The Automotive Thread

[MA_PE]

So did the alt test bad or did you just replace it because it seemed like the most likely suspect?

 

[Road Guy]

Im normally a parts changer but they tested the battery and it was still strong so i just swapped out the alternator..so far so good.... I may need to consider getting a car that isnt 15 years old...

 

[MA_PE]

If the issue goes away then it's money well-spent.  I hope it stays good.  My daily driver is 16 years old.  For some unknown reason I keep throwing money at it....for one more year....

 

[jeb6294]

Mrs. jeb6294 is officially a soccer mom.  We traded in her Flex and came home with a Toyota Sienna (minivan).  It's a leftover '15 so the price was good but it's a new one.  She really liked her Flex, but it was closing in on 100k miles and was starting to have some issues so we figured better to trade it in while we still could.  She liked it enough that we actually went to go look at a '13 Flex but it had already sold.  Too bad because it had the eco-boost in it...365hp grocery getter would have been fun.

 

[Lumber Jim]

Mrs. jeb6294 is officially a soccer mom.  We traded in her Flex and came home with a Toyota Sienna (minivan).  It's a leftover '15 so the price was good but it's a new one.  She really liked her Flex, but it was closing in on 100k miles and was starting to have some issues so we figured better to trade it in while we still could.  She liked it enough that we actually went to go look at a '13 Flex but it had already sold.  Too bad because it had the eco-boost in it...365hp grocery getter would have been fun.

welcome to the club. It's not as bad as everyone thinks... 

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night...

 

[snickerd3]

I don't like driving minivans there is just something about the design/seat/view that makes me very uncomfortable.  

 

[Supe]

I have a hard time parking them.  I'm used to sitting very low and way back, so the change in perspective always makes me curb a wheel somehow.  SUV's or any other car I have no issue with.  

 

[Lumber Jim]

Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night...

The wife is driving the van tomorrow....   ZZZZZZZZ

 

[knight1fox3]

Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night...

+1000

 

[envirotex]

Really digging this...Did somebody already talk about this, or buy one?  I'm thinking about going to drive one...I even like the orange.

 

[Supe]

So I've had it with my Saturn even more.

Replaced alternator and battery, started getting hard to crank again.  Over the weekend, would not crank fast enough to start, but battery cable was super hot.  WTF?  Go to disconnect it from the battery, and...

There were maybe about 2 strands of copper actually connected to the rest of it.  So now I'm out $206 for a f*cking engine wiring harness.  This was the battery side of a 175 amp inline-fused wire that went to the starter and alternator (the side after the fuse looked perfect, oddly enough).  I'm praying that the shitty connection didn't take out the new alternator on top of it, but I'm stunned it didn't burn the f'ing car down.  It was hard to find because such a limited number of these were sold, but apparently, the problem is recurring in the european-sold cars as well.  

 

[Road Guy]

Man, I can't believe a car guy such as yourself would drive a saturn!

 

[Road Guy]

Really digging this...Did somebody already talk about this, or buy one?  I'm thinking about going to drive one...I even like the orange.

I really like them also, just make sure you get some big tires if you get one, the ones with the stock tires just don't look right

 

[Supe]

Man, I can't believe a car guy such as yourself would drive a saturn!

It was the first new car I ever bought after graduating.  I figured hey, it's been out for years in Europe as a Vauxhall, and its best competitor at the time was a VW Rabbit.  I also needed killer MPG, since I would be driving some considerable miles in my road whore days.  

It's actually a killer handling, and pretty good looking hatch.  Foggy headlights aside, looks-wise, it aged better than most other 8 year old cars, 12 if you count its European counterpart.  But it has just had the STUPIDEST shit go wrong with it, and it went from tight-as-a-drum when new to every-piece-of-shit-interior-piece rattles, with the added benefit of not having SEAM SEALED ROOF RAILS, so the headliner is stained to boot.  

My affinity for not having a car payment is what has kept it in my driveway, but when the repair costs start to cost me the equivalent to one...

 

[jeb6294]

The Hemi is no more.  It was a nice enough truck, but I was shocked at how low the tow rating was, 6,400lb.  The Hemi was willing but the gearing didn't allow it.  The new Mrs. Jeb6294 has talked about wanting to get a camper.  A giant take the whole family camping type camper that could be up around 10-12,000lb.  Obviously the Dodge wasn't going to cut it.

With 102,000 miles on it, the Dodge felt like it was getting to the point that it was going to start needing some repairs too.  The front passenger wheel bearing had to be replaced not to long ago, but it was starting to sound like the driver's side was going south too.  The tires were definitely due to be changed too.  Right there would've been at least $1,500.  The paint right above the rear wheel was starting to bubble up so I hit it with some rust inhibitor but apparently it is common.  From what I've heard, it's pretty typical of a lot of Dodges...the engine still runs perfect, but everything else starts to fall apart.

This time I decided to go the other direction and just went ahead and got something that'll tow anything.  Including my house.  2011 F350 with the Powerstroke.  It was optioned out with most of the stuff I wanted and it had a hair under 80,000 miles on it which is just getting started for a diesel.  I was actually rather surprised with their trade-in offer for my truck and I got them down a couple thousand on the Ford...the whole deal ended up taking about 15 minutes.  Paperwork took about an hour after that.

The Hemi was fun, but how can you not love 400hp and 800ft-lb of torque?.  Once I hit 100,000 miles and the warranty is up I might have to put a new exhaust and a tuner on it and have some real fun.

 

[csb]

Rental car this weekend has seat warmers. I'm all fancy like RG! 

 

[Road Guy]

LOL, old junker cars like mine can also have seat warmers

 

[csb]

I've been putting these in my shoes lately. Do they count? 

 

[Road Guy]

As long as you put them in there real tight