Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

It's snowing today, time to go bounce my POS off some streetlamps! :cool:

Remember, Ford's the only one of the Three that has significant cash reserves and a low burn rate. They have, what, three or four years worth of cash left at current burn rate?
Mulally didn't seem to think that they'd ever actually need any money unless GM declared bankruptcy. Looks like he was the only one of the 3 who planned ahead.

I've seen 3 X6s yestarday and another one today so far, it's really an epidemy now, I'm worried about the possible medical effects it may have on me.
There is only one prescription. Every time you see an abomination to ... automotivedom ... just think happy thoughts. Happy TVR-related thoughts.
2004-TVR-Sagaris-FA-Studio-1024x768.jpg
 
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rj5jisB7g&eurl=http://www.worldcarfans.com/9081209.012/funny-audi-r8-commercial---the-hostage[/YOUTUBE]

Weird Audi R8 ad.
 
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that my FWD car is so bad in the snow (it just plows it) that I have to have a beater to drive in the winter even though I purchased my FWD cobalt because I thought it would be a fun car I could drive daily all year round. :( This is random news because it's snowing outside now and I probably will have to take my beater tomorrow to work.
 
^ Have you tried snow tires out? There's some pretty powerful cars around where I live that seem to manage OK when it starts snowing because they have the right tires for it.
 
^ Have you tried snow tires out? There's some pretty powerful cars around where I live that seem to manage OK when it starts snowing because they have the right tires for it.

The problem isn't the tires totally although snow tires would make it better for light snow but it's the front air scoop in front of the heat exchanger. It's supposed to push air up into the heat exchanger but it acts more as a snow plow after about 3 inches of snow. I've actually ruined one heat exchanger because of it. The first snow after I got the car a couple years ago and I set off to work. By the time I got to work my IAT2 temps were sky high so I started checking things out only to see a bunch on snow piled up in front of the heat exchanger. I cleared the snow and almost all the fins were bent closed. :( I was not happy.
 
So over a year has passed since we bought our E90 BMW 320i on 14th Sept 2007.

It now has over 39,000km on it, a few scratches on the side skirt, and maybe 3 small dings on the body. It's expected to reach 40,000km before 2009 comes.

Throughout its service, the car had quite a few niggles.

1. The right side mirror failed to close when asked to. Took 2 trips to the dealer to fix that because our car had its electric folding mirror custom fitted.

2. and 3. The plastic trim housing the window switches on the driver side became worn and lost its paint color. Dealer fixed it promptly, but the side faux aluminum trim became loose. Fixed again when going for service.

Current problems:
4. When braking to a halt, it becomes extra jerky and uncomfortable. Need new brake pads?

5. Memory seats now doesn't move automatically between 2 different keys.


Anyone else experiencing all these small niggles with their late model small executive cars? Audi A4 owners?
 
The problem isn't the tires totally although snow tires would make it better for light snow but it's the front air scoop in front of the heat exchanger. It's supposed to push air up into the heat exchanger but it acts more as a snow plow after about 3 inches of snow. I've actually ruined one heat exchanger because of it. The first snow after I got the car a couple years ago and I set off to work. By the time I got to work my IAT2 temps were sky high so I started checking things out only to see a bunch on snow piled up in front of the heat exchanger. I cleared the snow and almost all the fins were bent closed. :( I was not happy.

Do something about the low front fender then... :p

FWD is actually pretty fun in snow if you just chuck it into the corners
 
FWD is actually pretty fun in snow if you just chuck it into the corners

yup, scandinavian flick FTW! Snow tires make a helluva lot of difference

ESP that is not turnoffable FTL though (my car :cry: )
 
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that my FWD car is so bad in the snow (it just plows it) that I have to have a beater to drive in the winter even though I purchased my FWD cobalt because I thought it would be a fun car I could drive daily all year round. :( This is random news because it's snowing outside now and I probably will have to take my beater tomorrow to work.

At least you are not in danger.
Old Ladas (like the Riva on Top Gear) were RWD and they acted terribly in the slow. I mean - if you are an enthusiast, you could have fun with them. But the fact was, that the Lada was supposed to be a normal person's car. The problem was the weight distribution. There was almost no weight in the back of the car.
Stories tell that in the Winter in Russia, people used to fill the trunks with bricks so they can get some traction. Otherwise the wheels would just spin helplessly.
 
^well that's much like people with Beetles, they put bags of sand or other heavy stuff in the boot (upfront) so the damn thing would have some front end grip
 
I've heard similar stories of people putting sandbags in the trunks of their Mustangs, Crown Victorias, and other RWD cars & trucks during the Midwest US and Canadian winters. _HighVoltage_ makes it sound like some ancient legend in a mystical place. :lol:
 
Before my Mustang was restored when I would drive it during the winter we had 100lb sand bags in the trunk. The only weight in the back of those old cars is the gas tank.
 
So over a year has passed since we bought our E90 BMW 320i on 14th Sept 2007.

It now has over 39,000km on it, a few scratches on the side skirt, and maybe 3 small dings on the body. It's expected to reach 40,000km before 2009 comes.

Throughout its service, the car had quite a few niggles.

1. The right side mirror failed to close when asked to. Took 2 trips to the dealer to fix that because our car had its electric folding mirror custom fitted.

2. and 3. The plastic trim housing the window switches on the driver side became worn and lost its paint color. Dealer fixed it promptly, but the side faux aluminum trim became loose. Fixed again when going for service.

Current problems:
4. When braking to a halt, it becomes extra jerky and uncomfortable. Need new brake pads?

5. Memory seats now doesn't move automatically between 2 different keys.


Anyone else experiencing all these small niggles with their late model small executive cars? Audi A4 owners?

Mom's A4 is coming up on 4 years old, and the only thing is that somehow the ECU turned off the automatic door locking at 20 km/h a while back, they reset the code and it came back on.
40.000km in a year? Isn't that a bit ...much? The A4 is almost at 60.000km
 
We had a proper experience of Fail Wheel Drive last night... :lol:

Basically, it was parents evening at school, so all the parents came, and very quickly filled up the school with cars. Unfortunately someone forgot to open the gates to the tennis courts (which have been used in the past for parking on - they are tarmac, and flat. Perfect for parking on). So quite a few people overflowed onto a small part of the fields (not actually used for anything, just a bit of grass that wouldn't be churned up by sports etc). After a while inside one of my mates tells us to come and help later on to get his dad's car out of the mud, so we agree, but turn up 10 minutes later (do any of these meeting things go on time, ever?).

I was expecting them to be gone. But OH NO. There they were, sitting nicely in the middle of a huge-churned-up-mud part. Turns out he was trying to turn round, and just got stuck. Adding to this, there was a guy in another car sitting next to the first one, having tried to get out, then failed. Furthermore, there was a third car further out into the fields where he had tried to drive round the boggy part, and failed. Then of course there were the cars still parked there (another 5 of them, including ours.)

Fortunately one parent owned a Defender, so went and brought it to the fields. Unfortunately, the first car (the one seemingly in the way of the others) didn't have the front tow bar inside (the ones which you screw into a hole in the bumper). Cue the arrival of the owners who had an RX400h :)lmao), thinking they could get out. Sure enough, silently the front wheels only span. :lol:

It took just over an hour to get 6 cars free. Ours (Kangoo) we just pushed out because 1) My mum is a good driver and didn't dig any deeper by turning/revving and 2) is basically a Clio. That first point was actually the reason the first car got stuck. The driver had thought 'yeah accelerating will get me out'. Sure enough it didn't. His was the only car caked in mud :lol:.

Eventually we had to tow that car up the hill, away from the exit, a bit, then push it down using momentum and re-directing it around the boggy part. The far car we managed to push round back the way it came.

I'm going to take my camera in tomorrow to take a picture of the fields post-war, but it is funny. The moral of the story here: FWD = Fail wheel drive. SUV = Fail wheel drive. Defender = Awesome.
 
Before my Mustang was restored when I would drive it during the winter we had 100lb sand bags in the trunk. The only weight in the back of those old cars is the gas tank.

My mom used to do the same thing with her 79 Camaro Z28. In the winter, she had to have a couple of 50lb bags of concrete in the trunk at all times.
 
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rj5jisB7g&eurl=http://www.worldcarfans.com/9081209.012/funny-audi-r8-commercial---the-hostage[/YOUTUBE]

Weird Audi R8 ad.

It's not weird, that security guy posts here on Final Gear. :p
 
Erm...Speedtouch, I don't understand your point? So what exactly was the problem with FWD in your case? DO you think if the cars had been RWD they would've gone out of the mud?
 
I just saw a semi trailer load of Mercedes sports cars SL and SLKs go by. Someone is getting a nice Christmas present.
 
I'm going to take my camera in tomorrow to take a picture of the fields post-war, but it is funny. The moral of the story here: FWD = Fail wheel drive. SUV = Fail wheel drive. Defender = Awesome.
It's all about momentum. I've seen an '88 Honda Accord get further into a bog than a couple 4WD trucks. New moral for the story: Drive like a lunatic and don't get stuck. :lol:
 
Top