The SFO Car/Vehicle General Thread

[CrypticQuery]

Now all you have to do is show me a donked version of that trike and I'll have seen everything.

[LoneWolf]

9 hours ago, OneUnder said:

Now all you have to do is show me a donked version of that trike and I'll have seen everything.

Big wheels? Close enough.

[CrypticQuery]

5 hours ago, LoneWolf said:

Big wheels? Close enough.

Because the tires are appropriately sized, that thing ended up looking hilariously badass.

[Naza Sutera]

Holy crap! That thing looks awesome!

[InfinitySquared]

Necrobump because I drive this now:

 

That '15 Accord is mine, right next to my friend's '95(?). Mine's a CVT with the 4-banger, her's is a manual V6 (read: terrifyingly fast). 

So how is it?

 

Well, for starters, it is perhaps the antithesis of everything a car should be, at least as we view it. It commits the supremely damnable sin of serving as a means to get between point A and point B, with as little drama or pomp as possible. Honestly, it's hard to sum up what this car is, because it sort of tries at everything without being anything. It tries to be a luxury sedan with it's arsenal of toys and leather seats, but Acura needs a reason to keep existing in America, so it takes it's $30,000+ price tag and stays at the kid's table, while those good-for-nothin' CLA's and A3's get to sit upstairs with the grownups. It tries to be a sports car, in V6 coupe form, but it's still just a bit too big to take on the GTI or Fiesta ST, and too FWD to go toe-to-toe with the BR-Z or 3-series. Definitely preferable to a non-Quattro A4 or A5, but then again, walking is also preferable. It's pretty big and has a positively cavernous trunk, but not as much as the CR-V or Pilot. Shame that a wagon variant doesn't exist, although there was that shooting brake version with the last gen that was actually pretty snazzy. 

Driving-wise, it's...well it's not bad? It's a big boy, to put it lightly, and the steering is off-puttingly light. There's no real road feel, but it feels good to be able to corner again without fear of rolling over. You definitely feel like you're dragging the line, and the front-heavy balance doesn't quite inspire one to really push it too hard. For what it is, it's reasonable.

To paraphrase the Rolls Royce ads of yesteryear, the performance is "adequate". The CVT makes things weird. In normal everyday driving, it acts like how every manual fanboy believes an automatic acts. It'll rarely go above 3k if it can damn well help it, and cuts out when it can in order to squeeze every bit of MPG it can. The engine's definitely still old-school Honda, and you can tell it just wants to rev and gooooooo, but the CVT keeps it on a tight leash. This leads to a weird situation where it will chirp the tires if you're just the least bit leadfooted, but then the car kinda hesitates before continuing on in a more dignified manner.  VTEC JUST KICKED IN YO? VTEC JUST KICKED IN NO!

That being said, this car has a few party tricks up its' sleeve, in the form of Sport and Low gears. They hold the engine in a higher rev range (2-3K in Sport, 3-4K in Low), which really livens up the driving experience and throttle response. In Low, throttle response is near-instantaneous and it's actually really fun, but I haven't the balls to use it over 60MPH or for more than a couple minutes because running at 4,000RPM for a long period of time doesn't seem too healthy for an engine or the fuel economy. Only issue is that the car wants to *stay* in those rev ranges, even when coming to a stop, so you can almost feel it kind of stall out and it's a bit...well it doesn't seem too bueno.  I just reserve Sport for highway use where I need the passing power and keep in Drive around town. 

 

Good car, 7/10.

[Sideways]

Looks good. I paid off my car back in December. Just put my summer tires on the car and replaced the engine air filter with a reusable one. A disposable one costs about $47.. the K&M one I bought was about $55, but I shouldn't ever have to worry about replacing it now, just cleaning it when it comes time for that.

 

Next is an oil change, then take it in to have the AC looked at, it hasn't worked well in the last couple of years, just doesn't get cold enough. These NY summers suck.

