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Comments
> As for Ccancio, his role seems to be to divert
> attention away from issues anyway that he can.
> Just study his posts.
Actually my role is to be the "Ying" in your "Yang" ...if you know what I mean.
In any case I do hope people do study my posts as they probably be more useful and know for a fact that I don't change identities to prove my cause.
And what is my cause, well my cause is to say that Mitsubishi is like any car manufacturer they have their share of technical problems like any other.
My opinion regarding the Mitsubishi Diamante is that they make good near luxury (if not luxury)car at a affordable price.And finally I am VERY HAPPY with the build and quality of teh vehicle for the price I paid.
And Dpompie...
Surely it won't be any "fun" anymore if you have this discussion group ALL to yourself to spread you doctrine on how things should be in the Mitsubishi world ( ... no matter how many identities you create!)
And frankly, dpompei after your last post #110 (which bears many hallmarks of Bohlen/maury2 arguments and debating style and not to mention their uncanny "talent" for their posts to be removed by the moderator), I am now 99% convinced that you are either our favourite sources cumulative "bitterness"... Maury2 or Bohlen.
In any case good luck to you on your next transformation..mon ami!
-C-
has anyboody ever tried replacing the stock headlight bulbs with after market Xenon bulbs.
This crowd on the net http://www.eautoperformance.com/ are selling them.
Mr. Vivona do you have any comments any drawbacks? They say there is no need to modify your wiring.
I have to admit that seeing cars with Xenon looks looks cool and functional to me, but I don't know much about them, like what is the average lifetme of these units before they burn out etc?
All I basically know is that they are usually a $400-$600 option on new cars.
Thanks,
-C-
You wrote:
"I currently drive a 1999 Diamante,which runs well. Thank to some of you, I brought up the warped rotor problem to my dealer service advisor, and he had it fixed right away. Hope that it will not recur."
Can you please tell us if you had warped rotors, or did you just express concern about it to the dealer? Can you please tell us what your dealer did to correct the problem?
Thanks.
Alex
My position is that ther is not a perfect car anywhere, even the most expensive ones. I have driven Hondas, Toyotas, VWs, Mitsubishis,...and they all have their shortcomings: broken timing belt in 91 Camry at 45,000 miles, in the middle of the freeway (repaired under warranty, lost one working day), alignment and transmission problem in 95 Accord (many trips to dealer, many repairs attempts, problem remained). Believe it or not, my most trouble-free car was a 85 Tredia (predecessor of Galant) which made 90,000 miles over pot holes of NYC in 6 whole years, and total cost of repairs (not maintenance) in 6 years: $250.00. That was the reason why I went for the Diamante. People kept comparing Diamante to 3.2 TL: they are both very good cars, I test drove both on the same day. I figured I could live with the minor problems for $4000.00 (extra amount I had to spend if I got the TL). I intend to drive the Diamante to the ground, so resale value is not a concern.
1. In response to the warped rotors not being a safety issue, I beg to differ, strongly.
Just a few weeks ago, I returned from a business trip. Driving home from the airport on the highway at 65 mph, someone unexpectly swerved into my lane. I hit the brakes. My 97 LS D front end shook much more violently than normal. I was startled. I let off the brakes for a second to stop the shaking to regain control. Keep in mind, I know my rotors are warped, and what to expect normally. Had I not known, I could have easily gone into panic caused an accident.
What I have also discovered is that the amount of violent shaking varies with unknown variables. I don't always get the same amount of shaking at 65 mph with the same amount of pedal pressure. This variability can be dangerous to someone not knowing what is going on.
Most of my driving is on highways, and I am an excellent driver with 34 yrs driving experience.
What happens with someone not so experienced? Someone that drives his/her D mostly in town, under light conditions, than goes onto a highway at 65+ mph? What if that person is forced into a panic situation suddenly? The violent shaking could easily surprise the driver and cause a situation of injory or death. These are serious matters. It angers me to no end that MMC does not take this seriously.
