Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

stickguy · May 2017

nice car Bean. The EX-T is a screaming value too. Saw a cosmic blue one yesterday at the dealer. My favorite color on that car FWIW. Has everything I need, but I don't think I could live with the manual seats without a front tilt adjustment. Hate to push in to an EXL for that one feature, since nothing else on that package really means much to me.

tjc78 · May 2017

sandman_6472 said:

Pompano Beach, we live just west of there in Coral Springs, but much of our mail still comes in as Pompano Beach. Don't ask me why since we're over 10 miles inland from the beach...makes no sense. Many years ago, before kids, we looked at a condo to rent on A1A just below Atlantic Blvd. But now that the kids are grown and on their own, time to look to our future. After we both retire, and if we are still in Florida, I'd be happy to sell the house and get a beach condo as we love the water but even though we're so close, life just gets in the way. Would be great to sell the house, go down to one vehicle and move to the beach, any beach and not necessarily in Florida!

The Sandman

Don't say any beach... you could end up in Jersey. We have lots of beaches!

driver100 · May 2017

sandman_6472 said:
GG, that storm you got was a cold front that came through our area Wednesday night into Thursday early afternoon. Obviously it was more of an intense storm up in the Orlando area as all we got was heavy rains which we really really need due to our drought. Anyways, the rainy season usually starts the end of May so hopefully we're right on schedule. Right now, we can only water our lawns two days a week depending on your house numbers, evens on certain days and odds on other days. Even

The Sandman

*I wrote to friends in Florida....no rain in the Tampa/St Petes area.........dry and watching for fires.

*Friends there got tired of the hot summer....they go to Costa Rica July, Aug, Sept. Rent a home with a pool in the mountains for $1800 a month, 70F every day, beautiful lunch - large plate - fish and fruit for $4.

tjc78 · May 2017

Ha, 1800 a month. I just paid 2250 for a week at the Jersey shore.

bwia · May 2017

thebean said:
Thanks @carnaught. @ab348, LOL.

Congrats on the purchase of your wife's Civic. Good choice but I am surprised she didn't go for one of those subcompact SUVs such as the Honda HR-V.

jmonroe · May 2017

sandman_6472 said:
Pompano Beach, we live just west of there in Coral Springs, but much of our mail still comes in as Pompano Beach. Don't ask me why since we're over 10 miles inland from the beach...makes no sense. Many years ago, before kids, we looked at a condo to rent on A1A just below Atlantic Blvd. But now that the kids are grown and on their own, time to look to our future. After we both retire, and if we are still in Florida, I'd be happy to sell the house and get a beach condo as we love the water but even though we're so close, life just gets in the way. Would be great to sell the house, go down to one vehicle and move to the beach, any beach and not necessarily in Florida!

The Sandman

Sandy, we stayed on A1A (South Ocean Blvd) at the Wyndham Royal Vista which is a time share condo that my youngest brother has access to. Go down Atlantic Blvd toward the ocean, turn right and head South for a few blocks and it's on the left. Right on the ocean. Nice place and we have gone with him about 3 times so far.

They are shutting down around August thru October for a total interior face lift. I didn't think it was run down but they are going for a FULL interior upgrade including new tile floors. Don't ask me why they are ripping up all the existing tile because it didn't look bad to me at all. I guess those time share companies have more money than they know what to do with. At least their members get something for all the years of being ripped off.

Hey, you South Florida guys sure do like the name "Atlantic". The condo I just mentioned is off I 95 exit 36, Atlantic Blvd . I 95 exit 53 to get to my Delray Beach SIL's place is Atlantic Ave..

I haven't seen any Atlantic Lanes, Alleys, Drives, Roads or Streets but I'm sure you have them.

jmonroe

driver100 · May 2017

I was just curious to see these two cars next to each other. One is pretty jazzy, one has very classic lines. For reliability, I would bet on the Civic. For "fun to drive", I would bet on the Jetta. I had just read that Mercedes buyers won't buy cars that are too jazzy looking....they prefer a more classic look. Guess that older buyers prefer more conservative styling.

driver100 said:

graphicguy · May 2017

oldfarmer50 said:

thebean said:
I'm not claiming a punch on CCBA, because I certainly don't qualify as a CCBA'er, but I have a new vehicle incoming. Finally got the wife to make a decision on swapping rides, so she will have a new 2017 Civic EX-T in the garage tomorrow. White over beige. Quite the little hot rod, with the 1.5 turbo. The other option was a Corolla, which she liked and would serve her purposes, but it was night and day in the way the two drove. Corolla's CVT was buzzy and it was underpowered massively. The Civic's CVT is seamless, just like the one on my Accord.

