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The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
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To some degree it probably is, but I'm sure they're prioritizing the cheapest route. Back when I had a WJ Grand Cherokee I had a recall on, I don't remember which, there were at least few. It took almost a year to get the part which was "backordered". That was when the car was 5-6 years old- so not new by any means, but not ancient either. My sister had a similar issue on her WK Grand Cherokee.
I remember my father harassing Jeep's corporate division in order to expedite. How can you have a recall on something and never get around to fixing it? Kinda defeats the recall.
Jeeps?! My condolences. No one should suffer owning a Jeep. Unless it's a Wrangler.
Anyway, the Lexus is getting done first. It'll be my Christmas "gift" from Lexus North America to me. And that thing is seven years old now. Time flies.
If Lexus ever do an LS with German style interior while keeping the high quality they're known for, FI engine pushing out around 530 HP, lighter due to alloys and use of space age materials, I'd be a happy customer. Even the semi red headed stepchild of the GS that doesn't quite have the resale value other Lexus do, it still sells for a fairly large amount years down the road. CPO IS Fs with around 55-70K miles go for a ridiculously high price and even in private.
Anyway, the Lexus is getting done first. It'll be my Christmas "gift" from Lexus North America to me. And that thing is seven years old now. Time flies.
If Lexus ever do an LS with German style interior while keeping the high quality they're known for, FI engine pushing out around 530 HP, lighter due to alloys and use of space age materials, I'd be a happy customer. Even the semi red headed stepchild of the GS that doesn't quite have the resale value other Lexus do, it still sells for a fairly large amount years down the road. CPO IS Fs with around 55-70K miles go for a ridiculously high price and even in private.
Hey you could save at least $20,000 by going with the Cruze! That's a great deal and it has a turbocharged engine which means it has to be fast!
Seriously, why always do your research first( not directed at you). Know what you want, know what is in the area, and if there are no vehicles in the area the way you want it, go in ready to order the vehicle. So the only thing you have to do when you walk into the dealership is work on getting a good deal, buy/order the car, and walk out.
That is what I will be doing in 2017 hopefully when I am ready to pick up a Camaro SS. I know how I want it configured, I know most likely I will have to order the car( and in the case of a Camaro, would prefer it as I don't want to buy a car that was driven like it was stolen on a test drive) because I don't want a sunroof as it saves me $900, since this will be a long term vehicle, one less area for leaks to develop as the car ages, and reduces headroom. When I test drove the Camaro SS back in May, the one I drove was configured 99.9% the way I would buy it( options, color, wheels, interior, etc). Only issue was, it had a sunroof.
Welcome to New England, Jeeps are everwhere. When I got my license my parents bought me a CPO 2 year old Grand Cherokee Limited Quadra-Drive w/~30,000mi and the (uncommon) 4.7L HO V8, which was a pretty incredible engine for the time (0-60 in 6.7, not great for today but pretty absurd for the early 2000's). That thing got me through high school and college/pharmacy school with 180,000 miles in the end. It was getting a bit unreliable so the Jeep was donated to a destitute relative (and still is running today).
For a $35,000+ (Used) vehicle as first car I'm grateful, no sympathy required. Not necessarily what I would have picked, especially in retrospect, but it served me well. There was none of that sweet-16 nonsense either, it was "get a job/volunteer next summer and we'll get you a car".
The biggest issue it had was the HVAC climate control blend unit, which is like a $3000+ nighmare to fix (common on C/D/J cars of the time). It wasn't the most reliable car by any means, but it wasn't the worst. I think I'd rather be driving a WJ over a WK too.
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My mother had an XJ Grand Cherokee and one of her favorite cars. That thing was a small tank, and it stayed in the family for some time.
In addition to my WJ, my sister had a WK Overland which was garbage, but she liked it. My dad had a Grand Wagoneer back in the early 90's, which remains to be one of his favorite daily drivers he's ever owned.
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The RCF was definitely a half-ass effort. It may have something to do with them knowing it won't be a big seller to fully invest in its own platform from the business side of things.
The GSF is a whole different story though. Yes it is underpowered compared to its competitors but it is also cheaper (apart from the Caddy which is a beast). However the GSF handles and drives better than all of its competitors. (atleast that is what most journalist have said).
Sunroof delete is the other thing I'm looking for on the SS, and again something you usually need to order.
I'm I'm agreement on them. I've had a lot of sunroofs and it's almost a matter of when they will leak, not if. They cost you head room(important for taller guys like me) and honestly I can probably count on two hands the number of time I've driven aroumd with the one on top of my Lincolm open. If I want to feel the wind in my hair, I have a convertible.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that would opt for a sunroof delete. It's just adding unnecessary weight and electronics. No sunroof on the 3er but on the MINI its standard but I can tell you, I've only used it less than a handful of times since I got it 6 years ago. I wouldn't even be surprised if the motor didn't function properly from not using it.
With the exception of the CTS-V as well. It seems like everyone likes how the CTS-V drives then it is the GSF. What kills the GS-F is the tall gearing which makes it seem like it has no torque.
I agree. I have read the CTS-V handles better overall but the drivers preferred the road feel and feedback from the GSF.
I think the CTS-V is the best overall in its class if you want a drivers car. Unfortunately the sales number will not reflect this.
Early reviews I had seen really didn't mention the CTS-V's prowess and praised the M6 and E64, siting the lack of immediate power in the GS F do be its biggest pit-fall, especially because of its high pricing. Cars in this class don't typically sell high numbers. When I was doing research for future papa cars, a video stated that the E63 Wagon and the CTS-V wagon were made in lower numbers compared to their sedan variant, and that the companies had to sell a number of units to break even or make a small profit. I'm not into Cadillacs, but the wagon is a striking car. Whether that's something people like individually is another question altogether. But they do deliver a respectable MPG based on weight, resistance and engine capacity alone. Makes a lot more sense to me.
This must be what it feels like to be a power loving soccer dad. The RS6 Avant would also be another funagon. Even if it does mean driving an Audi.
This must be what it feels like to be a power loving soccer dad. The RS6 Avant would also be another funagon. Even if it does mean driving an Audi.
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Think it's a case of it's more fun to drive a slow car fast vs a fast car slow. Not calling the GSF slow, but I think it's a similar situation.
As the most recent Motortrend review stated, to get the CTS-V to a level to be really fun on the road, it will land you in jail because the power will have you be way above the speed limit in no time. Where with the GSF with its lower power and tall gearing, can stretch it out a bit and toss it out without getting into too much trouble. But take them to a track, it's a different story. As Pobst stated, the CTS-V was organic and the chassis did what he wanted it to do.
Lexus are indeed lazy and rely too much on old engines. They've basically had the 2.5/3.5 V6 and 5.0 V8 powering their cars for pretty much a decade whilst the Germans churn out new engines every 6 months.
That said, i'm not a big fan of FI engines, don't like how they sound, don't like the power lag, they usually drink more fuel, and jury is still out on reliability. Nowadays, if you want NA you have to go to supercar territory which is a shame. But it is the trend. Now its CVT hybrids and wringed DCT Turbos.
From that perspective i like Lexus cars. Their lackadaisical old school methods has a certain charm. Plus they equip/bolt their cars properly. Everytime i look at a German base equipment/options list i die inside a little. Audi are especially horrendous in that regard.
Should not have gotten rid of the IS F. It, and the GSF are/were the unorthodox alternatives. On first glance they're uninspiring. But people who've driven them have had very little in negatives to say overall. Ditto for the LFA.
I hope the LC500/LCF meet the hype rather than being repeat mistakes of the RC
On another note, i rarely see E63s around here, by far the most common performance Mercs are the A45 and C63. And the defacto performance wagon here is the RS6.
That said, i'm not a big fan of FI engines, don't like how they sound, don't like the power lag, they usually drink more fuel, and jury is still out on reliability. Nowadays, if you want NA you have to go to supercar territory which is a shame. But it is the trend. Now its CVT hybrids and wringed DCT Turbos.
From that perspective i like Lexus cars. Their lackadaisical old school methods has a certain charm. Plus they equip/bolt their cars properly. Everytime i look at a German base equipment/options list i die inside a little. Audi are especially horrendous in that regard.
Should not have gotten rid of the IS F. It, and the GSF are/were the unorthodox alternatives. On first glance they're uninspiring. But people who've driven them have had very little in negatives to say overall. Ditto for the LFA.
I hope the LC500/LCF meet the hype rather than being repeat mistakes of the RC
On another note, i rarely see E63s around here, by far the most common performance Mercs are the A45 and C63. And the defacto performance wagon here is the RS6.
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That and the fact that the 2nd-gen IS (XE20) production was coming to an end.
It is weird how the 3IS didn't get the V8, but the RC did with the RCF.
The Taurus does look a tad dinky. It's not bad-looking, but nowhere as serious as a Crown Vic. The Escapes, however, look great - but I rode in one the other day, and it's way too cramped inside.
P.S. Just took our Crown Vic to the beach. Upon going home, I took this sorta sharp turn that leads one up this hill, and I practically floored it, going around. This thing felt really nice, and I was able to easily keep my front end from dipping into the other lane (which was nice because there was a car coming my way as I was doing this). Felt the rear end slip a little bit, but it wasn't sloppy at all - it felt great, especially considering the fact that I had two other adults in the car + cargo in the trunk. May have even been better if the rear tires weren't bald and inflated at 40 PSI, but still nice and fluid. I felt no lack of control. Love this vehicle already.
Drop the pressure on those rear tires for your own safety, especially if you're going to drive the car like that. Aside from the greater stress on the tire carcass(more pronounced in cornering) overinflation can cause the tread area to "balloon" and reduce your surface area. An old tire is a ticking time bomb in any case.
Most Police Interceptors have 16" rims-you can probably get a good(albeit low-end) set of new tires for $50-75 a pop.
With regard to age-your PI tires probably do have legitimate wear on them, but tires still have a "shelf life" of 5-7 years depending on storage conditions regardless of how long they've been in service. This is a real issue among classic car owners, as many of them rack up very few miles and are consequently running tires that are dangerous. My MG had 20 year old tires with about 75% tread on them when I bought it-someone at the tire shop asked me why I was having them replaced.
BTW, these cars understeer like crazy and by virtue of their size have a large turning circle, so just watch your front end when you take a curve at higher speeds. I've found myself turning the wheel far more than you would expect before, and it's something you have to be ready for if you're going to drive the car like that.
Most Police Interceptors have 16" rims-you can probably get a good(albeit low-end) set of new tires for $50-75 a pop.
With regard to age-your PI tires probably do have legitimate wear on them, but tires still have a "shelf life" of 5-7 years depending on storage conditions regardless of how long they've been in service. This is a real issue among classic car owners, as many of them rack up very few miles and are consequently running tires that are dangerous. My MG had 20 year old tires with about 75% tread on them when I bought it-someone at the tire shop asked me why I was having them replaced.
BTW, these cars understeer like crazy and by virtue of their size have a large turning circle, so just watch your front end when you take a curve at higher speeds. I've found myself turning the wheel far more than you would expect before, and it's something you have to be ready for if you're going to drive the car like that.
Not weird at all. It's all about encroachment. The IS is no lightweight, but if it had the V8, it would be a little menace. If the V8 added about 5K to the base MSRP, it would sell like hotcakes, but hurt Lexus' bottom dollar on V8 equipped cars that buyers of the IS would have originally bought, if it weren't for the IS coming with a V8. If that makes sense. It's common for manufacturers to do something like this.
I don't remember the MSRP for the IS F, but it had to be high if I'm seeing first MY models with dozens of thousands of miles going for the cost of a new GS in most cases. I can't imagine buying a Lexus in the current climate because the cars are a bit boring. Lexus is great, but they're average at most things. Pretty good on opulence at times. If they got with the times and began using FI in their cars, there's going to be a renewed interest in the brand. They could probably push out nearly 400 HP out of a V6 TT while maintaining or improving current MPG. It's very easy to increase power in a car; it's way cheap. It's difficult to save weight on a car without sacrificing quality.
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I've never seen a police Ford Escape, only Explorers.
Uhhh I think you need to read up on tire PSI. Running at 40psi risks you exceeding 44/45psi (whatever the max is). You're also affecting your braking and handling. You should look up what police depts do for psi (hint no more than 35, like most cars).
The rear end falling out may be a symptom of too high of psi. You will have less understeer in a RWD car than a FWD car, but more likely to have oversteer.
40 is a little high; I should release some air. The previous owner did donuts in it, though, so that's why the rear tires are somewhat bald. It handles well with 40 PSI, though. I kinda pushed it when taking that sharp, banked-upwards turn.
I wonder if he had to vacuum out the donut crumbs and sprinkles, clean off the sugary residue from the surfaces, and throw out dozens of Dunkin Donuts receipts.
Ari,
Don't forget that we're talking about a boat with a 40:60 front:rear weight distribution. Panthers understeer more than any rear wheel drive on the road now, and probably about as much as most FWD vehicles.