Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

nyccarguy

@stickguy said:
one more problem and it is gone.

to clarify, 1 problem that annoys or inconveniences the wife and it is gone.

Yet she manages to keep you around!

stickguy

I work like a rented mule around here out in the yard. She wants no part of that nonsense.

explorerx4

@stickguy,
Can you look up how much Acura parts cost?
My wife's MKC had flaky window switches. Replacement was covered under extended warranty but part was only $99.
Saw a video on YT for a vehicle that had a similar symptom. They sprayed some WD40 on it to clear off some gunk.
I don't recommend that fix until you find a video about it.

roadburner

Today I decided to change things up a bit and drove the C43 in Sport+ combined with the manual shift mode. The 9G-Tronic transmission really responds quickly to the shift paddles and it makes things a bit more entertaining to hear the pops and burbles from the AMG exhaust on downshifts. Despite all that the car still averaged around 21 mpg in mostly suburban driving.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

stickguy said:

Didn’t work but after some googling found a a couple of alternate methods to try. Will work on that later.

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Let us know when you take that buy offer and what you’re considering for your side of the garage.

jmonroe

What do you want to bet the dealership sabotaged it so he would take their trade offer?

stickguy

I tried the 5 second hold option. Still nothing. So I am giving up. might ask about it next time it goes for service, which hopefully won't be for about a year.

sda

roadburner said:

Today I decided to change things up a bit and drove the C43 in Sport+ combined with the manual shift mode. The 9G-Tronic transmission really responds quickly to the shift paddles and it makes things a bit more entertaining to hear the pops and burbles from the AMG exhaust on downshifts. Despite all that the car still averaged around 21 mpg in mostly suburban driving.

Sounds fun on all levels. The congested traffic around here does not allow for much spirited driving. Gets worse every day. The Arteon will cut and thrust to give a bit of fun but it is more of a tourer. For my commuting needs it is a pleasure to drive. I’m glad I did not buy the ES 350. Long term it may be more trouble free, but I enjoy driving.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

I work like a rented mule around here out in the yard. She wants no part of that nonsense.

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I bet when you find that buried tire shop she’ll change her mind.

jmonroe

tjc78

A beautiful cloudy sunset.

tjc78

And this …

stickguy

is that what you traded the golf cart for?

tjc78

@stickguy said:
is that what you traded the golf cart for?

Ha!! I think the golf cart is my favorite vehicle

nyccarguy

Speaking of scenic views:

mjfloyd1

I’d love a targa

roadburner

I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

driver100

My tennis friend bought the Nissan Rogue....with 3 cylinders. i told him it should be fine, it was highly recommended by @ab348 .
He was a bank exec so the interest rates were a huge factor.
0% Financing:
Some dealerships are offering 0% APR for 24-60 months on select 2025 Nissan Rogue models.
Reduced APR:
Offers may also include reduced APR rates for specific models, like the 0.99% APR for 24 months on select 2024 Rogue models
Since he doesn't care about the driving experience and he doesn't know about cars or even what a cylinder is it will be fine.

mjfloyd1

@roadburner said:
I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

If you call Mopar they have a oil change and tire rotation 3 for like $190 but you have to use them within 2 yrs

corvette

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

jmonroe1

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

fintail

nyccarguy said:

Speaking of scenic views:

The fun part is watching the top stowage system in action.

explorerx4

@fintail,
It's 1959 all over again.

driver100

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

lol, No but he couldn't care less about what he drives. When I said it had 3 cylinders he asked what a cylinder was. Surprisingly, he loves watching Formula 1 racing and he actually went to Toronto to look at the cars. he is going to see the movie too. He is trading in his 2017 Sorrento for the Rogue....I think being a banker the low financing rate was too hard to pass up.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

You got it JM. The car itself is just a way to get from A to B. Feel of the road, zoom zoom, lots of horses, means nothing to him. 0% interest was too hard to pass up.

Michaell

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

You got it JM. The car itself is just a way to get from A to B. Feel of the road, zoom zoom, lots of horses, means nothing to him. 0% interest was too hard to pass up.

Free money is how I ended up in my '03 Saturn L300, instead of a Camry, Accord, or Passat.

stickguy

cheap financing (which really just means a somewhat lower monthly nut) is really just saying you are getting paid to drive a car you don't like.

driver100

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

You got it JM. The car itself is just a way to get from A to B. Feel of the road, zoom zoom, lots of horses, means nothing to him. 0% interest was too hard to pass up.

Free money is how I ended up in my '03 Saturn L300, instead of a Camry, Accord, or Passat.