2. Take a look at the Oldsmobile Alero thread on these boards that is specifically on warped rotors. The situation is almost identical to the D. Look at how quickly GM responded with a upgrade of rotors and brake parts. GM took it very seriously, and did not fool around with the issue as MMC is doing.
I would certainly recommend that any owner having a brake vibration problem call or write Mitsubishi. Though the percentage of owners that have rotor problems may be small, those that do seem to have it over and over. If Mitsubishi can find something in common with these owners, they may find a solution. Provide your VIN# in your correspondence or phone call and as much information as you can.
I have tried unsuccessfully to get a forum participant to do some diagnostics for me to see if I can determine what is happening. I would do it myself, but no Diamante owner I know has a brake problem. There can be many causes, even not related to brakes (such as irregular alloy wheel hubs) that may be in common with the troubled cars. But without being able to diagnose exactly what is happening, it is impossible to come up with a solution.
Mr. Vivona
Rotors replaced. Warped again in 5K miles
Brought in to dealer again, rotors ground on the latest machines, proper lug tightening, all noted on the work order by the dealer to cover himself. Warped again in 5K miles.
Vivona - Carpoint is worthless. Why do you even refer to Carpoint? They state they have insufficient data to make any reliability opinion about the 97 and newer Ds. Check with Road & Track instead, for a professional opinion on "warped rotors".
Check the Oldsmobile Alero "Warped Rotors" thread on this board to find out how it should be handled. For far fewer number of cars sold, the D seems to have more people on these boards than the Alero noting the warped rotors.
Why doesn't MMSA release their figures on brake problems, number of times to repair, size of the pool of vehicles, etc? In case you haven't noticed, MMSA has already demonstrated that it has no credibility.
Someone from MMSA stating "they have not received enough reports from authorized service centers..." is meaningless. How many is enough? Are they one incident away? How many are there?
> Alero noting the warped rotors.
Dpompie ...aka Bohlen/Maury2,
The main reason your argument is so flawed and makes me want to post, is your flagrant use of assertions with no references to backup your statements.
You don't have a clue how many actual Diamante's are sold in the US much less the "real" number of people complaining about the rotor problem. All you base it on is this discussion group that doesn't have any restriction on the number of times you can login as another member ( which you and Maury2 have now excelled in).
The other hilarious point is your assertions on Japan and the driving habits of the general populace. New Zealand buys a lot of these Japanese cars and imports them to New Zealand's 2nd hand car market. These cars are widely known to have their odometers wound from over 160,000 km. back to mid 50,000km where they will fetch more money. It is currently a big problem in New Zealand as these cars are only generally 3-5 years old.The NZ customes agents have found the job too great to enforce, so instead cautions any potential buyer that any Japanese imported 2nd hand car may have tampered ododmeters. If you want to check my facts go to :
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=136285
From an intelligent perpective it is easy to discover that your so called "experiences" gained from your travels to "Europe", "Japan" and even to some extent the US, are based from readings and hearsay gathered from 2nd hand sources (Road & Track???)and sadly not your own personal experiences.
Now now Bohlen ...are you trying to be humorous again ...mon ami?
-C-
2. Do you mean to tell me that there are more Diamantes sold in the US than Aleros? Get a life.
3. Multiple log in names - just email l_8Apex. He may be able to tell you which log ins are multiples and which are different. By your reasoning, you can claim that all the posts here and on the Alero Warped Rotors board are done by one person.
4. The NZ article contributes nothing to this discussion. They are talking about 200 cars of who knows what makes, models or years, and in a country that has a speed limit of 100 kph, not representative of US varied driving conditions.
5. Post your VIN number and we'll see how real you are.
6. You have no credibility here, adding nothing meaningful to the discussion except vagueness and spin. Just look at your posts.
> 2. Do you mean to tell me that there are more
> Diamantes sold in the US than Aleros? Get a life
Answer: No, of course not! I don't have the figures to prove that and from what I have seen you post you don't have it either!
So what it basicaly boils down to is..."YOU DONT KNOW what the real numbers are!!!" Thus I don't know why are you trying to pass your baseless ASSERTIONS as FACT.
