Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
- Start date
-
- Tags
- car
- Sort by reaction score
Well, heck, it looks pretty good! I'm going to smooth it out a bit after the first coat is fully dry, apply a second coat, then do something to flush the back out, maybe fill it with some epoxy, and finally use some 3M auto tape to re-secure it.
Photos upon completion
So that's what I did, picked up some epoxy, mixed the entire tube(s), poured it into the back of the emblem and it filled it up, right to the edge, pretty perfect. After it's good and set, I'll re-install it, got some good 3M trim tape.
The upside is it was inexpensive, I got to repurpose something vs. pitching it, and if I don't wind up liking it, no harm done, I'll just pop it off and order a proper OEM part (Ford sells a black pony that they use on a specific package).
She's ridiculously cute, like really creative, she goes from writing plays (and performing them, *if* you have a ticket ...) to playing Minecraft, 3 dance classes, choir, skateboarding, kayaking - all that wrapped up in this beautiful little person. <3
Nice. I love it.
You're the one resorting to ad hominem attacks.
Huh? Why are you always all over the place? Can't you stick to one argument at a time?
You brought up the F30 328...
Ahh yes, the ZF 8AT. I'm glad you brought that up. FCA's shoddy engineering killed someone.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/20/autos/jeep-recall-anton-yelchin/index.html
Notice how every other OEM with that ZF transmission (Mercedes-Benz does NOT use the ZF 8AT) had to issue a recall.
Wrong again. The Durango has horrific resale. Not even remotely comparable to the equivalent Highlander/Pilot.
-----
http://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/dodge-durango-new/2000010282/
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcom....google.com/&referrer=https://www.google.com/
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/03/capsule-review-2014-dodge-durango/
http://www.carophile.com/cars-that-dont-hold-their-resale-value/7/
http://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/toyota-highlander-new/2000010285/
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2016/01/top-10-vehicles-with-the-best-resale-values.html
http://www.kbb.com/honda/pilot/2016/
So once again, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Last edited:
I don't care what fancy links you post... I'm been in the market for one and the used prices I see for 2 years old or less... If you factor in difference between used or new with incentives.. It's barely a difference
Again... Just because you care about resale value and I don't... Doesn't mean it's a crappy car... The amount of money I make a year more than makes up the hit I take driving the damned thing to work... Your point is still moot... If you really care about resale value.. You should cut up your driver license and ride a bike
Resale value isn't everything... I and others buy what they like otherwise by your logic... The only thing that would be on the road are Honda and Lexsus
@DT... I'm sorry to bring you in this dumb argument... But after owning your mustang for awhile that I assume you like very much.... If your Mustang had poor resale value... would you still have bought it from the get go?
Last edited:
And people like you are exactly why the sub-prime lending bubble will burst soon. Making short-sighted decisions on horrifically depreciating assets and then ending up with negative equity because you got sucked in by "zero-down."
Maybe you need to work on your financial planning before buying a new car. Your iffy credit displays a complete lack of foresight.
How does one lose track of a simple bill? That just shows how irresponsible you are.
FYI, you brought this upon yourself by calling all of us "retarded," "snobs," "suckers," and "sheep"
Every single time I refute your points, you move the goalposts.
Don't try to run away from this.
[doublepost=1473441948][/doublepost]
That's adorable
Last edited:
European luxury cars depreciate like crazy too. No one wants to buy one once the lease and warranty is up due to the cost of maintenance on them. There is more to cars than just resale. If there wasn't, you would buy a Honda/Toyota product and buy them used as that would be the smartest investment decision.
But since there is more to resale value, people accept that a BMW, Mercedes, and Audi will depreciate like crazy( may be good compared to other luxury makes, but they still don't hold value that well) because people see that build quality, driving experience, and the intangibles as worth it.
I will buy a car that I can afford and like, resale is in the back of my mind because it doesn't matter it may be a better value 5 years from now if I don't like the car in the first place. Now if I was deciding between the Mustang GT and Camaro SS and couldn't based on the cars own merits, then resale may come into play. I wouldn't pick the Mustang GT just based on resale if I overall prefer the Camaro SS. Then again pony cars overall aren't a good investment because outside of the GT350/R, there is no chance of the Camaro/Mustang of being future collectables.
Last edited:
Same. I don't care much about other factors, the only thing important is do I enjoy it and can afford it/is it within my budget. How will I feel about it today not years down the road.
And people like you are exactly why the sub-prime lending bubble will burst soon. Making short-sighted decisions on horrifically depreciating assets and then ending up with negative equity because you got sucked in by "zero-down."
Maybe you need to work on your financial planning before buying a new car. Your iffy credit displays a complete lack of foresight.
How does one lose track of a simple bill? That just shows how irresponsible you are.
FYI, you brought this upon yourself by calling all of us "retarded," "snobs," "suckers," and "sheep"
Every single time I refute your points, you move the goalposts.
Don't try to run away from this.
[doublepost=1473441948][/doublepost]
That's adorable
Lmao... That's the second time you tried to call me poor
Where's the hell is the risk of putting zero down and getting 0 interest over any loan period from... And especially for those that plan on keeping the car for years
If I can afford the payment every month, if I have the credit to get 0 interest, if I l like, love it, want it... It's mine lol
Life isn't hard
But for some odd reason... I'm middle class with a good job and can afford anything under $50,000.... Because I think the 2016 Chevy Cruze Premier is the best thing ever since toast.... I'm responsible for sub prime auto loans.... Sound logic rite there
Last edited:
I understand this point of view, but the most buyers definitely care about long-term reliability, resale, and maintenance costs. Enthusiasts are only a small sliver of the buying public.
If that wasn't important, almost everyone would be completely underwater in their current loans because they would be buying Malibus or Optimas, instead of Camcords.
---
Of course, this only matters if you plan to get a new car every 3-5 years or whenever.
If you plan to drive every car into the ground... then whatever. Go ahead, try to drive that POS Durango for a decade and see how that works out for you.
Last edited:
You guys are making my car thread sad, I was going to show my painted front emblem, but now I'm just going to go cry in the closet ...
Thanks! Took so much time and effort. The buttons themselves don't melt; the manufacturing process involves coating normal ABS buttons and panels with a rubberized layer. It's supposed to give a premium look and feel to ordinary/cheap plastics. What's stupid is that any fool could foresee what would happen to thin rubber in an air-tight vehicle; and what's also stupid is that a car manufacturer expecting one to pay over $100k for a car doesn't take the time to put in buttons and panels that are actually made of high-quality plastics. Instead, they cover up the cheap plastic with something that they think makes it look and feel premium (which it doesn't, since every other Chinese product I see has rubberized material over it).
[doublepost=1473454337][/doublepost]Just hit 26,000 miles (9 extra) on the '05 Quattroporte. Only other one I've heard of with this few miles is this one with about 15k miles on it, which someone was looking to sell to me. (Out of state... and I'm only 18 - hahah)
[doublepost=1473454337][/doublepost]Just hit 26,000 miles (9 extra) on the '05 Quattroporte. Only other one I've heard of with this few miles is this one with about 15k miles on it, which someone was looking to sell to me. (Out of state... and I'm only 18 - hahah)
Actually, now that you mention it, I remember reading that the 320d can get a range of 600-620 miles on a tank provided you don't drive like an idiot. Though it's fair to say the GL350 and 320d are for a different customer. Plus, the new Prius Prime seems to be adorned with a Tesla like main panel. I really wish car companies did something like the Prius when it came to their roofs. I'm not a huge fan of the panoramic roofs that have become standard now. I don't have the order sheet with me anymore, but when I test drove the E300 a few weeks ago (the new one), the one I drove had the panorama roof and it made me feel rather uncomfortable.
Edit: Good lord, what a **** storm.