The styling is an acquired taste, as @Michaell will surely chime in, but she liked it and that's what counts. My salesman was an ol' country boy who was laid back and easy to work with. This concludes an eight month process to replace her 16 year old Lexus. Both of us are glad that's over and we're happy with the choice.
If that's the style I've been seeing with the unusual tail lights I find it pretty interesting.

Speaking of interesting, I've been seeing some MB C300s around and at first I thought they were Audis. Nice looking cars.

I'm seeing those, too. I like them.

@thebean....congrats on the punch. I like the new Civics. Haven't driven one, but I know the trade rags love them.

driver100 · May 2017

But, the Jetta I really like is this one;

graphicguy · May 2017

Feeling guilty this Spring and Summer. I used to do my own lawn work. This year, I've just been traveling too much for work to keep up with it. So, I've hired a service. $35/week they cut trim, edge, sweep.

Gotta say, it's nice not having to mess with it. But, I am trying to wrap my head around making this a sound economic decision.

So, my Deere tractor mower cost me around $1,500. Maintenance every season costs about $100 (if nothing major goes wrong). It costs $100 season for gas. String trimmer costs $100 (replaced every 2-3 years). Blower costs around $100 (replaced every 2-3 years).

So, I think I can make some economic sense for having a service. I still just feel guilty as I always thought if there's something you can do, you should do it, instead of paying someone else to do it.

This season, I didn't even charge the battery in the Deere. It's sitting in the garage and hasn't moved from the spot I left it last Fall.

tjc78 · May 2017

tjc78 said:

Ha, 1800 a month. I just paid 2250 for a week at the Jersey shore.

Talking to myself lol. Apparently I can't do math $1275 x2 is $2550 lol

as for doing lawn. I've always done my own except one summer when I was traveling every week to Richmond from south jersey. Came home one Friday and was like " who cut the lawn". Wife had hired them for me.

All was great until one of their careless employees got too close to my Central Air unit and knocked it 2' almost off the pad. Fired ... and back to doing it myself for that summer and beyond.

ab348 · May 2017

Costa Rica is becoming very popular. I'm hearing of more and more people from these parts either moving there outright or at least going there for part of the winter. Sounds a bit adventurous for me but maybe I'm wrong. I gather the gringos stay in compounds of snowbirds/retirees and tend not to go far beyond those boundaries.

isellhondas · May 2017

jmonroe said:

isellhondas said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:
You can't give your 750iL to monkeys for repairs. So if you aren't doing it yourself, you have to rely on skilled people.
My indie shop is skilled, and I'll bet I'd pay no more than $900, tops. The brakes aren't some unique or exotic design- they are the same type of calipers used on every BMW of the era(save the M cars). If you can do pads and rotors on an E36 318i you can do pads and rotors on an E32 750i.
The OEM parts alone from BMW cost more than that. We're talking about two different approaches to solving the problem I think--one is how you or I might personally cope with it, the other (the one I mentioned) is what happens when some guy who owns a 750iL takes it to a shop or dealer. Where I live that's what he pays.
So, are OEM parts THAT big of a deal and if so, why is that? Not too many years ago the general thinking was that a lot of the aftermarket stuff was in fact of better quality than the stuff that came on the cars from the factory.

I remember the old guys talking about Grey Rock lining Grizzly Silvertip etc just being better. Now, it seems everyone want OEM stuff! A rotor is a rotor. right?
Back in the days of drum brakes, I wouldn't buy anything other than Grey Rock brake shoes.

Oh for the good old days of flying return springs if you didn't have the proper tool.

I got the biggest punch in the lip when my pliers slipped off the return spring while attempting a brake job on my first car, a '56 Chevy bought used when I was in the Navy in '61. That proved to me the old saying, "the difference between the ordinary DIY and a pro has a LOT to do with the tools".

My lip still hurts when I think back to that day. :@

jmonroe

Wait a minute....proper tool for return springs? Vice Grips, right?

carnaught · May 2017

@ab348 : "I gather the gringos stay in compounds of snowbirds/retirees and tend not to go far beyond those boundaries."

I understand crime in Costa Rica is getting worse. Would make me think twice about ever owning there.

jmonroe · May 2017

driver100 said:
I was just curious to see these two cars next to each other. One is pretty jazzy, one has very classic lines. For reliability, I would bet on the Civic. For "fun to drive", I would bet on the Jetta. I had just read that Mercedes buyers won't buy cars that are too jazzy looking....they prefer a more classic look. Guess that older buyers prefer more conservative styling.

driver100 said:

Huh? Next to each other?

Looks more like top and bottom to me.

Must be a Canadian thing.

jmonroe

bwia · May 2017

I've given up doing the lawn and shoveling the snow for a few years now. What to do with my snow plow and the three lawnmowers is another question. Perhaps I'll donate them for a tax deduction.

jmonroe · May 2017

tjc78 said:

tjc78 said:

Ha, 1800 a month. I just paid 2250 for a week at the Jersey shore.

Talking to myself lol. Apparently I can't do math $1275 x2 is $2550 lol

as for doing lawn. I've always done my own except one summer when I was traveling every week to Richmond from south jersey. Came home one Friday and was like " who cut the lawn". Wife had hired them for me.

All was great until one of their careless employees got too close to my Central Air unit and knocked it 2' almost off the pad. Fired ... and back to doing it myself for that summer and beyond.

I hate to get picky but you said 2'. If it was 2 feet it would have ripped the pipe and wiring off.

So, not being good at math ain't your only problem...you need help reading a ruler too.

jmonroe

thebean · May 2017

Thanks @stickguy, @driver100, @jmonroe, @bwia, and @graphicguy. It's quite the occasion when a new car comes into the Bean household. Mrs Bean did drive a HR-V, and liked the raised driving position, but thought it was "tinny". She drove the CR-V, but thought it was too large, even though it's shorter than the Civic. She likes a trunk. So, now I've got to order some WeatherTech mats for it, wax it after the side body moldings are installed, and ScotchGard the seats. She thought we should go for the "protection" package until I explained what it really was.

@jmonroe, I learned my lesson with @driver100's experience with his Benz purchase, so there will be no purchase details forthcoming.

@graphicguy, the only justification you need for having your lawn done is the feeling of joy you have when you come home and it's all done and you can sit down with a cold beer. It's worth a lot of coin.

graphicguy · May 2017

Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU

driver100 · May 2017

graphicguy said:
Feeling guilty this Spring and Summer. I used to do my own lawn work. This year, I've just been traveling too much for work to keep up with it. So, I've hired a service. $35/week they cut trim, edge, sweep.

Gotta say, it's nice not having to mess with it. But, I am trying to wrap my head around making this a sound economic decision.

So, I think I can make some economic sense for having a service. I still just feel guilty as I always thought if there's something you can do, you should do it, instead of paying someone else to do it.

.

Ours costs $50 a shot though it is a pretty fair size. The guy was actually cutting it too short....so we have him do it every other week. Occasionally, it looks a bit ragged, but usually that is enough. Makes a big difference in cost.

driver100 · May 2017

ab348 said:
Costa Rica is becoming very popular. I'm hearing of more and more people from these parts either moving there outright or at least going there for part of the winter. Sounds a bit adventurous for me but maybe I'm wrong. I gather the gringos stay in compounds of snowbirds/retirees and tend not to go far beyond those boundaries.

It is pretty safe although minor crime is on the rise. You definitely don't go out roaming around on your own too far from civilization and don't be out alone at night. Most crime is petty theft. Probably one of the safer places you can go in the world these days.

abacomike · May 2017

driver100 said:

sandman_6472 said:
GG, that storm you got was a cold front that came through our area Wednesday night into Thursday early afternoon. Obviously it was more of an intense storm up in the Orlando area as all we got was heavy rains which we really really need due to our drought. Anyways, the rainy season usually starts the end of May so hopefully we're right on schedule. Right now, we can only water our lawns two days a week depending on your house numbers, evens on certain days and odds on other days. Even

The Sandman
*I wrote to friends in Florida....no rain in the Tampa/St Petes area.........dry and watching for fires.

*Friends there got tired of the hot summer....they go to Costa Rica July, Aug, Sept. Rent a home with a pool in the mountains for $1800 a month, 70F every day, beautiful lunch - large plate - fish and fruit for $4.

