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The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
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In other news, I found out my car has a Takata airbag and needs to be replaced... I should just disable the damn thing
I'm pretty sure most of us on here who has a modern day car is affected. This airbag issue is such a clusterf--k for Tanaka. Worse thing is they covered up/destroyed evidence of such failure.
2017 Maserati SUV leaked
Read more: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/b...nte-suv-leaks-early-104839.html#ixzz40dSecvmx
Read more: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/b...nte-suv-leaks-early-104839.html#ixzz40dSecvmx
Yeah, it's hard to wrap my head around it. Oddly enough, I didn't really realize its model number until semi-recently. These machines are not commonly referenced; the only time I've seen these mentioned were in listings for them. So far, I have seen a #23 and #26 for sale, I believe. And, when we brought ours to the dealer, this family drove up in their #11. Maybe someone out there is wondering where #1 would be, and here it is. I'm actually curious as to who has the second and who has #60. I also wonder whether or not they are all still on the road today. There better be some sort of line-up of all of them in the future; I can picture at least one of these being in an exotic car show, once it becomes a classic.
Anyway, I'm not revealing the state, but now you know who it is who's dealing with the first one out of 60. This car is actually my dad's, and we all love it... except for its unrelenting need for service.
However, as much of a 'piece of crap' as a car can be, it all comes down to how it drives. And, let me tell you: this car has given me the best driving experience I've had in a sedan. It's a very large car, yet it feels nimble and plenty sporty. I could steer this thing with my tongue; that's how effortless it is to turn the wheel. The real manual shifting gives it a more sporty feel, since the car has no idle and will roll back a bit as soon as you press the accelerator. And, in speaking of acceleration, it seems to do so before my eyes. It doesn't seem horrendously fast on the get-go (in spite of the fact that it's really easy to accidentally spin the tires), but once you've floored it (or have gotten close), you're going 60 MPH before you know it. 0-60 in 5 seconds is great, especially for a sedan.
Ironically enough, the suspension is what's esp. amazing, even though the suspension on these models was recalled (but we had that serviced for free[?]). It feels light-weight for a sedan, but as soon as you go over a speed bump or surface in the road that isn't level, you really feel the entire car absorbing the shock. As the driver, you can feel the shocks all the way in the back react and cushion any blow. However, no matter how soft they might seem, they are stiff enough for good cornering; and sport mode stiffens them a bit more than usual.
One day, I'd really like to bring this to a car show
I don't think I'd ever let this car go, and I'm glad my dad likes it enough to not do so either. He once considered selling it for a GT though, and I reacted badly to that xD. Looking to inherit it someday and preserve its integrity. I really don't care about any monetary value it may have in the future; I'm just happy to help maintain it, as I believe it's one of the most special sedans next to my other favorite: the 1972 Mercedes 280SE.
Anyway, I'm not revealing the state, but now you know who it is who's dealing with the first one out of 60. This car is actually my dad's, and we all love it... except for its unrelenting need for service.
However, as much of a 'piece of crap' as a car can be, it all comes down to how it drives. And, let me tell you: this car has given me the best driving experience I've had in a sedan. It's a very large car, yet it feels nimble and plenty sporty. I could steer this thing with my tongue; that's how effortless it is to turn the wheel. The real manual shifting gives it a more sporty feel, since the car has no idle and will roll back a bit as soon as you press the accelerator. And, in speaking of acceleration, it seems to do so before my eyes. It doesn't seem horrendously fast on the get-go (in spite of the fact that it's really easy to accidentally spin the tires), but once you've floored it (or have gotten close), you're going 60 MPH before you know it. 0-60 in 5 seconds is great, especially for a sedan.
Ironically enough, the suspension is what's esp. amazing, even though the suspension on these models was recalled (but we had that serviced for free[?]). It feels light-weight for a sedan, but as soon as you go over a speed bump or surface in the road that isn't level, you really feel the entire car absorbing the shock. As the driver, you can feel the shocks all the way in the back react and cushion any blow. However, no matter how soft they might seem, they are stiff enough for good cornering; and sport mode stiffens them a bit more than usual.
One day, I'd really like to bring this to a car show
I don't think I'd ever let this car go, and I'm glad my dad likes it enough to not do so either. He once considered selling it for a GT though, and I reacted badly to that xD. Looking to inherit it someday and preserve its integrity. I really don't care about any monetary value it may have in the future; I'm just happy to help maintain it, as I believe it's one of the most special sedans next to my other favorite: the 1972 Mercedes 280SE.