> 3. Multiple log in names - just email l_8Apex. > He may be able to tell you which log ins are
> multiples and which are different.
I don't have to ask him I know how it works. I have worked for large ISP's for 3 years so I know what goes in places such as these. This place is no different. If they give me the proper logs and with the proper cooperation from the appropriate ISP and Telecom company, I can even find out where you live! I have done that so many times with 13 -16 year olds who think they can get away with their mischief thinking that they are anonymous while their on the net. I would love to do it to you but I don't have the time to waste but it's really a no brainer...
> By your reasoning, you can claim that all the
> posts here and on the Alero Warped Rotors board > are done by one person.
Not really Einstein, what I'm trying to say is that you cannot use data in this discussion group as a ACCURATE source as there are no means to guard againts multiple reports from a single person.
> The NZ article contributes nothing to this
> discussion. They are talking about 200 cars of > who knows what makes, models or years, and in a
> country that has a speed limit of 100 kph, not
> representative of US varied driving conditions.
On the contrary, all these cars are imported direct from Japan, and the tampered odometres has been a problem since the late 1980's when the automotive industry was deregulated. Since then there have been tens of thousands or cars imported in New Zealand. That report was just a small sample for you to verify my claims. Again this fact BLOWS away yet another assertion that Japanese cars doesn't get high mileage from driving in Japan.
>5. Post your VIN number and we'll see how real
> you are.
Heh...heh! Tell you what, you show me yours then I'll show you mine ... mon ami ;-)
See 'Ya
-C-
I use premium...found the car lacked Pep (fun) with regular fuel.
Also don't regret your purchase, after 4000 miles for me I don't regret it and look foward to drive it everyday.
Some people in this discussion group has made it their sworn personal crusade to make everybody else not want or like their "D" as the have had troubles with theirs. They cannot simply comprehend that not many others are in the same boat they're in.
If it makes you feel better, spend some time and start reading from the last discussion board the " Diamante II " topic and see the history about 2 very fanatical ( ... and in a wierd way somewhat amusing) people Bohlen/Maury2.
Be very careful they can change form and appearance in posting ;-)
Doing so you'll get a better feel on the players here. And after a few more miles driving your "D" you can make your decision on whether it was a mistake or not.
By the way how much did you pay for your "D"?
Have a good ride -
-C-
dpompei-- Carpoint has information on the first generation Diamante. I have read as many posts about the first generation Diamante as the second generation one, so I consider the Carpoint information valid.
As to Road and Track, all they said was it was their opinion that undersized rotors lead to warpage. They did not specify what the proper sizing was and they did not even speak about a particular car. Just because they give size as a cause doesn't mean that is what causes a problem for some Diamante owners. All Diamante brake rotors are the same size and not all have problems. I have not seen any evidence that the Diamante rotors are undersized. I have read many other sources that speak to lug torqueing and the number one cause of rotor warpage, followed by improper rotor lathe procedures.
To all that complain about brakes. Problems never get solved by complaining to each other. I am getting the feeling that you all just enjoy complaining. If you want to solve the problem, you need to take action. I have offered to help in many ways but not one person has stepped up to the plate to participate. I am tired of playing the "ain't it awful" game.
Let's get on with other Diamante issues:
How do you owners like the Goodyear Eagle tires? Any problems? Have you changed them out for other brands? If so, how did the new brand compare?
My advice is to be very vigilant and swift in action. At the faintest feel of pulsation or vibration in the steering column (you can feel it first at higher speeds when braking) bring it back to the dealer, have it repaired under warranty and establish your paper trail for legal reasons.
I missed just missed qualification under the "Lemon Law" in my state by one dealer visit in the time allowed. Had I been aware of the seriousness of these issues, I would have easily qualified by simply bringing it back to the dealer promptly rather than putting it off when I noticed the vibrations coming back time and again.
And that is one of the purposes of my posting here, to inform owners that there is an unsolved problem and what to do about it.