That's what my brother does. Two or three times every summer he flies down to Costa Rica where he has a very dear friend who just built a 5 million dollar home just above the beach on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He goes down there for a week or two at a time. All his friend and his friend's wife ask of him is to bring his favorite wines down with him. I think he is allowed to bring in 12 bottles - I think that's the limit without having to pay heavy duties. They have a huge infinity pool and half the house is outdoors with under covered roofs. They eat outdoors and cook outdoors. I would think the humidity and heat would be unbearable, but my brother says the opposite - it's dry, much like the west coast of California. Who knew?

driver100 · May 2017

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:
I was just curious to see these two cars next to each other. One is pretty jazzy, one has very classic lines. For reliability, I would bet on the Civic. For "fun to drive", I would bet on the Jetta. I had just read that Mercedes buyers won't buy cars that are too jazzy looking....they prefer a more classic look. Guess that older buyers prefer more conservative styling.

driver100 said:

Huh? Next to each other?

Looks more like top and bottom to me.

Must be a Canadian thing.

jmonroe

Lie on the floor and look at the picture again....you will see, the are "next to each other"!

driver100 · May 2017

graphicguy said:
Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU

Good old days......But a Chevette is best forgotten. What is with that offset steering wheel that came out at an angle. Anything to produce it at a budget cost....even if you drive with your arms at some strange angle.

I remember the old Dodge Demons were pretty popular back then. If you didn't get power steering then you could develop strong arms trying to turn it....and the brakes if not power needed a lot of pressure to make the car stop. I read a review once and it said because of the height and angle of the steering wheel you felt like a Preying Mantis driving the car.....I thought that was right on....described it perfectly.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2017

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

The OEM parts alone from BMW cost more than that. We're talking about two different approaches to solving the problem I think--one is how you or I might personally cope with it, the other (the one I mentioned) is what happens when some guy who owns a 750iL takes it to a shop or dealer. Where I live that's what he pays.
Wrong. MSRP(which virtually no one pays) Per DCSnet:

Front Rotor(2): 34116756090 $236.74
Front Pads: 34111162535 $117.42
Guide Bushes: 34216869617 $40.78
Rear Rotor(2): 34211162967 $174.34
Rear Pads: 34211160198 $98.68
Guide Bushes: 34211158578 $33.13
Pad Sensors(2): 34351179820 $37.22
Rotor Screw(2): 34111123072 $2.10
$740.58
So you are saying that a dealer or good indie shop in your area charges $1060 labor for a simple brake job?
That is way beyond insane.

our labor rate is $165 an hour so that's six hours and your list doesn't seem the same as mine. So that probably explains our different numbers.

Also the indie shops I know will install aftermarket for some things but insist on OEM on others....like electronics

graphicguy · May 2017

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:
Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU
Good old days......But a Chevette is best forgotten. What is with that offset steering wheel that came out at an angle. Anything to produce it at a budget cost....even if you drive with your arms at some strange angle.

I remember the old Dodge Demons were pretty popular back then. If you didn't get power steering then you could develop strong arms trying to turn it....and the brakes if not power needed a lot of pressure to make the car stop. I read a review once and it said because of the height and angle of the steering wheel you felt like a Preying Mantis driving the car.....I thought that was right on....described it perfectly.

driver...that assessment of the Pontiac T1000 is the worst I've ever seen, for any car....even for a car from 35 years ago.

iluvmysephia1 · May 2017

driver100 - that era Dodge Demon has more than just a slight resemblance to our '73 Plymouth Gold Duster AT with a 225 c.i. Slant 6 installed. And our Gold Duster turned easily with power steering and stopped simply and easily with no hard modulation to the brake pedal whatsoever.

Wondering why the difference with the attributes of it's Dodge Demon cousin here?

tjc78 · May 2017

jmonroe said:

tjc78 said:

Ha, 1800 a month. I just paid 2250 for a week at the Jersey shore.

Talking to myself lol. Apparently I can't do math $1275 x2 is $2550 lol

as for doing lawn. I've always done my own except one summer when I was traveling every week to Richmond from south jersey. Came home one Friday and was like " who cut the lawn". Wife had hired them for me.

All was great until one of their careless employees got too close to my Central Air unit and knocked it 2' almost off the pad. Fired ... and back to doing it myself for that summer and beyond.

I hate to get picky but you said 2'. If it was 2 feet it would have ripped the pipe and wiring off.

So, not being good at math ain't your only problem...you need help reading a ruler too.

jmonroe

No I'm right, they had to send a tech to fix the lines.... all on the same day I was having 40 people over for the 4th of July!

thebean · May 2017

graphicguy said:

Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU

0-60 time of 30 seconds?!!??! Holy moly. I am shocked at that,

fintail · May 2017

Nice, something the fintail could dust in a race. That 500ft/45mph run is amusing, it would be plenty fast for the Seattle area where so many refuse to merge at over 40.

I have a 1981 Consumer Guide that has a Volvo 245 diesel at something like 26 seconds 0-60. This beats it.

roadburner · May 2017

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:
Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU
Good old days......But a Chevette is best forgotten. What is with that offset steering wheel that came out at an angle. Anything to produce it at a budget cost....even if you drive with your arms at some strange angle.

I remember the old Dodge Demons were pretty popular back then. If you didn't get power steering then you could develop strong arms trying to turn it....and the brakes if not power needed a lot of pressure to make the car stop. I read a review once and it said because of the height and angle of the steering wheel you felt like a Preying Mantis driving the car.....I thought that was right on....described it perfectly.

driver...that assessment of the Pontiac T1000 is the worst I've ever seen, for any car....even for a car from 35 years ago.

As I once told a salesman who asked me if I'd considered a Chevette, I'd prefer to drive my Cub Lo-Boy tractor. The tractor has an equivalent level of engineering sophistication, better NVH, and with the Cub I can also cut the grass and grade the gravel driveway.

bwia · May 2017

Mike, what your brother forgot to mention is that it rains a lot in Costa Rica and that iguanas are regular luncheon companions.

roadburner · May 2017

But they don't eat much...

ab348 · May 2017

thebean said:

0-60 time of 30 seconds?!!??! Holy moly. I am shocked at that,

Oddly, it did the 1/4 mile in 23 seconds at 59mph. That last single mph took another 7 seconds? I find that hard to believe.

Maybe the test driver had wide feet and was pressing on the brake by accident.

28firefighter · May 2017

fintail said:

Nice, something the fintail could dust in a race. That 500ft/45mph run is amusing, it would be plenty fast for the Seattle area where so many refuse to merge at over 40.

I have a 1981 Consumer Guide that has a Volvo 245 diesel at something like 26 seconds 0-60. This beats it.

I was driving home from the airport on 518 to get to 99 yesterday. Speed limit 60. Right lane moving at a leisurely 45-50. So I move into the left and get stuck behind a Prius doing 47 and refusing to move over.

This city. I swear.

roadburner · May 2017

28firefighter said:

I was driving home from the airport on 518 to get to 99 yesterday. Speed limit 60. Right lane moving at a leisurely 45-50. So I move into the left and get stuck behind a Prius doing 47 and refusing to move over.

This city. I swear.

I LOVE this story from Jalopnik: "The Prius Lady" Well worth the read...

There are two types of slow drivers in the left lane. The Enforcers and the ADL.

The Enforcers are those drivers who will drive The Speed Limit no matter what, making sure everyone behind also drives The Speed Limit. Because it is Safe. Because it is The Law. These people must always be feeling the effects of the thin air at the extreme altitudes of their moral high ground because of the way they always look at you when you pass them on the right, They KNOW you are a bad person.

Then there is the ADL, aka the Anti-Destination League. They are the oblivious cousins to the Enforcers. This pox on humanity’s highways simply exists keep you from getting anywhere. Whether it is by driving 10mph slower than everyone else, riding the line with their blinker on for miles, or coming to a stop for free-flowing traffic at an on-ramp, these drivers somehow always manage to find their way into the left lane where they can inflict maximum chaos upon the driving masses. It must be a directive in the ADL Handbook. I’ve never actually read the thing...

This story is about a driver too disruptive for the Enforcer ranks, but I’m betting the ADL was too scared to take her on.

When I started commuting south into San Antonio every day it didn’t take long to start recognizing other cars. The lifted white F-150 with emergency lights and volunteer fire department stickers. The silver Miata with a hard top that I pass most mornings leaving New Braunfels. And the Prius Lady.

I called her the Prius Lady (PL) in reference to Dana Carvey’s Church Lady character from Saturday Night Live. You know the stereotype. Holier-than-thou because she drives the automotive equivalent to the Saviour of the environment. Drives 66mph in the left lane of a 70mph zone where everyone is already doing 75-80mph. Hey, I live in Central Texas, speeding is a constitutional right, right? Now you may think since I am on Jalopnik that maybe I simply profile every poor soul driving a Toyota ‘Pious’, but no.

There was only one Prius with an I ♥ FERRETS bumper sticker.

