Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

stickguy · January 2021

those are some serious barges. Just never been my thing.

imidazol97 · January 2021

abacomike · January 2021

roadburner said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.
Haven't tried Eco mode. Next time, I'll report back (we've only had it for 3+ years.. lol)
I don't know if all BMWs have the feature, but in my 2er Eco Pro decouples the engine from the transmission when you are off the throttle above 20 mph or so- it lets the car coast for what seems like forever on a downhill stretch.

I have that “coast” feature in the E450, but it only coasts if the “ECON” mode is selected. It will coast even at 70 mph if going down an overpass (we have no hills or mountains down here).

driver100 · January 2021

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

omarman said:
A big gob.

Is that a standard equipment grill or is it an add-on? Why is it too wide?
I like the name spelt out in large letters, good thing it isn't a Plymouth or something...it would fill the whole width of the car.
If you want to be that ostentatious with the grill why not paint the letters to stand out?

I was thinking the same....kind of like this;

roadburner · January 2021

qbrozen said:

roadburner said:
I might have mentioned that a couple of banks have hired me to appraise a few classic and special interest vehicles. I got called this week to maybe do another- a vintage Ferrari. Today an attorney called about an upcoming case. That conversation took all of two minutes- we spent the next ten discussing cars. His brother wants a sporty sedan under $60k- I suggested the Stinger GT2 and the G70, or possibly a Giulia Ti Sport if he leases it.
Whoa... you didn’t suggest a bimmer? I’m shocked.

I suggested an M240i, but his brother wants a sedan- and the 330i isn't particularly exciting.

roadburner · January 2021

ab348 said:
Tire pressure monitoring systems have always struck me as something in need of further development to make them less finicky and easier to use, so that they don't need "relearning" after changing wheels and tires, etc. This week the Rockauto newsletter arrived and there was a piece on TPMS that told me some things I did not know:

Keep reading owners manuals because even new things like tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that you thought you understood, may change significantly year to year and between vehicle models.

RockAuto.com has TPMS sensors for 2012 Honda Accords (found under in the "Wheel" category) but not for 2013 Accords because that car and some other brands' models no longer have valve stem style air pressure sensors on their wheels. Their "indirect" TPMS systems rely on the ABS Wheel Speed Sensors used for anti-lock brakes and traction control (found under the "Brake & Wheel Hub" category).

A change in a wheel's speed could mean a change in the tire's circumference which could mean the tire has low air pressure, so the computer will turn on the TPMS warning light on the dash. However, there might also be unusual changes in wheel speed if the driver does a smoky burnout, sharply turns the steering wheel, puts some bags of gravel in the trunk or installs snow chains.

Most car manufacturers have made it relatively easy to reset their indirect TPMS and turn off the warning light after a driver hauls home those bags of gravel. There may be a dedicated TPMS reset button on the dash or infotainment system. Read the owners manual to find the car's TPMS light reset procedure.

Reading the TPMS section of the owners manual may prevent misunderstandings and even save money at the tire store too. The driver who did the massive smoky burnout should not be surprised when the tire store tells him his (indirect) TPMS warning light will not turn off unless they replace his tires so that the tread depths and tire circumferences all match once again. (Or, maybe they will suggest moving wheels/tires and doing more smoky burnouts to wear down the other tires' tread!)

A driver of a vehicle with "direct" TPMS with air pressure sensors in the wheels will also benefit from knowing system basics and the age of his/her TPMS sensors. Sensor batteries wear out, and it is a good idea to replace TPMS sensors if they have been operating for more than a few years whenever new tires are installed. Bringing a set of new TPMS sensors from RockAuto.com and an understanding of your car's TPMS and its reset procedure to the tire store may save you significant money and/or help the tire store move your car through their service bay faster.

My experience has been that tire stores typically charge more than double what RockAuto does for TPMS sensors partly because they are trying to defray the potential costs of time spent having an employee track down the correct new sensors, performing a TPMS reset procedure and/or explaining a TPMS reset procedure to the vehicle owner.

I had a set of winter tires and wheels(equipped with TPMS) for both my MS3 and E90 3er. When I swapped the wheels/tires over each fall and spring on either car I never needed to reset anything. The TPMS only need to be reset on the BMWs and Mini after you add or remove air from the tires, but that takes all of 10 seconds.

roadburner · January 2021

kyfdx said:

imidazol97 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
I’ve been a sucker for waterfall grills as long as I can remember.

Those are beautiful cars. I've always like those Continental Mark ???--Oh wait, this is the Chrysler. Still loved that car. Both these whispered in my ear. If only I'd had the money at the time. LOL

That's a Mark V. I liked the Mark IV better

Mark VII LSC or nothing.

tjc78 · January 2021

roadburner said:

kyfdx said:

imidazol97 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
I’ve been a sucker for waterfall grills as long as I can remember.

Those are beautiful cars. I've always like those Continental Mark ???--Oh wait, this is the Chrysler. Still loved that car. Both these whispered in my ear. If only I'd had the money at the time. LOL

That's a Mark V. I liked the Mark IV better
Mark VII LSC or nothing.

Great car, but nothing like the others.

I prefer the V to the IV. The III is a great car too. The 460 still made some power in those years.

tjc78 · January 2021

TPMS is the one thing Volvo must cheap out on. They don’t give you a PSI read out for each tire. I had grown pretty used to that with GM and Hyundai cars.

I wonder if it’s like that Honda system explained above.

bwia · January 2021

The reviewers say that the Chinese built 2021 Buick Envision SUV is stunning; my heart wants to agree but my eyes see just another iteration of the same old underpowered box on wheels. I may be cynical but at an MSRP of $45,000 your money could be best spent elsewhere.

roadburner · January 2021

I'd prefer to buy something not built in China- including the iX3.

driver100 · January 2021

They were able to copy the look of an X2 pretty good though.

I thought of a slogan "Born to Disappoint".

Nothing new going on and that dash looks pretty busy. The console looks like it is shoulder height, great if you are having an argument with your SO.

abacomike · January 2021

My brother and I just got off our FaceTime call since he needed all my 1099 and SSA income statements in order to load my tax return into his computer - I received my SSA and Pension 1099’s in the mail today which were the last 2 forms I was waiting for.

Bottom line is a $2698 tax refund. He can’t file my return until the first part of February. I just lowered my withholding amount by $100 a month because of the large refund. My income was $6000 less in 2020 compared to 2019 - mostly due to significant reductions in interest income.

I am sure glad that’s over with.

kyfdx · January 2021

tjc78 said:
TPMS is the one thing Volvo must cheap out on. They don’t give you a PSI read out for each tire. I had grown pretty used to that with GM and Hyundai cars.

I wonder if it’s like that Honda system explained above.

GTI is the same... it tells you which tire is low, but not the read-out.

I like the Mark III, as well... but, you didn't see many of them. The Mark IV was ubiquitous, when new.

driver100 · January 2021

How about an 83 Mark VI?

sda · January 2021

imidazol97 said:

I prefer the 72 model with the smaller bumpers that complimented the styling of the car. Those 5mph mandated bumpers messed up the looks on a lot of cars after 1972.

imidazol97 · January 2021

ab348 said:

A driver of a vehicle with "direct" TPMS with air pressure sensors in the wheels will also benefit from knowing system basics and the age of his/her TPMS sensors. Sensor batteries wear out, and it is a good idea to replace TPMS sensors if they have been operating for more than a few years whenever new tires are installed. Bringing a set of new TPMS sensors from RockAuto.com and an understanding of your car's TPMS and its reset procedure to the tire store may save you significant money and/or help the tire store move your car through their service bay faster.

My experience has been that tire stores typically charge more than double what RockAuto does for TPMS sensors partly because they are trying to defray the potential costs of time spent having an employee track down the correct new sensors, performing a TPMS reset procedure and/or explaining a TPMS reset procedure to the vehicle owner.

Tires stores charge double and then put on the cheapest piece of Chinese junk they could buy. One of mine on the Cobalt is from a tire store. The other 3 are GM. Guess which one gives a wrong pressure by a couple of pounds?

I'd strongly recommend buying all 4 from a good source and having them changed with a tire replacement to save money.

roadburner · January 2021

IIRC, around 1972 Ford made a big deal about how they approved of the 5 mph bumper standard. I was hoping that they would utilize engineering techniques that would make the bumpers less obtrusive, but it turned out that Ford had the worst looking bumpers of all- huge misshapen guardrails sticking out on each end.

imidazol97 · January 2021

ab348 said:
RockAuto.com has TPMS sensors for 2012 Honda Accords (found under in the "Wheel" category) but not for 2013 Accords because that car and some other brands' models no longer have valve stem style air pressure sensors on their wheels. Their "indirect" TPMS systems rely on the ABS Wheel Speed Sensors used for anti-lock brakes and traction control (found under the "Brake & Wheel Hub" category).

A change in a wheel's speed could mean a change in the tire's circumference which could mean the tire has low air pressure, so the computer will turn on the TPMS warning light on the dash. However, there might also be unusual changes in wheel speed if the driver does a smoky burnout, sharply turns the steering wheel, puts some bags of gravel in the trunk or installs snow chains.

My 2003 leSabre used the rotational speed of the tires to sense when one might be going low. The rotational speed was registered in 3 speed ranges when a "reset" button was pushed. It took a definite pressure change to affect the rotational speed count and trip the light.

Then you got to go check to find which tire might be complaining.

I recall leaving frigid Canton MI one morning and the system lit up as soon as I hit the high speed range in its calibration on the interstate. AFter checking at a local Shell station, I decided there was nothing wrong: just cold and one side was away from the sun while the other was getting sun's heat on black rubber.

ab348 · January 2021

The coverage I've seen so far on the Envision puzzles me in that every report so far has been really positive, almost like a new product rollout from Hyundai, who, it is rumored, pays handsomely for that positive coverage. Maybe GM has learned something and got tired of reviewers being down on their products. I can see GM Authority being positive, but my antennae went up when Roadshow on CNET did the same, even with no mention of "hard plastics" in the interior trim, which is a requirement when reviewing GM products, apparently found in their style standards for writers there.

I am not sure I like the styling better than the previous version - the rear half of the greenhouse looks very similar to that of the Encore, which is not a good thing - and am disappointed that they fitted the downrated version of the 2.0 Turbo engine, the same one they are using in some Cadillacs now. It produces 228 HP, almost 50 less than what the 2.0 in my 2014 ATS had, and having driven one in a XT4 last year is is growly, felt not very refined, and not very premium.

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

driver100 said:
How about an 83 Mark VI?

Not my cup of tea and I hate to think what the emissions controls did to performance. I’d rather have that 70’ Mark III.

I know the Mark VII was well regarded but I still prefer my Mark VIII with the Cobra engine. Best $3k car I ever owned.

tjc78 · January 2021

driver100 said:
How about an 83 Mark VI?

We all know I’m Edmunds one and only Panther nut, but the VI is far from my favorite.

I wouldn’t mind an 81 Givenchy, but mostly out of nostalgia as my Grandfather had one.

kyfdx · January 2021

Didn't the Mark VI come in a 4-door version?

That killed it for me.

imidazol97 · January 2021

kyfdx · January 2021

imidazol97 · January 2021

imidazol97 said:

I recall leaving frigid Canton MI one morning and the system lit up as soon as I hit the high speed range in its calibration on the interstate. AFter checking at a local Shell station, I decided there was nothing wrong: just cold and one side was away from the sun while the other was getting sun's heat on black rubber.

Some trivia that makes me remember the low tire pressure warning so well are that the exit on the interstate where I got off was called Eureka. The Shell station was almost under the approach for Detroit Metro airport. Part of The tall lights for the exit on I275 there are shortened in case one of the planes comes in far too low.

driver100 · January 2021

kyfdx said:
Didn't the Mark VI come in a 4-door version?

That killed it for me.

Good memory....I like the 4 door even more........those were the days when cars were cars. Forget light weight for better mileage and slippery rounded bubble look fenders for lower drag ecoefficiency.........that was when you knew you were driving with a few tons of heavy metal around you.

explorerx4 · January 2021

That Mark VI looks like a bigger Fairmont.

qbrozen · January 2021

roadburner said:

qbrozen said:

roadburner said:
I might have mentioned that a couple of banks have hired me to appraise a few classic and special interest vehicles. I got called this week to maybe do another- a vintage Ferrari. Today an attorney called about an upcoming case. That conversation took all of two minutes- we spent the next ten discussing cars. His brother wants a sporty sedan under $60k- I suggested the Stinger GT2 and the G70, or possibly a Giulia Ti Sport if he leases it.
Whoa... you didn’t suggest a bimmer? I’m shocked.
I suggested an M240i, but his brother wants a sedan- and the 330i isn't particularly exciting.