There was another new poster last week who, after looking over this forum, realized that he was getting vibration during braking. He took the car into the dealer, and sure enough, his rotors were warping. Dealer fixed it by grinding, etc. We'll see how long it lasts.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS FOR NUMEROUS OWNERS OF 97 AND NEWER DIAMANTES. It is the ONLY way that Mitsubishi will fix the problem once and for all with improved rotors.
I didn't know what was causing my problems until I READ IT HERE from many individuals with the same problem. And Ccancio tries to imply it is just one person posting under many names.
Reading and posting here is important.
Vivona - for someone who posts remarkably detailed instructions for some procedures on Diamantes, you are sorely lacking in reading comprehension detail for some things...
1. From Road&Track
"Our RESEARCH into rotor warping disclosed that the large majority of brake warpage today is caused by undersized brakes. Environmental issues such as over-torqued wheels, hard cold stops, hard use, nearly nonexistent cool-down periods, water splash, modified air circulation, etc.,contribute their share, but the point is, often only a more massive brake will eliminate rotor warping."
http://www.roadandtrack.com/RoadAndTrack/FrameSet/1,1169,_sl_RoadAndTrack_sl_Article_sl_0_cm_1182_cm_848_3_8_cm_00,00.html
2. Carpoint
Are all the brake components: rotors, pads, calipers, etc. in the pre-97 Ds IDENTICAL to the components used on the 97 and newer? If not, your assumption is a bit ridiculous. With your eye for detailed discussion, why haven't you looked that up? And what have you found?
> action. At the faintest feel of pulsation or
> vibration in the steering column (you can feel > it first at higher speeds when braking) bring
> ...
Yep... once again dpompie/Bohlens advice is again right on track, put a seismic monitor on the steering wheel to record all the minutest shakes and vibrations.
So anything from a small hole on the road and a 7.0 earthquake can be registered and reported to Mitsubishi as rotor warp'ing.
-C-
For those who own or have owned a '93 or '94 or '95 Diamante, could you tell me your experience with your vehicle?
Is the brake and rotor problems that has been discussed on the later models a problem on the older Diamantes as well?
I tend to keep a vehicle between 150+K miles so resale is not a big issue.
Thanks in advance to all!!
Since this was Sunday I called the dealer on Monday and test drove the car - WOW, it drove better than the E class - at least in my opinion. I told they dealer I needed to test drive one more car and that I would talk to them tomorrow (I really just wanted to do some research) After reading Car and Driver and Cars.com website I could not understand why the car did not have better reviews. However, none said anything really bad - so I purchased the car.
Someone asked what I paid. The car is a 2000 model that had 2400 miles on it. 26,700 at 1.9. The car is an LS with the weather package. Was this a good deal?
What I like about the car
Great Lighted dash - The S-class is the only other car that I know has a dash like this. One reason I did not like the E-class
Nice wood - but wish wood was on the steering wheel and shifter
Nice ride and handles well - compares to an STS or E-class, but a 528 with sport package is still the standard -but that car is 50,000
What could be better
No cassette
Trunk feels kinda cheap
But all in all I like my "D"
Since this was Sunday I called the dealer on Monday and test drove the car - WOW, it drove better than the E class - at least in my opinion. I told they dealer I needed to test drive one more car and that I would talk to them tomorrow (I really just wanted to do some research) After reading Car and Driver and Cars.com website I could not understand why the car did not have better reviews. However, none said anything really bad - so I purchased the car.
Someone asked what I paid. The car is a 2000 model that had 2400 miles on it. 26,700 at 1.9. The car is an LS with the weather package. Was this a good deal?
What I like about the car
Great Lighted dash - The S-class is the only other car that I know has a dash like this. One reason I did not like the E-class
Nice wood - but wish wood was on the steering wheel and shifter
Nice ride and handles well - compares to an STS or E-class, but a 528 with sport package is still the standard -but that car is 50,000
What could be better
No cassette
Trunk feels kinda cheap
But all in all I like my "D"
It is 'new black'. I plus-sized the tires/wheels also. Previous car was a 1999 A4 Quattro that I chipped.