That is my thinking, there is a reason they are offering 0% financing. Who knows, they can easily give him $1000 less for his trade-in too. I don't even think he looked at alternatives, that 0% financing was like heroin to a druggy for a bank guy.

roadburner

mjfloyd1 said:

@roadburner said:

I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

If you call Mopar they have a oil change and tire rotation 3 for like $190 but you have to use them within 2 yrs

That was the rub; the Wrangler only calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or so.

Michaell

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

You got it JM. The car itself is just a way to get from A to B. Feel of the road, zoom zoom, lots of horses, means nothing to him. 0% interest was too hard to pass up.

Free money is how I ended up in my '03 Saturn L300, instead of a Camry, Accord, or Passat.

That is my thinking, there is a reason they are offering 0% financing. Who knows, they can easily give him $1000 less for his trade-in too. I don't even think he looked at alternatives, that 0% financing was like heroin to a druggy for a bank guy.

I actually liked the L300. Wasn't something you saw that frequently, ran well, was smooth and quiet, pretty feature rich (for the time).

Pictures of it the day I brought it home:

kyfdx

L300 had great styling. Very Euro

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

Sam Walton drove a beat up pick up even though he was worth billions. A banker of all people would recognize the wisdom of not sinking excess capital into a depreciating asset.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

mjfloyd1 said:

@roadburner said:

I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

If you call Mopar they have a oil change and tire rotation 3 for like $190 but you have to use them within 2 yrs

That was the rub; the Wrangler only calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or so.

You could always change it yourself in between those 10k appointments. If people actually follow that 10k schedule I pity the second owner.

ab348

fintail said:

nyccarguy said:

Speaking of scenic views:

The fun part is watching the top stowage system in action.

Even more fun is watching it when the Rube Goldberg mechanism goes wonky and it tries to stow the top in the engine compartment.

tjc78

@kyfdx said:
L300 had great styling. Very Euro

Saturn and Olds tried to be very different than their other GM cousins… opting to appear more like an import than a domestic. Even things like the Olds having double din sized stereos when Chevy and Pontiac were holding on that 1.5 din style

Michaell

IIRC, the L300 shared some underpinnings with the Euro Vectra, and was built at the GM plant in Wilmington, DE.

stickguy

Some of the Saturns were imports. Wasn’t the L a rebadged opel?

Michaell

stickguy said:

Some of the Saturns were imports. Wasn’t the L a rebadged opel?

See my post above. I wouldn't say rebadged, because the L still had the plastic vertical panels, which made for some big panel gaps, when compared to the competition. It did use the 3.0L V6 that was common in Europe, though it was down on power when compared to the Accord (240HP) or Camry (200HP) - the L had 181HP.

And, the Sky/Solstice was also offered in Europe, as well.

mjfloyd1

@roadburner said:
That was the rub; the Wrangler only calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or so.

I figured an oil change every 8 months would do no harm😎

explorerx4

I think that Saturn shared the chassis with the Saab 9-5, too.

kyfdx

explorerx4 said:

I think that Saturn shared the chassis with the Saab 9-5, too.

Epsilon platform?

Michaell

kyfdx said:

explorerx4 said:

I think that Saturn shared the chassis with the Saab 9-5, too.

Epsilon platform?

I think that sounds right.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

corvette said:

@driver100 - a former bank exec slumming it in a Rogue? Was he an exec at Silicon Valley Bank?!?

————————————————
My guess is that since he’s a former bank exec, he just wants basic transportation for getting him from point A to point B but he doesn’t want to pay more than next to nothing to borrow money. He’s now on the other side of the fence so he’s watching his money just like he watched the banks money.

jmonroe

Sam Walton drove a beat up pick up even though he was worth billions. A banker of all people would recognize the wisdom of not sinking excess capital into a depreciating asset.

He is probably the wise one buying a basic something to get you from A to B. But, then again, it is nice to get some fun and enjoyment from your money.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

mjfloyd1 said:

@roadburner said:

I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

If you call Mopar they have a oil change and tire rotation 3 for like $190 but you have to use them within 2 yrs

That was the rub; the Wrangler only calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or so.

You could always change it yourself in between those 10k appointments. If people actually follow that 10k schedule I pity the second owner.

We've probably gone over this before, but I've had used oil analysis performed on several of my cars, and most every one confirmed that a 10k mile oil change interval was fine- and that included my MS3, which had a motor that was supposedly very hard on oil. I've followed the one year 10,000 mile oil change regimen for over 15 years and I've never had an oil related problem- even with cars driven over 150,000 miles.
Finally, this was my son's 328i at 108k miles. The minimum oil change interval was 15,000 miles, using BMW TPT 5W-30.