[doublepost=1473460027][/doublepost]The ZF8 recall? I don't recall one. I recall a ZF9 recall.
Please tell me this isn't a euphemism for something else...
Not rubberized coating. It's an enteric like coating that "melts" off due to finger oils. I explained it pages and pages ago. Rubberized coating was found on late 90s and early 2000s VWs, and that flaked off. Assuming your Maserati doesn't break down every month, it'll be a unicorn. I base this off a 07 QP I drove around that time.
Cheap materials in higher end cars is nothing new. You see it with the American makes more, of course. I feel it's unfair to compare a Chevy Cruze to an M5 based on headache after the warranty period or things going amiss. You're comparing a civil car with moderate powder meant for a small family to a high performance sedan that's probably pushing close to 660 HP under good conditions, since BMW loves to downrate their cars' power figures. Never buy a CPO BMW, especially an M car. You have no idea how it was driven before. A lot of the ******** about German reliability is due to people having bought poorly maintained USED cars years ago and finding them to be awful. Granted Audi was legitimately horrible for the 1990s and 2000s until they began working on their cars more. Merc had their own period, now they're great. But people expect to buy a high mileage 190E with poor maintenance and think it'll be a great first car for their kid because Bumbleass Jackson at the local pisser said "Them dang Fritzes make their cars indestructible, Huck." No, it doesn't work that way. You want an old German car for dirt cheap with little headache? Get something made before 1978.
If you wanted to really annoy Autounion, you could have jokingly said that Audi is an upmarket VW, LOL.
Last edited:
It seems to be the typical coating that is sprayed over normal ABS plastic. It's this latex-like powder or spackle-like stuff. In fact, it's almost like what you'd find on an older-style Apple USB keyboard. Those black Pro keyboards have that rubber goop as well, but it doesn't melt. Skin oil isn't what cases the melting - it's the UV exposure, heat, and lack of oxygen inside the car. Pressing one's fingers on it is what agitates it more.
As for the random topic of reliability, the Maserati has actually been okay, considering it isn't driven much. (The more miles, the better - all except for clutch wear. Ours just hit 26k miles.) It has had computer issues in the past, and it recently went in for a tune-up, but it's otherwise holding up. These Maseratis aren't horribly unreliable. Issues do exist, but they are VERY specific. For example, it's easy to damage the clutch on the 2004-2006 models, and rapid clutch wear in general seems inevitable. The clutch alone is about $8,000 to replace. There are also two other very specific common issues, but I forget exactly what they are. I don't think ours has the issues, though. And, other than that, computer issues seem rather common. In all, though, it's still more-or-less dependable. One can feel comfortable taking this on a road trip. Let it sit and you've got problems. And, if anything bad happens to it, it's likely a freak issue.
I'd actually say that the interior may be more unreliable than the mechanics. Again, ours has only 26k miles, and we've already had melted buttons, a broken passenger visor, rear cupholders that wouldn't stay closed and now won't open; cracked front passenger door frame (causing door to not open from inside); leather flaps below/behind driver seat slumping down (due to its clips being broken); ripped leather wrapping on corners of rear console; small air bubble on dashboard; and the dashboard glove compartment sags on one side, since the designers thought it would be fine to have the door held up with a single latch offset to left.
