and humid then 71. My wife and mom were sweatshirts all day.

I still can’t believe this house at more than double the size of my old one has the same utility bills. When we moved in and did our budget I figured at least 50% higher, boy was I wrong. Water bill is higher but I didn’t have a sprinkler system at the other house.

stickguy

All about what leaks out!

tjc78

@stickguy said:
All about what leaks out!

Indeed. Apparently these homes in the development were built so tight they required the hall bath upstairs to have a large exhaust fan on a timer for ventilation.

All the homes have it here. I never heard of such a thing.

Michaell

roadburner said:

@Michaell said:

A new dealer popped up in my hometown.

Was perusing the inventory, and I found this for @roadburner

https://www.rmeurosport.com/inventory/2020-bmw-m2-competition/421110

That’s spot on, the miles are a tick higher than most- but mileage rarely correlates to price on these cars.

I'll be happy to take it for a test drive and give you my thoughts ... the dealer is only 5-10 minutes away.

jmonroe1

corvette said:

Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

I’ve said it before and the more I think about it, I was right. The only way to solve this changing problem is to do it wirelessly. Just need stronger and higher cell towers.

jmonroe

stickguy

Just need to tow a generator around

jmonroe1

nyccarguy said:

stickguy said:

Did the new AC setup fix the hot spot issue? Other than being cool again does it feel more even?

Yes. The house cools evenly and held its temperature despite yesterday's heat & humidity. I kept checking my Honeywell Home app (I have a Lyric). The temperature inside did not budge above 70 degrees all day.

Good to hear.

Don’t worry about the final price. You and your family are feeling more comfortable now. That’s what counts.

If need be you can always justify the price by using the @driver100 amortization method. Run it out to 20 years and do it by the minute. You won’t be sorry.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

I’ve said it before and the more I think about it, I was right. The only way to solve this changing problem is to do it wirelessly. Just need stronger and higher cell towers.

jmonroe

Wasn’t the original Tesla working on wireless transmission of electricity just before he went crazy?

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Just need to tow a generator around

That would work but there are folks who would choke when their gas mileage dropped.

But how about this, you could charge other electrical vehicle owners a fee to charge them up. Could hang a sign on the back of the trailer saying, “Electrical Charging Service, 30 Miles. Follow Me”. That’s gotta work.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

Just for grins, I looked at the Tesla Supercharger network as it would have pertained to my recent road trip. I think I would have been fine until I actually got to the Black Hills. I spent two nights in Medora, ND, where there is no readily available charging, and you have to go 37 miles east to Dickinson for a charge. I easily drove several hundred miles in that area, plus my next destination was driving south to Devil's Tower. Stop me if you've heard this before--the nearest Supercharger is 28 miles further west from my route, in Glendive, MT. Devil's Tower is 220 miles south, so you'd be running on very few electrons by the time you got there. The Supercharger in Spearfish, ND is an additional 60 miles away. I think I would have been fine once I got to Rapid City, and on the return trip. Obviously, there are other (slower) chargers available, but there are definitely some holes in the network the further you get out west.

I’ve said it before and the more I think about it, I was right. The only way to solve this changing problem is to do it wirelessly. Just need stronger and higher cell towers.

jmonroe

Wasn’t the original Tesla working on wireless transmission of electricity just before he went crazy?

Don’t go giving Tesla credit for something you heard in here. :@

jmonroe

stickguy

Don’t laugh JM. I just saw a report (maybe in one of the car magazines) of charging an EV while being towed on a trailer behind an F150 hybrid. They plugged into the power station that has in the bed that serves as a generator if you want it to.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Don’t laugh JM. I just saw a report (maybe in one of the car magazines) of charging an EV while being towed on a trailer behind an F150 hybrid. They plugged into the power station that has in the bed that serves as a generator if you want it to.