PL would always get on I-35 southbound at the Cibolo ramp, around 7:15am. She would put on her left turn signal and then come across two more lanes to the fast lane, all at that same 65-66mph speed. The momentum of all three lanes would stutter, brake lights flashing as everyone else adjusted to her speed and then jockeyed for position to go around her on the right. Not seeing her on the way in to work was a good commute. Coming up behind her and getting stuck there while traffic whipped by on the right sucked. Had my fair share of both.

In those days I was still driving my GTI VR6 and I can’t tell you how many times I buzzed by PL on the right in 3rd gear just to see the displeased look on her face at my combined disdain for traffic law and the environment. After a while my OEM exhaust had finally rotted away so I gleefully admit to fitting an aftermarket system along with one of the much-cussed/discussed cat-delete ‘test pipes’.

The Sound was Glorious.

I questioned all the years of my previously-held sanity, that I should not spend money that didn’t need to be spent, that I should not fix that which was not broken. But now I knew. Every VR6's soul was already broken straight from the factory. Saddled with the much-reviled ‘suitcase’ sound chambers. How the angels must have wept the first time those 12V head exhaust ports were free to breathe more openly. But I digress...

Commuting with the new pipe was invigorating. And if I buzzed by my old ferret-loving fellow commuter in 3rd gear it got her all excited too! There were several mornings where I almost thought she liked it, but it was not so.

On the morning of The Greatest Commute Ever I came upon ‘ol PL in the left lane and, with a quickness in my left toe and right wrist, I grabbed 3rd gear in time to slip into the middle lane and zip around her... Just in time to see the wall of brake lights. Yeah, it was bad timing on my part as I was not focused far enough ahead. So we all come to a stop, with PL right behind me for probably the first time ever. And then we proceeded to begin the stop-and-go dance.

In case you don’t know, an early 12V VR6 with a mostly-open exhaust is actually pretty bassy at low RPMs. So every time we inched forward the back of my car was giving PL a nice break from that complete lack of aural stimulation that a Prius enforces upon its interior. Bunched up as we were I could clearly see her eyes widen and her lips mumble as I would start moving. Being a self-professed considerate type I thought maybe she would appreciate a change so as I rolled to a stop once again I blipped the throttle. If it works for Harley’s, right?

Let me tell you it did NOT work for PL. She began talking to me through her windshield for a moment before suddenly stopping and pressing her lips together in a hard line. The next time we moved I did it again, two revs this time. That got me approximately twice the amount of reaction. Now we all know that twice can be a coincidence but three times provides the proof, so next time I rolled to a stop I gave her the full tachometer sweep and PL came unglued.

I think the best word is apoplectic. Yeah, because it looked like her head was going to pop off. When my foot went down she looked like she was bouncing off some internal rev-limiter. I began revving the motor up and down, just sitting there. She must have rolled down her window because suddenly her shaking fist appeared outside the car over her driver’s mirror, proudly sporting a rigid middle finger.

By this point I’m laughing like a maniac at her completely useless, impotent rage. As I’m shaking my head something else catches my eye on the right and I look over to see the guy next to me waving like, ‘WTF, Man?’ from his full-size pickup. I point over my shoulder at erupting Prius Lady and he looks back, I see the light bulb come on in his head, and he starts laughing, too. And then he waved at me again and held up his index finger in that way that people use to indicate ‘wait just a moment’. He reached downward for something, then turned and smiled, and revved his diesel engine... Yeah.

He must have had dual exhausts because black smoke poured out of both sides at the back of his truck, right over perspicacious Prius Lady’s pristine Prius.

I admit, I laughed so hard that I peed a little.

tjc78 · May 2017

Absolutely love it!!!

jmonroe · May 2017

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:
I was just curious to see these two cars next to each other. One is pretty jazzy, one has very classic lines. For reliability, I would bet on the Civic. For "fun to drive", I would bet on the Jetta. I had just read that Mercedes buyers won't buy cars that are too jazzy looking....they prefer a more classic look. Guess that older buyers prefer more conservative styling.

driver100 said:

Huh? Next to each other?

Looks more like top and bottom to me.

Must be a Canadian thing.

jmonroe
Lie on the floor and look at the picture again....you will see, the are "next to each other"!

Still top to bottom when viewed from the floor.

I think I'll try pasting myself to the side wall next to the monitor.

jmonroe

driver100 · May 2017

iluvmysephia1 said:
driver100 - that era Dodge Demon has more than just a slight resemblance to our '73 Plymouth Gold Duster AT with a 225 c.i. Slant 6 installed. And our Gold Duster turned easily with power steering and stopped simply and easily with no hard modulation to the brake pedal whatsoever.