The interesting thing is that, in spite of all this, the car is beautiful enough to drive that it's worth an occasional headache maintaining it. I have yet to drive a sedan that handles as gracefully as this one does. It takes a sharp turn like it's nothing; you don't feel pressed against one side of your seat when taking such turns - it just happens as nonchalantly as though the car were going around said turn at 10 MPH. And, even though it has power steering that takes a single finger's-worth of pressure to control, the driver isn't completely isolated from the road - one can still feel the road to the point where it elevates the driving experience. My dad test drove a 2012 QP, and he said that it drove beautifully; however, he liked the driving style of our QP better, as the 2012 model was far less rugged and much less rough - thus making for a quieter and less exhilarating ride. He compared the 2012's driving style to that of a BMW sedan's. Quite a bit more cushy than the style of the '05 QP. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, because the '05 QP is honestly too rough to be considered practical. The 2012, on the other hand, could be a daily driver. It's somewhat of a chore to drive ours. You have to not be doing chores in the first place when driving it. It isn't an errand-mobile. The gas pedal needs to be pressed with such care, as the tires spin with barely any pressure, and, since it's technically manual, the car doesn't get to gun it immediately from a stand-still. People behind me are on the verge of honking when I'm beginning to go at a green light. More pressure and the tires will sing. Luckily, it's not rough in terms of its general ride. It has possibly the best suspension I've felt - it's rigid and sport, yet, on bumps, it feels as though I'm on a water bed. Going over a speed bump with this car is so satisfying. As for brakes, they feel pretty stiff, but they have this immediate catch at the very end that's reassuring. It's a bit difficult, though, to stop abruptly and comfortably at the same time.
Lastly, it is heavier than a Ford Crown Vic, so acceleration isn't incredible from the get-go. However, once its RPMs go up, it rockets forward.
(BTW, the manual transmission is kinda fun. No idling speed at all, so I can be at a stop light without having my brakes on. And, when on an incline, the car will - of course - have that satisfying feeling of rolling backwards slightly upon accelerating.)
Last edited:
That's incorrect. If that was the case, my MBZ's buttons would have washed out by now. It hasn't. And it gets parked under the sun at work 4 days a week, and has since 2010. If it were really a case as you describe, rarely touched buttons in much older cars (see:beaters) would have that worn/melted look, but they don't. These are 30 year old cars beat to hell and back, but they don't suffer that "melting" you describe. ABS plastics are vulnerable to acids, and your skin oil is weakly acidic. Skin oil causes it. If it didn't, you wouldn't see that "melting" of plastics in home devices such as a keyboards, computer mice, remote control bottoms, etc. The list goes on. Cheap matte coating was applied in VWs and probably your Maserati. Quality production in quality cars introduces the matte through production. As in, the buttons are formed with said coating. This leads to a longer life of the surface area before the oils have a chance to weaken the plastics surface. Finger oils capable of damaging stainless steel appliances, albeit aesthetically. Typically, they're easy to clean off with alcohol but if left on for too long, they'll burnish the metal and you'll require strong chemicals or you have to buff it out. It's the bane of households. Brushed stainless steel impedes it a bit.
Going back to the buttons, VAG cheaped out years ago and stopped only a few years ago with buttons that were dyed black and then a symbol imprinted onto them. Skin oils would slowly weaken this dye and cause rubbing off over years. I refuse to believe that hitting you windshield heater button once a day in the morning with your finger 2 months out of the year would cause severe wear two years later. BMW E46's suffer from this as BMW were cheap twits and used a cheap matte coating that would fade or rub off within a year or two of ownership. I recall reading years ago about an owner rubbing one of the spokes off and saw the coating crumble off. We had this discussion in June. Here's the case of production ABS whereby the matte coating was done during the formation cycle and not applied thereafter.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-car-thread.1766143/page-149#post-22980663
Keyboards are not exposed to harmful UV rays, they're not in an oxygen deprived environment, they're not exposed to 100*+ heat that's common inside a car in SoCal summers, and they're not coated with a cheap coating because they'd wear away far too quickly. Stop making excuses for the awful QQ Maserati has always had.
[doublepost=1473503771][/doublepost]
Sad to hear of a worn clutch on a car with so little miles. Quite sad since issues like this are still common with Maseratis, especially their computers, plural that is. The issue with the interior is because they cheaped out. They're not the only ones. BMW, MBZ, Audi, Jaguar, etc. cheaped out at one point. Quality is much better now. There was a huge race in the 2000s to use new production methods, glues and whatnot to save weight. Next gen materials, if you'll call it that. C&D did a lengthy article in 2003 or 2004 about it. Suffice to say, cars of the 70s and 80s and most of the 90s used metal clips to hold everything in place. From headliners, to the rubber barriers on doors, the carpet, etc. All of it now glued. Glue tech is way better now than it was then. The metal clips used in the past added up in terms of weight and cost. BMW uses epoxy glue to form large parts of their cars and does spot welds. The result is a lighter car with tougher areas than a car with pure welding. It's rather interesting.
As for the leather, there's plenty of aftermarket companies you can order new seat covers from. Given they're custom made to the car and customer's tastes, expect to drop up to $7,000.
[doublepost=1473504290][/doublepost]
I had a neighbor who bought an 04 or 05 QP. His main daily was a Chevy Tahoe or Suburban. The QP was not a practical car for him. It was a mid life crisis car. They moved away years ago, but I recall him often complaining about the reliability and how impractical the car was for most things, even light grocery shopping. At that time, the most popular car in the US with those who had the ability to pay for it was the Range Rover by Land Rover. I can't recall if it was the new styling that made it very popular or because Paris Hilton drove one at the time. Land Rover quality is terrible, but they always sell at full market value simply because people associate the brand with every shmuck you saw on E TV or MTV.
The new "to have" SUV now is the X5 and the Cayenne. There was a period in the mid 2000s where you could drive through our area and almost every house had a Range Rover, in either white, silver or the champagne-silver color. Sometimes you'd see a mineral gray one that caught your eye. I rented a Range Rover once for a road trip to Mammoth and that thing was a pain in the ass to drive. On the way back home the next week, the navigation decided to malfunction. It had around 20K miles on it at the time. There were no less than 20 of them in the city center. I spent 15 minutes going up to each one to find my rental.
As far as easy driving goes. I won't comment on driving old RR's, but new cars with all electric steering are stupid simple to drive. Go drive the new E300. It's got EPS. The car will add weight when turning sharply or on a corner to inspire confidence. Other than that, I had fun during my test drive steering the car with 1-2 fingers. Which made the salesman a bit nervous even though he's sold me a few cars already. The car is quite smooth and relatively quiet for a 4 banger. I have hopes the E400 will pack some power. I really hope MBZ brings in an AMG model so I don't regret not ordering the last gen for cheap while it's still on lots. MBZ did a lot to improve the E over the last generation. I wouldn't advise people to get the E300 because I felt the engine lacking. I simply like having more power. More is always better. I think it's a fantastic city driving car though. It's incredibly torquey given its low-ish output and small engine. Very little effort is needed to drive busy streets. You realize it's a 4 banger when you're given the go by the salesperson to floor it on an open street. The count the 50 MPH was slow but it was also very noisy. Typical of a 4 banger. I don't think we'll see a E250 diesel anytime soon.
Regardless, while the E300 is a nice mid level MBZ, it's not for around $55,000 with some options.
Last edited:
Just going to toss out that my 2004 Lincoln has its fair share of plastic buttons that feel the same today as they did when I got the car 8 years ago. Some are rarely pressed, while others are used multiple times a day. They're all holding up great, aside from the frequently used buttons being worn smooth. All the buttons are two-shot injection molded, meaning that they have to go through some serious wear before the markings wear out. All of mine are completely legible, and again some are used multiple times a day.
As a side note, after putting several thousand mile on a car with nothing between you and the front wheels but a steering column along with a rack and pinion(no power assist) I have a hard time talking about road feel with any vehicle that has any kind of power steering.
As a side note, after putting several thousand mile on a car with nothing between you and the front wheels but a steering column along with a rack and pinion(no power assist) I have a hard time talking about road feel with any vehicle that has any kind of power steering.
Look at this old gem I found
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-car-thread.1766143/page-147#post-22972688
After this non-sense, I can't believe you have the audacity to tell other members "to grow up"
It's pretty clear who the "fanboy" is
[doublepost=1473545976][/doublepost]
Yup, it was due to FCA's shoddy programming. Every other OEM who uses the ZF8 has no problems with it.
http://www.autoblog.com/2016/04/22/fiat-chrysler-confusing-shifter-recall/
Oh! The way you worded it made it sound like the ZF8 was plagued. The ZF9 is plagued by all, though. If you go back and watch old shows and films from the 50s to 70s, you'll find a lot of foreign material makes fun of Alfas and Fiat. It's rather amusing.
[doublepost=1473550372][/doublepost]
The MG? The last time I drove a car with no power steering of any kind, I tweaked a shoulder. This was when I was quite young. You don't know how good you have it until you drive an old car. The E300's steering is something else though. I'm not sure how it does at freeway or highway speeds, but from others' reports in articles, videos or even MBZWorld, it isn't particularly confidence inspiring. For city driving, it's rather nice. It's very precise at low speeds and as I said, it takes a finger to steer. I wasn't keen on the lever shifter or the touchpads on the wheel.
Last edited:
Yes, the MG is what I was referring to.
I will grant you that the car weighs 2000 lbs. Until I got use to it, too, I'd often find my arms and shoulders sore at the end of a drive.
At driving speeds(even 10-15mph) the steering isn't that bad. When stopped, though, you virtually have to be Hercules to turn the wheel on asphalt. It's second nature now for me now, but I had to teach myself to leave at least a few inches to roll in parking lots and to only turn the wheel when the car is moving...even moving a little bit lessens the steering effort considerably.
Granted, the car does have some other things to help you, too. I think the steering is 2.75 turns lock-to-lock. The stock wheel is either 14 or 15" depending on the year, which is quite large compared to most modern cars. The rim is fairly thin, which I find-to my taste-makes maintaining a firm grip easy while also balancing the need to constantly re-position your hands to get the best angle. A lot of folks do use various wheel wraps, and there are a decent number of aftermarket wheels. During "spirited" driving, my right hand only comes off the wheel to change gears. There again, that has taken some practice to take sharp 90º curves at "greater than reasonable speed" but I've learned to downshift BEFORE going into the curve(to give me the power I need to pull out of it) so that I can keep both hands on the wheel while cornerning. It's definitely not like driving a Miata.
BTW, that car has also taught me why it's a bad idea to turn the wheel while stationary on any car. I recall reading not too long ago that in motion, the typical hydraulic pressures in the steering rack are a few hundred PSI. At a stand still(wheels on the ground) and nearing lock, that spikes to several thousand PSI.
I switch between driving the MG and other cars often enough that adjusting to different controls isn't all that difficult for me. I will say, though, that jumping from its no-assist brakes to a car with overly high assist has caused me to make a few jerky stops. I'm find with most power assisted brakes-just where they overdo it.
I own an E60. I am flat out broke and have an congenital genital abnormality known as a "micropenis". You sir are onto something.
I own an E60. I am flat out broke and have an congenital genital abnormality known as a "micropenis". You sir are onto something.
Why are you such a poser?!
Trade that POS in for a Ford Fusion. Only sheep drive foreign cars.
Sorry my schlong size alone determines my car choice. That is the only factor. Clearly you don't understand the logic in the nature of car buying.
By the way, when I take in our Lexus to get the airbags replaced, they're going to offer a loaner. Do you think they'd loan out a GSF for a few days or an RCF? Or will I get stuck with an NX or RX like every other customer?
[doublepost=1473567060][/doublepost]
Well, you were snipped as a young lad.I own an E60. I am flat out broke and have an congenital genital abnormality known as a "micropenis". You sir are onto something.
[doublepost=1473567060][/doublepost]
That's true, but newer cars won't mind. That advice is given to new drivers because often they'll be driving an older car. I'd say 10 years is the cutoff for "new" internals and after that you'll want some roll in the car before turning the wheels. In older cars, and by that I mean 90s or 80s, it'll put strain on the lines, pumps, and anything else connected to the car. You shouldn't be doing it often. The only time I'm forced to is in tight spots where I don't have the ability to roll half a foot.
Last edited: