Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by curves2000

I can't speak for Mercedes but generally speaking flushes for things are fancy ways of adding cost and complexity to service packages. Flush this and that when in reality it's a basic fluid exchange or commonly referred to as a drain and fill. For future reference on something like a dif as the fluid just comes out and then is filled.

If your receipt/work order has the results of the multi point inspection showing that they checked the condition and level of fluids which indicated good, use this as an example of why this would be a dealer fault as opposed to a previous leak.

Don't have car back yet but looks like they may have over filled the diff, once it heated up from driving it was coming out the vent and making a mess, they've cleaned it up but kept it over night to make sure that's what it was. Power train is under warranty so I'm not paying for any of this as far as I'm concerned.

[Bill Bumface]

Last time I did a starter on a car, it was an E46 BMW 325xit. I think book time on that job was 8 hours, and involved dropping the transmission to get access. I did it without dropping the transmission, and I think it took me 11 hours by the time I finally remembered how to put all of the stuff I needed to remove back together.

Last night, I did the aforementioned starter on our Subaru. It took 45 minutes end to end. It definitely feels like a much cheaper, more basic vehicle than the euros, but damn there's something to be said for cheap parts and easy access to simple systems.

[Sliver]

Not sure how it took me a year to figure this out, but I can put my Tremor into sport, switch back from 4A to 2WD, disable traction control, do a brake stand and rip the hugest patch off a launch. Just randomly tried this out on my commute this morning. Everyone needs to smoke the tires now and then. Fk yeah

Also, took the Tremor to Waiprous on the weekend. Man...these new 4x4 nanny things are so sick. Had gearing, left/right angles, forward/back angles, and RPMs in my head-up display. Used this one-pedal crawl control thing for going up and down hills. Also have an offroad cruise control thing that I set between 2kph and 5kph depending on terrain. Embarrassed to say I didn't have to use the rear dif locker, but this is a huge and hilarious upgrade over the last truck I did substantial 4x4ing with, which was a jacked up 97 Ranger.

Should have filmed it...I'll do that next time.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Last time I did a starter on a car, it was an E46 BMW 325xit. I think book time on that job was 8 hours, and involved dropping the transmission to get access. I did it without dropping the transmission, and I think it took me 11 hours by the time I finally remembered how to put all of the stuff I needed to remove back together.

Last night, I did the aforementioned starter on our Subaru. It took 45 minutes end to end. It definitely feels like a much cheaper, more basic vehicle than the euros, but damn there's something to be said for cheap parts and easy access to simple systems.

I once changed a starter on a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a campground. Easy access is heavily under-rated.

[Acey]

Honda says the new Prelude is selling 8 times faster than they were expecting

Spoiler!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Acey

Honda says the new Prelude is selling 8 times faster than they were expecting

Spoiler!

Yes, yes but they've been selling these since forever, what are they a prelude to? What comes next?

[Table 5]

That does surprise me (I too thought the drivetrain was a little here nor there), but good to see that's getting off to good start. The world needs more affordable(ish) coupes again!

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Table 5

That does surprise me (I too thought the drivetrain was a little here nor there), but good to see that's getting off to good start. The world needs more affordable(ish) coupes again!

It looks like the demographic they are attracting isn't the type to care about drivetrains:

We even know their preferred colors: over half have chosen white (63 percent), followed by gray (16 percent), black (11 percent), and red (10 percent).

[Table 5]

Not that I would expect a vastly different breakdown, but one thing to keep in mind, is that these numbers are only in Japan. They are even more conservative with their color choices than we are.

Come on people, live a little!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Acey

Honda says the new Prelude is selling 8 times faster than they were expecting

Spoiler!

It’s not going to sell well in North America at its price point. Heck even back in the day, the Prelude was never a big seller. This new one is essentially a Civic coupe with the civic hybrid powetrain. Slapping the Prelude name on it might bring in a handful more sales than if they called it a Civic but the performance is weak at the price point.

[TorqueDog]

Anyone else picking up on some 911 Carrera influences with the lines and at the back? Good looking car.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Anyone else picking up on some 911 Carrera influences with the lines and at the back? Good looking car.

I was thinking more Audit TT when I first saw it. It's nice.

If they make a soft top version of this Prelude... I'd go from curiosity to attention. Business decision wise though, I don't think a soft top would make sense.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I was thinking more Audit TT when I first saw it. It's nice.

If they make a soft top version of this Prelude... I'd go from curiosity to attention. Business decision wise though, I don't think a soft top would make sense.

So it’s an accountant’s car?

[Ironhorse]

This could probably also go in the Gear Grinder thread, but I just ordered new tires for my truck and the *exact same* tires now cost 46% more! Vehicle parts inflation can fata off any time now.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

This could probably also go in the Gear Grinder thread, but I just ordered new tires for my truck and the *exact same* tires now cost 46% more! Vehicle parts inflation can fata off any time now.

Tires are nuts. My last two sets were ~$1800. I used to get wheels and tires for that.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

This could probably also go in the Gear Grinder thread, but I just ordered new tires for my truck and the *exact same* tires now cost 46% more! Vehicle parts inflation can fata off any time now.

New vehicles are ridiculous as well. Built the same truck as my 2022 f150 online and it's up almost 20 grand. Like a 30% increase.

[Table 5]

Just in time for winter...it's new convertible time.






It's hilariously slow, sounds like a whispy fart, and disappears in a sea of tall trucks.... but man, what a total hoot. Around town, this thing is 3x as fun as my 911.

The hairdressers had it right. Why did I wait so long?

[Sliver]

Very cool. I have a personal policy of not upvoting (on Reddit) any post about Miatas. "Miatas are always the answer" drives me nuts.

It's all based on jealousy, though. I don't fit in them. They're my exact kind of thing, though. I love convertibles and I love driving slow cars fast/hard.

To remain true to myself, I can't 'thank' your post due to my policy, but I will acknowledge that looks cool as hell and will be so much fun. Congrats!

[TorqueDog]

Miatas are really fun.

Sliver would look like Noddy in one.

Spoiler!

[Table 5]

Ha, I get it... the hype around them is a bit much...but I do now get why it is so. I love cars that you can beat like a rented mule, and this one will take it with a smile.

Which Miata have you tried sitting in btw? This gen (NC) is the biggest one of all, and I would say doesn't feel much tighter than say a Mazda 3 inside. Still probably not made for the tall man (I'm 5'10 and it feels just right), but if there's one that may fit, it's this gen.