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Comments
http://users.ev1.net/~gunpilot/misc/
Hope this works.
Rob
Looks nice. Several people in the 300M forum are doing the same thing by getting "underground" side marker lights like the ones that are put on the European 300M.
fastdriver
If you take it to the dealership for help, be sure and keep all documentation in case they can't fix it.
Otherwise, enjoy the car, and crank up that JBL
There are two airflow buttons, one that let's air circulate within the car, and another that depicts air coming in from the outside. If you press the circulation one I believe that will minimize if not eliminate the slight air coming in when the system is off?
Seat Heaters
Bwiebe -- what was the name of the Upholstery place you got the seat heaters installed? I've been looking around in Toronto to no avail. Also, what was the cost and does it affect the warranty in any way?
Speakers
I've posted this a couple of times with no response. Are the front JBL tweeters and speakers not the greatest? I'm convinced my right fronts are damaged in some way since anything with a low low base (e.g. Stern Show, certain rock songs) result in a cracking sound coming from the speaker. The dealer told me this is normal (gee big surprise there) and said to keep the bass level on -2. I think that is ridiculous since I don't here it on the left side and I can't believe JBL speakers can't handle a little base (I normally keep it at 3). Anyone else have this problem? Anyone think the dealer just doesn't want to replace the speakers????
Your initial thoughts are correct - There is a problem with the amp or speakers. The crackling that you hear can be the amp clipping, or it can be a bad driver.
I have cranked my system to the max with no clipping. I have the bass on +2 normally. Stop by a good autosound shop and let one of the techs have a quick listen before you go back to the dealer.
The JBL system is NOT the greatest, but it is OK. My biggest gripe is that the sound is not well balanced, frequency-wise, until it is TOO loud, about 1-2 O'clock position of the volume knob. At lower levels the sound is very muddy and indistinct. Also- It REALLY needs a subwoofer. Also the tweeters are too small, so the crossover is right in the critical voice frequencies - an audio no-no.
http://www.autotoys.com/New_Tech/DIY_2000/Side_marker_lights/side_marker_lights.htm
Can anyone suggest a cleaner that I can use to clean the dash?
Also what is a good cleaner for the Ivory leather interior?
Lastly, after applying the Zaino products must I hand wash in the Zaino car wash, or can I quickly run it through a local car wash from time to time?
Thanks in advance.
Your friend was right - do NOT use Armor All on any part of your car. For the interior, use Lemon Pledge on almost everything - vinly, leather, plastic, wood and chrome. I have been using it for over 20 years with great results! Spray a little on a soft cloth, rub it on, buff it off. It has a great look and is self-cleaning. It will not build up and collect dirt like some other products. If you have leather seats, use Lexol twice a year on them to keep them soft.
SC Solara - Thanks for the info on the lights!
Left Pull - I pumped up my tires to 34 PSI in the front and the pull or drift is nearly gone. I believe it is the tires.
Will
Sorry about the traffic barrel incident! Yikes. Bummer!
-Ret
my solara brakes also make a light but high pitch sound when I press my brake to slow down and let go of it right before the car goes to a complete stop. anyone have the same experience?
thanks. I had this car for almost a year. runs great.
IMHO - Anyone that runs a car through a car wash is looking for big trouble and will get it. The brushes / flaps will rub your paint off eventually, and certainly rub the dirt from the previous filthy car right into your paint, making permant swirls and scratches. The detergent is ultra strong, stripping any wax right off, maybe even Zaino. The "touchless" car washes have been known to damage door and window seals with the high-pressure sprays. Car washes are ultra-harsh because they need to get the car clean in one pass, regardless of how dirty it is.
If you try wash your car every weekend, it only takes a few minutes, because the car is not very dirty. To rinse, wash, rinse and dry should not take more than 10-15 minutes at the MOST, including scrubbing the wheels. If it takes any longer than this you are doing it wrong or are driving a van. It takes only another 15 minutes to vacuum the interior, Pledge the vinyl and Windex the windows. Again, this surmises that the car is NOT filthy. Do it regular, and it is no big deal.
Isn't your beautiful new car worth it?
Paint Quality. Just finished putting my first coat of Zaino Z5 on and noticed a number of small paint chips. A bit surprised by this as I only bought the car in Dec. Hope this isn't a paint problem. Any comments??
My SLE is three weeks old (black/ivory/~900 mi.) and has a tiny ding near the front of the hood, but nothing worse yet (touch wood).
Some people have responded by using invisible bras, though others have complained that they can trap dirt and cause scratches as the tradeoff for ding prevention. I'm trying to use the Klasse polymer finish products as a protectant, but the Zaino might work as well or better. Good luck!
I use the "pledge grab it" wipe things, it takes just one wipe to do the whole car and you can use on the instrument gages with no worry of scratching. My car usually doesnt't get very dirty though, just the typical dust from driving with windows down. Also, it saves time because you use just one cloth and you don't have to worry about accidentally getting some spray on the windows or other crap like that.
Brian
if you use a sunshade you really don't have to worry about damage to the dashboard, ohh and my windows have 5% tint so very little light gets in anyway.
i think protectants are crap and unnecessary. i have lived in FL and TX and just used the above metioned method(on previous vehicle too) with the sunshade and never garaged my car. so far i've had no problems.
plus the pledge grab it thing takes just a minute or so for the whole interior, except seats, and you don't have to worry about scratching anything. those things are great for the house too!!
ohh, every once in a while i'll use a wet rag on the dash/doors beacuse the "grab it" really only removes dust/dirt particles.
