Car Enthusiast Club [Now Motorcycle friendly!] - First thread to 150k! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[vetali]

14 hours ago, Bitter said:

So our list of cars to test drive

Corolla Cross Hybrid

HRV

CX-30

CX-5

Any other suggestions?

23+ HRV? If older, skip. Save you the inevitable CVT failure.

[Bitter]

9 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

You see, I’m too nice. I try to explain things to people in a friendly manner when it’s clear they don’t know something. Lol

 

maybe would of opened with a laugh and a “who told you that?” And went from there 

Oh no, she was being a bitch to be a bitch because she's a bitch. Bitched that we ran a code scan on her car that came in for 'axellry battery' because 'that's not what I came for' Uh lady you said nothing about the engine light on and engine misfire but OK I had to pull codes to see which code it set for the aux battery so I know what to check. Then she changed her tune again "well I told you to look at the engine light" Uh no you didn't. Then just showed up unannounced and said "I'm just gonna come pick it up and take it where someone can fix all my things" Ok let me put it back together, which is when the HIPPA snide ass comment came out, then after it's together and parked outside changes her mind AGAIN "Ok well I guess I'mma have you fix everything" to which our front counter had to explain "You have a 15year old Mercedes with an engine misfire, a bad aux battery, and 140 codes in it. One visit is NOT going to fix everything and one diagnostic charge is not going to diagnose everything. We're going to look into the misfire first because that will damage more things" I'm confident she heard nothing that anyone said and is going to be an absolute cunt.

[Bitter]

8 hours ago, vetali said:

23+ HRV? If older, skip. Save you the inevitable CVT failure.

I asked her if she would consider low miles used like a year or two old and she said no, she wants new, 'used cars are scary because you don't know how they took care of it' which is a nice way of saying 'I've only ever had new cars and I will only ever have new cars' but also probably her awkward way of saying that she wants me to take good care of the car so it lasts a long time.

[bcredeur97]

Nice view over here. Running a bit later than I’d like though lol

 

no I haven’t washed my car xD

[bcredeur97]

OK I do not recommend driving through the black hills at night when it’s below freezing 

 

we good but that made me nervous lol

[Computernaut]

Any recommendations for engine code scanners? I'm looking to get one since I work with and around a fair number of older and/or more rundown vehicles.

Thanks in advance.

[vetali]

13 hours ago, Bitter said:

I asked her if she would consider low miles used like a year or two old and she said no, she wants new, 'used cars are scary because you don't know how they took care of it' which is a nice way of saying 'I've only ever had new cars and I will only ever have new cars' but also probably her awkward way of saying that she wants me to take good care of the car so it lasts a long time.

I wouldn't bother with current or previous gen. I have 4 transmission cores from HR-Vs waiting to go back. Current gen just doesn't make anything for power.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, vetali said:

I wouldn't bother with current or previous gen. I have 4 transmission cores from HR-Vs waiting to go back. Current gen just doesn't make anything for power.

Yeah I'm trying to explain things like this to her but it doesn't mean anything unless she drives the car. She liked the CX-30 she drove. She didn't like the Rav4. Both Toyota dealers didn't have a Corolla Cross at all, seems like they just fly off the lot.

[vetali]

48 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Yeah I'm trying to explain things like this to her but it doesn't mean anything unless she drives the car. She liked the CX-30 she drove. She didn't like the Rav4. Both Toyota dealers didn't have a Corolla Cross at all, seems like they just fly off the lot.

I'd look at CX-5s, or even the new CR-V. I really like the new CR-V especially in the hybrid model. Drives nice and quiet.

[Beerzerker]

17 hours ago, Bitter said:

Oh no, she was being a bitch to be a bitch because she's a bitch. Bitched that we ran a code scan on her car that came in for 'axellry battery' because 'that's not what I came for' Uh lady you said nothing about the engine light on and engine misfire but OK I had to pull codes to see which code it set for the aux battery so I know what to check. Then she changed her tune again "well I told you to look at the engine light" Uh no you didn't. Then just showed up unannounced and said "I'm just gonna come pick it up and take it where someone can fix all my things" Ok let me put it back together, which is when the HIPPA snide ass comment came out, then after it's together and parked outside changes her mind AGAIN "Ok well I guess I'mma have you fix everything" to which our front counter had to explain "You have a 15year old Mercedes with an engine misfire, a bad aux battery, and 140 codes in it. One visit is NOT going to fix everything and one diagnostic charge is not going to diagnose everything. We're going to look into the misfire first because that will damage more things" I'm confident she heard nothing that anyone said and is going to be an absolute cunt.

She probrably showed up at your place AFTER being ran off from other places.

I can already tell she needs to get her ass back in the road and stay there - She will find a reason to complain about something (Everything!) and it could go way worse from there.
I get that you want to take care of everyone that comes in but sometimes showing them the door is the best thing to do.
Some customers just aren't worth it.

I know what I would have done after all that - Declined further work on it and let her take it elsewhere making the headache (Her) someone else's problem if they want to deal with it.
My old boss probrably would have done exactly that in no uncertain terms or words about it on the spot.

