Car Talk 4: The Richard Hertz Rent-A-Car 500

[Johnny_P]

Drove the Cmax to Jersey City and back. Averaged 40 MPG, 90% highway 10% stop/go inner city streets. Not too bad. Car is great for a road trip.

That Ford My Touch system can eat a fucking dick. We tried to type the address in for the hotel we were staying at and it wanted a zip code, put that in, try to type in the street, can't, because it's stuck on PA and can't switch to NJ despite having the NJ zip in there. It took 10 minutes, no shit, and we couldn't figure out what was wrong so whipped out a phone and in 20 seconds had it routing us.

Is this the pre Car/Play system ? the one I had in the stang worked just fine. It just projected my Apple Maps (fk google) on the screen.

Ford Sync. I think the first gen system. No CarPlay. The one that got lambasted for tiny buttons and confusing operation. The complaints were 100% warranted, the system is a piece of shit, nav wise at least. Radio is good, bluetooth works fine, rest is fine, just nav is unusable.

[wap]

Saturn has about 75k miles and we bought it 10 years ago this past December. (they've been a decent diller to us for years, btw. Always straight up, never felt raped, never pushed blinker fluid replacement, etc) has been suggesting a trans flush since 50k miles. Not pushing, just suggesting. The service suggests trans flush at 50k for "extreme driving conditions" which she definitely does not do. Mostly suburban and highway. So I figured at 7Xk it might be time so we did it last month. Did some Valvoline trans service for a couple hundo whatevs. Anyway, she was a couple hours away from home last week and the trans would not engage, car would not accelerate, grinding gear noises, etc. Got it towed to a local Chevy diller near where she was and they confirmed the trans is toast and quoted $2700 for labor to tear into it and see what's what, or $4600 for a rebuild. I quickly called AAA, got our membership upgraded to Premier for $27 and got it towed to our local diller (190 mile tow for free with Premier svs). Diller said Valvoline warrants up to $2k for trans issues after their whatever treatment. Currently waiting for the diller trans specialist to check ti out and get back to us. Then it'll be decision time as to whether we dump doll hairs into a 10 yo worthless car that still runs and drives quite well with just enough tech to keep her happy, or cut our losses and donate it and buy some new mobile for a driver:

It's stories like this that keep alive the old rule of thumb that you're better off never changing atf fluid.

Following up on this.

Valvoline approved the claim so they're eating $2k of the repair, plus we're getting a $200 mail in rebate which brings the repair down to $2k for a factory rebuilt trans with a 3yr 100k warranty. Also, they've given wife a free loaner Bolt for the day while they do the repair. Should hopefully be finished later this afternoon.

(Hopefully) Final follow up.

So we've had the care back since Thursday and the new trans seems to function properly. I drove it home from the diller and made it upshift, downshift, etc. and it felt the same as before, and she's been driving it daily since then, including to Easter at her family's house an hour away, and all seems well.

Deets on the final bill:

It was a 10 hour job and they cut their labor rate by $20/hr to save us $200.
Got an extra day in the Bolt for free because the job wasn't finished until the next day.
Final bill with new fluid fill, 'puter coding, tax, etc, came to something under $2300. The Valvoline rebate, which we submitted on line last night, was $250, which we'll get in the form of a prepaid Visa card to spend as we wish.

So I guess things went about as well as could be expected. It's still a fuck ton of money to spend on a 10 yo car, but it was the least bad option and it gives us some breathing room to buy a new car on our schedule. Currently targeting the end of this year when the nice new 2020 Sonata's come out to snag a on a '19.

Side note, she ended up loving the Bolt She drove it to her folk's house to show them and suggest it as a second car as they're both retired and down to 1 car (also a Saturn Aura of all things). She liked it enough to want to check out a Volt after immediately discounting it as being too small before even sitting in it. So we looked at one at the diller when we picked up her car but she ruled it out for sure because it's strictly a 4 seater (no center seating in the back).

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Following up on this.

Valvoline approved the claim so they're eating $2k of the repair, plus we're getting a $200 mail in rebate which brings the repair down to $2k for a factory rebuilt trans with a 3yr 100k warranty. Also, they've given wife a free loaner Bolt for the day while they do the repair. Should hopefully be finished later this afternoon.

(Hopefully) Final follow up.

So we've had the care back since Thursday and the new trans seems to function properly. I drove it home from the diller and made it upshift, downshift, etc. and it felt the same as before, and she's been driving it daily since then, including to Easter at her family's house an hour away, and all seems well.

Deets on the final bill:

It was a 10 hour job and they cut their labor rate by $20/hr to save us $200.
Got an extra day in the Bolt for free because the job wasn't finished until the next day.
Final bill with new fluid fill, 'puter coding, tax, etc, came to something under $2300. The Valvoline rebate, which we submitted on line last night, was $250, which we'll get in the form of a prepaid Visa card to spend as we wish.

So I guess things went about as well as could be expected. It's still a fuck ton of money to spend on a 10 yo car, but it was the least bad option and it gives us some breathing room to buy a new car on our schedule. Currently targeting the end of this year when the nice new 2020 Sonata's come out to snag a on a '19.

Side note, she ended up loving the Bolt She drove it to her folk's house to show them and suggest it as a second car as they're both retired and down to 1 car (also a Saturn Aura of all things). She liked it enough to want to check out a Volt after immediately discounting it as being too small before even sitting in it. So we looked at one at the diller when we picked up her car but she ruled it out for sure because it's strictly a 4 seater (no center seating in the back).

How often does she take 3 people in the back? That's crowded in any vehicle.

[wap]

(Hopefully) Final follow up.

So we've had the care back since Thursday and the new trans seems to function properly. I drove it home from the diller and made it upshift, downshift, etc. and it felt the same as before, and she's been driving it daily since then, including to Easter at her family's house an hour away, and all seems well.

Deets on the final bill:

It was a 10 hour job and they cut their labor rate by $20/hr to save us $200.
Got an extra day in the Bolt for free because the job wasn't finished until the next day.
Final bill with new fluid fill, 'puter coding, tax, etc, came to something under $2300. The Valvoline rebate, which we submitted on line last night, was $250, which we'll get in the form of a prepaid Visa card to spend as we wish.

So I guess things went about as well as could be expected. It's still a fuck ton of money to spend on a 10 yo car, but it was the least bad option and it gives us some breathing room to buy a new car on our schedule. Currently targeting the end of this year when the nice new 2020 Sonata's come out to snag a on a '19.

Side note, she ended up loving the Bolt She drove it to her folk's house to show them and suggest it as a second car as they're both retired and down to 1 car (also a Saturn Aura of all things). She liked it enough to want to check out a Volt after immediately discounting it as being too small before even sitting in it. So we looked at one at the diller when we picked up her car but she ruled it out for sure because it's strictly a 4 seater (no center seating in the back).

How often does she take 3 people in the back? That's crowded in any vehicle.

Surprisingly frequently apparently. Several coworkers regularly take turns driving each other to lunch or whatever, plus her parents occasionally and it's kind of small for s to crawl back there. Honestly, the Bolt felt bigger in the back, likely because of the higher roof and taller side glass, and the higher seat cushions meant your feet went down like you were sitting in a regular chair, instead of out in front of you, if that makes sense.

[max225]

The Volt in the back seat is pretty small, just like the first gen. Your head is in the rear window.

[wap]

The Volt in the back seat is pretty small, just like the first gen. Your head is in the rear window.

Yup. While a big improvement overall over gen1, gen2 still has some interior space utilization issues. A gen3 would have been pretty great most likely, but we'll never find out.

The said they sell them pretty regularly and were "down to just 3" on the lot.

[wap]

In other news, I was down to a quarter tank of fuel so I gassed up on Friday. Regular was $3.09 and Premium was $3.99. Yes, three point ninetyfuckingnine. A NINTY CENT PREMIUM over donkey peepee.

[max225]

In other news, I was down to a quarter tank of fuel so I gassed up on Friday. