Ongoing General Automotive Thread

[pylon]

Originally Posted by YYC in LAX

Looking for some help and this thread seems appropriate. Last night my car and my girlfriends car got keyed. Both have a long, though rather light key scratch from the driver side mirror to the gas tank.

What should I do about this? Is there a home kit I can purchase or am I best to bring it to an auto-body shop? I don't wanna pay too much so as long as there isn't a huge risk in screwing up via home repair I would be up for doing it myself. What's an average cost at an auto-body shop for a job like this?

Thanks

I don't know if this is too late, but call Chippy auto appearance, or MPS (Micro paint systems) These guys are wizards with scratch repair, and charge about 1/5th what a body shop will. Sometimes their work, is actually better, as they don't repaint entire panels, and throw the cars natural 'orange peel' off. Almost every dealer in the city uses them to maintain their used inventory., and they can usually get you in and out in 1 day.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by pylon

I have my 11 GTI done with the APR software, and it takes the car from 200 HP, and 207 ft/lbs of torque, to 268 HP, and 317 ft/lbs. It is literally night and day. The torque difference gives you the real world kick, and makes the thing nutty off the line. It will spin the tires right through 3rd gear, and hit 100 kph, in just over 5 secs. The midrange is performance V8ish. I drove a stock car on the lot the other day, and the thing felt like a joke. All for $800, professionally installed, and the sweetest part, you actually get better fuel economy.

To get a power gain like that on a naturally aspirated car would run 10 + grand in mods ,it's just not worth it.

My god, for $800 that is pretty damn impressive.

Can they do it to my Cobalt. haha

[4X4]

Originally Posted by pylon

I have my 11 GTI done with the APR software, and it takes the car from 200 HP, and 207 ft/lbs of torque, to 268 HP, and 317 ft/lbs. It is literally night and day. The torque difference gives you the real world kick, and makes the thing nutty off the line. It will spin the tires right through 3rd gear, and hit 100 kph, in just over 5 secs. The midrange is performance V8ish. I drove a stock car on the lot the other day, and the thing felt like a joke. All for $800, professionally installed, and the sweetest part, you actually get better fuel economy.

To get a power gain like that on a naturally aspirated car would run 10 + grand in mods ,it's just not worth it.

It kinda makes me wonder why manufacturers don't just do this before selling the car if it only costs $800 retail (so probably less for a manufacturer). Wouldn't it be good for sales? Faster, better fuel economy, more power?

[Table 5]

I would imagine it might have something to do with long-term reliability? If these chips are squeezing out the maximum potential of each part, they are probably stressing them out more than the manufacturers are comfortable with. I'm kind of curious how all these forced-induction cars, re-chipped or not, will hold out over the long term in general.

The increase definitely sounds impressive though. A normal GTI is already pretty fun, so I can imagine a 268hp version would be pretty awesome.

[speede5]

Originally Posted by pylon

Firstly, there is no such thing as an 'illegal' chip. You can tune your car however you want.

Not entirely true. Chips aren't illegal, but you can't tune your car anyway you want. Although you will likely never get caught, any tuning has to retain the emmisions levels set for the vehicle in relation to the factory specs/year/emmisions laws. In BC, where they check your emmisions regularly this could cause you problems.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I would imagine it might have something to do with long-term reliability? If these chips are squeezing out the maximum potential of each part, they are probably stressing them out more than the manufacturers are comfortable with. I'm kind of curious how all these forced-induction cars, re-chipped or not, will hold out over the long term in general.

The increase definitely sounds impressive though. A normal GTI is already pretty fun, so I can imagine a 268hp version would be pretty awesome.

My duramax diesel has had a 140hp bump for over 100k. My biggest concern now is bearing damage. So going forward in going to have a lab test the oil. I'll be looking for copper and other bearing metals to be elevated. You're absolutely right, the manufacturers are looking for long term durability when they detune these engines from maximum potential.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

My god, for $800 that is pretty damn impressive.

Can they do it to my Cobalt. haha

GM sells a factory kit for the SS I believe, and it is supposed to be pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by 4X4

It kinda makes me wonder why manufacturers don't just do this before selling the car if it only costs $800 retail (so probably less for a manufacturer). Wouldn't it be good for sales? Faster, better fuel economy, more power?

They sorta do sell it. You have to buy a Golf R which will be around $42k to get the tune in a VW. Or a Audi TT I believe. APR is a bunch of ex Bosch and VW guys. VW actually sells an APR tuned GTI from the factory in Malaysia I believe. And it is the same tune you get from Concept1 here in town.

Originally Posted by Table 5

I would imagine it might have something to do with long-term reliability? If these chips are squeezing out the maximum potential of each part, they are probably stressing them out more than the manufacturers are comfortable with. I'm kind of curious how all these forced-induction cars, re-chipped or not, will hold out over the long term in general.

The increase definitely sounds impressive though. A normal GTI is already pretty fun, so I can imagine a 268hp version would be pretty awesome.

They already sell cars with this tune. The new A4, and the Golf R in Europe for example, are pretty much the same engine, just with more aggressive tuning. The have to have some reason to charge you more..lol. And the chipped version of the car is pretty much neck and neck with a stock BMW 135i for performance. The car is a riot.

Originally Posted by speede5

Not entirely true. Chips aren't illegal, but you can't tune your car anyway you want. Although you will likely never get caught, any tuning has to retain the emmisions levels set for the vehicle in relation to the factory specs/year/emmisions laws. In BC, where they check your emmisions regularly this could cause you problems.

Illegal is a strong word. It is not like you would go to jail for an emissions issue. However, the APR tunes all fall within emissions regulations in any country. All they are doing is tweaking the turbo operation.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by pylon

Illegal is a strong word. It is not like you would go to jail for an emissions issue. However, the APR tunes all fall within emissions regulations in any country. All they are doing is tweaking the turbo operation.

Plus with a lot of tunes (like any Predator tune) you can just detune it for a test, then retune it when you get home. There's nothing to it.

[THE SCUD]

Originally Posted by pylon

GM sells a factory kit for the SS I believe, and it is supposed to be pretty awesome.



They sorta do sell it. You have to buy a Golf R which will be around $42k to get the tune in a VW. Or a Audi TT I believe. APR is a bunch of ex Bosch and VW guys. VW actually sells an APR tuned GTI from the factory in Malaysia I believe. And it is the same tune you get from Concept1 here in town.



They already sell cars with this tune. The new A4, and the Golf R in Europe for example, are pretty much the same engine, just with more aggressive tuning. The have to have some reason to charge you more..lol. And the chipped version of the car is pretty much neck and neck with a stock BMW 135i for performance. The car is a riot.



Illegal is a strong word. It is not like you would go to jail for an emissions issue. However, the APR tunes all fall within emissions regulations in any country. All they are doing is tweaking the turbo operation.

This is not true - sorry to be picky - but the Audi has a different version of the 2.0T. It's got valve-life version that produces 258 ft lbs stock versus your 211ft lbs. it's mroe expensive to make and has the better designed fuel pump, hence why it's in the audis and not the VWs. The tuning on the valvetronic provides something like 350ft lbs.

But you're generalyl correct, the tuning and such on the 2.0T is to keep the engine from stepping on the 3.2? or 3.6L's toes. If you could buy the fully uncorked 2.0T, why would you pay to go up to the 3.6L?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Plus with a lot of tunes (like any Predator tune) you can just detune it for a test, then retune it when you get home. There's nothing to it.

Yup, that is the same as APR.

I have 3 modes. Stock, 91 octane, and 94 octane. I can flip it back to stock for service, lock it out toggling a code with the cruise switch, and it is undetectable.

Pretty slick stuff.

[Ozy_Flame]

Anyone know of a good windshield place I can get a 5 inch crack in my windshield fixed the same day? Some place with a good track record and isn't going to break the bank would be great.

Thanks in advance!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by pylon

Yup, that is the same as APR.

I have 3 modes. Stock, 91 octane, and 94 octane. I can flip it back to stock for service, lock it out toggling a code with the cruise switch, and it is undetectable.

Pretty slick stuff.

Man, that's sweet.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Anyone know of a good windshield place I can get a 5 inch crack in my windshield fixed the same day? Some place with a good track record and isn't going to break the bank would be great.

Thanks in advance!

I got mine fixed at one of those tents in a mall parking lot. $45ish. Did a good job on a crack I had, barely noticeable. Girlfriend got the same with her car, but the crack is much more noticeable. I think the difference between them was because I got mine fixed the next morning, where as she waited a couple days.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I got mine fixed at one of those tents in a mall parking lot. $45ish. Did a good job on a crack I had, barely noticeable. Girlfriend got the same with her car, but the crack is much more noticeable. I think the difference between them was because I got mine fixed the next morning, where as she waited a couple days.

Intersting. So they can fix cracks? I thought they just fixed chips before they turned into a crack. Good to know.

[puckluck]

Reading google is a nightmare for information about transmission fluid changes. Some say it's not necessary and others say it's absolutely necessary after so and so miles.

Anyone an expert on this?

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by red sky

Intersting. So they can fix cracks? I thought they just fixed chips before they turned into a crack. Good to know.

I think they can fix cracks up to 20cm or something...I know there is a limit on the length.

http://decorepair.com/learn

Turns out it's up to 24 inches....I was way off.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Reading google is a nightmare for information about transmission fluid changes. Some say it's not necessary and others say it's absolutely necessary after so and so miles.

Anyone an expert on this?

i would not say i am an expert; however, i am on board with changing fluids at the recommended intervals - just makes sense to me. if you had an old beater, then sure let it go.....

[zamler]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Reading google is a nightmare for information about transmission fluid changes. Some say it's not necessary and others say it's absolutely necessary after so and so miles.

Anyone an expert on this?

Changing the transmission fluid is one of the best things you can do for your car. The #1 cause of tranny failure is heat, which is often caused by old fluid that is dirty and breaking down.

Consult your owners manual for the correct interval, and follow it.

[Mazrim]

Hoping someone has some advice for this one: I got my car detailed on Monday and let my mats dry out until today before putting them back in, but my car still reeks of wet dog smell after putting them back in. Is there a good deodorizer I should use on the mats (and maybe seats) in my car? I can't believe it's Thursday and it hasn't gotten any better since I got it done, although I guess the humidity might be to blame.

[Coach]

Hey team, hoping I can get a hand here. I hit a deer on my way home from the long weekend and it did some pretty good damage to the front of my car. Does anyone know where I can find a diagram that shows the front end assembly of a Ford Escape (2001)?