The Automotive Thread

[Supe]

Snow tires on the bike.

 

[csb]

I'm still partial to the idea of remaining a single vehicle household. I'm convinced that every vehicle has issues, no vehicle will be the right choice, and it's a giant hunk of depreciating investment in my driveway. Then when I need a vehicle, I'll rent one.

how will you get to work in the winter with feet of snow?

But honestly, I own a mountain bike, plus the walk is only 1.5 miles away.

 

[Road Guy]

The snow bikes cost about as much as a used car does...

They had some at Winter Park last year they look really cool to ride in the snow but they were also about $6000

 

[csb]

Hell, I could even rent a fat bike when I storm is moving in.

I'm apparently ruined on ownership of anything at this point.

 

[snickerd3]

so the dealership is fine with your car sitting there on their lot until you decide what you want to do?

 

[csb]

Yep. The guy told us no rush at all. In fact, he had two other Escapes parked there that people had abandoned.

 

[snickerd3]

^that's awesome!!! around here you would be told to get it fixed or get it off our property.

 

[csb]

They also have to give me written notice of a mechanic's lien.

I need to go to the dealership and see what they might give me for my busted car. Otherwise, I really need to tow it to a scrapyard or a sell it to a Craigslist rapist auto restorer.

 

[csb]

VW has been delivered to me and I get it until Friday at 5. Time to rally race this sumbitch.

The guys who dropped it off were easily 80+. I suppose that's a pretty awesome gig for some old guys and the dealership must figure they aren't going to speed.

 

[Road Guy]

did they hit on you?

 

[MetsFan]

German car maintenance can be expensive. It cost more to do an oil change in my 2006 Jetta (regular gas) than it does in my Camaro. Back then it was something like $150 for the Jetta. But then again I take my cars to the dealership for regular maintenance instead of the cheaper Jiffy Lube alternatives...

Holy crap... We used to take our 02 gas Jetta to Valvoline for a $40-$50 synthetic oil change.

Those Jetta TDIs are expensive used though. I was just looking at a 2010 with over 100k miles for around $18k.

 

[csb]

did they hit on you?

Not as much as I'm accustomed to for that age group.

The car is mighty zippy. I'm wondering if everything is going to seem zippy in comparison to a hybrid suv.

 

[mudpuppy]

CSB, your Escape is being recalled:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/ford-recalls-multiple-vehicles-gm-halts-some-corvette-sales-n202191

 

[csb]

EXCELLENT

 

[csb]

Hmm...could I say that it was a loss of power as I was heading up the hill and that's what caused it to crap out?

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Isn't crapping out the very definition of loss of power?

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Took Bee into the mechanic today. I have been trying to figure out an annoying clunk in the rear suspension and I just can't find the problem. This has been going on for a few weeks, and just as I think I have it figured out, the noise comes back. If I don't address it I'll be replacing bushings a 2nd time because whatever is causing the noise is also tearing up parts. I hate admitting defeat when it comes to this stuff, but I honestly have no clue what's wrong.

Here's hoping they can figure it out...

 

[FLBuff PE]

CSB, your Escape is being recalled:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/ford-recalls-multiple-vehicles-gm-halts-some-corvette-sales-n202191

Thanks for posting this. My FIL just bought his father's '05 Escape Hybrid (I didn't have a chance to warn him before it was too late). I'll forward this on to him.

 

[Road Guy]

I wonder if you could somehow factor in the hybrid replacement to the overall repair and make it cheaper..Didnt you say part of the cost was dealing with the hybrid motor?

I remember I once wanted to get a quote to replace an oil pan on my jeep, they listed out everything they had to remove to replace the oil pan and the overall price was more than I wanted to pay so I did it myself..

I didn't replace the oil pump (should have) at the time which you have to remove to replace the oil pan (& vice versa) it died a few months after I replaced the oil pan. I didn't want to remove the oil pan again (total PIA days worth of work) I went back to the same place and the overall bill was half of what the quote was just to replace full oil pan.. I guess when they look in their little auto mechanics book they didn't charge me as much to just take off the oil pan and put it back on versus putting a new one on (still doesn't make sense to me)

 

[csb]

I looked up the recall on the NHTSA site and it's a quick fix (it seems) that involves some little piece. Nothing they have to remove the engine for, I'm afraid. I'm still headed to the dealership to get ALL my stuff out of my car. The sooner I quit that vehicle, the sooner I can cancel insurance.