The Car Thread ... !

[maflynn]

Goodyear is just terrible for this lol.

I don't think so, I had Wrangler AT adventures on the truck when I bought it, and I've been continually impressed in its performance on snow, and rain, both on the road and off. My truck isn't an overlanding rig, I tend to go camping off the beaten path but fully offroading, rock crawling/mudding. Most of the time just dirt roads/paths that are unplowed. where the snow will reach 4 to 6 inches - the Wrangler ATs handle that just fine. I'm also frequently driving up to vermont as my daughter goes to school up there, and so highway driving with the ATs are just fine. I don't need full off road tires like KO2's or something like that.

I have now replaced my tires, I went to Town Fair Tire (a regional tire company), and they did an adequate job. Price is always hard to swallow, being well over a grand but everything seems to be expensive these days.

 

[JT2002TJ]

Goodyear used by OEM vehicle manufacturers <> Goodyears you buy at the tire store. The same make tires will have different compounds. Most people are upset with the performance of OEM tires, then never give them a chance after being disappointed.

 

[avro707]

Top Gear managed to get Aston Martin Valkyrie and a customer owned AMG One together:

Interesting reading the comments, everyone wants a car that makes lots of noise, until they get one that actually does and then they don't like it.

We know the Valkyrie is fast, but that's a graphic demonstration in rolling start.

1155hp moving 1340kg (wet weight) versus 1060hp moving 1745kg wet weight (AMG One). The way the Aston Martin leaps forward looks violent. It's a light, powerful, loud, savage machine. That also settles the internet talk of Valkyries weighing 1500kg+.

Never thought an AMG One would be called refined, but in comparison, it might well be. It seems to be so well sorted out and sure footed that a normal person could get in it and not be terrified.

Spoiler alert, no lap time comparison. High speed tracks with fast corners - the Valkyrie will surely win, lighter and high downforce and better stopping performance too.

Kudos to both manufacturers for even getting these both into production.

Interesting to read the Valkyrie documents from the Aston Martin aftersales department. It has some quite specific rules around starting the engine, stopping it, driving on track, all sorts of different things. Using the lift mode, etc, even towing the car or pushing it by hand.

 

[DallasCowboysFan]

Goodyear used by OEM vehicle manufacturers <> Goodyears you buy at the tire store. The same make tires will have different compounds. Most people are upset with the performance of OEM tires, then never give them a chance after being disappointed.

So, the tires you get on a new car are not identical to those you buy in the store?
The are a lesser quality?

I can understand that if I buy Walmart branded bleach at the store and I am getting watered down Clorox, but buying tires should be different.

 

[JoeG4]

I don't think so, I had Wrangler AT adventures on the truck when I bought it, and I've been continually impressed in its performance on snow, and rain, both on the road and off. My truck isn't an overlanding rig, I tend to go camping off the beaten path but fully offroading, rock crawling/mudding. Most of the time just dirt roads/paths that are unplowed. where the snow will reach 4 to 6 inches - the Wrangler ATs handle that just fine. I'm also frequently driving up to vermont as my daughter goes to school up there, and so highway driving with the ATs are just fine. I don't need full off road tires like KO2's or something like that.

I have now replaced my tires, I went to Town Fair Tire (a regional tire company), and they did an adequate job. Price is always hard to swallow, being well over a grand but everything seems to be expensive these days.

What i meant was that they're terrible for having like 20 different tires with similar names XD

The tires are pretty good. I have seriously never been disappointed by a goodyear tire. BFGoodrich otoh has disappointed me both times (KDWS on a car and KO2 on my jeep) - both times I went in hyped and came out disappointed.

My old jeep had bridgestones, those were pretty good. (to be fair, the ko2s on my current jeep lasted a little longer but were more dangerous when old). I once put yokohama yk560s on my car and they were awesome. I later replaced those with yk580s and they weren't nearly as good.

I'm currently running goodyear eagl exhilarate on one of our cars and the wrangler duratrac rt on my jeep. The car came with eagle RS-A tires and while those were fine, the exhilarate ones are definitely better.

 

[diamond.g]

So, the tires you get on a new car are not identical to those you buy in the store?
The are a lesser quality?

I can understand that if I buy Walmart branded bleach at the store and I am getting watered down Clorox, but buying tires should be different.

Some OEM versions are grippier than the retail versions. Others have additional material to reduce road noise. So it really depends on what the OEM was going for with their version of the retail tire.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Goodyear used by OEM vehicle manufacturers <> Goodyears you buy at the tire store. The same make tires will have different compounds. Most people are upset with the performance of OEM tires, then never give them a chance after being disappointed.

They are the same when you buy the same Look for the OEM marker. For my Porsche, the original N tyres as the same as the same N tyres from a shop. Similar to the Mercedes MO marked ones, or BMW star, or Polestar POL. The list of OEM specifications goes on.

Yes, you can buy a generic version, but then you aren't buying the same tyres.

 

[Alameda]

So, the tires you get on a new car are not identical to those you buy in the store?
The are a lesser quality?

I can understand that if I buy Walmart branded bleach at the store and I am getting watered down Clorox, but buying tires should be different.

Yes, usually the tires on a new car don’t last as long as premium tires. When you go to a tire shop they’ll give you options and the new car tires are typically at the lower end.

 

[JT2002TJ]

They are the same when you buy the same Look for the OEM marker. For my Porsche, the original N tyres as the same as the same N tyres from a shop. Similar to the Mercedes MO marked ones, or BMW star, or Polestar POL. The list of OEM specifications goes on.

Yes, you can buy a generic version, but then you aren't buying the same tyres.

I generalized. And it may be an American thing, but you can buy the exact same make and model tire delivered with your vehicle and have different experience (grip/tread life) vs buying it aftermarket (outside of the dealership service center). This is pretty common with Goodyear Wranglers tires. This is much more unlikely with a high end performance vehicle.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Maybe it’s an US thing. I’ve never seen a brand new car delivered with budget Tyres. 🤷‍♂️

 

[JT2002TJ]

Maybe it’s an US thing. I’ve never seen a brand new car delivered with budget Tyres. 🤷‍♂️

I have also heard (not witnessed myself) the same compound but less tread life from OEM tires. The rumor is that it is to meet mpg standards and reduced noise. So everything appears the same, but just less tread life. So people report less life out of them. Once they replace them from a tire shop, they are much happier with the life of the replacement set. They also report improved initial rain handling because of the added tread displacing water better.

Same everything except they have a additional letter to distinguish the OEM supplied tire vs non-OEM. So not really “budget” but meeting OEM specifications.

 

[avro707]

Ferrari 250 GTO "64"

Dry sumped 3L V12, 170mph+, 1010kg, wild performance for those days. 300hp at 7500rpm. Maximum RPM 8000-8500rpm for short amounts of time. The suspension however is nothing too exotic.

But then there were other cars like Ford GT40 and even the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 that would have been even faster still.

The 3L V12 makes an amazing noise. Wow.

The car in the video belongs to a guy who knows a lot about tractors and other construction/farm equipment.

 

[Huntn]

2012 Toyota Hilander- have I told this story before? 🤔 (searched did not see)
Got leak via the sunroof, drains clogged, water in car, ended up replacing the carpets… only $1600. (/S) Dealer tells me, “looks like the sunroof seal is starting to leak”.

Thought I’d ask the experts here: Waita minute is this the seal that has always existed, that has alway allowed water into the sunroof interior, that the sunroof drains are supposed to take care of or is this a different seal?

I asked “how much to repair the subroof seal”?
Answer: “The seal can’t be repaired, the entire sunroof must be replaced, cost $2500.”
😐
My answer: Clear, exterior, Gorilla tape, don’t use the sunroof, which we never use anyway. 8 months later, when the old tape started to make buzz noises going down the highway, just changed it, removed the original tape and cleaned old adhesive off with Goo Gone Auto (regular Goo Gone can damage paint), new tape applied.

Is there a better answer short of $2500? Rely heavily on convertibles, and may never buy another hard top with a sun roof, especially if you plan on keeping a car more than 10 years.

 

[DallasCowboysFan]

2012 Toyota Hilander- have I told this story before? 🤔 (searched did not see)
Got leak via the sunroof, drains clogged, water in car, ended up replacing the carpets… only $1600. (/S) Dealer tells me, “looks like the sunroof seal is starting to leak”.

Thought I’d ask the experts here: Waita minute is this the seal that has always existed, that has alway allowed water into the sunroof interior, that the sunroof drains are supposed to take care of or is this a different seal?

I asked “how much to repair the subroof seal”?
Answer: “The seal can’t be repaired, the entire sunroof must be replaced, cost $2500.”
😐
My answer: Clear, exterior, Gorilla tape, don’t use the sunroof, which we never use anyway. 8 months later, when the old tape started to make buzz noises going down the highway, just changed it, removed the original tape and cleaned old adhesive off with Goo Gone Auto (regular Goo Gone can damage paint), new tape applied.

Is there a better answer short of $2500? Rely heavily on convertibles, and may never buy another hard top with a sun roof, especially if you plan on keeping a car more than 10 years.

do you ever spray silicone on the gasket? I had a sunroof with my BMW 3 series and I sprayed it 3,4 times a year
It didn't leak for 5 year before I sold it. It's not a Highlander, but a curious question.

 

[JT2002TJ]

2012 Toyota Hilander- have I told this story before? 🤔 (searched did not see)
Got leak via the sunroof, drains clogged, water in car, ended up replacing the carpets… only $1600. (/S) Dealer tells me, “looks like the sunroof seal is starting to leak”.

Thought I’d ask the experts here: Waita minute is this the seal that has always existed, that has alway allowed water into the sunroof interior, that the sunroof drains are supposed to take care of or is this a different seal?

I asked “how much to repair the subroof seal”?
Answer: “The seal can’t be repaired, the entire sunroof must be replaced, cost $2500.”
😐
My answer: Clear, exterior, Gorilla tape, don’t use the sunroof, which we never use anyway. 8 months later, when the old tape started to make buzz noises going down the highway, just changed it, removed the original tape and cleaned old adhesive off with Goo Gone Auto (regular Goo Gone can damage paint), new tape applied.

Is there a better answer short of $2500? Rely heavily on convertibles, and may never buy another hard top with a sun roof, especially if you plan on keeping a car more than 10 years.

I took apart my BMW e46 325i sunroof when I was getting the roof liner fabric replaced. There were a couple known issues with the e46, as yours the drain can get clogged and water will back up into the roof cavity eventually causing a leak down the A pillars. This will happen even if the sunroof seals are good, because the water pools into the cavity, and water always finds a way through.

Another issue is, when you use compressed air to clear the drain hose, it can pop the hose off of the sunroof cassette nipple. So, while I had the liner off, I zip tied the hose on (this addresses the hose expanding with heat cycles). This was to future proof the issue. With the hose off, it 100% drains right into the A Pillar...

What I suggest is, clear the drain, make sure the drain hose is properly attached, then see if it returns. You probably will luck out and not need to do anything. You can tell pretty quickly if you go through a few car washes after you clear the drain.

Summary:
If drains are clogged it 100% will eventually leak inside a car, good seals or not. Bad seals may never be an issue with clear drains because there isn't enough time for the water to pool. If it is going to leak, it will leak in a car wash, even if it doesn't leak in the rain. Because of this, a car wash is a good test to see if you are good or not.

 

[DallasCowboysFan]

Go to a Toyota forum and post your question. If it can be done someone will let you know

 

[Huntn]

do you ever spray silicone on the gasket? I had a sunroof with my BMW 3 series and I sprayed it 3,4 times a year
It didn't leak for 5 year before I sold it. It's not a Highlander, but a curious question.

I did not, did not realize this might be a good thing to do. 😐

 

[JetBlack7]

Interesting reading the comments, everyone wants a car that makes lots of noise, until they get one that actually does and then they don't like it.

Exactly! I own a Sport Bike and can tell you one thing: I always wanted to have the full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system (which I do).

But when I hear it without the dB killer, I was in shock of how much noise it makes. So i fitted the dB killer on it and now it still makes noise, but much less obnoxious. I love it!

 

[avro707]

So I'm in the market for a convertible and might just have found the ideal one:

2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge Landspeed | Munich 2025 | RM Sotheby's

2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge Landspeed for sale at RM Sotheby's Munich

rmsothebys.com

1 of 25 RR Dawn Black Badge Landspeed

That to me is just stunning - especially the interior details, the trim on the dash reminding of the Bonneville Salt Flats - that is really beautifully done. The trim on the centre console with showing the speeds of George Eyston's Thunderbolt LSR car are just scary. Looking at that Thunderbolt, if anything went wrong the driver was finished at those crazy speeds. The behemoth (and it was huge) had a pair of Rolls Royce "R" engines in it. All up 73 litres of engine capacity and 24 cylinders in total between the two huge engines. There are photos of the machine being built and also being wheeled out with people pushing it, the thing dwarfs those people.

Now that I've stopped dreaming, I'll go back to mundane motoring, haha!

Same auction also has a AMG One and AMG GT Black Series "Project One" for sale as a pair:

2024 Mercedes-AMG ONE and 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Project One Edition | Munich 2025 | RM Sotheby's

2024 Mercedes-AMG ONE and 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Project One Edition for sale at RM Sotheby's Munich

rmsothebys.com

I admire the AMG One for the sheer technical complexity and audacity of actually putting a real modern Formula 1 engine in a road car. Obviously it turned out to be a very complex task to achieve, but hats off to the technical wizards, they did it. So many car makers say "F1 tech, F1 inspired, blah blah blah", but here they really mean it.

I have seen a AMG GT Black Series with the reverse colour scheme of this one, silver fading to black, so whoever had that must have a AMG One also.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

2012 Toyota Hilander- have I told this story before? 🤔 (searched did not see)
Got leak via the sunroof, drains clogged, water in car, ended up replacing the carpets… only $1600. (/S) Dealer tells me, “looks like the sunroof seal is starting to leak”.

Thought I’d ask the experts here: Waita minute is this the seal that has always existed, that has alway allowed water into the sunroof interior, that the sunroof drains are supposed to take care of or is this a different seal?

I asked “how much to repair the subroof seal”?
Answer: “The seal can’t be repaired, the entire sunroof must be replaced, cost $2500.”
😐
My answer: Clear, exterior, Gorilla tape, don’t use the sunroof, which we never use anyway. 8 months later, when the old tape started to make buzz noises going down the highway, just changed it, removed the original tape and cleaned old adhesive off with Goo Gone Auto (regular Goo Gone can damage paint), new tape applied.

Is there a better answer short of $2500? Rely heavily on convertibles, and may never buy another hard top with a sun roof, especially if you plan on keeping a car more than 10 years.

About the Highlander: Things like that happens to most automobiles that have sun or moon roofs when the water drain channels clog with debris. For example, road dirt, mud, dust, and so on accumulating inside the drain channels can clog them. Small pieces of leaves particles and seeds can also do the same thing, not only to the drain channels and the cabin air filter.

I have to replace the cabin air filters of three vehicles in my household (Tacoma, Tundra, and RAV4) at least once per year because there are lots of birch trees around my (my family and I's) house. In the fall birch trees release quite a lot if seeds, and these accumulate on the windshield and the fresh air intakes. If it is raining all you have to do is to rinse the seeds on the hood, by the fresh air intakes, and the windshield without much trouble, but on a clear and and warm day the now dry and lightweight seeds fly right into the air intake ports when one turns-on (energize) the cabin ventilation fan.

Now, quite often the reason for having water draining into the cabin is the result of having a clogged AC or environmental system's drain hose. This hose of tube drains the moist air or water from the cabin air system directly on the the pavement below the car. If it is plugged near the end the is closer to the pavement, then the system ends dup draining water on the carpet in front of at the passenger seat.

On a further note, the AC indicating light comes on when one turns on the AC control to cool the cabin, but at other times when the AC is not turned on and the air flow is directed to Defrost to defrost the windshield and windows the AC light does not come on. Whenever one turns the air flow control to any of the "defrost" directions (usually two of them), the AC system is used, and this in turn increases engine fuel consumption. The AC system on both AC or just defrost increases engine fuel consumption to a greater degree when doing in the city than at highway speeds.

 

[avro707]

Things like that happens to most automobiles that have sun or moon roofs

Remember the 911 Targa 993 with that huge sliding glass roof, that used to have dramas I think for similar reasons. Also reports of squeaks, leaks, wind noises and warnings of stay away and "mechanic's nightmare" but some people have no problems. There are also suggestions don't try to operate it while speeding up or slowing down.

Personally I liked the design of it, cabriolet feel almost but closed up more like a coupe. Provided you have reliable service people or know what to do yourself (fixing the seals, etc), why not?

I would suppose the others are similar.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Remember the 911 Targa 993 with that huge sliding glass roof, that used to have dramas I think for similar reasons. Also reports of squeaks, leaks, wind noises and warnings of stay away and "mechanic's nightmare" but some people have no problems. There are also suggestions don't try to operate it while speeding up or slowing down.

Personally I liked the design of it, cabriolet feel almost but closed up more like a coupe. Provided you have reliable service people or know what to do yourself (fixing the seals, etc), why not?

I would suppose the others are similar.

Agree. Water can get in the cabin if the seal the windshield is mounted on has a gap that arrows water to get through. This is more difficult to to repair than other seals and drain hoses for the sun or moon roof, but not very difficult for other seals and drains hose in the vehicle. The door weather seals can be thoroughly cleaned using numerous lubricants and cleaners don't don't have petroleum-base or distillates (for example). One can use silicone as told by some poster above, although one has to make sure that silicone does not reach the windows and windshield, because silicone is difficult to remove from the glass (leaves a sort of oily layer on the glass). I just clean the seals to remove dirt, dust, and so on from the weather seals, then spray a very small amount of silicone on a clean rag (without inhaling silicone, of course), and then wipe the seals with the rag. Wear Nitrile or rubber gloves to avoid getting silicone off your hands, and also make sure you don't inhale the silicone mist in the air.

 

[JoeG4]

Exactly! I own a Sport Bike and can tell you one thing: I always wanted to have the full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system (which I do).

But when I hear it without the dB killer, I was in shock of how much noise it makes. So i fitted the dB killer on it and now it still makes noise, but much less obnoxious. I love it!

You know what, sounding good loud is easy. Sounding good quiet is hard. And sounding good but quiet is friggin amazing and I wish more car companies could do it!

 

[avro707]

You know what, sounding good loud is easy. Sounding good quiet is hard. And sounding good but quiet is friggin amazing and I wish more car companies could do it!

BMW E38 750i, or the E38 Alpina B12 6.0L.

Very sweet sound and also quiet.

Also don’t mind a standard Ferrari 550 Maranello without aftermarket modifications.

 

[JetBlack7]

You know what, sounding good loud is easy. Sounding good quiet is hard. And sounding good but quiet is friggin amazing and I wish more car companies could do it!

I was in shock at how good my bike sounds at idle, with a titanium exhaust and dB killer. During the cold start cycle, it's ridiculously loud. As soon as it lowers the RPM, the bike becomes quieter and you only listen a slight growl at idle.

It's perfect! And when someone is driving and messing with their phone, I twist the throttle and it becomes like godzilla roaring, people jump from their seat.

Every.Single.Time.