The 'D' has the best Automatic Temp Control I have ever experienced. It is quite the cruiser as well. I get excellent milage and use mid-grade fuel.
I had already paid to have the pads replaced and rotors turned by the dealer at 33,000 miles due to warping and excessive pad wear. That brake job lasted less then 5,000 miles until the front rotors warped again at 38,000 miles and I had to have the rotors returned.
This last time at 44,000 miles there was nothing left to turn so the front rotors had to be replaced.
The new rotors would be nice if they worked but I had a 92D with the same problem and the new Mitsubishi rotors I purchased and had dealer installed warped in 4,000 miles. We will see how this latest repair goes. The dealer, this time, swore it used an "Accturn on-caliper brake lathe" , checked the "runout" both before and after the new rotors were installed, and "torqued" all lugs to specs (all as recommended by Mr Vivona). We will see how this goes.
This problem has not just recently surfaced as alleged in a recent post, because I had it with my 92D and informed Mitsubishi back then. The one thing that has more recently surfaced is this board which has brought forth all this collective data.
NHTA has on-line complaint forms to fill out at its website at WWW.NHTSA.GOV. If they don't consider it a safety issue (which it most likely is) the FTC has jurisdiction and will take consumer complaints too.
> There is really no need to display personality
> flaws or anger at strangers in a setting like
> this.
I agree it would be great if we were all polite and courteous in this group, but unfortunately the relative (faceless) anonimity an Internet discussion group provides gives impetus to aggression you wouldn't normally see if we intead present in a regular physical group discussion... especially if there are vindictive contributors who would stop at nothing to get their way.
As hard as it gets - this is a monitored discussion group courtesy of L8_Apex which is way more "tame" if you happen to read un-monitored newsgroups.
Getting back to the 'D' what area do you live that sells 'D' quickly?
I also looked at a Avalon but hated the look of the dash... yuck didn't even test drive it ( ...sorry!)
-C-
I stand by that article and think anybody that seriously wants to solve their problem can be helped by it.
We have run the brake discussion into the ground over and over. I am tired!
Even though I could give you detailed responses to your last post, it doesn't accomplish anything other than getting into a pissing contest. I don't know how anybody can get their brakes fixed by such debate. Problems are solved by careful inspection and diagnostics. Here is a parallel. I recently bought a CD-RW and it didn't work with my PC. I participated in a couple of web forums to find a solution. Many responses to my problem and others were "get rid of the piece of crap" and "buy one from another manufacturer", etc. instead of good advice as to how to diagnose the problem. Their tech support determined that I was running Win95a which doesn't support CD-RW. I tried the unit in a Win98 machine and it worked perfectly.
I sure wasted a lot of time in the CD-RW web forum with meaningless opinions and a lot of angry postings. That may be entertainment for some people, but it is a waste of time for me. I'd rather be listening to my daughter's new CD album ("i5" available at your record store or Wal-Mart).
So, once again, let's get this Diamante topic on to other discussions and give the brakes a break.
thanks J
Well I finally did it and installed the new Pioneer head unit and 12 disk cd changer.
Mr. Vivona's instructions (
http://www.geocities.com/diamanteowner/article1.htm)
helped tremendously. If it wasn't for those hints it definitely would a taken more than the 5 hours to install.
The hardest part was removing the old CD changer cable and the routing new CD changer cable trough the trunk under the carpet and out through the center console unit. Though I don't have the amplifier yet, I also added Monster RCA Cable for a future amplifier install.
I unfortunately could not attached the older single disk CD to my new Pioneer KEH-P960 as an auxilliary input because of the different bus types (M-Bus [DIN] vs. P-Bus) . So I had to leave it (in but in an unusable state) so Im not left with a gaping hole. I can't make myself pay $40 dollars for a plastic Mitsi replacement storage unit.
Right now I am a "happy Chappee" with my new "sounds" and do not regret all the hard work involved.
I'm currently trying to win some car speakers at Ebay to replace the stock units as well.
If anybody wants tips I gained from doing my install or want to make an offer to buy my replaced stock 1999 Mitsubishi head unit, email me at diamante_ls@hotmail.com and I'll try to work something out.
-C-
When it's time to replace them, I will try Michelin MXV4's. They should give me better service. Over the years I have not had a set of Goodyear tires that didn't have some sort of problem. On my previous car, and on my wife's current car, we have been very pleased with Bridgestone Turanza's, but I don't know if they make the V rated version for a Diamante.
As to tire pressure the PSI recommended by the manufacturer is a good compromise between ride, handling and longevity. I typically go 2PSI over the recommended amount to add a bit of life to the tire. That also helps if I don't get around to checking the pressure by giving me more time before the tires are too low.
Mr. Vivona
Good Luck!
Scott
I'll let you guys know if I find the publication up to standard or any good. So if your not in a rush to get one wait till I have a browse and I can give you my opinion.
I have seen some manuals that try to cover too many models in one book, that it was lacking in detail, which is dissapointing to me.
Thanks for the tip anyway Aldo.
(PS: Aldo, any chance of you scanning the whole Mitsi manual and posting somewhere hehe..)
-C-
-
The Chiltons one is not bad for the money. It does cover three models (Galant/Mirage/Diamante) over 10 years, so you do have to work your way through the stuff that doesn't apply to your car. There are plenty of wiring diagrams and specifications included as well as step-by-step repair instructions. Certainly worth the $20.
Mr. Vivona
Atgar
I am baffled as to why it doesn't occur to them that this procedure is incorrect. It would be like your wife complaining that you always tighten the lid to the mayonnaise jar too tightly and she can't get it loose. So you first tighten it your normal amount (too much for her to unloosen) and than hand it to her and say "okay honey, now you finish tightening it so you will be able to unloosen it on your own." You would probably end up in the "mayo" clinic to get the jar removed. That would certainly sound silly, but this example is no more ridiculous than what mechanics rountinely do with torque sticks. Go figure!
I guess I can say that for the money it "alright" or "it'll do", but as I predicted I was dissappointed and felt it lacking in detail because of the several years and different models lines it tries to compress into one manual.
The amount of information that I had to wade through just to see what is pertinent to my Diamante was time consuming... and when you do find it the diagrams tend to be soooo small you'll need a magnifying glass to make out anything!
I would rate the book a 6 out of 10.
On another issue...
I once had a Haynes manual for my 1985 Honda Accord that was superb. The manual just deals with that model range and only for several years. It had great detail in just about anything you want to touch in the car, with great B/W photos (close ups and everything!) from brakes through to replacing bulbs..step by step!
Do Haynes have a distribution of manuals in the US ???
-C-
Unfortunately, they do not have one for the Diamante. I checked the Australian version and they do not have one for the current Magna or Verada either. Too bad. They are better than Chiltons.
Got a surprise bill from the Mitsubishi dealership (Thousand Oaks) that sold us my 'D'. They're asking another $285 to complete the California registration application and transfer title to me.
Their letter mentioned that in my sales agreement the Registration cost was only an estimate ( only $14.00 !!! ). Being new in the country I didn't think much about $14.00 and thought that they knew what they were doing.
Now they're saying that they had to pay $425 out of their own pocket to complete the California DMV registration and now are "asking" me to repay them $285.00. (..not telling me!)
This car was not new when I bought it but it was sold to me as a 1999 Diamante rental car with 4,800 miles.
Being a rental car I assumed it had to have been registered before and already had plates. Now it seems that the car was never registered. This fact and the low mileage of the vehicle leads me to conclude that this car was a "loaner" vehicle instead of a rental. Any thoughts?
Now being new in the state of California, my question is...is this a common practise to estimate the registration cost at time of sale, and then 3 months down the track sock you for another fo rthe difference whatever that may be ($285 bucks)???
I would have thought that the dealer would have done this so many times before that they would know exactly how much to charge for registration?
Or is it merely a ploy at time of sale to lower the bottom line and make it look more affordable? Also is $425 for registration of a rental car fair?
Any thoughts...should I contest?!
-C-
if you look at your finance paperwork, it will probably say "estimated" fees for license, registration etc. Mine was $464.00. Out of that my registration (at renewal) was $254.00.
you may have also signed a release which states that if any of the estimated amounts comes in different than was estimated, you are liable.
These forms are standard practice in California.
Having said that, ANY dealer knows almost to the penny what those cost's are. $14.00 is either a blatant mistake, or some kind of bait to get your business. Either way I would make them prove the addl' cost, and you are probably liable for it. However I would try to split it with them.
Good Luck!!
Your help would be certainly appreciated.
2. Make sure you match the impedance rating of the replacement speakers with the impedance printed on the original speakers. Impedance is measured in ohms, with 4 or 8 being the typical value. You particularly don't want to put 4 ohm speakers in place of 8 ohm ones.
As I will be installing 6x9's as well as the stock set distorts now with my new Pioneer head unit at high volume.
Can you kindly tell me how you did it? Did you have to pull the rear bench seat out to extract the rear parcel shelf and have access to the speakers or did you just pry the speaker grills out?
-C-
The manager was aggressive, but when challenged about "deceptive practises" and that we where going to our lawyer about this scam to get our business -> he all of a sudden changed tone and tact and wanted to deal.
He called back saying he was willing to split 50/50 the original $285 he was asking ( he mentioned that $125 was his actual cost.)
I'm still a bit sour at the fact of the deception but should I accept the deal?
sigh...things I learn in America!
-C-
At Ebay I can get the Pioneer TS-A6999 6x9 speakers for a reserve of around $50 (retail $220 ), but they are currently a "hotly" contested item at Ebay so the average price at auction reaches $80+shipping. I'm being patient, and hoping interest dies down a bit and I can get it closer to mid $60's.
Since I decided no to go with a subwoofer layout, I'm looking for a speaker with more emphasized bass response which the Pioneer TS-a6999 at 30Hz-32KHz offers. The Polk speakers you mention I believe is "flatter" with a dynamic range of 45Hz-20KHz. But it really just boils down to a matter of personal preference.
With the "D"'s huge trunk I'm sure to generate some good bass from it.
-C-
I believe in "what goes around comes around" so I always pay my dues, even retroactively.
As far as your last comment, my philosophy is "If you go to Rome, you do what Romans do."
In terms of the speakers: after I surfed the net for info, I went to the local CC store and listened to the Pioneer, Infinity and Polk Audio speakers. I found that the latter ones best suit my listening preferences. I do not tend to rely on specs or numbers. Listening is a very subjective experience, and what you actually hear with your very ears is what you get. The guy at CC was so accomodating that I even bought the speakers from them. If you are going to test them out, I suggest that you bring your own CDs.
At any rate, should you decide to go with the Pioneer ones, I wish you luck with your eBay bid. One last note: the Pioneer speakers have a compression horn tweeter configuration. In the enclosed space of the vehicle cabin, your back seats passengers may hate you for such performance.
In the Diamante manual that came with the car it recommends 5W30 motor oil...fine!
All this time for my Nissan Altima which I bought brand new in New Zealand in 1996 automatically gets Mobil 1 Synthetic motor oil when I serviced it at Nissan.
My assumption was that newer engines were designed to perform and promote longetvity with synthetic oil so thus there should be no debate on what type to use.
But the information I have read so far in web sites in the US is that due to its high price synthetic oil should only be used when driving conditions warrant it, like heavy stop and go driving or driving in severe dusty conditions. Neither of these conditions do I endure daily.
Right now I look at my "D"s dip stick and the oil looks so fresh and clean (no feeling of grit when rubbed betwen your fingers) I don't feel it necessary to change it at all, but I know I must for my warranty sake.
There's a 5w30 Castrol Synthetic "blend" that a $1 more per quartthan regular oil... I might just use that instead.
Any opinions?
-C-