The Automotive Thread
- Thread starter envirotex
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Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
Road Guy
Well-known member
I see a lot of the Focus / out here, they seem to be another option for people that don't want to drive something called "Subaru"
Yesterday drove up to the mountains, top & doors off the jeep (but thank god my bimini top came in) 75 degrees in the mtns, but was a scorcher in the city, raced some dudes in Audi's up Berthoud Pass (mtn pass around 11,500) they lost mainly due to their lack of testicles around the curves & oncoming traffic. then found some decent forest service roads to go mudding on, but alas still heavy snow pack up top so had to turn around at 10K feet.. Cant really imagine a better vehicle for living out here..
& is it me or is it when you buy a new car the miles tick by faster the first year?
Yesterday drove up to the mountains, top & doors off the jeep (but thank god my bimini top came in) 75 degrees in the mtns, but was a scorcher in the city, raced some dudes in Audi's up Berthoud Pass (mtn pass around 11,500) they lost mainly due to their lack of testicles around the curves & oncoming traffic. then found some decent forest service roads to go mudding on, but alas still heavy snow pack up top so had to turn around at 10K feet.. Cant really imagine a better vehicle for living out here..
& is it me or is it when you buy a new car the miles tick by faster the first year?
MetsFan
Well-known member
They did, luckily. My mom was all paranoid that they would get pulled over and fined for driving with a busted window, but they made it back with no issues.
Road Guy
Well-known member
MA- I think someone could make a fortune if they came up with a way for us to self program those key fobs and other shit..(radios, etc) You would think by now they would make an adaptor for the cars so we could hook our phones to them and program all that jazz..
my wifes car (Toyota) has only one key and its gonna cost us $350 to get another F'n key made one day..
my wifes car (Toyota) has only one key and its gonna cost us $350 to get another F'n key made one day..
There seem to be plenty of hacks to program. The guys that sell the remotes provide DIY instructions (if there are any). I was able to program the fob for my old buick myself. I think the Cobalt needs a device that plugs intot he OBDII port to program. This little Cobalt has two fuse boxes and ironically, provides remote terminals for jump starting the car under the hood but the battery is in the trunk. Thank god for the internet as a resource to find these simple instructions. Dealers won't tell you sh&t except to bring it in for service $$$$$$.
with the wireless/bluetooth connections in the newer cars all manufactures should have a free app to allow all the features from your smart phone and do away with fobs.
Road Guy
Well-known member
I bought a fob for the Tahoe (2002) from Advanced Auto parts and ended up taking it back- the instructions consisted of " press on brake 3 times, then turn ignition key 7 times, turn the lights on and off, etc" I spent several hours and just gave up eventually..
It's so much easier of you have an original fob for that particular vehicle in order to get a replacement. I search online for the exact model number on the back of the fob. for my buick I needed to jump two terminals on the OBDII connector to get into learn mode and then press the lock buttons a few times. It went pretty easily.
Road Guy
Well-known member
I will try that, I still have the original working fob, I just wanted another one since my kid is driving the Tahoe I cant ever find where he keeps his keys and the copy I have doesn't have the fob, so when I unlock the door the alarm goes off, have to turn the ignition to stop the alarm, annoying..
F*ck this car. $700 to replace the damned alternator. $300-ish labor (same price as before, you have to drop the suspension to fish the alternator out), and $400+ for an OEM alternator since I won't put another f*cking bitch-ass Bosch reman back in there.
I picked up a used 2012 Subaru Forester yesterday from a coworker. It's in great shape, just 29000 miles, and comes with a full set of Blizzak (spelling?) snow tires mounted on rims. I resisted the Subaru cult for a while, but it just makes good sense in this climate and turns out it's pretty fun to drive. This one has a manual transmission, and as a result I made it to work a few minutes quicker today, compared to the 2016 4Runner, which feels sort of sluggish with its automatic transmission.
FWIW I bought replacements for the Buick on ebay. 2 remotes for $30. I think I just googled Cobalt one and got a website for a busines that primarily deals with remotes. I got 2 for $40. All were brand new and looked exactly like the OEM one. I use it all the time to lock/unlock so I hate being without it.
It was only around for one model year in the US. It was the top selling hatch in Europe as either the Opel Astra or Vauxhall Astra. They got the cool ones. We got the gutless version with the stripped down entertainment center, and no aux input so GM could put their fancy On-Star mirror in it instead. It's only pros are that it was good looking at the time, handles very well, and was relatively cheap. Everything else, though...
Ship Wreck PE
Well-known member
My wife hated her Focus.
But it did sacrifice itself for her.
But it did sacrifice itself for her.
Ship Wreck PE
Well-known member
The tranny.
Hers was auto with no torque converter and she said it was just not right. We bought it new and the had to replace the automatic clutch?? Drive belt? The car shuttered sometimes. The dealer said to drive it like you stole it and that would fix it.
Some lady ran a red light and totaled the car. Our uninsured motorists had to pay because her boyfriend had Geico insurance and they don't pay if you are not named on policy.
Ship Wreck PE
Well-known member
Ship Wreck PE
Well-known member
She is a RN in Orlando and she has long brown hair. I am taking her fishing a couple years ago.