[Dr. Orange]

HYUNDAI SUMMER CHECK LIST: (Most Important to Least)

• Grinding off Rust on Drivers Door, Back Drivers Wheel and Passenger Wheel
• Filling in Rust holes
• Ordering Pipes for Cold Air Intake
• Replacing E-Brake Cables
• Cross Bar for Engine
• Replacing Calipers and Brakes Disks.
• Drivers Side Dire Rods Replacement
• Replace Clutch
• Get new Gearbox with maybe 7th Overdrive
• New Radio Antenna that doesn't look like shit
• Maybe Removing Back Seats?
• Restitching Leather on wheel
• Replacing Car Seats
• LEDs Interior
• Reattaching Drivers Window Speaker
• New Rotor in Ele. Mirrors
• Paint Job on the whole bugger
• Derusting Wiper Blades and recoloring (Red/Black/ Or some Design?)
• Need New Feet mats

Oh boi

EDIT: and belts and rotors and ohh my

[UAZ-469]

I will just...leave my...little friend here...

Sorry for the bad quality, I don't have a tripod.

[CrypticQuery]

18 hours ago, Dr. Orange said:

• Need New Feet mats

EDIT: and belts and rotors and ohh my

I recently purchased custom-cut Northridge mats from Lloyd for a little over $100.  They're good quality, and a no-brainer if Weathertech doesn't make those custom fit liners for your model (though I still give Weathertech the edge thanks to their liners having sides).  https://www.lloydmatsstore.com/northridge-floor-mats?q=design

I also had my front and rear pads and rotors, as well as my belt tensioner and serpentine belt, replaced.  Next time I'll probably bring the shop my own parts to avoid their upcharge (almost double the cost of the part in some cases).  I'm out $880, but at least I can stop better and won't be bothered by my belt sounding like bloody murder at random now. 

I was able to swap out my front turn signal bulbs and sockets while parked on the street though.  The o-rings were shot and let condensation build in the headlights, and a warm enough day finally showed up so that all of the moisture inside evaporated and I could swap them.

I really wish I had a space to work on my car - if I ever am financially well off enough to purchase a house, a garage and a sizable driveway are a must.  

[UAZ-469]

Is the Crown Victoria not a car that is only sold to officials and taxi drivers? At least I heard that civilians can only buy used ones that were previously in service and later decommissioned.

[CrypticQuery]

6 minutes ago, UAZ-469 said:

Is the Crown Victoria not a car that is only sold to officials and taxi drivers? At least I heard that civilians can only buy used ones that were previously in service and later decommissioned.

Nope, they were a standard model available to everyone.  Starting with the 2008 model year the Crown Victoria was only available new to fleet buyers or on special order though, which may be where the misconception originates from.  Due to their sturdiness and reliability they were very popular with police and governments fleets as well as taxi fleets.

The Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, and Town Car ended production in 2011, unfortunately, but you'll still find plenty of them on the roads.

[UAZ-469]

But the decommissioned ones are still sold and exported?

We here had two Crown Victoria-police cruisers in the town, with paintings, lights, bumpers and whatnot, which got later removed.

[Arashikage]

Yeah but you'd have to be an idiot to buy a decommissioned police car.  The Crown Vic is a tough car, but Police run those things into the ground.  They've idled for over half the time they've been on, they've been floored many times and they've been run into every curb in the area they're auctioned in.  They get auctioned off usually with over 200k miles on them and with the extra battery, lightbar and other stuff removed by the department.

[CrypticQuery]

On 4/13/2017 at 0:02 PM, UAZ-469 said:

But the decommissioned ones are still sold and exported?

We here had two Crown Victoria-police cruisers in the town, with paintings, lights, bumpers and whatnot, which got later removed.

Yup!  Admittedly great examples are getting harder to find given that the last ones rolled off of the assembly line a little under six years ago, but agencies tend to rotate their fleets at varying rates and you can still find plenty on Ebay, propertyroom, and other auction sites, as well as via private sellers. 

I know the Crown Vic was used by some agencies abroad, and it is cool to see how far across the globe they made it.  The last Crown Vic that came off of the assembly line ended up going to Saudi Arabia, for example. https://jalopnik.com/5844442/cotd-last-crown-vic-preserved-in-arabia-edition

 

5 hours ago, Arashikage said:

Yeah but you'd have to be an idiot to buy a decommissioned police car.  The Crown Vic is a tough car, but Police run those things into the ground.  They've idled for over half the time they've been on, they've been floored many times and they've been run into every curb in the area they're auctioned in.  They get auctioned off usually with over 200k miles on them and with the extra battery, lightbar and other stuff removed by the department.

I wouldn't make such a definitive statement right off the bat.  Most police models get retired around 70k-150k miles from what I've seen.  Emergency equipment is generally (and rightfully) stripped out prior to auctioning the vehicle off.  The condition of the vehicle is highly dependent upon what it was used for by the agency that owned it.  For a car that served as a regular sector car responding to 911 job after job day in and day out, especially in a large city, your summary is pretty accurate.  They get beaten on, idle for countless hours, and are constantly in stop and go traffic.

On the other hand, you might find a car that was used for administrative purposes, or purchased as a police package vehicle but was used by a city government, fire department, fish and game service, etc.  You may also come across one from a smaller department that takes better cosmetic care of their vehicles.  Dealers and resellers tend to favor the cars that fall into this category. 

Take a look at these two listings as an example.  The first is from a dealership that specializes in snapping up those aforementioned decent cars at auction, does a bit of reconditioning, and then flips them for a profit.  The price is hefty, but the car is beautiful.  The second is an auction listing for a car that was just retired from a big city department. 

http://www.copcarsonline.com/2011_Ford_Crown Victoria_Largo_FL_267535811.veh

https://www.propertyroom.com/l/2012-chevrolet-impala-brooklyn-ny-11214/11552549#

Crown Vic vs. Impala aside, note the differences in condition and price. 

My Crown Vic is an ex-police model, but it was very gently used judging by how decent of shape it's in and how it was equipped (chrome trim, carpeted floors, etc).  So long as you keep your wits about you, go over every car you consider with a fine toothed comb, never take anything at face value, and are willing to wait for something good to pop up, you'll eventually reap the benefits.

The golden rule to purchasing and driving an ex-police vehicle is this; purchase the vehicle because it can be a good value for the money, because you like how it drives, because you enjoy its characteristics, and because you appreciate it for what it is.  Do not purchase it because you want to look like the police. 

---

With that said, if you're interested in a Ford Panther Platform car, try to look for a civilian model Crown Vic, a Mercury Grand Marquis, or a Lincoln Town Car.  Ex-police and ex-taxis are more likely to be in shoddy shape than their civilian market counterparts, exceptions notwithstanding.  If you can afford the premium they tend to command, buying a nice Grand Marquis is probably your best bet.  You get all of the benefits of a large sedan, boat-like handling, and an interior the size of a living room, in a car that is usually very well kept.

[UAZ-469]

Question for the car enthusiasts here:

After finishing my apprenticeship this June and finding a job, I want to fulfill my dream, which is this badass here:

And I will stop at nothing to get this model - it basically was tru luv at first sight.
I am probably the only one who thinks that the Charger LX got uglier with each generation, so the one from 2006 is perfect for me. Fearsome power, a malicious face, a sexy sound and enough space to transport larger objects like furniture. While I'm generally fan of muscle cars, the Camaro, Challenger, Mustang, etc. are just too impractical for my needs.

But since the SRT8-model will likely be a bit much for my wallet, especially the fuel and motor insurance, I want to start with the weaker powered ones, like the SE or SXT. I prefer more the SXT, since it looks very similar to the SRT8 and the cheapest are sold here around 10.000 € with under 100.000 kilometres. Some even drive with LPG.

Question:
Is it possible to install the 6.1l Hemi-engine from the SRT8-model later or would it be so expensive that I'm actually better off buying a SRT8 straight away? And if not, can I at least slap the SRT8-spoiler on it?

[Dr. Orange]

 

On 4/22/2017 at 1:46 PM, UAZ-469 said:

Question:
Is it possible to install the 6.1l Hemi-engine from the SRT8-model later or would it be so expensive that I'm actually better off buying a SRT8 straight away? And if not, can I at least slap the SRT8-spoiler on it?

Is it possible? Yes. Is it expensive? You bet your ass.

I don't know how the import prices hit you in Germany but getting a cheaper model and disconnecting an engine, ordering in a new (not to mention top of the line HEMI, they use those is Challengers) and reconnecting it into a car that isn't able to handle that torque and that engine weight is bad all over.

Year	Model	Engine	Power	Torque
2006–2010	SE	2,736 cc (2.736 L; 167.0 cu in) EER V6	190 hp (142 kW)	190 lb·ft (258 N·m)
	SXT (G/H/N/P/R Packs)	3,518 cc (3.518 L; 214.7 cu in) EGG V6	250 hp (186 kW)	250 lb·ft (339 N·m)
2006–2008	R/T	5.7 L (345 cu in) Hemi EZB V8	340 hp (254 kW)	390 lb·ft (529 N·m)
	R/T with Road/Track Performance Group		350 hp (261 kW)
	Daytona R/T
2009–2010	R/T	5.7 L (345 cu in) Hemi EZD V8	368 hp (274 kW)	395 lb·ft (536 N·m)
	R/T with Road/Track Performance Group		372 hp (277 kW)
2006–2010	SRT-8	6.1 L (370 cu in) Hemi ESF V8	425 hp (317 kW)	420 lb·ft (569 N·m

This is the wikipedia page for the models of the Dodge Charger. Giving my most professional unprofessional advise:

1. You would be better off getting the SRT-8 unless you know how to do it all yourself and have the time and/or have the funds. Doing that kind of job would be trying to make a track car by just removing all the extra junk.

2. If mechanic work actually proves to be cheaper, go with a R/T over a SE or SXT. It's not too much of a torque change but the power output is. You'd need to do some frame support but that wouldn't be too crazy.

 

But you can always add the spoiler too.

[UAZ-469]

Well, not a big surprise.

Alrighty then, then I will get the SXT, order the SRT8-spoiler and let it build on. With black paint, it will just look like the real monstrous deal. And 250 HP will be more than enough power.

THX 11-38 again!

[Clearwater]

I never really knew much about cars to be able to comfortably jump into a car discussion, but I guess I could throw a cent in here and mention the Renault Alpine A111, which I fell in love with thanks to DiRT 3.

 

It's also being brought back for 2017/8, too :

 

 

[Naza Sutera]

On 4/12/2017 at 2:07 PM, UAZ-469 said:

I will just...leave my...little friend here...

Sorry for the bad quality, I don't have a tripod.

Oh, I forget that they used to sell the Dodge Caliber in Europe. Is it cheap to buy but expensive to maintain? Volkswagen for us in America is like that. They have a decent sticker price, but they charge and arm and a leg to keep them maintained.

 

On 4/12/2017 at 5:12 PM, OneUnder said:

Miss Thing, do you for reals have yourself a Crown Vic? Where was I when this happened?

On 4/24/2017 at 1:24 PM, Clearwater said:

I never really knew much about cars to be able to comfortably jump into a car discussion, but I guess I could throw a cent in here and mention the Renault Alpine A111, which I fell in love with thanks to DiRT 3.

 

It's also being brought back for 2017/8, too :

 

 

Even for someone who doesnt know cars like that, you have nice taste.

Enteways...

LOOK WHO GOT A NEW CAR, YA'LL!!!

YASSS BISH YASSSSSSSSSS~~~!

For those of you who don't know, She is a Buick Regal (Opel/Vauxhall Insignia for you europeans). She is serving the boys and girls of the world European excitement and style with an American sticker price (and nunna that premium gasoline bull... No shade, I'm just not trying to pay almost three dollars a gallon to fill Her up). Black exterior on black leather interior, turbo-charged 2-liter engine, and she rides rock steady. I had to get out of the lease of the GMC Terrain, and this car had incentives and whatnot out of the yin yang (because She's a '16 and they were trying to get her out the door).

Did I mention Her turbo-charged 4-banger? I am utterly amazed everytime engineers manage to squeeze so much power out of a small engine. The thing has an output of 260 horses, and she hauls ass quick, fast, and in a hurry. She is especially fun to drive on the Florida Turnpike at 80+ mph. I take no fucking prisoners when I hit the highway. I've never had so much fun zipping past all the slowpokes. She handles very solidly too. I took a curve on one of those trumpet interchanges at 60 mph and She was glued to the asphalt. That being said, the steering is adequately firm and weighty, but not so that you feel like you are driving a tank. And I am very impressed with how easy it is to overtake when merging.

