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Comments
I hear you. I remember the previous discussions here. When I had Christine(99 Chrysler 300M) the buying process was fine. No problem with the salesman or the finance guy. It was the SERVICE that sucked! Chrysler heard about that MANY times. I doubt if they really cared. As long as they were selling cars, they could care less if you were happy with their dealers' service. I'm sure they write off a certain percentage of customers as NUT cases. In these times, that might be a little different with the American top three since it's Toyota, Honda and Acura that are selling the most cars with only the Corolla having 0% financing!
When I bought my Acura, I told the dealer NOT to touch the car- wash, wax, remove the plastic etc. I told him I would NOT penalize him for this on the survey. I didn't. They were excellent.
fastdriver
I can see how the problems of having a survey like Toyota U.S.A. has can really affect the salesperson in the long run. It's insane to attribute a slip on the floor to the person who sold you the car!
BY THE WAY. Those surveys are very important to the dealership. They require top grades on all questions. If you are having any problems, tell the dealer that you want to give them an excellent rating on the survey and that you want your problems fixed. When they fix your problems, rate them perfectly and tell your service manager and saleperson about it. Then send it in. It is important for you to have a good relationship with these people and give them a perfect rating. This can help you get better treatment at the dealership.
Heheh your comments always make me chuckle... "Please don't be cheap, you're a Solara owner now and people will expect more of you." Now that I've joined the Solara ranks, don't worry Hambone, I did fill up last time with premium, although I don't notice any difference in performance. I'll tell you later if I see a performance in mileage. As far as I think about people "expecting" things from me, I wonder if I come up next time to the fuel pumps and see the gas clerk gasp while I reach for the 87 octane nozzle!!!
I've already put on 1000 kms. on the car. An absolute thrill and joy to drive!
2000 SOLARA SE V6, SILVER, 5 SPEED, 23K MI, SUNROOF, FACTORY SECURITY
SYSTEM, GARAGED, NO WINTERS, WELL MAINTAINED FEMALE OWNED, $18,500 OBRO
THE CAR LOCATED IN MANCHESTER N.H. EMAIL IF INTERESTED MADANDNVS@YAHOO.COM
Another question I have is, how do you feel about window etching? The car came with an alarm system, but the dealer was trying to have me get the windows etched also.
How about extended warranties?
As for the window etching, the dealer built in that option into the price of the car, since every car sold at their dealership has etched windows. My dealer told me that it makes it more painstaking for a thief since they have to replace all the windows before trying to sell it again. It probably won't stop thieves if they really want your car, but I believe that it's a step in the right direction by having it done. Also, the etched windows also come with an insurance ($2500 basic above my comprehensive, which they would pay, or $5000 CDN if my car is found unrepairable and if I buy again from the same dealer).
If you have the security system, engine immobilizer, and etched windows, I think this would be an effective theft deterrent system.
Keep us posted how you're doing with your Solara. The Indigo Blue from Toyota is great!
Some, however, have mentioned that "Klasse" is also a very good wax, but I've never tried it. Maybe others here would have an opinion about it.
I was a real wax afficianado until I tried Zaino. There is simply NOTHING like it. The shine, the protection and durability are unmatched by anything else out there, PLUS it only takes about 20 easy minutes to wipe on, and can last for 6 months or more before another easy treatment! No rubbing or elbow grease needed. When it's dry you just dust it off. Further, as you put more layers on, it gets shinier and shinier, unlike any other polish. Please go to the very active Zaino forum here, and you will see positive input from hundreds of very happy ex-wax users. Many have posted their own photos for others to share. Some of mine (UNretouched) are at http://www.geocities.com/newwestd/Zainoat3mo.html
Sorry to contradict you, Canc, but Zaino is much better. If you had tried it, you would know this for a fact.
Congratulations on your new Solara! I'm sure you will have years of trouble-free driving!
Your color is PERFECT for Zaino! Just click on my name above and check out the shine on the 300M and the Acura CL-S. I have been using Zaino since the summer of 1998. I do NOT spend 24/7 cleaning my cars. Zaino keeps them looking like that! Zaino is a POLYMER POLISH, not a WAX. You will not believe the shine!
fastdriver
fastdriver
Well, those pics you took of your cars, Automophile, look great! I have to run my car through a car wash though (I hear shuddering from some of you). I have no hose hookups at my condo. But, other than that, I can take it to a park somewhere and wax it up good. That indigo blue looks sooooooooooo nice in the day time.
My only complaints are the neighbors parking too darn close to my car!
Renzo: A car wash is fine, but make sure that it's not one that you drive in and brushes go all around the car for you. These brushes don't really get cleaned, and pick up dirt from every other car that has been in the car wash before you. The other bad trait about these brushes is that because they're so sturdy, I compare the bristles to small whips that gradually strip away your paint. Try a high pressure car wash that lets you wash your own car. Just my two c's!
Happy Holidays to everyone!
I have not tried Gold Class - but I do feel that Polymers are the way of the future for car finishes. Waxes have a lot of limitations, and can never last as long as polymers. By the way, the effect in the Zaino picture you are referring to is most likely NOT a digital effect or a fake - what you are seeing is called "Lens Flare". It is caused by reflections inside a camera lens. This is very common when bright light shines or reflects right into a lens - especially a cheaper lens as in most digital cameras and low cost 35mm cameras. You can see this in most photos of bright lights or the sun, etc. (I assume you are indicating the one photo of the Trans-Am hood.) Anyway, there are lots of other pictures there without any flare, plus my own and fastdriver's.
Merry Christmas - enjoy your smooth ride!
We had the rocking chair and front end noise repaired under warrantee. Both involved a trip into the dealer to order the parts and a return for the installation. In the case of the seat they even replaced the lower seat cushion along with the tracks. The "Strut Thrust Caps" were the source of the clatter over small bumps and are now just like new. A third minor complaint of ours was a single "thud" when reversing direction. They seem to think it's a gas tank baffle and ordered a new tank. When I brought it in they told me that the Zone Rep knew of the noise but that a replacement would not fix it. The Service Writer gave me the choice but wanted to do the exchange because the tank had already arrived. We had it replaced and darn if the Zone Guy wasn't correct...similar noise! Love our '99 Black SE-V6 auto, full aluminum "16 spare, 21-23 mpg w/premium, Zaino and brittle paint and all
"By the way, the effect in the Zaino picture you are referring to is most likely NOT a digital effect or a fake - what you are seeing is called "Lens Flare". It is caused by reflections inside a camera lens."
Yes, I'm very familiar with the lens flare "mishap" that can also happen, but I can also recognize a rendered lens flare (i.e. one that wasn't in the original picture), and being a current Photoshop student, I could spot this fake lens flare a mile away. Too bad for Zaino, though, because this is probably the biggest flaw that has turned me away from their product. In other words, their credibility and claims that the shine was absolutely astonishing led me to believe that this was in the same category as the "you won't believe it! If you buy now, we'll send you a second bottle at no extra cost, but only if you call within the next 30 minutes" infomercial people.
I've put on my first coat of Gold Class, as well as Quik Detailer on my car... I'll try to get them online soon. It looks great, and the surface feels like polished glass.
re: Zaino - I a surprised you would make a negative decision based on a single photo out of 15 or so, espcially since the photos are submitted by users, not made by Zaino. Anyway, you can see some of our car pics here, and maybe re-judge it. Most of these pics were made months after the Zaino application - I just noticed a cool reflection and took a snap. I only polish the Solara twice a year.
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?m=60482129203&n=679541509
Tony
Just in case it matters, I have a 2000 SE V6 Solara with Diamond White Pearl paint.
However, they look REALLY great on my Diamond White Solara, and I have considered having them re-plated. By the way, since I took all the busy emblems off the car, what they plated was the front grille symbol, the rear Toyota symbol and "Solara" word, and the Toyota symbols on the wheel centers, so there is no chrome emblems. Very Clean.
Thanks
Tony - Glad you like the gold trim. It really does dress up the car with certain colors.
For the wood - go to exoticwooddash.com They have the add-on wood parts for almost any car or truck. They have 2 levels of kits - basic and complete. The problem is that you need to order the larger kit to get all the desirable parts. SO - just expect to spend about $250 for the complete kit, and to use about 60% of it. They give you WAY too many pieces, to use it all looks really tacky, IMHO. Who needs or wants wood trim around the speakers, A/C vents, speedometer and ingnition key? I just put the large pieces on down the console over the radio and ashtray, around the shifter and on the doors, around the window switches, similar to what was on my Lexus. No more. It looks really great and dresses up the interior a great deal. If you do this, pick a warm day so the trim is soft and pliable. then, be REALLY careful - once it is stuck down, it is forever!
Tony
I agree with you about the tail lights. I can't imagine what Toyota's designers are thinking these days. It seems that they are designing the headlights and taillights on the Toyota and Lexus cars to make some kind of self-standing statement instead of integratiing them into the design of the cars. The busy tail lights and HUGE sweeping headlights on the new cars are extremely distracting from the nice lines of thecar.
Too Bad.
Automophile: "Yes -I really fell for the DWP finish. Have your bumpers yellowed a little? Mine did for the first year or so, then stopped. It is only annoying to me, no one else seems to notice. "
My bumpers haven't yellowed at all, which I'm very glad.
On another note, Zaino seems to be a very good product, and it's a shame that they posted a pic that was modified. My opinion about Zaino is, in a nutshell, a very good polymer wax, but nothing has led me to believe that it is superior to Gold Class, apart from its longevity. 2 polishes in a year is amazing.
About gold emblems and wood trim, I have gold emblems too, and some of the gold has come off of them. I had a chat with the guy at my Toyota dealership that gold plates the emblems, and he told me that excessive rubbing, polishing compounds, and road salt will eventually take the gold off the emblems. I will have them replated after they've worned out a bit more, but it doesn't really show unless you really look at the emblems closely. I have the front Toyota logo, the "SE V6" badges on the sides, the "Toyota" as well as the "Solara" at the rear, as well the logos on the wheels. The dealer also had their logo gold plated, which is a nice touch. Oddly enough, the ones that are probably given the roughest treatment would be the ones on the wheels, and they're perfect! The ones on the car, especially the sides ("SE V6") are the most worn out, and the front Toyota logo is perfect, which leads me to believe that this is caused by buffing the car.
I also have the extra wood trim in my car, which looks great, especially on the middle console. It gives the Solara the Lexus look. Very classy.
No more waiting 24 hours. Zaino now has the ZFX additive that is mixed with Z2 or Z5. Apply, wipe off and continue the process 2 more times with Z6 in between and you're all set. You can apply 3 coats in one day. Zaino is a polish. With Zaino, on the darker colors, the more coats you apply, the better the shine and the wetter the look.
You'll find no "lens flare" or whatever with my pics. What you see, is what you get. I use a SONY Mavica FD-75 base model digital camera. No Photoshop "gimmicks/effects" here.
Like I say, use what you like. Makes no difference to any of us. We Zainiacs just love the shine, longevity and ease of application/removal.
fastdriver
But what about the Diamond White I have on my Solara? Are you saying that putting on more than 1 coat won't do that much difference?
Glad to know about the ZFX though. I also saw that you have to buy it separately. Why not just blend it right into the Z2 or Z5 though? Is this another money grab?
You've seen automophile's car pics with the Zaino on the DWP. You decide.
The ZFX can't just be added to the Z2/Z5 because its useful life is a matter of several hours.
It's obvious that you have decided that Zaino isn't for you. That's fine. Glad you're happy with the product you use. To each his own. That's why they make so many different brands.
fastdriver