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

mjfloyd1 said:

@roadburner said:

I took the Wrangler to my dealer for an oil change (oil life was down to 5%). I took advantage of a couple of Jeep service coupons and bought two oil changes and received a free tire rotation. Total cost was $140.58, but the next visit will be free.

If you call Mopar they have a oil change and tire rotation 3 for like $190 but you have to use them within 2 yrs

That was the rub; the Wrangler only calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or so.

You could always change it yourself in between those 10k appointments. If people actually follow that 10k schedule I pity the second owner.

We've probably gone over this before, but I've had used oil analysis performed on several of my cars, and most every one confirmed that a 10k mile oil change interval was fine- and that included my MS3, which had a motor that was supposedly very hard on oil. I've followed the one year 10,000 mile oil change regimen for over 15 years and I've never had an oil related problem- even with cars driven over 150,000 miles.
Finally, this was my son's 328i at 108k miles. The minimum oil change interval was 15,000 miles, using BMW TPT 5W-30.


————————————————
Looks pretty clean to me. Now all it needs is a wax job to keep it looking like that.

jmonroe

explorerx4

Just got an email from our Homeowners Insurance company that they overcharged us for several policy periods.
Sending us a refund that includes interest.
2025 has been a good year. My property taxes went down $900 and now a refund on homeowners.

xwesx

roadburner said:

We've probably gone over this before, but I've had used oil analysis performed on several of my cars, and most every one confirmed that a 10k mile oil change interval was fine- and that included my MS3, which had a motor that was supposedly very hard on oil. I've followed the one year 10,000 mile oil change regimen for over 15 years and I've never had an oil related problem- even with cars driven over 150,000 miles.

Very true! I usually change the oil out on my trip car after we return from Ohio, but I totally spaced it this year. In mid-May, I was doing some car stuff with my son on his car, and oil came up... then the light bulb illuminated! I checked the odometer, did a little math, and realized that my wife's Crosstrek was closing in on 17,000 miles since the oil was changed the prior AMW!

Well, I figured I'd just split the difference and change the oil a little early this year. I sent the in the oil for analysis; it came back a few weeks later with flying colors. I do use high-quality oil, but it still has to hold up to all those miles! I mean, on the trip, we were working it pretty well given the massive load we asked that little car to carry. Over that whole interval (the oil change), I only topped off the oil one time (~ 1 quart) and late on our return trip.

Aside: Her car just turned over 100,000 miles. I replaced the spark plugs and ignition coils on Sunday, and it said "100,321" on the odometer.

sda

With the known potential issues with the VW/Audi E888 type engines, I am sticking with a 5k or 6mo interval, which ever comes first. It maybe overkill, but cheap insurance. VW/Audi specifies a 10k, 12 month interval. Of note, the Q5, Passat and Arteon all take a different oil spec.

qbrozen

I need to be better about tracking service on my cars. I bought some stickers a while back and wrote a very long one for the Alfa. I should take a pic. That reminds me, I should write one for the Volvo. Although those new fangled cars tell you when to service them. I seriously can’t recall when the Fiat last got an oil change. I bought the stuff for it this week, along with trans fluid because the kid says it is slipping. I doubt it but I’ll do it anyway just because it is over 10 yrs old.

Oh, did I mention the Volvo’s plugs? When I changed them, all 4 had some buildup on the electrodes. Two were far worse than the other 2. I’d estimate at least half the gap was filled. And I had noticed a chuffing sound from the car when I’d hear the wife pull in or out of the garage. It seems far happier and sounds healthier now. Needing a special tool to remove the filter angered me to no end. And, even with the newly acquired tool, it took A LOT of torque to remove. Only supposed to be 25 nM when tightening. Either it is a poor design or the previous tech has no idea what 25 nM means.

xwesx

True, Q!

For the tracking, I have a spreadsheet for each vehicle with two tabs: fueling and maintenance/repair. I jot down the date, mileage, and provide a description at the very least. If I'm feeling spunky, I'll put the cost in there, too, but the longer I have my cars, the sadder doing that makes me feel.

explorerx4

Oil stress is completely different on an NA engine than a DI engine, especially if turbocharged.

stickguy

I do it the old fashioned way. Every car I get, I start a manila folder and put all the paperwork in that, then every service, add the receipts. Very easy to find if you need them when selling! On the front of the folder, I just write down the date and what was done so I don't have to dig out the papers to check back.