The Car Thread ... !

[MagicBoy]

After I posted that I thought there might be a naming issue. What you are calling fog lights are the white light the lights up when the car goes in reverse right? If that the case I've never heard them referred to as fog light just back up or reverse lights.

Nope they're reversing lights. The rear fog light is a high intensity red light, on a VW it's usually two pulls out of the headlight switch. First one turns on the front fogs, second pull turns on the rear one in addition.

Here's a random Tiguan picture I borrowed from a google image search :

It's the really bright one at the lower right of the left cluster.

 

[bunnspecial]

I decided to get ambitious this afternoon and replace my serpentine belt. It's been sqeaking for a month and driving me crazy, so I decided to tackle it.

I got the old one off okay, except that I can't work it around the tensioner. I have a question out on the LS owners club, so hopefully I can figure it out. I'll finish it up after dinner, as the engine is still quite warm even a couple hours after shutting it off.

I'm still nursing a bad blister on one hand from picking up some lead ingots last night before they'd cooled off completely, so I'm trying to keep the burns to a minimum 🙂

 

[MatthewLTL]

2 quick questions:

1. I always assumed that late model cars had 4 wheel disc. I saw a 2014(?) Focus sedan with front disc and rear drums. I thought drums were now obsolete?
2. what is the purpose of a resignator?

 

[D.T.]

2 quick questions:

1. I always assumed that late model cars had 4 wheel disc. I saw a 2014(?) Focus sedan with front disc and rear drums. I thought drums were now obsolete?
2. what is the purpose of a resignator?

1. Some low[er] cost models still use them (on the rear)
2. Do you mean resonator? It's part of the exhaust system, for noise/sound reduction

 

[bunnspecial]

Two steps forward, one step back...

Got my serpentine belt changed, and it's incredibly nice to have a dead silent engine. I guess I'd gotten use to how much noise the old belt made. The old one wasn't terrible, but definitely had some signs of dry rot. Overall, it wasn't a terrible job, although I did find it to definitely be a two person job at least for the last step. I had my dad pushing on the breaker bar to hold the tension off it while I fixed the belt around the last pulley.

Unfortunately, I nicked the side view mirror enough to knock it off backing the car out of the garage. I have it fixed on now, but have already ordered another(fortunately in color). Thank goodness for Ebay and salvage operations.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201232306877?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[A.Goldberg]

Yeah, the interior switches are directly from the Dodge Dart and other ChryCo products, which is just pathetic. They took the uConnect system and put Maserati graphics into it.

And look what just popped up on my Instagram

$699 with zero down? Can't do that on a Mercedes, Audi, or BMW

I grew up right near Westport. Millar Motorcars actually just opened that Westport Maserati dealer a couple months ago. Miller owns an exotic dealer chain including Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and Ferrari in Greenwich. Mr. Koppelman, the president of Millar, is quite the local celebrity in a weird way. He makes a massive amount of money selling cars.

I'm guessing Greenwich deemed Maserati too mainstream market the town and therefore banished it. They know Maserati is now producing dressed up Dodge Darts and wouldn't be caught dead with a dealer in their town. I suspect this is another Connecticut-level NIMBY conspiracy thing here (Not In My BackYard) 😉

2 quick questions:

1. I always assumed that late model cars had 4 wheel disc. I saw a 2014(?) Focus sedan with front disc and rear drums. I thought drums were now obsolete?
2. what is the purpose of a resignator?

1. Usually drum brakes are only used on cars as a cost cutting measure at this point, and at least in passenger cars I don't anyone still uses front drum brakes (I assume due to safety standards re:braking distance). Drum brakes are not as effective as disc, but given the majority of braking power falls to the front brakes, it's not as big of concerns. Drums are still very common in big trucks (semi's, dump trucks, etc). Drums usually are known to wear out faster, but tend to be cheaper parts-wise.
2. As someone mentioned, the resonator generally comes after the catalytic converter(s) and muffler(s) to usually provide increased sound reduction or to alter the exhaust sound in some way. Not all cars have them, some cars don't seem to make a difference with or without them.

Two steps forward, one step back...

Unfortunately, I nicked the side view mirror enough to knock it off backing the car out of the garage. I have it fixed on now, but have already ordered another(fortunately in color). Thank goodness for Ebay and salvage operations.

Seriously, Bunn?!

 

[bunnspecial]

Seriously, Bunn?!

Unfortunately, yes 🙄

Not one of my smarter moments.

 

[2298754]

I grew up right near Westport. Millar Motorcars actually just opened that Westport Maserati dealer a couple months ago. Miller owns an exotic dealer chain including Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and Ferrari in Greenwich.

It must be a second dealership. I was in Greenwich a few weeks ago and Maserati was in the basement of the (huge) Ferrari dealership. The building next to the McLaren showroom.

I'm guessing Greenwich deemed Maserati too mainstream market the town and therefore banished it. They know Maserati is now producing dressed up Dodge Darts and wouldn't be caught dead with a dealer in their town. I suspect this is another Connecticut-level NIMBY conspiracy thing here (Not In My BackYard) 😉

I'm not surprised. The Maserati section of the dealership was dead when I visited. Audi/MB/BMW/Porsche across the street were packed. Even driving through the town, the locals seem to prefer high-dollar German/British metal.

Boston has its own share of NIMBY crap too. Every Maserati owner I see is a foreign student. Everyone else drives German/British.

On a side note, all Maserati has to do is dress-up the interior. It looks great and sounds fantastic. That's the only way they're going to get German buyers to jump ship. Maserati badge isn't enough.

However, if the rumors of a Porsche sedan come to fruition, it's game over for Maserati. Porsche knows how to build a car the correct way. They don't cheap out on the details.

 

[2298754]

1. Usually drum brakes are only used on cars as a cost cutting measure at this point, and at least in passenger cars I don't anyone still uses front drum brakes (I assume due to safety standards re:braking distance). Drum brakes are not as effective as disc,

I remember when the current VW Jetta (MK6) came out in 2012ish and VW debuted it with a solid rear-axle and rear drums. There was huge uproar with the press and VW community. Eventually, they finally brought back discs because drums are just pathetic at that price point.

but given the majority of braking power falls to the front brakes, it's not as big of concerns.

Depends on the car. The vast majority of cars these days have "dynamic brake control" built into their traction/stability control/ABS algorithms. Depending on load/speed/etc, the brake controller distributes braking power between the axles.

For BMW, the rear axle pads wear out much faster than the front.

 

[2298754]

Alfa is coming back to the U.S. With this. The new 3 series competitor

EDIT: more pics

 

[A.Goldberg]

Unfortunately, yes 🙄

Not one of my smarter moments.

It's ok, I forgive you. Speaking of blemishes and such, a few days ago I had terrible luck, somewhat due in part to my own decisions, but it was not a good day for me.

First I went downtown to meet my girlfriend for brunch. In the attached picture you can see the damage magically appeared after returning to the car...



Second, I drive to my friend's place in and park in a no-parking zone (hazards and headlights on) to help him with his luggage. In literally 2 minutes I come back outside to a meter maid writing me a $75 ticket parking ticket.

Then we drove to Logan. The GPS ends up taking us a way that requires us to pay a toll. I realize my EZ-Pass is not in my car (gave it to my GF days earlier), great. I almost never carry cash on me, but together we scrounge up $1.25. Phew... I'll make sure I don't take a toll route on the way back...

So I drop off my buddy, drive out of the airport, and then see this large, looming structure in the distance. Yes, it's the exit tollbooth for Logan to I-90. Toll cost- $3.50. I had about $0.27 in pennies. So they gave me some sort of citation saying they'd mail me a bill. It doesn't say how much the fine is... But I think they're just charging me the toll +3.60 in processing fees? It's my first offense and I've read they give you a freebee. Otherwise I'm stuck with at least $50+ fine.

See the stuff that happens when you try and do good things for people? In the future I need to play my trips better, and actually keep cash on hand. I hope the State will spend my money well.

 

[2298754]

First I went downtown to meet my girlfriend for brunch. In the attached picture you can see the damage magically appeared after returning to the car...
View attachment 563762

Good 'ole Boston!

So I drop off my buddy, drive out of the airport, and then see this large, looming structure in the distance. Yes, it's the exit tollbooth for Logan to I-90. Toll cost- $3.50. I had about $0.27 in pennies. So they gave me some sort of citation saying they'd mail me a bill. It doesn't say how much the fine is... But I think they're just charging me the toll +3.60 in processing fees? It's my first offense and I've read they give you a freebee. Otherwise I'm stuck with at least $50+ fine.

See the stuff that happens when you try and do good things for people? In the future I need to play my trips better, and actually keep cash on hand. I hope the State will spend my money well.

For future reference, if you don't have your EZPass, just go thru the EZPass lane as you normally would. No need to stop.

As long as your plate # is linked to an EZPass account, you're fine. They will automatically charge you. In the winter, my old plate transponder would never work. I drove all the way to NYC without realizing I forgot my EZPass before.

 

[D.T.]

Second, I drive to my friend's place in and park in a no-parking zone (hazards and headlights on) to help him with his luggage. In literally 2 minutes I come back outside to a meter maid writing me a $75 ticket parking ticket.

In a rare trip downtown for business years (and years...) ago, I came out to a parking ticket, drove around the corner to the court house, ran inside to pay, came out to another ticket being written ...

I'm surprised I didn't go to jail that day.

 

[D.T.]

So the official reveal of the 6th Gen Camaro Convertible happened to day. I'm surprised how much I like it (way more than the Coupe over the previous gen), The new top system is dynamite, and I love how clean it looks when it's down (from the solid, one piece cover). Huge interior refinements Mag-shocks in the SS (vs. just the ZL1 .. er, which doesn't even exist yet ...), 455 HP LT1, killer top design, hmmm ....

 

[D.T.]

Here's the full video, showing the interior and new top system:

 

[Muscle Master]

I said to myself, When I finished school, I was gonna buy me a fully loaded Grand Cherokee SRT as graduation present. Now I'm really leaning towards this Vert

 

[2298754]

Camaro Vert looks good. But my pony car choice is still the mustang

 

[D.T.]

Camaro Vert looks good. But my pony car choice is still the mustang

I don't really have a dog in this hunt as I've never owned either (though I've never owned a Ford, and had multiple Vettes). I was _pretty_ convinced I wanted a GT500 (talking convertibles), it's got balls, a hand-built motor, neat historical context, but I had also been knocking around a 6th Gen Mustang for the overall improvements. I had briefly considered a ZL1 Camaro, it's supposed to be a better cruiser/DD (with the Mag suspension), but it's a bit behind on "goodies", and I always thought the 5th gen convertible was a little chunky looking.

Bottom line: the new 6th gen vert definitely adds a viable candidate to my possible next rides 😀

 

[bunnspecial]

Well, this is ugly but will have to do for a week or so until the replacement mirror arrives.

At least it's better than having the mirror dangling, or just cutting it off(as I was tempted to do).


Here's the broken mirror

And the jerry rigged replacment-as I said, I'm ashamed to drive around with this, but it's only temporary and it beats having a loose mirror.

 

[D.T.]

It's a Matthew special! 😀

I'm always very careful with our cars, so about 3-4 years ago, my folks were over, I was backing into the garage and asked my Dad to _watch_carefully_ on one side while I made sure I didn't hit my car on the other side ... well, he just sort of stands there without saying anything as I scrape the garage entrance. Nice scuff on the overfender, not all that visible, never bothered to get it fixed - I left it as a reminder to *never* trust anyone to lookout for my vehicles.

 

[bunnspecial]

It's a Matthew special! 😀

I was afraid that someone would say that 🙂

You will note, however, that I did order the replacement part before I started on this "repair."

As I said, I was actually feeling pretty good about the serpentine belt replacement for all of 3 minutes until this happened. My only excuse is that I was listening to the engine and not watching the mirror, although that's not much of an excuse.

Assuming the part gets here by Saturday, next Saturday should be a fun day 🙄 . I've had the door panel off that door before, but it's still not my favorite job in the world. Fortunately, at least a mirror swap is a quick job once you get to it.

 

[D.T.]

Assuming the part gets here by Saturday, next Saturday should be a fun day 🙄 . I've had the door panel off that door before, but it's still not my favorite job in the world. Fortunately, at least a mirror swap is a quick job once you get to it.

Oh man, working with interior panels is the worst. It's hard to tell how they come apart, other than pulling/prying really hard 😀 Then invariably, you break or lose some kind of plastic clip ...

 

[AustinIllini]

I was afraid that someone would say that 🙂

You will note, however, that I did order the replacement part before I started on this "repair."

As I said, I was actually feeling pretty good about the serpentine belt replacement for all of 3 minutes until this happened. My only excuse is that I was listening to the engine and not watching the mirror, although that's not much of an excuse.

Assuming the part gets here by Saturday, next Saturday should be a fun day 🙄 . I've had the door panel off that door before, but it's still not my favorite job in the world. Fortunately, at least a mirror swap is a quick job once you get to it.

When are you installing the pink "carbon fiber" gear shift cap and the flower shower curtain seats covers?

 

[bunnspecial]

When are you installing the pink "carbon fiber" gear shift cap and the flower shower curtain seats covers?

Personally, I thought I'd go with a purple polka dot shift knob(and matching pedals of course) and throw on some of those '80s wood bead seat covers

Go big or go home, right 🙂

(I'm not about to give up a leather shift knob, plus the air conditioned seats that a seat cover would block are really nice when the heat index is 100º like it's supposed to be tomorrow).

 

[AustinIllini]

Personally, I thought I'd go with a purple polka dot shift knob(and matching pedals of course) and throw on some of those '80s wood bead seat covers

Go big or go home, right 🙂

(I'm not about to give up a leather shift knob, plus the air conditioned seats that a seat cover would block are really nice when the heat index is 100º like it's supposed to be tomorrow).

I get that for sure. I wish my Acura had ventilated seats.