I’m not laughing. That’s an infringement on one of my patents. :@ Did you happen to get the plate number on that F-150?

jmonroe

nyccarguy

Speaking of F150s, I've gotten used to its power, ride, & passenger/cargo space. I took a few deliveries this morning. I'm amazed at how well it holds the weight and drives like it is empty. My Tacoma does the work, but the rear end sags and you can feel the engine/transmission is taxed. I know the F150 is wider and longer than my Tacoma, but it seems easier to drive & park.

I do have a few minor nits to pick. The B Pillar on the left side makes a very bad blind spot. The mirrors (all 3) are not big enough considering the size of the truck. Luckily the BSM is excellent and makes up for it, but I'd prefer to use my own eyes and rely on the tech for secondary assistance. Axle hop from the rear suspension is bad. I know it is goes with the territory of the leaf spring suspension and ride height. There is one particular off ramp that I use every morning. There are 3 expansion joints on this downward sweeping ramp with a concrete road surface. I have to slow WAY down otherwise the back end of the truck feels like its going to come out from under me.

ab348

nyccarguy said:

Axle hop from the rear suspension is bad. I know it is goes with the territory of the leaf spring suspension and ride height. There is one particular off ramp that I use every morning. There are 3 expansion joints on this downward sweeping ramp with a concrete road surface. I have to slow WAY down otherwise the back end of the truck feels like its going to come out from under me.

I remember that GM used coil springs in the rear of their standard 1/2 ton pickups through much of the 1960s to the early '70s, and Ram does today. I would have to think they would ride better than cart-spring leafs which always struck me as stiff and crude.

stickguy

Pluses and minuses to the big boy trucks, but if you can live with the minuses, hard to argue with the utility value. I just don’t want to deal with something so big on a regular basis.

Maybe if I get moved more to the country try and get up to 3 cars, and just reserve the truck to duties suited for it!

sda

I wonder how the Ram with its coil rear suspension would handle in the same circumstances. It is a bit unnerving when the back end starts dancing around. That would give me the appropriate pucker factor.

stickguy

I remember back when I had my Nissan PU (RWD) cresting a hill and the backend getting very light, if not airborne. That gets your attention.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

Speaking of F150s, I've gotten used to its power, ride, & passenger/cargo space. I took a few deliveries this morning. I'm amazed at how well it holds the weight and drives like it is empty. My Tacoma does the work, but the rear end sags and you can feel the engine/transmission is taxed. I know the F150 is wider and longer than my Tacoma, but it seems easier to drive & park.

I do have a few minor nits to pick. The B Pillar on the left side makes a very bad blind spot. The mirrors (all 3) are not big enough considering the size of the truck. Luckily the BSM is excellent and makes up for it, but I'd prefer to use my own eyes and rely on the tech for secondary assistance. Axle hop from the rear suspension is bad. I know it is goes with the territory of the leaf spring suspension and ride height. There is one particular off ramp that I use every morning. There are 3 expansion joints on this downward sweeping ramp with a concrete road surface. I have to slow WAY down otherwise the back end of the truck feels like its going to come out from under me.

Did you ever find out what engine is in that truck, 5.0 or 3.5t?

oldfarmer50

sda said:

I wonder how the Ram with its coil rear suspension would handle in the same circumstances. It is a bit unnerving when the back end starts dancing around. That would give me the appropriate pucker factor.

From my experience the Ram and Silverado drive more car-like than the Ford but if I was hauling a lot of weight I’d take the F-150.

For what it’s worth my cargo van has rear leaf springs and the ride is pretty smooth. Also my old Corvette had a single transverse leaf spring in the rear.

explorerx4

nyc's truck is probably a 2.7 ecoboost. It's the most common engine and punches way above its' weight.

tjc78

Speaking of HVAC. Here is our shiny new unit on our vacation home. Negotiated that as part of our offer, it was from 2004 when the house was built.

We settle Monday but lender backed up so won’t have clear to close until tomorrow. It’s driving us nuts!