I like your idea of using the Grabit on the interior. You are right - this is a very good idea. California Car Duster also makes "mini" version for car interiors that works much the same way. The tacky yarn grabs dust and dirt.
However, I still feel that the vinyl needs a little help as it dries out. I'm still a big fan of Lemon Pledge nearly everything inside the car. It's not shiny or greasy, and is self-cleaning so it doesn't build up. Why not give it a try between dustings?
i really dont feel like the pledge cleans as well as soap and water, do you think so?...in between, the grab is just so easy and quick i dont think i will ever do anything else...
brian
Other than that I only "wash" the dashboard twice a year.
Anyhow, I now see that the Solara is the Toyota to compare against the Accord coupe so I checked out Edmunds for more info and stumbled into your fine forum.
I'd appreciate hearing what you Solara owners think of the Accord. Especially if you test drove both, what made you go with the Solara? And about what kind of prices did you get? Did you find the Toyota dealers more willing to discount than Honda?
areas where solara has accord beat (in no particular order)
1) better tilt steering adjustment
2) better audio
3) quieter ride
4) larger gas tank/trunk
5) more comfortable headrest adjustment
where accord has solara beat:
1) more comfy center armrest
2) better coin box/storage
3) car seems to hold the road better
4) fuel filler door holds fuel cap more secure when filling tank with gas
other items..such as appearance... are subjective-- as someone who's owned both cars, i can say they each have their pros and cons compared to the other...
as far as discounts, folks are generally getting accords for right around invoice from what i read-- and the 3.9% financing isn't bad.... not sure what solara discounts/rebates are available.
Also- The Solara is so smooth and quiet there may be some truth to the runor that it was first intended to be a Lexus - It feels and drives exactly like my ES300.
I posted this before, but got no response. One thing about the Solara; it seems to "pick up" rocks which hit the side panel a lot. Has anyone else noticed this?
I was ready to move on a C240, but another poster on the C-Class sedan board said he ended up buying a Solara because of the ride quality matching an ES300. His commute characteristics are similar to mine (a mix of stop-and-go freeway, open freeway and surface streets), so that got me interested. The build quality and reliability of my wife's Sienna helped, too. I have ~1300 miles on my SLE, no rocks yet (touch wood). The ride quality certainly helps me cope with rush-hour.
Easy Solution - Put on the Toyota mud flaps, and you will not have any stone or dirt problems. I will never buy a car without them.
p.s. - 2-1/2 years on my SLE without a single repair, only service.
We traded in a '96 Chrysler JXI convertible which gave us excellent service until a couple of weeks ago when the ABS system and air conditioner compressor both went south in a matter of days.
We had previously test driven both the 2001 Sebring JXI and Solara SLE V6 convertibles, and had planned to purchase the Solara next year, but after the above problems, we decided to bite the bullet and do it now, rather than drop $$$ into the Sebring.
We found a dealer with a delivery due in a few days, and bought the car that night.
The higher quality of the Solara as well as a couple of extras not available on the Sebring influenced our choice.
The Solara has a more refined feel in the ride, which we believe makes it worth the higher cost. It is also more responsive in acceleration and road handling.
The sound level and ride quality (both excellent) were comparable to the brand new four-door Camry we were given by the dealer to use until our Solara arrived.
We were pleasantly surprised when our salesman gave us the keys to a brand new car to use for what turned out to be a week without any charge! It sure made a difference in the 100+ heat of southern Nevada.
As noted, our Sebring was a great car for over 88,000 miles and never needed anything other than normal maintenance until now. Both the new Sebring and the Solara are superior to the '96 Sebring, but the quality and performance of the new Solara exceeds the new Sebring and convinced us to make the change.
I think the cars are very comparable. I agree with the differences listed above and would add one more which was a deal-breaker for me: V6 available with manual in the Solara only.
As for the change box, I gotta say I don't see the big deal. It seems to be the same design as my 89 Sentra (maybe that says something) which I never gave me any trouble. In fact, I thought the light is a nice feature.
No left pull noticed after 1000 miles.
dave
2001 V6 SE 5sp leather pkg forest green
Well, now that I've had my Solara for almost a year, I am beginning to understand those complaints. First off, I'm complaining about them because I can't find much else to complain about! I love this car!!
Anyways, my coin box, which I use periodically does not close completely - can't remember whether it did from day one or not, but I'm noticing now that when it's closed, the upper right corner is not flushed with the side - anyone fix this little annoyance on their own and what did you do?
In response to scottdude - funny thing I pretty much shopped only for a Honda Accord initially also - but when the dealer refused to meet my offer, I decided screw them, let's check out other makes. Then I ran into a Solara in my apartment complex and thought to myself - hmmmmm, pretty nice interior (I focus more on the interior since that's where I spend my time).
Then I started reading the posts here about the Accord coupe and the Solara - and my impression was, the Accord had more complaints whereas the Solara did not. The biggest reason I decided to pay more to get the Solara is because it is much smoother and quietier than the Accord, and the interior quality is a step above the Accord. I'm not a speed demon nor do I take curves to try and break the 1-g barrier, so I was more focused on ride quality, noise level, and comfort versus handling.
I have to say I like the back design of the Accord better, and the Accord does not come with as many options so it's easier to decide.
Oh, I do hate the fact that the Solara's passenger front seat does not go back to its previous recline position after the seatback is declined forward to allow people in the back - one of the most annoying aspects of the Solara - and the stupid dot matrix on the top back window that makes tinting it perfectly extremely difficult.