Wondering why the difference with the attributes of it's Dodge Demon cousin here?

iluv.....Hard to find reviews but yes the Demon was the Duster equivalent. Dodge changed the name to Dart because some religious groups complained about the name. The cars were popular and were a great value. The one I drove did not have PS or PBs......and I found the car to be hard to turn and stop. This review seemed to agree:
With the heavy duty rear springs and dampers as standard the Demon’s handling is reasonablytaut and nimble compared to its much larger Dodge Charger/ Plymouth Road Runner cousins. An original Demon straight out of the showroom was good for a shade over 14.2 seconds on the quarter mile drag strip, though it was being driven by famous racer Ronnie Sox at the time! However, that’s still mighty impressive and with 275 ponies available under your right foot, excellent performance is guaranteed. Brakes have never been many a Mopar’s strong point, even with discs on the front, and the rear drums can suffer from fade. Steering can also be a tad ponderous, though nowadays many decide to go for an aftermarket ‘Firm Feel Kit’ which is well worth fitting for a tauter drive.

Full article

You might get an idea of the angle of the steering wheel from this picture:

Duster

explorerx4 · May 2017

My dad had a Demon for a short while, dipped his toes into the used car business.
It was Petty blue and had a 340 in it.

iluvmysephia1 · May 2017

Thanks for the Duster material, driver. I bought that '73 Plymouth Gold Duster from my Dad in 1985. At that time we were happy to have it. When it's suspension system started big-time "wallowing" on I-5 I sold it. The family must've put a couple hundred thousand miles on the car by then.

28firefighter · May 2017

@roadburner I feel the need to get a better sounding exhaust just so I can do the the same here.

isellhondas · May 2017

thebean said:
Thanks @stickguy, @driver100, @jmonroe, @bwia, and @graphicguy. It's quite the occasion when a new car comes into the Bean household. Mrs Bean did drive a HR-V, and liked the raised driving position, but thought it was "tinny". She drove the CR-V, but thought it was too large, even though it's shorter than the Civic. She likes a trunk. So, now I've got to order some WeatherTech mats for it, wax it after the side body moldings are installed, and ScotchGard the seats. She thought we should go for the "protection" package until I explained what it really was.

@jmonroe, I learned my lesson with @driver100's experience with his Benz purchase, so there will be no purchase details forthcoming.

@graphicguy, the only justification you need for having your lawn done is the feeling of joy you have when you come home and it's all done and you can sit down with a cold beer. It's worth a lot of coin.

I have your Civic's twin sitting in our garage only it's a lowly LX. The new LX's come with so many items now that were unheard of that I cheaped out . Our other two cars have sunroofs that we rarely open. My only gripe with our new Civic is getting in and out of it. I'm not that big of a guy but the steering wheel sits too low. Other than that, it's a quiet, tight car. Ours has the same tacky dealer installed pinstripe and door edge guards that I've never been a big fan of.

isellhondas · May 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

The OEM parts alone from BMW cost more than that. We're talking about two different approaches to solving the problem I think--one is how you or I might personally cope with it, the other (the one I mentioned) is what happens when some guy who owns a 750iL takes it to a shop or dealer. Where I live that's what he pays.
Wrong. MSRP(which virtually no one pays) Per DCSnet:

Front Rotor(2): 34116756090 $236.74
Front Pads: 34111162535 $117.42
Guide Bushes: 34216869617 $40.78
Rear Rotor(2): 34211162967 $174.34
Rear Pads: 34211160198 $98.68
Guide Bushes: 34211158578 $33.13
Pad Sensors(2): 34351179820 $37.22
Rotor Screw(2): 34111123072 $2.10
$740.58
So you are saying that a dealer or good indie shop in your area charges $1060 labor for a simple brake job?
That is way beyond insane.

our labor rate is $165 an hour so that's six hours and your list doesn't seem the same as mine. So that probably explains our different numbers.

Also the indie shops I know will install aftermarket for some things but insist on OEM on others....like electronics

I'll bite...what is a "guide bush?"

jmonroe · May 2017

thebean said:

graphicguy said:

Good 'ol days?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsXLYFU0pU

0-60 time of 30 seconds?!!??! Holy moly. I am shocked at that,

Are we talking about cars or watches here?

jmonroe

jmonroe · May 2017

thebean said:
Thanks @stickguy, @driver100, @jmonroe, @bwia, and @graphicguy. It's quite the occasion when a new car comes into the Bean household. Mrs Bean did drive a HR-V, and liked the raised driving position, but thought it was "tinny". She drove the CR-V, but thought it was too large, even though it's shorter than the Civic. She likes a trunk. So, now I've got to order some WeatherTech mats for it, wax it after the side body moldings are installed, and ScotchGard the seats. She thought we should go for the "protection" package until I explained what it really was.

@jmonroe, I learned my lesson with @driver100's experience with his Benz purchase, so there will be no purchase details forthcoming.

@graphicguy, the only justification you need for having your lawn done is the feeling of joy you have when you come home and it's all done and you can sit down with a cold beer. It's worth a lot of coin.

Nice looking car. Without a trunk badge it could pass for an E400, but since it is a Japanese car it will outlast at least two of those German things and four Korean things.

Good luck with it.

jmonroe

jmonroe · May 2017

isellhondas said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

The OEM parts alone from BMW cost more than that. We're talking about two different approaches to solving the problem I think--one is how you or I might personally cope with it, the other (the one I mentioned) is what happens when some guy who owns a 750iL takes it to a shop or dealer. Where I live that's what he pays.
Wrong. MSRP(which virtually no one pays) Per DCSnet:

Front Rotor(2): 34116756090 $236.74
Front Pads: 34111162535 $117.42
Guide Bushes: 34216869617 $40.78
Rear Rotor(2): 34211162967 $174.34
Rear Pads: 34211160198 $98.68
Guide Bushes: 34211158578 $33.13
Pad Sensors(2): 34351179820 $37.22
Rotor Screw(2): 34111123072 $2.10
$740.58
So you are saying that a dealer or good indie shop in your area charges $1060 labor for a simple brake job?
That is way beyond insane.

our labor rate is $165 an hour so that's six hours and your list doesn't seem the same as mine. So that probably explains our different numbers.

Also the indie shops I know will install aftermarket for some things but insist on OEM on others....like electronics

I'll bite...what is a "guide bush?"

I'm guessing it is supposed to be guide "bushings".

jmonroe

tjc78 · May 2017

isellhondas said:

Thanks @stickguy, @driver100, @jmonroe, @bwia, and @graphicguy. It's quite the occasion when a new car comes into the Bean household. Mrs Bean did drive a HR-V, and liked the raised driving position, but thought it was "tinny". She drove the CR-V, but thought it was too large, even though it's shorter than the Civic. She likes a trunk. So, now I've got to order some WeatherTech mats for it, wax it after the side body moldings are installed, and ScotchGard the seats. She thought we should go for the "protection" package until I explained what it really was.

@jmonroe, I learned my lesson with @driver100's experience with his Benz purchase, so there will be no purchase details forthcoming.

@graphicguy, the only justification you need for having your lawn done is the feeling of joy you have when you come home and it's all done and you can sit down with a cold beer. It's worth a lot of coin.

I have your Civic's twin sitting in our garage only it's a lowly LX. The new LX's come with so many items now that were unheard of that I cheaped out . Our other two cars have sunroofs that we rarely open. My only gripe with our new Civic is getting in and out of it. I'm not that big of a guy but the steering wheel sits too low. Other than that, it's a quiet, tight car. Ours has the same tacky dealer installed pinstripe and door edge guards that I've never been a big fan of.

My Elantra I actually asked them to remove the pinstripe and well... the edge guards made it 2 days considering one was already loose after the first drive from the dealer to my office (about 10 miles).

abacomike · May 2017

@thebean:

Great looking car - at least a good looking rear end - show us the rest of it!

driver100 · May 2017

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:
I was just curious to see these two cars next to each other. One is pretty jazzy, one has very classic lines. For reliability, I would bet on the Civic. For "fun to drive", I would bet on the Jetta. I had just read that Mercedes buyers won't buy cars that are too jazzy looking....they prefer a more classic look. Guess that older buyers prefer more conservative styling.

driver100 said:

Huh? Next to each other?

Looks more like top and bottom to me.

Must be a Canadian thing.

jmonroe
Lie on the floor and look at the picture again....you will see, the are "next to each other"!
Still top to bottom when viewed from the floor.

I think I'll try pasting myself to the side wall next to the monitor.

jmonroe

Good idea....use Gorilla Glue.

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