[Bitter]

6 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

She probrably showed up at your place AFTER being ran off from other places.

I can already tell she needs to get her ass back in the road and stay there - She will find a reason to complain about something (Everything!) and it could go way worse from there.
I get that you want to take care of everyone that comes in but sometimes showing them the door is the best thing to do.
Some customers just aren't worth it.

I know what I would have done after all that - Declined further work on it and let her take it elsewhere making the headache (Her) someone else's problem if they want to deal with it.
My old boss probrably would have done exactly that in no uncertain terms or words about it on the spot.

Front end wanted to do exactly that, I agreed, boss wants the work but after talking to the husband more I think he's starting to lean our way too. Husband is a dick too because we're not telling him what he wants to hear. Someone rounded a 12pt spark plug off in his sons 2012 S550 and ripped up a plug boot causing a misfire that has been driven on for how long we don't know.

[Bitter]

7 hours ago, vetali said:

I'd look at CX-5s, or even the new CR-V. I really like the new CR-V especially in the hybrid model. Drives nice and quiet.

She said the CX-5 felt too big just sitting in it. Bear in mind she's 5'2", it's not that she wants a tiny car she just is uncomfortable in anything bigger feeling than her Escape. Her mom's Ford Edge feels too big when she drives it. I want to track down a CC Hybrid for her to try out. Heck maybe that new Prius, it's pretty lively and being a plug-in would save her on some gas money since she works all the way in the city. Her Escape could barely crest 27MPG mixed but mostly highway, I could barely crack 30mpg pure highway after 4 hours of driving 60-65 behind semi trucks on flat roads.

[bcredeur97]

2 hours ago, Bitter said:

She said the CX-5 felt too big just sitting in it. Bear in mind she's 5'2", it's not that she wants a tiny car she just is uncomfortable in anything bigger feeling than her Escape. Her mom's Ford Edge feels too big when she drives it. I want to track down a CC Hybrid for her to try out. Heck maybe that new Prius, it's pretty lively and being a plug-in would save her on some gas money since she works all the way in the city. Her Escape could barely crest 27MPG mixed but mostly highway, I could barely crack 30mpg pure highway after 4 hours of driving 60-65 behind semi trucks on flat roads.

My problem with the CX-30 is the rear seat room is really tiny. CX-5 is perfect size IMO 

 

I think she should try a CR-V like @vetali said, because they may “feel” a bit smaller but do have a bit more usable room 

 

unless she just entirely doesn’t care about rear seat passengers, then w/e lol

 

tell her to think about the resale value too. Something with rear seat room is perfect for the mom with 2 kids who needs a car

[bcredeur97]

[Bitter]

7 hours ago, Bitter said:

Front end wanted to do exactly that, I agreed, boss wants the work but after talking to the husband more I think he's starting to lean our way too. Husband is a dick too because we're not telling him what he wants to hear. Someone rounded a 12pt spark plug off in his sons 2012 S550 and ripped up a plug boot causing a misfire that has been driven on for how long we don't know.

We're sending them to the dealership, husband INSISTS that Mercedes has a special tool to remove his completely rounded 12pt spark plug and that it'll come right out no problem "they won't make a part if they can't take it out" ok byyyyeeeeee. Talked to him for 20 minutes and he didn't hear a single thing we said to him. Kept interrupting, interjecting, telling us how he knew better than us, the dealer this the dealer that. K. Good luck. Don't let our door hit your ass on the way out.

[Bitter]

4 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

My problem with the CX-30 is the rear seat room is really tiny. CX-5 is perfect size IMO 

 

I think she should try a CR-V like @vetali said, because they may “feel” a bit smaller but do have a bit more usable room 

 

unless she just entirely doesn’t care about rear seat passengers, then w/e lol

 

tell her to think about the resale value too. Something with rear seat room is perfect for the mom with 2 kids who needs a car

It's just me, her, and the dogs. We don't people and our parents are short small people or can sit up front with her in the back. Rear seat room isn't even on our radar lol neither is resale really. She wants a 100,000+ mile car that won't break 2 years after it's paid off.

[-rascal-]

44 minutes ago, Bitter said:

It's just me, her, and the dogs. We don't people and our parents are short small people or can sit up front with her in the back. Rear seat room isn't even on our radar lol neither is resale really. She wants a 100,000+ mile car that won't break 2 years after it's paid off.

 

Not a fan of the torsion beam rear suspension on the CX-30 - pets/people seated in the rear will complain.

I'd suggest the Mazda3 AWD Sport (Hatchback) over a CX-30.

You don't *need* the 2.5T engine option, the non-tubo 2.5 is peppy enough.

 

+1 on considering hybrids variants if you just need something to commute / put around town, etc.

 

Depending on the budget, Lexus UX 250h?

(It's gone UP in price since the UX's 2019 debut)

 

11th gen Honda Civic Hatchback?

It is A LOT more cubic footage and rear space + trunk space, at the level of compact crossovers.

Certain regions already have the Hybrid version, but coming to North America as 2025 model year.

 

[711jrp]

22 hours ago, Computernaut said:

Any recommendations for engine code scanners? I'm looking to get one since I work with and around a fair number of older and/or more rundown vehicles.

Thanks in advance.

Old snap-on ones like the solas pro can be had for like no money, they're ok on older stuff 

[vetali]

4 hours ago, Bitter said:

It's just me, her, and the dogs. We don't people and our parents are short small people or can sit up front with her in the back. Rear seat room isn't even on our radar lol neither is resale really. She wants a 100,000+ mile car that won't break 2 years after it's paid off.

Civic hatch seems nice unless you plan on having kids...

 

In that case, may I introduce you to my lord and savior: VTEC?

 

 

[atxcyclist]

Just a general car grievance as I think this is a good place to pose this question: Why are all the inexpensive small cars going away in the United States? There are no longer any objectively small cars here, it's actually really stupid to me. Many people (myself included), don't need or want some bloated SUV to commute to work or buy groceries, so why is this segment almost completely gone? I guess I missed it, but the Fiat 500 is gone, the Honda Fit is gone, the Toyota Yaris is gone, and basically anything else in that class has just vanished. I realize EPA mileage requirements are a thing, and there is a curve that makes small cars more difficult to get into the required range, but some people actually just don't want a larger car; Even something like a Corolla or Civic is quite large these days, compared to a three-door hatch from the early 2000's. We're going backwards, smaller vehicles take up less space to park and in lines of traffic, we should be moving to smaller vehicles for city commuting/living.

[bcredeur97]

14 minutes ago, atxcyclist said:

Just a general car grievance as I think this is a good place to pose this question: Why are all the inexpensive small cars going away in the United States? There are no longer any objectively small cars here, it's actually really stupid to me. Many people (myself included), don't need or want some bloated SUV to commute to work or buy groceries, so why is this segment almost completely gone? I guess I missed it, but the Fiat 500 is gone, the Honda Fit is gone, the Toyota Yaris is gone, and basically anything else in that class has just vanished. I realize EPA mileage requirements are a thing, and there is a curve that makes small cars more difficult to get into the required range, but some people actually just don't want a larger car; Even something like a Corolla or Civic is quite large these days, compared to a three-door hatch from the early 2000's. We're going backwards, smaller vehicles take up less space to park and in lines of traffic, we should be moving to smaller vehicles for city commuting/living.

Because your government hates you (well part of it) 

 

also expensive tastes and what actually sells is what wins 

[vetali]

That and driving those cars around brodozed out trucks and soccer moms in full ambien detox rage mode driving suburbans is sketchy. Even my S10 I don't like being around those rigs.

[AlwaysFSX]

18 minutes ago, vetali said:

That and driving those cars around brodozed out trucks and soccer moms in full ambien detox rage mode driving suburbans is sketchy. Even my S10 I don't like being around those rigs.

Mercedes GLC, dumb fucking vehicle lmfao

[atxcyclist]

1 hour ago, vetali said:

That and driving those cars around brodozed out trucks and soccer moms in full ambien detox rage mode driving suburbans is sketchy. Even my S10 I don't like being around those rigs.

I ride a motorcycle most days, we have plenty of brodozers and etc. here in Texas but I don't want to drive one. I am hanging-on to a nearly twenty-year-old small hatchback and some day I will probably have to replace it, but there's just not anything new on the market I'd truly want for basic vehicle duty.

[Bitter]

7 hours ago, -rascal- said:

 

Not a fan of the torsion beam rear suspension on the CX-30 - pets/people seated in the rear will complain.

I'd suggest the Mazda3 AWD Sport (Hatchback) over a CX-30.

You don't *need* the 2.5T engine option, the non-tubo 2.5 is peppy enough.

 

+1 on considering hybrids variants if you just need something to commute / put around town, etc.

 

Depending on the budget, Lexus UX 250h?

(It's gone UP in price since the UX's 2019 debut)

 

11th gen Honda Civic Hatchback?

It is A LOT more cubic footage and rear space + trunk space, at the level of compact crossovers.

Certain regions already have the Hybrid version, but coming to North America as 2025 model year.

 

 

3 hours ago, vetali said:

Civic hatch seems nice unless you plan on having kids...

 

In that case, may I introduce you to my lord and savior: VTEC?

 

 

She liked the Corolla Cross Hybrid we test drove but would like one in the XSE trim which is tough to track down but would be comparable to her Titanium trim that the Ford Escape had. For the price difference between the SE and XSE and how much nicer the interior is it's 100% worth it especially since she wants to hang onto the car for a while. Hybrid because I heard the standard is dog shit slow and annoying to wind the engine out hard all the time, not much torque down low and not much top end either compounded by the ECVT. The Hybrid felt nimble to go from a stop and cornering felt good when she was driving. She likes the interior layout and felt comfortable driving it, she sort of just got in and went for it which is not how she normally drives a car that's new to her. I think it's what she's going to end up going with over the CX-30.

She wouldn't dislike going back to a car from the small SUV but she finds the extra space handy to have and because she's so short she likes being up a little higher now that she's used to it. Front seat room in the Corolla Cross (terrible name btw) felt better and less cramped than her 2016 Escape, cargo space and rear seat looked about the same, head room felt a little taller to me overall.