I see some 4th gen Supra in that profile
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/audi-...0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--
Audi tops Consumer Reports auto rankings despite cheating
Audi tops Consumer Reports auto rankings despite cheating
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I rarely, if ever, read or listen to what Consumer Reports has to say regardless of who's ranked first or last.
yeah honestly you should be ashamed of posting anything from CR, lol
bunch of pencil pushing camcord loving a-to-b-cars-only-purpose-is-utility-and-nothing-else poindexters who cant even delineate an actual problem from an annoyance or inconvenience (infotainment)
bunch of pencil pushing camcord loving a-to-b-cars-only-purpose-is-utility-and-nothing-else poindexters who cant even delineate an actual problem from an annoyance or inconvenience (infotainment)
I'm not sure I agree with this line of thinking. CR actually polls owners and receives no advertising money from any OEM. It's all on their dime.
And if you actually read their methodology, it's fairly complex, not every issue is weighted the same in the rankings. For example, infotainment issues are not as important as engine/transmission problems.
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I wonder how much Audi paid for that xD.
[doublepost=1456292331][/doublepost]Interesting, but I wish they had made it something new. It's becoming a trend to take an air pump to a sedan and inflate it into an SUV. They've done that with the new Tesla, they did that with the Panamera, they've done it with this, and they've done it with the Prius V.
[doublepost=1456292331][/doublepost]Interesting, but I wish they had made it something new. It's becoming a trend to take an air pump to a sedan and inflate it into an SUV. They've done that with the new Tesla, they did that with the Panamera, they've done it with this, and they've done it with the Prius V.
Nothing, Consumer Reports doesn't take money from car companies. That said, I've often found their reviews very biased and inclusive of sometimes odd criteria, most notably valuing price vs. value more than anything.
Based on the newer Audi and Land Rover my parents own, and my friends experiences with new Audis, BMWs, and Jeeps and the research I've done, this information seems on point. I'm a little surprised with Subaru being #2, as JD rated them pretty middle of the road in dependability.
The car market has been widely turning sedans into SUVs for almost 2 decades, longer if you consider other historical anomalies. Around 1998 we saw the Lexus RX and MB ML, 1999 BMW X5, 2001 Acura MDX and so on. In fact, there's only a few true truck based, body on frame, SUVs on the market- the Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/Esclade family, Expedition/Navigator, Land Cruiser/LX460/GX460, Sequoia, 4Runner, and *to an extent* the LR4. That's why all of these get awful mpg and handle like crap. Now we have Gas powered AWD SUVs getting 30mpg.
Cars have also become progressively larger over the past couple decades, and with advances in engineering have been able to make cars much more spacious on the inside without changing exterior dimensions.
I spent some time tuning the MGB the other night-namely setting the valve lash. Once I had the "rule of 9s" explained to me in a Youtube video from John Twist(MG expert) the job actually was fairly quick. I think it took me longer to get the valve cover off than to get the valves set. The top end of the engine was surprisingly clean considering the age and mileage.
After much effort and time spent under the front of the car, I also managed to finally locate the TDC mark on the crankshaft pulley. I set the static timing, which only needed a very small tweak to be correct. I also checked the carburetors again-I did this not too long ago, but suspected that adjusting the valves might have changed the ratio. Aside from a slight idle adjustment on one of the carbs, everything was good to go.
The engine is now running as sweetly as I could ask. It's been 50º+ here the last few days, and the engine will actually start cold without using any choke-something I haven't been able to achieve in the time I've owned it. I'm incredibly happy with it.
After much effort and time spent under the front of the car, I also managed to finally locate the TDC mark on the crankshaft pulley. I set the static timing, which only needed a very small tweak to be correct. I also checked the carburetors again-I did this not too long ago, but suspected that adjusting the valves might have changed the ratio. Aside from a slight idle adjustment on one of the carbs, everything was good to go.
The engine is now running as sweetly as I could ask. It's been 50º+ here the last few days, and the engine will actually start cold without using any choke-something I haven't been able to achieve in the time I've owned it. I'm incredibly happy with it.
I've had about the same luck, mostly very good, with a number of different manufacturers, and not better with BMW, and the most problems with the 4Runner, though we kept that the longest (and it's been through some serious environmental extremes).
Nice, you should shoot some video
Nice, you should shoot some video
To be fair to the X5 and RX, they aren't necessarily sedans that were 'inflated with a pump,' as I call it. Those actually have unique designs and look like SUVs. The Panamera was literally just some Carrera (which, as it is, has an overused design) that was stretched, inflated a bit, and had an extra row added along with two more doors. The new Tesla - X, is it? Saw one in person on my street. It's literally the Tesla S but shortened, raised, and fitted with different doors (which make it look worse, since the rear handles are right next to the frontal ones). They didn't change ANY design features, from what I can tell... they just made it more SUV-like. As for the Prius V, it's exactly the regular Prius but inflated. To be fair, most station wagons are just like their sedan counterparts but are stretched a bit and have a hatchback. However, Toyota just did a terrible job of doing so, so it kinda just looks like they stuck an air compressor into the back of a normal Prius and inflated it up a bit.
Lastly, the Maserati SUV (while cool and interesting) looks a bit behind the times and also looks like a Quattroporte that was transformed into an SUV.
For my tastes, a full re-design is better. Seems like car companies are just getting cheaper, in that regard.
I think it's all relative. If you're going from a Japanese marque to a German marque, you may feel/notice that the reliability isn't the same (generally speaking, it isn't). But if you stay with BMW, like I have, I think their reliability and quality has increased a lot. I've had experience with the E46 3er and E59 X5 and as good as those vehicles were for what they were, they were terrible with quality and reliability especially the electronics. Now with the E90 and F30, there have been FAR less problems. Maybe some minor maintenance items went a little sooner than expected, they have been far more reliable. There's 200,000 km on the E90 3er and the biggest thing I had to replace was the water pump and thermostat and best of all, no electronic gremlins.
Consumer Reports is non-profit and usually right. I'm not going to fully trust a magazine or rating company that takes money from the very corporations they are reviewing.
I guess my point, after having owned quite a few vehicles, across different brands, in some cases a few of the same make or model (ex: 3 BMWs, 4 Corvettes) - in my experience, most modern vehicles, of a certain minimum "class", are pretty solid, we haven't had a particular standout in terms of general reliability, and the only car that offered an extremely better user experience was my Lexus.
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So this is a "fan render", of a next gen Bronco , 1) it looks fantastic, 2) there are some talented folks just using their skills for fun
Next MDX to be unveiled next month. Draws heavily from the Precision concept, which is a great direction for Acura.
So this is a "fan render", of a next gen Bronco , 1) it looks fantastic, 2) there are some talented folks just using their skills for fun
That's pretty ballsey to advertise a Bronco in white
[doublepost=1456373355][/doublepost]
Next MDX to be unveiled next month. Draws heavily from the Precision concept, which is a great direction for Acura.
Seems a little early for a redo already. The current MDX isn't what, any more than 2-3 years old at this point.
[doublepost=1456373887][/doublepost]
Wait so are we talking about aesthetics or the mechanics underneath?
The whole station wagon thing, that's basically the definition of a station wagon. Just as coupes are the 2dr version of the sedan. E Class, E Wagon, E coupe. A Prius V as far as I know is the wagon version of a standard Prius. Usually wagons maintain the same nomenclature in many cases and aren't trying to make a distinctive model.
All of the luxury (especially super luxury) manufactures have gone to lengths to maintain the iconic look of their cars within their SUVs and sedans (if applicable ex Porsche, Maseratti). These companies very much rely on maintaining an evolutionary but distinctive look. To make a Porsche SUV that looked like a Tahoe or a sedan like an S-Class would go against their marketing strategy. A Porsche from 50 years ago still has the same cues as a brand new one.
I guess my point, after having owned quite a few vehicles, across different brands, in some cases a few of the same make or model (ex: 3 BMWs, 4 Corvettes) - in my experience, most modern vehicles, of a certain minimum "class", are pretty solid, we haven't had a particular standout in terms of general reliability, and the only car that offered an extremely better user experience was my Lexus.
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So this is a "fan render", of a next gen Bronco , 1) it looks fantastic, 2) there are some talented folks just using their skills for fun
Oh I believe you. Had a N180 4Runner and that thing was built like a tank. That's no exaggeration. Other than brakes and maybe few smaller items like bulbs, this thing was pretty much driven to the ground. Nothing failed. Sadly, it succumbed to rust and could not be saved but if there was ever a car that I never really had to worry about outside of your typical maintenance, the 4Runner was it. I couldn't possibly do the same with an X5 and not be worried about a sensor being dislodged or having it light up the dash.