Automobiles.

[LenexatoKCMO]

lenexa - i've heard the same thing about Baron.  i guess they feel they can do that since they have the largest selection and are in a more affluent part of town (or at least it's near two affluent parts of town, plaza/mission hills/nejoco and sojoco).  if they give me a hard time i'll go check out northtowne. 

As I said thats the reputation - but I found them extremely willing to deal and their service department as been really profesional and efficient to deal with - that and the convenience has led me to keep going back despite the somewhat inflated service charge.  Plus they give you free loaners and a latte when you go in for service. 

[Beermo]

As I said thats the reputation - but I found them extremely willing to deal and their service department as been really profesional and efficient to deal with - that and the convenience has led me to keep going back despite the somewhat inflated service charge.  Plus they give you free loaners and a latte when you go in for service. 

for small stuff you should learn and do the maintenance yourself. change your own oil, your brakes, plugs and such. for big stuff that require special tools or major work. try to find someone other than a stealer. join yahoo groups that are specific to your vehicle. you can buy those special tools and do it yourself.

i am always amazed at folks who drive vehicles and don't know shit except how to put gas in it. working on your own shit is fun and gives you experience on how the thing works. diy as much as you can.

i changed my oil tonite, because my dic said it was time. i did it in 15 minutes. drained oil, put in new filter added 6.5 quarts. no problem.

[mean]

I agree, although since I bought a brand new car with an oil change plan it has been unnecessary for me to do much manual maintenance. But I always had fun working on my older cars, changing the oil and seeing how they worked, learning how to change spark plugs and exactly what an exhaust manifold was and why I needed it. Of course there is some risk there. I popped the cylinder head off my 240SX back in the day to change out a crumbling head gasket and accidentally knocked a piece of rubber into the block. Ran fine afterwards, but I was a bit worried.

[Tosspot]

I used to to work on my old 95 Ford Contour (may she rest in peace). Every few thousand miles I would disassemble the air intake and spray that stuff into get the crap out of the engine. It had noticeably more power after doing that, until I managed to gum up the oxygen sensor, which I ultimately had to replace.

I also installed the mud flaps myself. I had way more ambition back in my early twenties to work on my car. Not so much these days.

I'm 27, and have had three cars. A 1985 Toyota Tercel (probably still on the road somewhere), a 1995 Ford Contour (mechanic told me to give up on her in 2005) and a 2005 Ford Focus. All manual transmissions - I don't plan on ever owning an automatic.

[Highlander]

for small stuff you should learn and do the maintenance yourself. change your own oil, your brakes, plugs and such. for big stuff that require special tools or major work. try to find someone other than a stealer. join yahoo groups that are specific to your vehicle. you can buy those special tools and do it yourself.

i am always amazed at folks who drive vehicles and don't know shit except how to put gas in it. working on your own shit is fun and gives you experience on how the thing works. diy as much as you can.

i changed my oil tonite, because my dic said it was time. i did it in 15 minutes. drained oil, put in new filter added 6.5 quarts. no problem.

I rarely do any of this stuff myself anymore.  When I get back to the states, I'll probably start changing my own oil again but that is about it.  I remember having to change my front brake pads during a 30" snowstorm when I lived in Denver.  I also remember having to change my starter on an old Ford about every month because of a notch in the flywheel that was destroying the starter drive.  When I finally changed the flywheel (which is a major undertaking), I swore to myself I would go to college and have a career that would allow me to never ever have to do major car repair work again. 

[chrizow]

yeah i'm pretty comfortable with not knowing how to do anything on my car.  i derive zero satisfaction from working on mechanical things.

[BVC]

thoughts on the 2008 Jetta? 

I bought a last generation Jetta GLS 1.8T and other than one problem it has been great.  Ride, drive, fuel economy, etc.  I still have it and now well over 100,000 miles and still get 32 mpg hwy and 26-29 mpg in mixed driving.  I much prefer the styling of the model I own.

[chrizow]

after looking at the Jettas (and GTI ) at Baron, i think i might just pay 100-150 more a month and get something that really kicks ass.  what unamerican vehicles do you all like in the 30-36k range? 

[BurningMustard]

after looking at the Jettas (and GTI ) at Baron, i think i might just pay 100-150 more a month and get something that really kicks ass.  what unamerican vehicles do you all like in the 30-36k range? 

Love my A4.  New one coming out for '09.

[chrizow]

Love my A4.  New one coming out for '09.

interesting...meaning i might be able to really deal on an 08!

[LenexatoKCMO]

after looking at the Jettas (and GTI ) at Baron, i think i might just pay 100-150 more a month and get something that really kicks ass.  what unamerican vehicles do you all like in the 30-36k range? 

You are starting to get into 3-series money now - thus there really isn't a question to be asked. 

I take it that perhaps you have moved on from the CoA?

[mean]

after looking at the Jettas (and GTI ) at Baron, i think i might just pay 100-150 more a month and get something that really kicks ass.  what unamerican vehicles do you all like in the 30-36k range? 

You are starting to get into 3-series money now - thus there really isn't a question to be asked. 

Dude, I would forgo the 3-series, as the 1-series will finally be coming to USA market in the spring. They will apparently be totally awesome. I may very well pick one up myself. The 135i should start around $30k and will have the ever-popular twin turbo BMW I-6, good for 300hp. The 128i will be about $5000 less with the NA 6 good for about 230hp. Either would be a spanking ride, but the 135i just looks soooo hot. I drool.



http://www.motortrend.com/future/future ... w_1_series

[LenexatoKCMO]

Dude, I would forgo the 3-series. BMW 1-series will be out in the spring. They will apparently be totally awesome. I may very well pick one up myself. The 135i should start around $30k and will have the ever-popular twin turbo BMW I-6, good for 300hp. The 128i will be about $5000 less with the NA 6 good for about 250hp. Either would be a spanking ride, but the 135i just looks soooo hot. I drool.

I am just pissed at BMW for refusing to give us yanks the original hatchback version of the 1 and instead foisting a trunk on us.  I am a very loyal hatch/wagon guy. 

[mean]

Yeah, as a musician who often carts gear around I do like me some hatch action. But damn that 135i is hot!

[chrizow]

i like wagons as well.  do they even make 3-series wagons anymore?  the Audi A4 wagon seems choice, but once you get anything on it it's pushing 40K. 

[BurningMustard]

i like wagons as well.  do they even make 3-series wagons anymore?  the Audi A4 wagon seems choice, but once you get anything on it it's pushing 40K. 

Yeah, they still make 3 series wagons.  There is also the A3 hatch you could consider.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Of course there is always the uber-wagon - The E63 AMG.  Of course the budget will need to head north a bit for that, but you really need 507 hp to get all of those groceries home these days. 

[chrizow]

tangent: what is it about wagons that i/we like so much?  my father (a former owner of three 1970s vettes and all around Duder) cannot understand whatsoever what the appeal is, and i can't really explain it to him.  there is some measure of practicality to it i guess, but i think for me it is some sort of unconscious "granola, but classy" appeal or something, as lame as that sounds. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

tangent: what is it about wagons that i/we like so much?  my father (a former owner of three 1970s vettes and all around Duder) cannot understand whatsoever what the appeal is, and i can't really explain it to him.  there is some measure of practicality to it i guess, but i think for me it is some sort of unconscious "granola, but classy" appeal or something, as lame as that sounds. 

To me it is the convenience of the SUV-like hauling capability minus the shitty milage, excessive heft, wasted off road equipment, and extra couple grand of sticker shock. 

[chrizow]

can you really haul that much shit in a 3-series wagon?