The Car Thread ... !

[bunnspecial]

The previous S2K eventually faded away due to low sales, yet it was fantastic looking, had ~240 HP stock, stellar seating, awesome shifter, but at mid/upper $30s, I think people are looking for higher performance, or more content, I think it was sort of in a bad (I guess nonexistent) segment, though I wonder how many sales were lost due to it only being available in a manual? (I have no idea about transmission sales ratios for the Miata as a comparison)

I don't have exact numbers for the Miata, but the last I heard it was basically the only car in the American market that sold more manuals than automatics.

To be honest, even though today's automatics generally give you better 0-60 times and better fuel economy(the opposite of 20 years ago) it's still hard for me to stomach this type of car with anything BUT a manual transmission.

I've always found it somewhat amusing that through the 17 year lifespan of the MGB(a car near and dear to my heart, and also allegedly one of the cars Mazda examined extensively for the Miata) it was available for a few years with an automatic but only in the domestic market. North American never officially got an automatic while GB did-that's a bit opposite of how you would expect things . It's even more surprising when you consider that something like 4/5 of the total production came to North America. I've never even seen photos of the automatic version aside from the sketches in the Hayne's book.

I know that safety standards today pretty much dictate a lot of added weight, and by and large I'm happy with things like airbags. Heck, my MG has factory 3-point belts, but I'd love a basic comfort like an inertia reel so that I can get a little bit more mobility when driving . I'm also glad that cars today can get the ride height down to something reasonable and still meet impact standards-something that British Leyland had to get around by basically putting the car on stilts.

The lack of "creature comforts" is somewhat refreshing to me since it makes you focus on driving-which is what these type of cars are meant to do quite well. I don't have a(working) radio to mess with in the MG, the temptation to answer my phone is non existant(I can't hear it ringing or feel it vibrating, and even if I did I likely couldn't hear it), and the climate control basically consists of two knobs that do nothing and a single switch to turn the blower on and off . AC would be nice for the really hot parts of the summer, but the heater does well enough in the winter to keep me warm and putting the top down gives plenty of air movement to keep you cool.

As for the S2000, one thing to keep in mind is that the increased power is somewhat offset by the heavier weight. Also, if it's a typical Honda high performance engine, the big horsepower numbers will come at the cost of low-end torque. I'm not crazy about having to wind an engine out to 3.5K+ to start get a decent amount of torque, but then that's a personal preference. Honda engines can certainly handle doing that all day.

 

[venomgt95]

Saw this last Friday. It's a Kaiser, i know that, the specific model, im not too sure on though..

 

[A.Goldberg]

Anyone ever change an adaptive xenon on a E60 BMW 5-series?

 

[iLog.Genius]

Anyone ever change an adaptive xenon on a E60 BMW 5-series?

The actual lens, bulb or module?

 

[A.Goldberg]

The actual lens, bulb or module?

I'm hoping the bulb? Strangely enough, right now I don't have an error message which has me a little concerned considering the car is so sensitive it usually tells you there is a burnt out light before it happen, Minority Report style. I would expect a bulb failure message or maybe adaptive headlight fault?

BTW, this is the passenger headlight, 2009 535i xDrive. After reading some BMW threads I checked for condensation within the lens unit- thankfully no issues there (commonly associated with the failure of the adaptive lighting unit).

Do I do it myself and spend $100 and 1 hour finagling in a new bulb hoping that's indeed the problem. Or inevitably spend $300+ getting the bulb replaced by the dealer?

This reminds me, I'm in the market for a new car. It's too bad new Touareg TDI's sales are currently suspended, as are CPO, and used ones are few and far between. Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel is an interesting option, but the diesel is a $5000 (!!!) option over atrocious Pentistar V6 gas. I can't even find the V8 model on a dealer lot. Neither of these options have quite the attention to detail and refinement as BMW. The X3 diesel is a comfortable choice coming from the 5, but the 28d option is a little weak. The 35d in the X5 on paper looks great, aside from the $60,000 price tag new and a little big (and now looks very cow-like). I'm spoiled with the 5 thats for sure. A lot of options just don't seem as nice as what I'm coming from... but this car was a lucky hand-me-down. But with almost 110k, it's already a money pit and a nightmare waiting to happen.

 

[iLog.Genius]

I'm hoping the bulb? Strangely enough, right now I don't have an error message which has me a little concerned considering the car is so sensitive it usually tells you there is a burnt out light before it happen, Minority Report style. I would expect a bulb failure message or maybe adaptive headlight fault?

BTW, this is the passenger headlight, 2009 535i xDrive. After reading some BMW threads I checked for condensation within the lens unit- thankfully no issues there (commonly associated with the failure of the adaptive lighting unit).

Do I do it myself and spend $100 and 1 hour finagling in a new bulb hoping that's indeed the problem. Or inevitably spend $300+ getting the bulb replaced by the dealer?

I doubt it's the bulb if there are no faults being displayed unless your bulb is actually is on its way out, the colour will be different and no fault will be present until it actually goes. I'm assuming your problem is the actual adaptive motor/module causing problems?

Regardless of what the problem is, if you have the time, I would not go to a dealer for anything relating to the headlight just because of the cost of parts and how relatively simple it is to fix any problems related to the headlights. I was involved in a discussion with someone with some adaptive headlight errors and problems on the forums. I'll find the exact thread and post it here. Hopefully it will give some insight and give you something to look at with regards to your problem.

EDIT:

E90Post: Adaptive Headlight Malfunction

 

[puma1552]

I'm hoping the bulb? Strangely enough, right now I don't have an error message which has me a little concerned considering the car is so sensitive it usually tells you there is a burnt out light before it happen, Minority Report style. I would expect a bulb failure message or maybe adaptive headlight fault?

BTW, this is the passenger headlight, 2009 535i xDrive. After reading some BMW threads I checked for condensation within the lens unit- thankfully no issues there (commonly associated with the failure of the adaptive lighting unit).

Do I do it myself and spend $100 and 1 hour finagling in a new bulb hoping that's indeed the problem. Or inevitably spend $300+ getting the bulb replaced by the dealer?

This reminds me, I'm in the market for a new car. It's too bad new Touareg TDI's sales are currently suspended, as are CPO, and used ones are few and far between. Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel is an interesting option, but the diesel is a $5000 (!!!) option over atrocious Pentistar V6 gas. I can't even find the V8 model on a dealer lot. Neither of these options have quite the attention to detail and refinement as BMW. The X3 diesel is a comfortable choice coming from the 5, but the 28d option is a little weak. The 35d in the X5 on paper looks great, aside from the $60,000 price tag new and a little big (and now looks very cow-like). I'm spoiled with the 5 thats for sure. A lot of options just don't seem as nice as what I'm coming from... but this car was a lucky hand-me-down. But with almost 110k, it's already a money pit and a nightmare waiting to happen.

Is the light output pink? The way to tell when a xenon is on the way out is when it turns pink.

Why not just grab a gas Touareg? My local dealer has a nice CPO '14 R-line (no nasty wood trim inside) with 21k miles for about $37k asking price. Could surely get for $34k-$35k?

Unrelated, I have always been more or less against leasing and certainly certain that the worst possible way to buy a car is to lease it and then buy it out at the end. However, running some numbers on a quote I received, it turns out that if I finance the car for 6 years at rate X, I'll pay ~$39k all in, whereas if I lease it for 3 years, and then finance the residual at the same rate X also for 3 years, I'd actually only pay out a total of around $37.5k. In other words, aside from the crappiness of backloading your payments and having pretty hefty payments on the back 3 years, it actually ends up cheaper to lease it and then finance the residual compared to buying it outright on day one.

Still don't know that I'd be comfortable doing it, but it was an interesting point to note, especially considering in the finance from day 1 scenario I'd also have nearly $25k in tax savings from trading in. Without a trade it would be en even larger disparity between the two scenarios.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I doubt it's the bulb if there are no faults being displayed unless your bulb is actually is on its way out, the colour will be different and no fault will be present until it actually goes. I'm assuming your problem is the actual adaptive motor/module causing problems?

Regardless of what the problem is, if you have the time, I would not go to a dealer for anything relating to the headlight just because of the cost of parts and how relatively simple it is to fix any problems related to the headlights. I was involved in a discussion with someone with some adaptive headlight errors and problems on the forums. I'll find the exact thread and post it here. Hopefully it will give some insight and give you something to look at with regards to your problem.

EDIT:

E90Post: Adaptive Headlight Malfunction

Thanks for the info. No warnings yet on the Check Control or iDrive, I literally just noticed it out this evening. I didn't explicitly notice the light failing (turning pink) but I did consciously notice my night time visibility was sub par. Then again, I honestly don't look at the front of my car that much. I pull all the wall in my garage and go out the same way I come in. I turned off the courtesy/"follow me home" lights because the lights are always on in the parking garage. I believe the drivers side light was replaced under my dad's ownership just before I got the car, I should check the records. That would have been ~3 years, 30k miles ago if my memory is correct.

Is the light output pink? The way to tell when a xenon is on the way out is when it turns pink.

Why not just grab a gas Touareg? My local dealer has a nice CPO '14 R-line (no nasty wood trim inside) with 21k miles for about $37k asking price. Could surely get for $34k-$35k?

Unrelated, I have always been more or less against leasing and certainly certain that the worst possible way to buy a car is to lease it and then buy it out at the end. However, running some numbers on a quote I received, it turns out that if I finance the car for 6 years at rate X, I'll pay ~$39k all in, whereas if I lease it for 3 years, and then finance the residual at the same rate X also for 3 years, I'd actually only pay out a total of around $37.5k. In other words, aside from the crappiness of backloading your payments and having pretty hefty payments on the back 3 years, it actually ends up cheaper to lease it and then finance the residual compared to buying it outright on day one.

Still don't know that I'd be comfortable doing it, but it was an interesting point to note, especially considering in the finance from day 1 scenario I'd also have nearly $25k in tax savings from trading in. Without a trade it would be en even larger disparity between the two scenarios.

No the light is no pink, it is completely out.

I know, right now is a great time to buy a VW is it not? By the sound of it they're giving their cars away. That Touareg sounds like a pretty reasonable deal seeing what the prices are these days. Any idea on what the warranty is they're offering with it? Where is this VW dealer located

I'm a little torn on the Touareg, the 1st generation models were really premium vehicles. The newer models, relatively speaking, aren't nearly as sophisticated as they were previously. They've been a bit watered down, so to speak, I suppose to prop up the Audi and Porsche offerings. What I like most about the Touareg is the size, rarity, and the less-pretentious image than the Audi and Porsche counterparts. I find the Q5 too small and common (every other car in my neighborhood is a Q5, my god), the Q7 is too big and too ugly. The Cayenne is nice, but I'm not looking to spend $80k+.

That's an interesting note on the leasing deal- though it would prevent me from buying a Touareg TDI as sales are currently barred. I'm personally a bit concerned about mileage limitations. Right now I work like 6 miles away from my house as the crow flies (no public transit in that direction sadly), but that could easily change within the next year either in the direction of a 15 minute subway ride or a 15, 20+ mile drive or not at all- sadly it's up in the air, so it might be worth waiting anways. My life is pretty busy so I don't get to travel much, but as things settle down and be able to travel more. Right now I'm in a position where I could finance the car myself- unless I got an outstanding financing deal where it would be more wise to keep my money invested. I have my father to figure out all that financial strategy.

Anyways, also on my list is an LR4- the price is up there though and the resale of LR has amazingly gone from being the worst to very, very good. A new LR4 is about moderately equipped is $60k with evidently little negotiation room. It's also very difficult to find a used one less than a 3 years old and 40k miles. Even a 2016 model is very dated though, with most of the design going back to the 2005 LR3. My family is good friends with owners of a dealer including LR, and they've given us good deals in the past (they also have a VW dealer but rarely have Touaregs at most 1-2). It's too bad LR won't put their TD6 diesel engine in the LR4- the gas model's fuel economy is atrocious even with the new SC V6 (16/19), 2 points better than the outgoing 5.0 V8 (the new diesel RRS gets 29/22!!). I imagine they're skipping the diesel because they'll be phasing it out with a replacement model, a scaled up Discovery Sport, that will inevitably be a further dilution of the brand and look like a Ford Explorer .

 

[D.T.]

It's been like mid-70s here, so it's been amazing convertible weather Car is running super fantastic with a few miles on it and the cold weather, it's amazing how much it pulls _after_ 5000rpm.

So I'm still holding off on any [performance] mods, but I've been doing lots of research. Wow, this Coyote motor really responds well, I saw a recent dyno day with cars bumping up against 430rwhp with just a tune, and cars with headers and an exhaust in the 450-ish area, that's ~510-520HP for a couple of bolt-ons a tune. A couple of tuners are now offering "flex tunes", that use some sensors in the car to determine fuel octane/type, and can automatically adapt from 91-94 and even switch to an E85 tune (that's good for another 15-20rwhp), without any refresh, no need for different injectors (and apparently no concern for E85 based on conversations with "Ford insiders").

My lovely rear end (with my new license frame) ...

 

[JamesMike]

Let us know what mods you finally decide on.

 

[2298754]

It's been like mid-70s here, so it's been amazing convertible weather Car is running super fantastic with a few miles on it and the cold weather, it's amazing how much it pulls _after_ 5000rpm.

So I'm still holding off on any [performance] mods, but I've been doing lots of research. Wow, this Coyote motor really responds well, I saw a recent dyno day with cars bumping up against 430rwhp with just a tune, and cars with headers and an exhaust in the 450-ish area, that's ~510-520HP for a couple of bolt-ons a tune. A couple of tuners are now offering "flex tunes", that use some sensors in the car to determine fuel octane/type, and can automatically adapt from 91-94 and even switch to an E85 tune (that's good for another 15-20rwhp), without any refresh, no need for different injectors (and apparently no concern for E85 based on conversations with "Ford insiders").

My lovely rear end (with my new license frame) ...

View attachment 606918

Nice Daewoo GT!

How's the engine swap going?

 

[iLog.Genius]

Thanks for the info. No warnings yet on the Check Control or iDrive, I literally just noticed it out this evening. I didn't explicitly notice the light failing (turning pink) but I did consciously notice my night time visibility was sub par. Then again, I honestly don't look at the front of my car that much. I pull all the wall in my garage and go out the same way I come in. I turned off the courtesy/"follow me home" lights because the lights are always on in the parking garage. I believe the drivers side light was replaced under my dad's ownership just before I got the car, I should check the records. That would have been ~3 years, 30k miles ago if my memory is correct.



No the light is no pink, it is completely out.

It's probably a bulb then. It should be something you wouldn't need to go to the dealer for. If you have a free day on the weekend, you can take the driver-side bulb and put it in the passenger side and see if it works and that will pretty much give you your diagnoses. Unlike other BMW's, I believe the E60 requires you to remove the headlight assembly to swap out the bulb. It's not difficult but just requires a bit more work but nothing anyone that can use a screwdriver can't do.

Keep us updated. Always interested in seeing other BMW's with maintenance/faults and how they fix them. Half my family have or had BMW's, from E30, E46, E53, E71, E90, F30 so I'm always trying to expand my technical knowledge because they could be applied to almost any BMW...and save me a bunch of money from not having to go to the dealership.

 

[puma1552]

I know, right now is a great time to buy a VW is it not? By the sound of it they're giving their cars away. That Touareg sounds like a pretty reasonable deal seeing what the prices are these days. Any idea on what the warranty is they're offering with it? Where is this VW dealer located

I'm a little torn on the Touareg, the 1st generation models were really premium vehicles. The newer models, relatively speaking, aren't nearly as sophisticated as they were previously. They've been a bit watered down, so to speak, I suppose to prop up the Audi and Porsche offerings. What I like most about the Touareg is the size, rarity, and the less-pretentious image than the Audi and Porsche counterparts. I find the Q5 too small and common (every other car in my neighborhood is a Q5, my god), the Q7 is too big and too ugly. The Cayenne is nice, but I'm not looking to spend $80k+.

It is a good time to buy a VW. I got a quote yesterday on an incoming Tiguan SEL 4MO for $2k under invoice and a nice trade offer, have the green light from my wife, just don't know that I'm ready to let go of my 5.0, damn thing is just too nice and too fast and too solidly built; I've been waffling on this forever it seems but I don't know that I want to reset the payment clock when I'm around the halfway point on the 5.0 loan which is a nice feeling. There wasn't a soul at the dealership, and this is one of the busiest VW dealers in the nation I believe.

I don't know the Touareg line that well or where the R-line fits (I know it's not the top trim), but I think mid-$30ks for what looked like a pretty well equipped from peeking in the window CPO Tiguan isn't a bad deal. I don't know the specifics of the warranty, but it's the VW World CPO or whatever they call it, it's 5 years/60k but I don't know if there are any exclusions from bumper to bumper or if there is a deductible. I'd imagine there are some exclusions and some small deductible. Price on the '14 is probably good since the '15s got a light facelift.

I like the inside a lot, but I gotta admit I don't love the outside - too rounded for my taste. But I could see myself graduating to a Touareg in the future if I stick with the brand. Never ever been a badge whore or cared what the badge on the car was, I've always just bought what I liked. Certainly could've bought an Audi or BMW for the price of my Mustang. I would have no problem shelling out $60k for a Tiguan rather than an X if I just liked it more.

It's been like mid-70s here, so it's been amazing convertible weather Car is running super fantastic with a few miles on it and the cold weather, it's amazing how much it pulls _after_ 5000rpm.

So I'm still holding off on any [performance] mods, but I've been doing lots of research. Wow, this Coyote motor really responds well, I saw a recent dyno day with cars bumping up against 430rwhp with just a tune, and cars with headers and an exhaust in the 450-ish area, that's ~510-520HP for a couple of bolt-ons a tune. A couple of tuners are now offering "flex tunes", that use some sensors in the car to determine fuel octane/type, and can automatically adapt from 91-94 and even switch to an E85 tune (that's good for another 15-20rwhp), without any refresh, no need for different injectors (and apparently no concern for E85 based on conversations with "Ford insiders").

My lovely rear end (with my new license frame) ...

View attachment 606918

Car looks great, the Coyote is an insanely responsive beast to mods. And about the pull north of 5k RPMs, that's where this Coyote REALLY howls. I see so many cars that may run a sub 5 second 0-60 (Ford's published literature on mine is 4.6 for 2014 coupes), but then the quarter mile time and trap just fall off, clearly indicating that most other cars out there just plain run out of steam on the upper end and in the higher RPMs where the real horsepower is made. But the Coyote is outright brutal from a 60 mph roll on the freeway, it'll pull like a freight train and beg for more all the way to 6500 which is what really makes it a fun car.

On that note, just when you thought it couldn't get any better at the price point, the new Camaro SS will do 0-60 in 4.0 flat and the quarter in 12.4. Obscene times we live in. For comparison, my 1990 Camaro does the quarter in probably 16.0?? lol.

 

[A.Goldberg]

It's probably a bulb then. It should be something you wouldn't need to go to the dealer for. If you have a free day on the weekend, you can take the driver-side bulb and put it in the passenger side and see if it works and that will pretty much give you your diagnoses. Unlike other BMW's, I believe the E60 requires you to remove the headlight assembly to swap out the bulb. It's not difficult but just requires a bit more work but nothing anyone that can use a screwdriver can't do.

Keep us updated. Always interested in seeing other BMW's with maintenance/faults and how they fix them. Half my family have or had BMW's, from E30, E46, E53, E71, E90, F30 so I'm always trying to expand my technical knowledge because they could be applied to almost any BMW...and save me a bunch of money from not having to go to the dealership.

Yeah, assuming I found the right repair guide, it looks relatively straight forward assuming everything pops out as easily as it's designed, which seems to take some finagling in reality. It's a little confusing because the are the halogen, Xenon, and Adpative Xenon lights, not to mention potential differences between the earlier and later models of the e60. I want to make sure I have the right instructions. The headlight procedure looks quite a bit easier then many other cars I've seen- when bumpers, air intakes, coolant reservoirs, etc must be removed/relocated.

It is a good time to buy a VW. I got a quote yesterday on an incoming Tiguan SEL 4MO for $2k under invoice and a nice trade offer, have the green light from my wife, just don't know that I'm ready to let go of my 5.0, damn thing is just too nice and too fast and too solidly built; I've been waffling on this forever it seems but I don't know that I want to reset the payment clock when I'm around the halfway point on the 5.0 loan which is a nice feeling. There wasn't a soul at the dealership, and this is one of the busiest VW dealers in the nation I believe.

I don't know the Touareg line that well or where the R-line fits (I know it's not the top trim), but I think mid-$30ks for what looked like a pretty well equipped from peeking in the window CPO Tiguan isn't a bad deal. I don't know the specifics of the warranty, but it's the VW World CPO or whatever they call it, it's 5 years/60k but I don't know if there are any exclusions from bumper to bumper or if there is a deductible. I'd imagine there are some exclusions and some small deductible. Price on the '14 is probably good since the '15s got a light facelift.

I like the inside a lot, but I gotta admit I don't love the outside - too rounded for my taste. But I could see myself graduating to a Touareg in the future if I stick with the brand. Never ever been a badge whore or cared what the badge on the car was, I've always just bought what I liked. Certainly could've bought an Audi or BMW for the price of my Mustang. I would have no problem shelling out $60k for a Tiguan rather than an X if I just liked it more.

I guess my concerns with VW for one thing is the reliability. They've had a lot of issues for almost the past 2 decades. Additionally, while I could get a phenomenal deal on the Touareg used, the resale value is not expected to be very good unlike some other brands.

Right now you cannot buy a CPO TDI anything from a dealer- which is something I'd prefer to have for some peice of mind (and often a better warranty than new). I could get a V6 Touareg CPO, which are slower than mollasses ...or an Touareg Hybrid which are heinously expensive, rare, and not something I'd want to deal with reliability wise.

I do like the Tiguan. It has a somewhat upscale/chic-funky feel yet not pretentious, much like the Touareg. It's really just not the size I'd like and if I go the SUV route, I'd prefer something slightly more rugged.

The original Touareg offered great options like rear locking differentials, air suspension, etc. is it vital stuff- no, but a rear locking diff really can come in handy. The Grand Cherokee offers these options which is cool, but doesn't quite have the same level of refinement and artistic flare as the Euro brands.

If I remember correctly, there used to be the 3 engine misled- gas V6, TDI, and hybrid. Each model, or at least the v6 and TDI, had three trims- Sport, Lux, and Execuative. The R-line package just added alternative wheels and body molding. For 2016 they are only offering the 3.6L V6, which isn't spectacular compared to the competition.

Previous to my BMW I had a 2003 Grand Cherokee Limited 4.7 HO w/Quadra-Drive. It was ridiculously powerful for its time and was unstoppable with rear AND front limited slip differentials. It was also the perfect size overall (though compared to new cars the interior space was a bit limited). I was overall pretty happy with it, and the new GC's have much improved interiors. On the other hand, I can't get over the overly aggressive American/Chrysler look. I've also heard horror stories about Fiat quality from people. $5000 for the diesel option is nuts though.

Is it just me or have cars rapidly become way more expensive than they used to be. It seems $60k is the new 40k.

 

[puma1552]

I guess my concerns with VW for one thing is the reliability. They've had a lot of issues for almost the past 2 decades.

Is it just me or have cars rapidly become way more expensive than they used to be. It seems $60k is the new 40k.

VW isn't what it was 15 years ago. Our '12 Beetle (first year of the body style at that) has been flawless through 32k miles, sans a hatch rattle tracked down to the trunk latch, which was replaced with a revised part. My '13 Jetta was also great for the 18k miles I had it.

Would I trust it as much as an American or Japanese car? No, but I have nothing negative to say in our experiences with VW, and can't imagine you could argue VWs are unreliable, yet look at other European brands. At least the VW would likely be a little cheaper to repair/maintain than the luxury German brands. I don't feel nearly as nervous owning the Beetle out of warranty as I would with a BMW (been there, done that), Merc, etc.

Yeah, cars have certainly gotten absurdly priced. You know that's the case when you can spend $65k on a freaking F-150 (despite the huge markeup).

It's like you can't get anything decent with decent options for under $35k-$40k anymore. I feel like $40k is a sweet spot for being able to get something pretty nice with good features without feeling like you're spending a retarded amount of money. A $65k 340 is a complete joke IMO and really just gets to the point of being a waste of money. I remember when M3s were $40k cars, now they are getting close to $100k loaded up? You have to be kidding.

 

[2298754]

Is it just me or have cars rapidly become way more expensive than they used to be. It seems $60k is the new 40k.

Life would be better if you just had a Daewoo

 

[D.T.]

Let us know what mods you finally decide on.

Cool, will do.

Just in general, my thoughts:

Progressive springs (with a 1/1.25" drop, Steeda), spacers (25mm/23mm) and probably rear suspension cradles (cheap and easily done with the springs). Exhaust (Mach MX, Pro Solo for sure!), that's pretty passive, no warranty hassle, but when I'm ready to not worry about that, a tune (Livernois, Steeda or Bama) + intake + LT headers with HCFs. I'd also like to do a full shifter from MGW, that's the whole assembly, linkage, everything, supposed to be amazing vs. the stocker.

Then some stuff that's purely aesthetic, swap out plastic tanks for aluminum (like the coolant overflow), maybe a little additional color (red) under the hood, etc.

On that note, just when you thought it couldn't get any better at the price point, the new Camaro SS will do 0-60 in 4.0 flat and the quarter in 12.4. Obscene times we live in. For comparison, my 1990 Camaro does the quarter in probably 16.0?? lol.

Holy hell, there are some guys knocking on 11s ... the new Camaro is certainly quick, it's got like 0.2-0.3ths on a GT in some straight line metrics, on track they're close (an SS vs. GT with the PP), but at the end of the day I think the S500 is +way+ better looking, a better "GT", and a much better deal at the moment not to mention I'd prefer not to drive a GM for various reason.

Plus, who cares about stock

It's like you can't get anything decent with decent options for under $35k-$40k anymore. I feel like $40k is a sweet spot for being able to get something pretty nice with good features without feeling like you're spending a retarded amount of money. A $65k 340 is a complete joke IMO and really just gets to the point of being a waste of money. I remember when M3s were $40k cars, now they are getting close to $100k loaded up? You have to be kidding.

