Car Enthusiast Thread

Lets Gekiga In · Jan 4, 2018

sr20det510 said:
Congrats on getting a car.
What year is the car? 2010?
They look pretty good, and drive so so.

My girlfriend's mom had one and brakes felt mushy and car was pretty slow, but it got really good milage. In addition, it was super reliable for the 7-8 years they owned it. Never had a single issue with that car.
My girlfriend's A4 on the other hand was a different story.

Her parents both own Toyota cars (Rav4, FJ, Tacoma Prerunner) and every time she had an issue would tell her, "You should just get a Toyota."

Thanks!

Close. It’s a 2011, had 40k miles on it. Had battery replaced. Even though it is the most powerful car I’ve owned it definitely doesn’t feel as fast as the 9-2X I had. But this is also the first winter with snow I’ve ever driven in.

NeoSneth · Jan 5, 2018

This winter has been fairly mild, but it isn't over. This is usually about the time I start looking for something AWD.
Test drove an Audi Allroad, but there's zero extra room in that thing compared to a sedan. looks like a sport wagon, but there's absolutely no extra room. It's tiny.

Lets Gekiga In · Jan 5, 2018

What I really need to get is a set of Winter tires.

As far as wagons go, you’re right they do lack in trunk space due to that shooting brake type of look. The silly sporty coupe crossover/SUV type. It’s probably why Honda killed both the Accord Crosstour and ZDX.

smokehouse · Jan 5, 2018

Lets Gekiga In said:
What I really need to get is a set of Winter tires.

As far as wagons go, you’re right they do lack in trunk space due to that shooting brake type of look. The silly sporty coupe crossover/SUV type. It’s probably why Honda killed both the Accord Crosstour and ZDX.

I used to be a big tire guy, and that was the advice I always gave out. IF you live in an area that sees big extremes of weather and IF you can afford it, get a set of winter tires, and spring/summer tires. There's really no substitution for good winters tires, all-seasons just aren't as good. My buddy did this when he bought my Mazdaspeed 3 back in 2010, he picked up some steel wheels with winter only tires and it has always served him well. The only downside is you have to live with the TPMS alert if you don't want to spring for the extra $$ per wheel for those stupid sensors.

sr20det510 · Jan 5, 2018

Lets Gekiga In said:
Thanks!

Close. It’s a 2011, had 40k miles on it. Had battery replaced. Even though it is the most powerful car I’ve owned it definitely doesn’t feel as fast as the 9-2X I had. But this is also the first winter with snow I’ve ever driven in.

40k, very nice!!
You shouldn't have any problems for a long time as long as you change the oil, air filter once in a while, top fluids, and check them brakes.

40k is nothing, that's less that 6k miles a year.
If you scored a good deal, you'll probably be able to drive it 10k miles for the next 2 years, and sell it really close to what you paid.

Congrats again!

Montatez · Jan 5, 2018

smokehouse said:
I used to be a big tire guy, and that was the advice I always gave out. IF you live in an area that sees big extremes of weather and IF you can afford it, get a set of winter tires, and spring/summer tires. There's really no substitution for good winters tires, all-seasons just aren't as good. My buddy did this when he bought my Mazdaspeed 3 back in 2010, he picked up some steel wheels with winter only tires and it has always served him well. The only downside is you have to live with the TPMS alert if you don't want to spring for the extra $$ per wheel for those stupid sensors.

Good advice. Those damn sensors are just an annoyance.

Lets Gekiga In · Jan 6, 2018

smokehouse said:
I used to be a big tire guy, and that was the advice I always gave out. IF you live in an area that sees big extremes of weather and IF you can afford it, get a set of winter tires, and spring/summer tires. There's really no substitution for good winters tires, all-seasons just aren't as good. My buddy did this when he bought my Mazdaspeed 3 back in 2010, he picked up some steel wheels with winter only tires and it has always served him well. The only downside is you have to live with the TPMS alert if you don't want to spring for the extra $$ per wheel for those stupid sensors.

I didn’t even think of the alert. One YouTuber I watch usually has his seat belt off when he’s vlogging. I couldn’t stand that seat belt chime in my car for the longest of time, but now it doesn’t really bother me (I always wear my seat belt, I just mean when other people driving don’t wear one).

Lets Gekiga In · Jan 7, 2018

Drove in the snow for the second time today. Wasn’t too bad since the plow trucks and salt trucks did a good job clearing up the roads, was able to pretty much drive normally.

sr20det510 · Jan 8, 2018

Lets Gekiga In said:
Drove in the snow for the second time today. Wasn’t too bad since the plow trucks and salt trucks did a good job clearing up the roads, was able to pretty much drive normally.

How bad is salt on cars?

I've read that in places where it snows, salt used on the roads, can cause a car's undercarriage/ chassis to rust.

Have you ever had issues with that?

smokehouse · Jan 8, 2018

sr20det510 said:
How's bad is salt on cars?

I've read that in places where it snows, salt used on the roads, can cause a car's undercarriage/ chassis to rust.

Have you ever had issues with that?

Honestly, who knows...probably really bad. You should see my black truck, 75% of it was pure white for the past 2 weeks. With temps just now hitting above freezing for the first time in over 2 weeks, and having no garage, I cannot wash my truck off. It will immediately freeze and the drive home would cover it in salt again.

Speaking of salt, and freezing, and cars...it's 2017, how long until car makers come up with a technology that can clean a windshield in freezing temps? I've had salt all over my windshield for weeks. When the air temp is 3, my wipers are frozen solid, my washer fluid no longer works either...there's little to nothing I can do.

Lets Gekiga In · Jan 8, 2018

I was about to say, most likely it will be really bad. Fortunately, I can garage at least one car. But smokehouse and lithy are definitely more familiar with winter driving than I am.

NeoSneth · Jan 8, 2018

smokehouse said:
Speaking of salt, and freezing, and cars...it's 2017, how long until car makers come up with a technology that can clean a windshield in freezing temps? I've had salt all over my windshield for weeks. When the air temp is 3, my wipers are frozen solid, my washer fluid no longer works either...there's little to nothing I can do.

You want something to be soluble at both -30C and +30C for about $5 a gallon. That is a rather tall order. Most things that keep it fluid at sub freezing temps is quickly evaporated at high temps. At higher concentrations they would damage paint. There are plenty of sub freezing washer mixes, but they can't be old. You need to switch our fluid right after summer stops.

You can run other things as washer fluid quite safely. Buy a gallon of Osco Vodka. Use some antifreeze that doesnt damage paint)

As for salt damaging cars... Very much yes. Look at the bottom of any 5 year old car in chicago. There's probably rust everywhere.
It's not so much about the salt, but it's about the extra Ions the dissociated salt provides. The main problem is rust works real fast with those extra Ions. real fast. Pour some bleach on some Iron. It only takes about half a day for that to be completely rusted over. (side note - dont use bleach on anything metal)

miisalo · Jan 8, 2018

NeoSneth said:
You want something to be soluble at both -30C and +30C for about $5 a gallon. That is a rather tall order. Most things that keep it fluid at sub freezing temps is quickly evaporated at high temps. At higher concentrations they would damage paint. There are plenty of sub freezing washer mixes, but they can't be old. You need to switch our fluid right after summer stops.

I have used winter mixtures during the summer. And during the fall you mostly need them so they never get "old" before winter. But mostly when I haven't got any summer stuff left.

Just check that mixture is ethanol, not methanol based before buying. Some people get headache and other symptoms from it.

NeoSneth · Jan 8, 2018

I prefer Methanol for most applications, but Ethanol is not near as poisonous.

smokehouse · Jan 21, 2018

So...my car lust got the better of me, I landed up trading in my ‘14 Ram 1500 on a ‘17 1500.

It’s a long story, so ill try to make it short. First off, it’s the 3.0L diesel model, which is not easy to come across around here. There’s some odd backstory with Dodge, and this current EPA diesel vehicle emission deal (like is happening with VW). Dodge sat on a ton of the diesel models and sent 15 of them to a local dealership a few months back. They were all the same, well equipped models, all the same options, just different colors. $52K sticker, marked down to $38K. I owed $12K on my ‘14, they gave me $23K in trade...long story short, I managed to do incredibly well.

Of anything, I wanted the diesel the most...and the MPGs that it brings. My 5.7 + 6spd trans was getting 12mpg in the winter, 15 in the summer...and it ran on more costly mid grade fuel. Hopefully, I’ll be able to save some $$ with the far better mpg that the diesel can get.

voltronbadass · Jan 21, 2018

smokehouse said:
Speaking of salt, and freezing, and cars...it's 2017, how long until car makers come up with a technology that can clean a windshield in freezing temps? I've had salt all over my windshield for weeks. When the air temp is 3, my wipers are frozen solid, my washer fluid no longer works either...there's little to nothing I can do.

Ive got an old BMW E36 with optional heated windshield squirters, but its a convertible and is stored away for the winter. So yeah, basically the only car Ive had with an answer for that is useless to me in the winter anyway...

sr20det510 · Jan 21, 2018

smokehouse said:
So...my car lust got the better of me, I landed up trading in my ‘14 Ram 1500 on a ‘17 1500.

It’s a long story, so ill try to make it short. First off, it’s the 3.0L diesel model, which is not easy to come across around here. There’s some odd backstory with Dodge, and this current EPA diesel vehicle emission deal (like is happening with VW). Dodge sat on a ton of the diesel models and sent 15 of them to a local dealership a few months back. They were all the same, well equipped models, all the same options, just different colors. $52K sticker, marked down to $38K. I owed $12K on my ‘14, they gave me $23K in trade...long story short, I managed to do incredibly well.

Of anything, I wanted the diesel the most...and the MPGs that it brings. My 5.7 + 6spd trans was getting 12mpg in the winter, 15 in the summer...and it ran on more costly mid grade fuel. Hopefully, I’ll be able to save some $$ with the far better mpg that the diesel can get.

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal.
At 52k original msrp, your new truck must have tons of options.
What package didn't you get?

How does the 3.0 diesel feel compare to the v8?

smokehouse · Jan 21, 2018

sr20det510 said:
Sounds like you got a pretty good deal.
At 52k original msrp, your new truck must have tons of options.
What package didn't you get?

How does the 3.0 diesel feel compare to the v8?

Not sure if you know Ram packages, but this one is the “big horn”...so everything that comes with that. Here’s the window sticker:

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windowsticker/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=1C6RR7LM5HS882181

Right off that bat, the diesel is a $4200 option. This one is also the larger “crew cab” vs my old quad cab...that is $2600 as well. The dealer did a few things, like running boards. That took the price to just over $52.

Again, there’s no way in hell Im looking at a $50K+ vehicle. The immediate reduction to $38 is what got my attention, coupled with equity, that’s far more in my budget.

Neodogg · Jan 21, 2018

51k and cloth seats?

How's the tow and payload limits?

lithy · Jan 21, 2018

smokehouse said:
So I'm gettin' that "itch"...like I always do.

I'm still driving that '14 Ram 1500 (bought in Feb of '14)...which so far has been completely trouble free. I'm way ahead in terms of what I owe vs what its worth and when that happens, I start looking.

...and looking...

There is literally nothing that interests me, or at least nothing that I can afford that interests me. The truck market is just dumb, they are so stinking expensive that there is no way I'm going to take on a $6-700/mo car payment just to get some comfort features over what my truck currently has.

Even the used market for trucks in silly...

It looks that this may land up being one of the first vehicles that I actually pay off, as bad as that sounds.

Smoke held out for 5 months!

Lukejaywalker23 · Jan 21, 2018

smokehouse said:
Not sure if you know Ram packages, but this one is the “big horn”...so everything that comes with that. Here’s the window sticker:

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windowsticker/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=1C6RR7LM5HS882181

Right off that bat, the diesel is a $4200 option. This one is also the larger “crew cab” vs my old quad cab...that is $2600 as well. The dealer did a few things, like running boards. That took the price to just over $52.

Again, there’s no way in hell Im looking at a $50K+ vehicle. The immediate reduction to $38 is what got my attention, coupled with equity, that’s far more in my budget.

Isn't the new 1500 coming out soon? I've seen the pics but haven't looked into when it's out.

smokehouse · Jan 21, 2018

Neodogg said:
51k and cloth seats?

How's the tow and payload limits?

The diesel and large cab pushed it into Laramie territory in price...that package would come with leather. Then again, at around $52K, they’re only discounted to $44K...too high for me.

Towing? Eh...7580lbs, but I don’t tow so take that for what it is worth. Payload? 1320lbs. My truck is setup for max MPG with a 3.55 rear. My ‘14 was the exact opposite with the 5.7L and a 3.92 gear. It was rated at 10,220/1580.

I didn’t even have a hitch on my other truck.

I will say that going from a 6’4” bed to a 5’7” may land up sucking in the long run...we’ll see.

lithy said:
Smoke held out for 5 months!

I still stick by that...the market was poo. I was surprised too see these trucks hit the market for the $$. It was enough to get me off my couch, it was the same kind of deal back in 2014.

Lukejaywalker23 said:
Isn't the new 1500 coming out soon? I've seen the pics but haven't looked into when it's out.

2019, yup. I’m not overly interested in a new model any time soon...not one time have I been an early adopter. I’ll take a new, end of model before that. Our dated 2015 Chrysler TC has been flawless for two years now. We’ll look at a Pacifica eventually...but it will be a few more years at least.

Jon · Jan 22, 2018

An update on my winter tire situation on my 2018 STi: Went to the tire store near my apt, and there was no winter tire available for my car, only all season. It ended up being a bit over $1200 for a set of Continental 245/35/R19's.

It snowed pretty hard right before driving to work, around 5 in, car did ok. I was doing about 25 in fourth gear the whole way. No issues but, I probably could have pushed the car a lot harder. Snow makes me very nervous.

Jon

smokehouse · Jan 22, 2018

Man...drove to work this morning...

I'll admit that it will probably fade here sooner or later, but got-damn, does that diesel sound freaking cool. Its been a while since I've had a vehicle that sounds this cool. Bone stock, the 5.7L Hemi was a nice sounding engine, and just loud enough stock to be enjoyable...but it sounded like any other V8. My Mazdaspeed 3, once I replaced the BPV, had a great turbo hiss and release...cool sounding car. My '04 Cobra and that filthy roots blower made a banshee whine when you tromped on it.

This truck is interesting, it has a super short windup, rarely shifting above 3000 RPM. Making max torque at 2000 RPM, the trans does a good job of keeping it there and that means plenty of steady turbo noise (unlike the MS3, which was a high, fast rev little bastard that would let you hear the turbo in short, few second bursts). I've spent plenty of time in a V6 Ecoboost F150...and it doesn't hold much like that either.

Either way...I stupidly feel all "big rigggsss" when I'm driving the thing...

Lukejaywalker23 · Jan 22, 2018

smokehouse said:
Man...drove to work this morning...

I'll admit that it will probably fade here sooner or later, but got-damn, does that diesel sound freaking cool. Its been a while since I've had a vehicle that sounds this cool. Bone stock, the 5.7L Hemi was a nice sounding engine, and just loud enough stock to be enjoyable...but it sounded like any other V8. My Mazdaspeed 3, once I replaced the BPV, had a great turbo hiss and release...cool sounding car. My '04 Cobra and that filthy roots blower made a banshee whine when you tromped on it.

This truck is interesting, it has a super short windup, rarely shifting above 3000 RPM. Making max torque at 2000 RPM, the trans does a good job of keeping it there and that means plenty of steady turbo noise (unlike the MS3, which was a high, fast rev little bastard that would let you hear the turbo in short, few second bursts). I've spent plenty of time in a V6 Ecoboost F150...and it doesn't hold much like that either.

Either way...I stupidly feel all "big rigggsss" when I'm driving the thing...

I know what you mean. I will only buy diesel 3/4 ton trucks.

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