The Car Discussion Thread

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go birds
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by go birds »

cardsfantx wrote:anti-vaxxer...it's prob whooping car-ph
lol i crack up every time i hear because i'll just be driving along and then i hear a random "whuuuuuuup"

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IMADreamer
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by IMADreamer »

go birds wrote:
IMADreamer wrote:
go birds wrote:alright dudes gotta question for the resident car gurus....

there something really bizarre going on with my car and i for the life of me can't pinpoint the issues.

Every so often, it will make this "whooooop" sound and there doesn't seem to be rhyme or reason to it.

At first, i thought perhaps it could be friction in my steering column, but nope, it does it even when im idle at a light.

Then i thought it could be my A/C but nope, it does it when im running the heat as well. And i'm fairly certain it does it when I'm not running the ac or heat.

It's truly mind-boggling. Has ANYONE had a similar experience? I figured id run it by you guys before i take it to a mechanic and look like an idiot trying to explain what is going on. And yes, it literally sounds like the "whoop" a cop car make when it's rolling up on someone to get their attention.
The doing it at idle is throwing me because I thought for sure it was a wheel bearing when I read the "whooooop."

Any chance it's happening under braking? Could be a master cylinder.
actually i meant to mention that...the brake light is on and it's definitely time for new brakes and/or rotors, so that could be possibly be related to that. I'll test it out, but maybe it does only do that when i'm braking. hmmmmm

Just weird because it sounds like its coming from the dash area.
Ok definitely test that and if it's coming from the dash area it is probably the master cylinder, which will be bolted to the fire wall in the engine bay.

Freed Roger
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by Freed Roger »

WHO LIKES A GOOD RANT?
At end of 2018, my wife needed a newer year car to fit in company car reimbursement program.

She went out and got a Buick Enclave off Carvana-it had to be done fairly quickly.

Carvana experience- I guess it was ok. I was pissed to find it was from Jacksonville FL, but apparantly the history was clean.

If this process for used car-buying doesn't sound very middle-aged mannish, it's because it wasn't. We've had decent luck with last couple of cars we bought (though one was new), and end of the year was busy, that I let my middle-aged man guard down. Not blaming my wife -she is a smart decision maker, but was in a bind.

I don't understand how old people drive this thing, the dash and controls as counter-intuitive as imaginable. I've driven dozens of cars between rentals and our own without any issue, and it frightens me to think of grandpa banging around a Sam's parking lot in this. I Dunno-Maybe the fake mahogany keeps them calm.

I drive it as little as possible, and it's a mess when I do.
Here we go:

Radio-if you touch about anything it goes to Sirius ads (we don't subscribe). Took some doing but figured out how to get it back to FM. Pairing with my phone- I don't even want to try. Changing a station by twisting the knob -it takes like 10 -13 full spins to get it all the way down the dial.

Odometer-its not on as a default. I watched a YouTube vid to find it and still could not, until my wife showed where I can get it to show.

Reason I was looking for odometer was because my wife had it at a jiffy lube last time, and I guess they didnt know how to reset the "needs oil change" message (not sure if I blame jiffy here, I'll bet the reset process is a total cluster-F. ) and it had been flashing that for quite some time-right in the place where odometer reading shows if you can change it to that.

Then that same message area had low tire indicator flashing too, in addition the more traditional static low pressure light. It said front passenger side low. I look at it, but that tire looked good. I took it to QT anyway since I needed gas (yep, had to wait -old men doing their militant QT free tire refill jerk off routine)

I use my gauge and that tire was good. Since I'm there, I check them all -passenger rear was 8psi low. it had a leak, but different tire. No big deal, just dumb though

It only has one one lever switch that is for front and back wipers and the turn signals. A bunch of buttons and dials for lights etc on the dash (I guess that is the way old people like it)

Has touch screen on dash, but damn if you touch it. But don't fear, it still has the poor functioning buttons for every task too.

Yep, to put in some wiper fluid I had to find a YouTube video to find where hood latch was. Felt like a teen trying to undo a bra for first time.

Took it in for oil change and checkup (which costs a lot more than normal car). Some of this is normal timeline for wear but much isn't - the battery is almost done before it should bs, fluids gone bad (trans, coolant).


Has a roof rack that is only the base for a roof rack. It is essentially just plastic trim without purchasing the full cross piece -you can't strap anything to it.

I disliked this car from the start. Now my wife has turned on it, which is bad because vehicles have a way of turning to shet at the point they know you don't like it.

So, I am thinking, maybe we cut our losses. I look at Blue Book value, and the value has tanked. My small Subaru Crosstrek(granted its newer by two yrs) is worth $4k more than this big hunk of junk.

It's got to go. I fantasized about parking it somewhere choice to let it get stole, but luck will have it that Buick does anti-theft well, and/ or that the kid that would steal it would give up trying to drive the POS and just mosey on to something better

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CardsofSTL
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by CardsofSTL »

It doesn't even look like a Buick.

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IMADreamer
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by IMADreamer »

Rant approved Freed. My biggest gripe with newer cars is everything is overly complicated. It's part of the reason why I've yet to pull a trigger on a C7 Vette even though the deals are insane right now with the C8 coming. The C7 is amazing in every way but there is just so much stuff and most of it is not intuitive. Most new cars are getting this way, but from what I'm seeing some of the manufacturers are dialing back the garbage. I think Mazda plans to do away with touch screens in their next gen of cars. Not only are touch screen difficult to use they are a huge distraction. I'd probably be in favor of some sort of regulation requiring them to be off when the car is in motion. IMO they may be more distracting than a cell phone.

A lot of new cars, especially German cars don't have a dipstick to check your oil. That's all done through the computer. That will be awesome in another ten years when that sensor doesn't work.

I'm at the point in my life where I kind of want to start doing a car every couple years as an investment. Not necessarily long term, but with all the electric stuff I'm not sure anything post 2008 is going to be a particularly good investment. So I'm thinking of maybe a second gen Viper or something like that as my first foray into making money with cars.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Touch screens are a huge distraction.

Socnorb11
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by Socnorb11 »

What year Enclave did you get, Freed?

I'm glad I read your rant, because my wife really likes the neighbor's enclave (maybe a 2014?), and has decided she'd like one as her next vehicle. Sounds like maybe that would be a poor decision. The third row seating is nice, though.

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ThatGuy
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by ThatGuy »

For any Corvette fans, Chevrolet is unveiling the C8 tonight at 10 p.m. CT - live reveal can be watched here.

After decades of rumors and speculation, the Corvette is finally switching to a mid-engine layout, meaning the engine will now be behind the driver's head. Mid-engine Corvette concept cars have been around almost since the beginning of the car's existence, and automotive journalists have spilled plenty of ink about the subject, especially in the last five to ten years.

Even though it's a niche car, this is still a big deal and I'm very excited to see the final product.

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IMADreamer
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by IMADreamer »

ThatGuy wrote:For any Corvette fans, Chevrolet is unveiling the C8 tonight at 10 p.m. CT - live reveal can be watched here.

After decades of rumors and speculation, the Corvette is finally switching to a mid-engine layout, meaning the engine will now be behind the driver's head. Mid-engine Corvette concept cars have been around almost since the beginning of the car's existence, and automotive journalists have spilled plenty of ink about the subject, especially in the last five to ten years.

Even though it's a niche car, this is still a big deal and I'm very excited to see the final product.

I'm excited too. Also curious how it effects C7 prices. There is going to be a group of purist who won't like the C8 being mid engine so there is a part of me that says C7 prices may stay strong, but I know most younger people are excited for the mid engine Vette and I think that could hurt C7 prices.

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ThatGuy
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Re: The Car Discussion Thread

Post by ThatGuy »

People were also up in arms when popup headlights and round tail lamps went away, so slaughtering sacred cows is part of every new Corvette generation. Granted, this is a much larger change than any of those things.

I'll be most interested in the price, which we probably won't know for a while. Current Corvette starts around $55,000, and my hope is that the C8 doesn't stray too far away from that. I know it has to be more expensive, but I don't want it to start at, say, the Viper's price point.

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