There is the engine bay. Isn't She just a beauty?

And there is the turbo that roid-rages Her 2.0 liter 4-cylinder powerplant upward of 260 horses. Its that doughnut-shaped thing made of forged steel(?) underneath all other stuff.

I am very satisfied with Her interior. She is serving the boys and girls of the world leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel with all kinds of nifty buttons on it, butt warmers, and dual-zone climate control. She also has sat-nav, XM Sattelite Radio, and the full OnStar suite, with the latter two being free for three months. I shouldn't have OnStar; I'm always blowing up their phone, annoying the operators with stupid requests. "Hey, can I have the directions to the McDonald's that is literally down the street? Send it to my sat-nav."

She also has LED tail/braklights, LED DRLs, and high-intensity discharge headlights.

 

Look how my dumb ass parked earlier today. All on the curb.

 

[CrypticQuery]

 

Miss Thing, do you for reals have yourself a Crown Vic? Where was I when this happened?

Yes sir, and it happened right about early July of last year.

My subsequent post with my photos of it broke due to Photobucket deciding it doesn't want to function anymore, but here's a working gallery link.  I love it to death.

---

I've adored those Buick Regals ever since they first came out.  The exterior styling is simply gorgeous, and the interior is surprisingly competent.  While I still yearn for the big barges of Buick's past, I'm glad the brand has some modern offerings like that to keep it alive.  Congrats, and you definitely got it in the best color!

[UAZ-469]

48 minutes ago, Naza Sutera said:

Oh, I forget that they used to sell the Dodge Caliber in Europe. Is it cheap to buy but expensive to maintain? Volkswagen for us in America is like that. They have a decent sticker price, but they charge and arm and a leg to keep them maintained.

You can say so, yes. We got it for around 6.000 Rubees in a very good condition. It's still very rare here, which is kinda surprising for me, because the Dodge Rams breed like rabbits here.

As it's my first car, I can't compare the maintenance costs to other cars (The Mercedes from my parents gets hurt fast), but I guess, one advantage is that the engine is from VW. And the vehicle also surprisingly sturdy, though remind you that it was a second-hand car and thus we had our fair share of visits to the garage. Main problems are the brakes (But we suspect that the garage screwed up because the repaired ones wore down fast), but apart from that, the car is healthy. Too bad my daddy thinks that Dodge is to avoid because of those problems.

Also managed to roast the turbo after nearly reaching 190 kp/h on the autobahn with a full loaded car including my parents.
But that was totally worth it.

[Naza Sutera]

1 hour ago, UAZ-469 said:

You can say so, yes. We got it for around 6.000 Rubees in a very good condition. It's still very rare here, which is kinda surprising for me, because the Dodge Rams breed like rabbits here.

As it's my first car, I can't compare the maintenance costs to other cars (The Mercedes from my parents gets hurt fast), but I guess, one advantage is that the engine is from VW. And the vehicle also surprisingly sturdy, though remind you that it was a second-hand car and thus we had our fair share of visits to the garage. Main problems are the brakes (But we suspect that the garage screwed up because the repaired ones wore down fast), but apart from that, the car is healthy. Too bad my daddy thinks that Dodge is to avoid because of those problems.

Also managed to roast the turbo after nearly reaching 190 kp/h on the autobahn with a full loaded car including my parents.
But that was totally worth it.

Ah the Autobahn. I wish to drive on it one day.

[Dr. Orange]

4 hours ago, Naza Sutera said:

I take no fucking prisoners when I hit the highway.

There's the quote I'mma get tattoo'd on my back or make that a sticker HOLY SHIT IMMA MAKE THAT A STICKER!

 

[InfinitySquared]

Naza, that's one classy af ride. 

[Naza Sutera]

5 hours ago, InfinitySquared said:

Naza, that's one classy af ride. 

Yours is nice too. Can't go wrong with one of the most popular Japanese cars in America and probably the world.