But they do make a 340. Maybe still find a 2020 440 5-door sitting around. i didn't realize that model is gone for 2021. That's kinda sad.

fintail · January 2021

I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

stickguy · January 2021

VW doesn't have individual readouts either. Made it a hassle when the kid called me to say the light was on. Had to stop and check them all to find out there was no issue (I think they were just above the range set at 40 after a highway run). Would have been much easy to just fire up the menu.

I am sure it is cheaper to not have the sensors, though I have it in my head that I read someplace there was a reason Volvo did the non-specific readout (that was not just to save money). I just can't remember what it was!

roadburner · January 2021

My Clubman's TPMS does not give you a PSI readout, but it does indicate which tire is out of spec.

tjc78 · January 2021

kyfdx said:

Yeah... 4 door Mark = fail.

tjc78 · January 2021

stickguy said:
VW doesn't have individual readouts either. Made it a hassle when the kid called me to say the light was on. Had to stop and check them all to find out there was no issue (I think they were just above the range set at 40 after a highway run). Would have been much easy to just fire up the menu.

I am sure it is cheaper to not have the sensors, though I have it in my head that I read someplace there was a reason Volvo did the non-specific readout (that was not just to save money). I just can't remember what it was!

At least the Volvo it tells you which tire is low! One of my Mom’s Toyota’s didn’t tell you and every time I had to check them all.

Michaell · January 2021

roadburner said:
My Clubman's TPMS does not give you a PSI readout, but it does indicate which tire is out of spec.

My daughters Countryman is the same way

snakeweasel · January 2021

abacomike said:
My brother and I just got off our FaceTime call since he needed all my 1099 and SSA income statements in order to load my tax return into his computer - I received my SSA and Pension 1099’s in the mail today which were the last 2 forms I was waiting for.

Bottom line is a $2698 tax refund. He can’t file my return until the first part of February. I just lowered my withholding amount by $100 a month because of the large refund. My income was $6000 less in 2020 compared to 2019 - mostly due to significant reductions in interest income.

I am sure glad that’s over with.

The IRS isn't accepting returns until Feb 12th. You can still electronically file your return now and it will be sitting there at the IRS when they open the flood gates on 2/12.

qbrozen · January 2021

The IRS still hasn’t given me LAST YEAR’s return, so I don’t see the point in rushing this one.

cdnpinhead · January 2021

Since I organize my situation to always pay a bit (or more) when it's due, I'm never in a hurry.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

abacomike said:
My brother and I just got off our FaceTime call since he needed all my 1099 and SSA income statements in order to load my tax return into his computer - I received my SSA and Pension 1099’s in the mail today which were the last 2 forms I was waiting for.

Bottom line is a $2698 tax refund. He can’t file my return until the first part of February. I just lowered my withholding amount by $100 a month because of the large refund. My income was $6000 less in 2020 compared to 2019 - mostly due to significant reductions in interest income.

I am sure glad that’s over with.
The IRS isn't accepting returns until Feb 12th. You can still electronically file your return now and it will be sitting there at the IRS when they open the flood gates on 2/12.

Great, just when I thought I’d file early for once they put themselves on hold. Every one in here knows I cheat on my taxes so with this Covid thing I’m now thinking this would be the perfect year to get them off my back once and for all and tell them I died. No more cheating, they otta like that.

jmonroe

abacomike · January 2021

fintail said:
I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

abacomike said:

fintail said:
I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.

No more of a barge than my ‘80 Park Ave with light gray velour seats. Man, were they comfortable. I know what you mean about the smooth ride. My sons still talk about that car. I swear you could turn the steering wheel about 30 degree before the car responded. @roadburner would have had the granddaddy of all conniptions if he was made to drive that beast.

jmonroe

fintail · January 2021

In the days of lame 55 mph limits and slow cars everywhere, no doubt it seemed more than adequate, and enough torque to make feel effortless.

abacomike said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.

roadburner · January 2021

jmonroe1 said:

abacomike said:

fintail said:
I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.
No more of a barge than my ‘80 Park Ave with light gray velour seats. Man, were they comfortable. I know what you mean about the smooth ride. My sons still talk about that car. I swear you could turn the steering wheel about 30 degree before the car responded. @roadburner would have had the granddaddy of all conniptions if he was made to drive that beast.

jmonroe

My father in law was a great guy, but his taste in automobiles was abysmal- Park Avenues with cloth roofs and gold trim. We were visiting him once, and my wife took our car to go have lunch with some friends. I wound up having to borrow one of his sleds to go pick up some trim parts from a BMW dealer nearby. I parked it over a block away so I wouldn't be seen driving it onto the lot...

driver100 · January 2021

jmonroe1 said:

abacomike said:

fintail said:
I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.
No more of a barge than my ‘80 Park Ave with light gray velour seats. Man, were they comfortable.

jmonroe

I think they called this "Bordello Red"

Actually, those seats were pretty comfortable....like sitting in a Lazy Boy in front of the TV.

abacomike · January 2021

My brother decided to file my tax return through Turbo Tax now because my return was a simple one and would not be affected by any changes between now and February 12th (first day IRS will accept returns). By simple, he means it was composed of 1099R's, 1099INT, and the 1099SSA, with no W2's and using the standard deduction.

One thing that stood out about the return was a credit of over $450 added to my refund based on the amount(s) I received from the Federal Stimulus (the $1200 and the $600, but I only received $900 and $300). Since the stimulus was determined using 2019 income per my 2019 tax return, and since I earned over $6000 less in 2020 than I did in 2019, I qualified for adjustments. That was truly a gift.

Another interesting tidbit has to do with the amount of the standard deduction for individuals - $12,000 was the original amount, but since we filed a 1040SR (taxpayers aged 65 or over), the standard deduction was over $14,000, which also was a gift.

I already received an email from Turbo Tax showing the date and time my IRS return was received by them with a date of February 12th as the date the return will be E-Filed with the IRS. It states that my return will be among the first returns received by the IRS and the refund should be in my checking account sooner. At least I'm done with the tax return and my brother was kind enough to do all the work on the FaceTime phone call we had. Of course it helps that he's a CPA!

abacomike · January 2021

fintail said:
In the days of lame 55 mph limits and slow cars everywhere, no doubt it seemed more than adequate, and enough torque to make feel effortless.

abacomike said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.

I do remember that it was not a powerful engine and it took quite a bit of time to get to highway speed upon entering the interstate. But it drove like I was riding on a cloud with almost no road feel or appropriate handling. I drove from Chicago to North Miami Beach in 1988 with just one Rest Area stop for 40 winks in the back seat. It sure was comfortable back there.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

roadburner said:

jmonroe1 said:

abacomike said:

fintail said:
I don't mind the sedan for those models, maybe because of the visual link to later TCs. Let me guess, a 302 putting out 120 hp.

imidazol97 said:

I owned a 1988 Lincoln Town Car in brown with brown leather seats. Truly a barge but smooth on the highway.
No more of a barge than my ‘80 Park Ave with light gray velour seats. Man, were they comfortable. I know what you mean about the smooth ride. My sons still talk about that car. I swear you could turn the steering wheel about 30 degree before the car responded. @roadburner would have had the granddaddy of all conniptions if he was made to drive that beast.

jmonroe
My father in law was a great guy, but his taste in automobiles was abysmal- Park Avenues with cloth roofs and gold trim. We were visiting him once, and my wife took our car to go have lunch with some friends. I wound up having to borrow one of his sleds to go pick up some trim parts from a BMW dealer nearby. I parked it over a block away so I wouldn't be seen driving it onto the lot...

I’m surprised you didn’t drive to the nearest drug store and buy a box of razor blades.

jmonroe

bwia · January 2021

Here is a short 3.5 minute video on the 2021 Buick Envision. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L6QMI-ZJ_M

driver100 · January 2021

bwia said:
Here is a short 3.5 minute video on the 2021 Buick Envision. Enjoy!

Sounds good until he got to the anemic engine. Why would you put all that work into making a car better than it was, and then put in a weaker motor? Maybe they think Buick buyers won't notice.

ab348 · January 2021

driver100 said:

I think they called this "Bordello Red"

Actually, those seats were pretty comfortable....like sitting in a Lazy Boy in front of the TV.

Indeed, they were unbelievably comfortable. The ones in my '79 were blue:

Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles