Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Agreed! There's been a discussion about Woodward for 2020 and I wouldn't hesitate to share a beer with, say, @Dr_Grip or @Blind_Io
I think we do a pretty good job keeping it in the political forum.
 
I bought it brand-new for R$40.000. Six years and 102.000km later and I can probably sell it for R$30.000. Not bad.
Holy shit. 75% of price when new? That's the going rate for a car here that has just left the dealership with its own plates for the first time five minutes ago.
 
Holy shit. 75% of price when new? That's the going rate for a car here that has just left the dealership with its own plates for the first time five minutes ago.
Well, there is also the fact that FIAT, in their infinite wisdom, jacked the price from R$40.000 to R$50.000 shortly after I bought it...but still.
 
It just occured to me that for me the interior of the Pontiac Solstice looks like a bad chinese copy of the interior of the mkiv Supra.

2020-toyota-supra-vs-supra-mk4.jpg


2007_pontiac_solstice_dashboard.jpg
 
I am not seeing it, sorry.
 
I am not seeing it, sorry.

The way the dash curves around and merges with the console, in that case the position of the stereo is similar too. The Saab 9-5 had a similar deal going on.

2002_saab_9-5_wagon_aero_i_oem_1_500.jpg
 
It's comming up on the Xterra brake replacement, I settled on EBC Yellow Stuff pads (had em on the Audi, very good cold bite) however I can't decide if I should also get front rotors, I do have some vibration under light braking which suggests to me that there might be deposits on the rotors I do have but not sure whether it would make more sense to resurface or get better rotors (if I get EBCs they are a cool black color too!)
 
We have been kicking around the idea of trading in the wife's 2010 Edge with 163k miles on the odo. I found a 2019 Explorer sport for a pretty good price at a dealer two hours from here so I sent a request on their web page last night. This morning I get a text asking if it is ok for them to text me why not just call....... he also sent an email with the wrong vehicle in it. I reply back to the email specifying which one I was interested and he promptly sends the correct vehicle asking if we wanted to come in for a visit today.

I respond a few hours later informing him live a couple hours away and ask what their out the door price is, he responds with we do not quote out the door prices.

For those that have done this over email/text why didn't he call and discuss this over the phone if you are a salesman that is half decent wouldn't that be the more personal approach to earn someones business? Has it become common to negotiate over text/email now? Is it common for them to not quote out the door pricing? We are in no hurry to trade in but if the deal was attractive enough driving a few hours to get a car is not a big deal.

We were planning on getting the new Aviator but with all the issues between them and the Explorer there is no way we are going to touch one for at least a year which is something we have discussed as well.
 
It's comming up on the Xterra brake replacement, I settled on EBC Yellow Stuff pads (had em on the Audi, very good cold bite) however I can't decide if I should also get front rotors, I do have some vibration under light braking which suggests to me that there might be deposits on the rotors I do have but not sure whether it would make more sense to resurface or get better rotors (if I get EBCs they are a cool black color too!)

Thermoquiets. Recommend them to everyone. Great stopping power, no dusk, quiet, not expensive. Unless you’re doing serious track driving, they’re perfect.
 
I absolutely despise when people call me in response to email inquiries, if I wanted to talk to you i’d call myself.

Fair enough but if someone requests a quote either in person or online I am expecting a quote in the response not the same pictures they have on their website and a flat out refusal of what I consider a reasonable request for an out the door price when the customer has already informed the salesman they are a two hour drive away.
 
I stick with Centric for brake parts - at that price point they're pretty much the only company that doesn't make garbage. I've had their rotors, calipers, and pads on several cars over the years and never had an issue.
 
Fair enough but if someone requests a quote either in person or online I am expecting a quote in the response not the same pictures they have on their website and a flat out refusal of what I consider a reasonable request for an out the door price when the customer has already informed the salesman they are a two hour drive away.
That I agree with, don’t waste my damn time
 
Funnily enough my first reaction was "why didn't you just do it yourself" then I remembered how much of a PITA it is to work on such a small car.
Oh I will absolutely be asking HOW TO still, in case the terrible roads murder yet another one, it was more I didn't know when they would let us bring our own cars in. It's a once a week class so i may have had to wait awhile.

It ended up being the first day and I offered the bug up for the brake demo because I wanted to be able to check them myself after The Incident where the went out on the hill. Apparently VW is like, the apple of lug studs so that was probably a good thing to ask. I'm also glad I had just cleaned out the glove box so I knew where the wheel lock was lmao.

I have a gut feeling that I need to be able to do a decent amount of stuff to the fiat myself by the time the warranty runs out. Like I barely trust people with the beetle, how many people can properly service something as stupid as an abarth?

Laughs in supercharged Jaaag with a billion miles on the clock that's still in the shop
Laughs in "this is my back up volkswagen project car for reliablity"

I'd be more than happy with a Fiesta ST.

And no, it was never sold here.:mad:
I will never not be salty about the ford dealer not letting me test drive one when it's so close you could feasibly push it there for service.
 
VW is like, the apple of lug studs
Just wait till you have to take the calipers off, with the stupid fucking allen socket. I’m sure I posted about this before but I ended up with a motherfucking two day brake job on the A4 because those shits strip easier than a crack whore.

Also fuck Ford for not letting you drive the FiST
 
Oh I will absolutely be asking HOW TO still, in case the terrible roads murder yet another one, it was more I didn't know when they would let us bring our own cars in. It's a once a week class so i may have had to wait awhile.
It ended up being the first day and I offered the bug up for the brake demo because I wanted to be able to check them myself after The Incident where the went out on the hill. Apparently VW is like, the apple of lug studs so that was probably a good thing to ask. I'm also glad I had just cleaned out the glove box so I knew where the wheel lock was lmao.

I have a gut feeling that I need to be able to do a decent amount of stuff to the fiat myself by the time the warranty runs out. Like I barely trust people with the beetle, how many people can properly service something as stupid as an abarth?


Laughs in "this is my back up volkswagen project car for reliablity"


I will never not be salty about the ford dealer not letting me test drive one when it's so close you could feasibly push it there for service.

No, as someone who works for a manufacture of equipment, please just let the OEM fix things under warranty. Once somebody touches stuff on their own, it makes warranty claims very difficult.

After the warranty expires, by all means do what you want.
 
No, as someone who works for a manufacture of equipment, please just let the OEM fix things under warranty. Once somebody touches stuff on their own, it makes warranty claims very difficult.

After the warranty expires, by all means do what you want.
I think that’s what she meant, work on it once warrantee expires.
 
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