The Automobile Thread

Cyclotourist said:
Good on ya... the MT X5 is a rare bird! Sport package???
Sincerely, keep me in mind when it comes time to sell it.
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Yes, sport package, non air-suspension, xenon adaptive lights, and electric reclining rear seats (though they move like 2"). This is a 3rd car for someone who works from home, so there's always a "make me sell" price :). I do feel like I slightly overpaid at $9700 to get the 6sp sport. There was a comparable non-sport 5sp $6500 with no xenon lights.

I might actually pick up that shirt. The "no flappy paddles" sticker is also pretty fun.
 
stevers said:
Yes, sport package, non air-suspension, xenon adaptive lights, and electric reclining rear seats (though they move like 2"). This is a 3rd car for someone who works from home, so there's always a "make me sell" price :). I do feel like I slightly overpaid at $9700 to get the 6sp sport. There was a comparable non-sport 5sp $6500 with no xenon lights.

I might actually pick up that shirt. The "no flappy paddles" sticker is also pretty fun.
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They put out some pretty good swag!

We still need three rows, so sticking w/ our GL450 for a while longer. Good vehicle, but damn, it's soooo oversized and chunky, and just not pleasant to drive other than on the freeway/open road.
 
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siata94 said:
Good thing your X5 doesn't have the dreaded plastic valve cover and electric water pump. Friends with later model X3/X5 all got rid of them as soon as they go thru those expenses. $1400 for the plastic valve cover at around 30K miles.
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Don't forget VANOS seals!!! The valve cover gasket is not that big a deal, and a total DIY job. The electric water pump/'stat kinda' sucks, but still a DIY thing. The job that absolutely sucks is the oil pan gasket. You need to undo all the control arms and tie rods, support the engine, drop the front subframe, then you get access to the pan. Pretty awful, and double the hassle if you have an AWD x-drive system. On those the front drive shaft literally goes through the oil pan as it exits the front differential (that's my old car in the photo below, taken by current owner)! But other than that dumb stuff, the N52 straight six is one of the best engines ever made and will last forever if you treat it right!

The trick is to buy the cars after those jobs have been done!

51872741561_044e501876_b.jpg
 
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I was out in Jtree camping with my brother and a group of friends. Sunday morning we got our stuff loaded up and the locking mechanism gave out on my car’s driver-side rear door.
The AAA guy just shrugged his shoulders and left.
I was able to stop by the hardware store and grab some tie-down straps to get back to LA.

this is what my DIY fix looks like. It held up for the 101-mile drive home.

EC3B32BF-0015-4C2D-8D44-FF87FE54C316.jpeg
 
siata94 said:
Good thing your X5 doesn't have the dreaded plastic valve cover and electric water pump. Friends with later model X3/X5 all got rid of them as soon as they go thru those expenses. $1400 for the plastic valve cover at around 30K miles and about the same for the water pump at 50K.
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M54 3.0 does have plastic valve covers, but it's not terrible to do. But ecstatic that I don't have an electric water pump. Had it on an old E60 5er and always afraid it would give out and strand me somewhere.

Rumpled said:
Those seem like really low prices for those BMW SUV's to me.
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Really depends on the model. Prices are low because maintenance/condition is everything. I feel like I overpaid because the seller didn't have any service records, so I expect the worst. For this particular X5 (E53), the handles are notorious for breaking, window regulators go out every couple years, coolant leaks at plastic hose/junctions, and oil leaks on the valve covers. DISA valves go out without notice or code, either. You could pick up a rough condition X5 automatic for ~$5k, and put $8k in repairs. Or if you can wrench on it yourself, you can score a bargain. Or, just run it into the ground and resell it for a minor loss in 3 years.
 
Sasquatch9billion said:
I was out in Jtree camping with my brother and a group of friends. Sunday morning we got our stuff loaded up and the locking mechanism gave out on my car’s driver-side rear door.
The AAA guy just shrugged his shoulders and left.
I was able to stop by the hardware store and grab some tie-down straps to get back to LA.

this is what my DIY fix looks like. It held up for the 101-mile drive home.

View attachment 80608
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My Fiesta had a recall for that.
 
I've been seeing slow dip leak stains under the wife's Civic for the past month or so. Didn't give it a whole lotta thought, assumed it was oil dripping from the filter or drain screw. Checked the oil level, which was normal. Got tired of the stains so we took it to the do-it-yourself car wash where I degreased the soiled areas and then pressure washed the bottom of the car. Next morning I stopped by my local mechanic's shop to throw it on the rack. The plan was only to identify the leak and then fix it on a later date. So, up it went. It was immediately clear that the P/S pump was leaking. Res was low but not critically. Topped off the fluid level and made an appt to have it replaced next week. $650 including labor for a rebuilt, $750 for a brand new one including labor. We are going with the new one, of course. The Civic is old. I'm trying to talk the wife into getting a new ride but she doesn't want a car payment, which is understandable. So, we figure this repair is like like making two new-car payments. I'd call that getting off cheap considering how long this car has lasted.

My CRV goes in on Monday for oil & oil filter, wheel rotation, and resurfaced rotors. I don't think the brakes on that vehicle like sudden stops carrying the heavy loads I have for work. Rotors are mildly warped. Nobody likes a pulsating brake pedal.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
I've been seeing slow dip leak stains under the wife's Civic for the past month or so. Didn't give it a whole lotta thought, assumed it was oil dripping from the filter or drain screw. Checked the oil level, which was normal. Got tired of the stains so we took it to the do-it-yourself car wash where I degreased the soiled areas and then pressure washed the bottom of the car. Next morning I stopped by my local mechanic's shop to throw it on the rack. The plan was only to identify the leak and then fix it on a later date. So, up it went. It was immediately clear that the P/S pump was leaking. Res was low but not critically. Topped off the fluid level and made an appt to have it replaced next week. $650 including labor for a rebuilt, $750 for a brand new one including labor. We are going with the new one, of course. The Civic is old. I'm trying to talk the wife into getting a new ride but she doesn't want a car payment, which is understandable. So, we figure this repair is like like making two new-car payments. I'd call that getting off cheap considering how long this car has lasted.
My CRV goes in on Monday for oil & oil filter, wheel rotation, and resurfaced rotors. I don't think the brakes on that vehicle like sudden stops carrying the heavy loads I have for work. Rotors are mildly warped. Nobody likes a pulsating brake pedal.
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Yep, think of that $750 as two months of car payments! Then free and clear!
 
Cyclotourist said:
Yep, think of that $750 as two months of car payments! Then free and clear!
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I feel like dumping a hypothetical $500 a month into maintenance and repairs is still ahead of the game vs buying new. Never mind the insurance cost of having a new vehicle.

With that, I am WAY ahead with my ambulance. I think I have spent a grand so far in parts, some I didn't need. I will likely dump another grand into some stuff soon, but that's still way ahead.
 
Sidewalk said:
I feel like dumping a hypothetical $500 a month into maintenance and repairs is still ahead of the game vs buying new. Never mind the insurance cost of having a new vehicle.

With that, I am WAY ahead with my ambulance. I think I have spent a grand so far in parts, some I didn't need. I will likely dump another grand into some stuff soon, but that's still way ahead.
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The guys on KPFK's The Car Show always said that the best used car you can buy is the one you have!
That and sunroofs suck. Those are my two takeaways!
 
I've pretty much always had a car payment. I went into the C-HR with no money down and I have a $169 month car payment. 3-year lease with 15k miles per year and all scheduled maintenance is covered.
The Titan is obviously a little more as we're buying it and the vehicle cost twice as much, but for a few more dollars added to the payment, we have 8 years and a 100k scheduled service covered.
It's a no brainer to me.
 
2 914s and prob about 10 miatas back in the days, never drove one without a hardtop. I'd sold the miatas but always kept the hardtops, had a black, red, white, blue and yellow (yellow and blue went with the car). Black/red/white can go on almost any other color, almost better looking than same color as body. And I'd remove and toss the folding softtop, it weighs more than the hardtop.

And I too hate sunroofs, unnec weight at the wrong place and yet another part to fail/leak/rust. Targa top seals for the 914 is pretty expensive and my Audis used to blow fuses everytime other time I opened the sr.
 
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Sidewalk said:
I loved the sunroof on my Fiesta. Unless it was raining (actual rain, no mist), the first thing I did when I got in the car every time was roll down the windows and open the roof. I almost NEVER used the air conditioning in that car. 110*? Sunroof open!

Maybe that's why I want a Miata so bad :Roflmao
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Ah yes.. I had a convertible and the top was always down. Hot? Down and ac on. Cold? Top down and heater on. Like you said, unless it's raining.

Sunroof are just noisy with the air.
 
rant

I am now of the opinion that Teslas are the new Subarus which were the new Priusus. It used to be if there was a slow-ass car holding up traffic on the two-lane road I drive to work, nine out of 10 times it would be a Subaru. Before that it was always a Prius crawling along and slowing ME down. Now it seems like Teslas are the go-to cars for the Slow AF Driving Club (SAFDC). Obviously confirmation bias is at play, but whenever I get behind a Tesla, I just sigh and resign myself to getting there slower than I want to. I get to drive behind them seeing that Dual Motor badge up close and personal... why don't they take advantage of all those horses they paid for???? Change my mind!

/rant
 
When I see a Prius or Tesla, I always assume they drive like 90 MPH everywhere.

Mercedes drivers give zero fucks about anything or anyone.

BMW drivers are a mix of great drivers, or people who wish they bought a Supra and hate the world. Irony is, the Supra is a BMW.

Every Japanese sports (or sporty ish) car is a prop from one of the FATF movies.

Every Corvette within two generation old is being driven by someone on their way to pick up their Viagra.

V8 pony car drivers are Vin Diesel wannabes, probably say "Bro" a lot. V6 drivers think they have you fooled that they have a V8 by making it loud and driving full throttle everywhere (sorry "bro", we know what a V6 sounds like). Ecoboost drivers don't know anything about cars, they just thought it was a Supra.

I have more.
 
Cyclotourist said:
rant

I am now of the opinion that Teslas are the new Subarus which were the new Priusus. It used to be if there was a slow-ass car holding up traffic on the two-lane road I drive to work, nine out of 10 times it would be a Subaru. Before that it was always a Prius crawling along and slowing ME down. Now it seems like Teslas are the go-to cars for the Slow AF Driving Club (SAFDC). Obviously confirmation bias is at play, but whenever I get behind a Tesla, I just sigh and resign myself to getting there slower than I want to. I get to drive behind them seeing that Dual Motor badge up close and personal... why don't they take advantage of all those horses they paid for???? Change my mind!

/rant
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If they actually used the power then they'd have to stop and fast charge for an hour while degrading the life of the battery. So SAFDC come into play.
Me, drive my BMW ICE as it was meant to, 350 ponies and LAF ( loud as F) . I have the excitement the power and the visceral auditory experience. And when it get low on energy, fill up in less than 5 minutes.
Bwahahaha..... :confused::cool::sneaky:

I won't slow you up, unless there are groceries in the trunk, or wife in the passenger seat.
 
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