Yeah, I did a few BYOs on the M4 convertible, with a manual, Drivers Assist package (that also required the Exec package), bumped the wheels to 19" black M-spoke, and it was $81K, add carbon brakes, DCT, a lighting package and it's just under $100K, for a 4-series (I do get that some of the those costly options are pretty exotic like CCBs).

 

[A.Goldberg]

VW isn't what it was 15 years ago. Our '12 Beetle (first year of the body style at that) has been flawless through 32k miles, sans a hatch rattle tracked down to the trunk latch, which was replaced with a revised part. My '13 Jetta was also great for the 18k miles I had it.

Would I trust it as much as an American or Japanese car? No, but I have nothing negative to say in our experiences with VW, and can't imagine you could argue VWs are unreliable, yet look at other European brands. At least the VW would likely be a little cheaper to repair/maintain than the luxury German brands. I don't feel nearly as nervous owning the Beetle out of warranty as I would with a BMW (been there, done that), Merc, etc.

Yeah, cars have certainly gotten absurdly priced. You know that's the case when you can spend $65k on a freaking F-150 (despite the huge markeup).

It's like you can't get anything decent with decent options for under $35k-$40k anymore. I feel like $40k is a sweet spot for being able to get something pretty nice with good features without feeling like you're spending a retarded amount of money. A $65k 340 is a complete joke IMO and really just gets to the point of being a waste of money. I remember when M3s were $40k cars, now they are getting close to $100k loaded up? You have to be kidding.

VW's reliability continues to be pretty poor though, based on JDPA (see 2014 data attached) and anecdotal evidence of friends. Yes, the repair costs are a bit less and they typically have less things that can break, but they're still far more expensive than owning a Japanese or American car.

I'm a little bewildered with Jeep's rating. Not that Jeep has ever had outstanding reliability, Fiat has definitely drawn that number down. I suppose the problems with the new Cherokee release may have artificially brought the numbers down.

$40k definitely seems like the new price point. Toyota Highlanders have sticker prices of $40-50k which I find absurd.

 

[2298754]

What I don't understand is how MINI is at the bottom, but BMW is above average

 

[iLog.Genius]

What I don't understand is how MINI is at the bottom, but BMW is above average

Problems are mainly related to the engine that was co-designed with Peugeot. I have a R56 along side the E90 3er and the MINI electronics and various parts are very similar to that of the 3er. There are other annoyances but they're not specific to just MINI and could be found in other cars (like loose screws that need to be retightened). I've had zero problems with mine but I expect the F56 to drastically improved since the whole MINI platform is overlooked by BMW and BMW only.

 

[A.Goldberg]

What I don't understand is how MINI is at the bottom, but BMW is above average

Porsche vs Audi. Jaguar vs. Land Rover. Nissan vs. Infiniti. Perhaps Infiniti will move up in the ranks with the help of their new bedfellow, Mercedes. I think what surprises me the most here is Mercedes at #2.

 

[Muscle Master]

I gotta say.. That new Honda Civic is a sharp looking car... I'm pro American when it comes to cars, I think the Chevy Cruze has a more upscale interior.. Nevertheless.. Honda hit it out the park.. I would buy one

But... It has a CVT Transmission, Deal Breaker!!! What were they thinking and you can only a manual in the baser models smh

 

[senseless]

I gotta say.. That new Honda Civic is a sharp looking car... I'm pro American when it comes to cars, I think the Chevy Cruze has a more upscale interior.. Nevertheless.. Honda hit it out the park.. I would buy one

But... It has a CVT Transmission, Deal Breaker!!! What were they thinking and you can only a manual in the baser models smh

They'll probably have the manual available in the SI version coming in the spring.

 

[mojolicious]

Brake vacuum pump failure on Christmas Day is highly unnerving. That is all.

 

[determined09]

Brake vacuum pump failure on Christmas Day is highly unnerving. That is all.

I heard you.