brvheart 1,752 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Here's one... The exact same thing happened to me twice when I owned a 2000 Buick Regal. I no longer own that vehicle but would still be curious to know what the cause was. Just in case anyone wants an example of how badly you get raped when you have to use dealerships and service shops...Replaced a fried climate control head in afforementioned Buick. Chicago in winter without heat or defrost sucks horrible ass (not to mention it's dangerous as hell since the interior of the windshield freezes over and you can't see shit) so having heat isn't really a negotiable thing. Dealership quote for a new CCU: $530Actual shop quotes for the job: Beaner Auto Repair: $750Another Beaner Auto Repair: $1100White Guys On Work Release Auto Repair: $900Climate Control Unit @ Pick N Pull during the Wild Wednesdays 50% Off sale- $5.49Five minutes to pull, one hours time to disassemble column and install. Sweet, sweet heat for $5.49... This happens to my 96 Monte Carlo (with 179,XXX miles on it, btw). I wait 5-8 minutes, starts up just fine. It'll do it 3-4 times in a week span, then not for a few months. Completely random. I was told it was a problem with GM cars with that particular factory security system. It's not worth it for me to fix it because I'm getting a new car 3-4 years ago.I missed these somehow. So Scram, the problem was caused by a Climate Control thing or was that a separate non-engine related issue? Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 This happens to my 96 Monte Carlo (with 179,XXX miles on it, btw).My aunt has a 94 with about 130XXX on it. Man, that car has been retarded reliable for a 1990's American car. She cooked it off once and had to replace a bhg (her own fault) but other than that, it hasn't needed a thing. Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I missed these somehow. So Scram, the problem was caused by a Climate Control thing or was that a separate non-engine related issue?Don't think so. The climate control head was fried so I replaced it but I don't know if its related to the 'dead ignition' problem or not. Link to post Share on other sites
El Guapo 8 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I've got an '02 Landrover Freelander and the Windshield wipers don't seem to be working correctly. I am not sure if they have a rain sensor or not, but on the lowest speed they take a few seconds to even start, I have to turn it up to the fast speed then back down. I don't remember it being like this, but hey I am in CA we don't use them that often.First is this a problem, or I guess can it be where they just stop working.If so what needs fixing/replacing.(Also, I am not very mechanically incline, but at the same time I can do most basic maintenance, I think the hard part is usually diagnosing and then having cars that need specific tools to do the work) Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 My aunt has a 94 with about 130XXX on it. Man, that car has been retarded reliable for a 1990's American car. She cooked it off once and had to replace a bhg (her own fault) but other than that, it hasn't needed a thing.I got it from my dad in Dec 2002 with 62,XXX miles on it. He had it for 5-6 years and it saw rain once when he owned it, never snow. Garage kept, always clean, always taken care of. Before him, the dealer's daughter owned it, drove a blazer in the winter and I'm sure it was taken care of.I drive it hard all year round and it's been great to me. I had the transmission replaced ~3 years ago with a used one that had about 25k less miles than mine. Besides that, the biggest problem I've had with it is the power window motor on the driver's side.For the last 4 yearsm I've been saying I'm going to get a new one, but it's runs great and there's NOOOOOOOOOOO car payment. Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 (Also, I am not very mechanically incline, but at the same time I can do most basic maintenance, I think the hard part is usually diagnosing and then having cars that need specific tools to do the work)That's pretty much 100% of it. Most of the actual "work" itself is easy if you have a factory service manual to guide you. It's the diagnosing and the tools.Reader boxes can eliminate a lot of this, but the diagnosing still takes brainwork and the tools take $. Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I got it from my dad in Dec 2002 with 62,XXX miles on it. He had it for 5-6 years and it saw rain once when he owned it, never snow. Garage kept, always clean, always taken care of. Before him, the dealer's daughter owned it, drove a blazer in the winter and I'm sure it was taken care of.I drive it hard all year round and it's been great to me. I had the transmission replaced ~3 years ago with a used one that had about 25k less miles than mine. Besides that, the biggest problem I've had with it is the power window motor on the driver's side.For the last 4 yearsm I've been saying I'm going to get a new one, but it's runs great and there's NOOOOOOOOOOO car payment.Yeah, at this point, every day you're driving it you put money in your pocket. I'd keep driving it until absolute death/major failure. Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Yeah, at this point, every day you're driving it you put money in your pocket. I'd keep driving it until absolute death/major failure.That's pretty much my plan.I'm always looking for my next car, so if it blows up tomorrow, I have 5-6 set to test and buy. Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 re: the Monte Carlo.I was at the yard today- in the GM section- and checked out the OD's on every Monte Carlo and Lumina they had from that series.(that's always the best way to see how long older model used cars can be relied upon to last under real world conditions. Go to the yard and check the OD's on junked ones (that aren't wrecked). Somtimes, it's pretty remarkable how consistent the OD's are by the time certain models make it to boneyard material)13X,XXX seemed to be the magic number for damn near all of them, with one low outlier at 86,XXX and one at 266,XXX :huh:So, yeah, in the 17X,XXX range, start saving for a new one... Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 So, yeah, in the 17X,XXX range, start saving for a new one...I hit 179,500 on the way to work today.I'm prepared to get a new one if it would blow up today. Link to post Share on other sites
r0llin_game 1 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Alright here's my situation. I was looking around to see if there was any Pontiac G6's that were the 08 model to try and purchase and get a good deal out of. I come across this2007 Nissan Altima for $2,084. Now I know the economy is bad and all, but a car of that quality for that price, does it just seem shady. They have a carfax link on their page and it has nothing negative that I see, then again, I'm nowhere near being a car expert on this. Any advice is appreciated. Post here or just pm me.TIA Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Alright here's my situation. I was looking around to see if there was any Pontiac G6's that were the 08 model to try and purchase and get a good deal out of. I come across this2007 Nissan Altima for $2,084. Now I know the economy is bad and all, but a car of that quality for that price, does it just seem shady. They have a carfax link on their page and it has nothing negative that I see, then again, I'm nowhere near being a car expert on this. Any advice is appreciated. Post here or just pm me.TIASadly, it's impossible to know what's going on with that listing. You'll have to call and ask why they are trying to unload it for $13k less than blue book. Maybe a salvage title... maybe no engine... who knows. Call them first thing in the morning though...because someone else will be. Link to post Share on other sites
r0llin_game 1 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Sadly, it's impossible to know what's going on with that listing. You'll have to call and ask why they are trying to unload it for $13k less than blue book. Maybe a salvage title... maybe no engine... who knows. Call them first thing in the morning though...because someone else will be.Well I went looking around a little more on the site and found a listing for 165k... http://www.miamilakesgmc.com/newcars.aspx . I'm guessing it has to be a typo, there's not really any other explanation. I left them contact info so they could call me. I mean, the cars been sitting there about a month or so now. Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Well I went looking around a little more on the site and found a listing for 165k... http://www.miamilakesgmc.com/newcars.aspx . I'm guessing it has to be a typo, there's not really any other explanation. I left them contact info so they could call me. I mean, the cars been sitting there about a month or so now.I was assuming typo as well. Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Random car comment. I took my car to firestone for some break work, since my family friend mechanic that does my work on the side was out of town. Anyway, they suggested $1,400 in work on my car. Yea, $1,400 of work on my car has a name....the car is totaled! Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Thoughts from the Chicago Auto Show:1) The gookification of cars is now complete. Sure, I guess side view mirrors may be "old fashioned" but I don't know if it's best to replace them with a series of cameras and LCD screens. As with every year, different people were asking different questions about the cars. Guys wearing flannel and John Deere hats were unanimous: how in the f**k are you going to work on these things in 7-10 years when they start breaking? Further proof that in the very near future, a laptop will be just as standard a part of the mechanics kit as a Philips head screwdriver. 2) I sure hope Ford can pull itself out of this mess. They had some nice looking stuff. You can't ever judge quality based on autoshow cars (one maker had actually regulated the threads on the hexagonal lug studs so every bolt head was perfectly facing in the same direction. I pointed this out to their rep and he insisted that it was just coincidence...) but it definitely seems to be better in years past.3) Two letters. EV. It's the future. 4) LOL @ Kia. Every year, I have a tradition where I eat lunch near their exhibit and take pictures of retards looking at their cars, trying to generate a thematic composition amongst the photos. This year, the theme for the Kia pictures was "Retards Looking At Kias 2009: Punctuation and Human Emotion."There is:Kia!Kia?Kia.Kia...Kia; Kia.Kia (pensive)Kia (angry)Kia (agitated)Kia (Joyful)Kia (Plotting) 5) The Corvette Stingray Concept unveiled at the show looked purdy. ____________________________________________________I'll be traveling 200 miles each way to a Pull Your Own Junkyard in Wisconsin that just got in a particular engine I've been wanting to examine. Wish me luck. Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Thoughts from the Chicago Auto Show:1) The gookification of cars is now complete. Sure, I guess side view mirrors may be "old fashioned" but I don't know if it's best to replace them with a series of cameras and LCD screens. As with every year, different people were asking different questions about the cars. Guys wearing flannel and John Deere hats were unanimous: how in the f**k are you going to work on these things in 7-10 years when they start breaking? Further proof that in the very near future, a laptop will be just as standard a part of the mechanics kit as a Philips head screwdriver. 2) I sure hope Ford can pull itself out of this mess. They had some nice looking stuff. You can't ever judge quality based on autoshow cars (one maker had actually regulated the threads on the hexagonal lug studs so every bolt head was perfectly facing in the same direction. I pointed this out to their rep and he insisted that it was just coincidence...) but it definitely seems to be better in years past.3) Two letters. EV. It's the future. 4) LOL @ Kia. Every year, I have a tradition where I eat lunch near their exhibit and take pictures of retards looking at their cars, trying to generate a thematic composition amongst the photos. This year, the theme for the Kia pictures was "Retards Looking At Kias 2009: Punctuation and Human Emotion."There is:Kia!Kia?Kia.Kia...Kia; Kia.Kia (pensive)Kia (angry)Kia (agitated)Kia (Joyful)Kia (Plotting) 5) The Corvette Stingray Concept unveiled at the show looked purdy. ____________________________________________________I'll be traveling 200 miles each way to a Pull Your Own Junkyard in Wisconsin that just got in a particular engine I've been wanting to examine. Wish me luck.For your bus?Also, did they have a Volt there? I know that it was unveiled like a year or two ago, but I would assume that GM would want to keep the word of mouth going. Link to post Share on other sites
r0llin_game 1 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I was assuming typo as well.Well I contacted them via email, and they mailed me back and called me. I was still sleeping at the time, so I called them back on my way to work. He said it was a typo. He did say that if I was interested, he'd sell it at the internet price that was originally listed at. The new listing price is like almost 16k. I'm going to check it out w/ my friend that knows about cars and might just get it. Link to post Share on other sites
AmScray 355 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 For your bus?Yeah. I'm willing to travel up to 8 hours round trip just to get into one that hasn't already been picked over... Also, did they have a Volt there? I know that it was unveiled like a year or two ago, but I would assume that GM would want to keep the word of mouth going.It was there. I actually bought a volt related domain when they first came out, figuring on building solar charging stations and selling them online. Now that I see how "across-the-board" EV's/NEV's are going to be in years to come, I might have to make it less specific. Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Anyone have comments on a 2004 Impala SS? Link to post Share on other sites
brvheart 1,752 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Anyone have comments on a 2004 Impala SS?You're looking to buy? 3.4 or 3.8?Either way, it's a fairly solid vehicle. The transmission is a 4T65E and that sucker is quality, as GM has been using them since 1996/1997. The 1997 model year was the first year they upgraded from the 700R4/4T60E... which is in all pickups/SUV's made by GM since the 1970's. So in a 2004, you are working on 10 years of solid onroad testing, and it's a great transmission. If you aren't doing donuts on dry pavement it should last you to 200,000+ MILES... easily. Link to post Share on other sites
fryer98 30 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 You're looking to buy? 3.4 or 3.8?Either way, it's a fairly solid vehicle. The transmission is a 4T65E and that sucker is quality, as GM has been using them since 1996/1997. The 1997 model year was the first year they upgraded from the 700R4/4T60E... which is in all pickups/SUV's made by GM since the 1970's. So in a 2004, you are working on 10 years of solid onroad testing, and it's a great transmission. If you aren't doing donuts on dry pavement it should last you to 200,000+ MILES... easily.Either engine...one better than the other? Most of the ones I found online don't say which it has.I have stated most of this in here, but I'll repeat it. I have a 1996 Monte Carlo Z34 that has 182,XXX miles. I have a family friends that does 99% of my mechanical work on it so it's pretty cheap to maintain. He just had it over the weekend and did a little ramdom work on it and said it's still running great. The only major work that has been done on it is the transmission replaced ~50k miles ago, with a transmission that had ~30k less miles on it.For the last few years, I always look on cars.com and have some saved for just in case something blows or an accident. For a while, I was set on an '04 Blazer, then a '04 S10 Quad Cab, then a 2004 Monto Carlo, but that changed every few weeks depending on what the best deal I found on cars.com. By the way, the reason for all the '04 is the best year I found with the miles, styles, and price I want to spend right now (10k - 14k). I thought I was decided on another Monte Carlo, until a few weeks ago, I saw an Impala SS. Pretty much the same car with 4 doors, IMO. I checked them out online and found them in a simialr price range. I found one online about 15 mins from my office, so I'm thinking about going to test drive it, as I did with all the other cars above, just to see how I like it. It has just under 50k miles for $10,900 listed which is a lot cheaper than similar with the same miles.As of right now, I like the car I have and don't NEED a new one. It does what I need it to do and I don't have to worry about where I'm parking it, driving like an ass, driving crazy in the snow, etc. As I said, I'm always looking just in case.Anyway, that was long and real boring (like my sex life), but any input you want to give (also, back to my sex life) would be nice. Link to post Share on other sites
Southern Buddhist 1 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 oops, double post, better one below. Link to post Share on other sites
Southern Buddhist 1 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I've always wanted to call Car Talk and play Stump the Chumps with Ray and Bob, but I'll try it here!I had a 1988 Toyota Tercel hatchback (automatic), and we had just found a truly great shadetree mechanic in Central New Jersey. Pulling out into Jersey traffic, especially on Route 22, was murder in that car. You had to jam on the gas and there would be a pause, maybe a slight cough or two, and then it would go forward (not surge, just accelerate). If you didn't floor it, it would creep out at 15 mph and toddle along weakly. Farty-sounding running, but no exhaust leak. Eventually I could hardly get away from a stop sign in less than thirty seconds. I had to have a miiiile of clear road to come out, and that just never happens in NJ, so I would usually be flooring it, and nevertheless the normal cars would all run right up my bumper, honk, and curse. Once it got going, it was fine. It just couldn't come off a dead stop.So we took it to Neal. He popped the hood and said he honestly did not recognize what he was looking at. He wound up calling all the way to Toyota corporate offices to get an explanation of what he took out of the car. Turns out, it was an experiment: 1988 was kind of a transitional period between two technologies, and Tercels were the crap of the line. So Toyota put something normal in half of the model year Tercels. In the other half, the half in which my car fell, they put in something adapted from motorcycles.Neal cleaned it up, put it back in, and said whenever performance lagged, bring it to him. He could make it better, but there was no way in hell to fix it, and every junkyard he'd tried had the same issue with all the Tercels there (it was the reason they were getting junked, probably).Question: what was the part? I think that might be pretty easy. But for a huge bonus, what was different about it? Link to post Share on other sites
Loismustdie 0 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 If you're replacing the rear brake pads release the E-Brake. That's all. Took me a half-hour to figure that out. Link to post Share on other sites
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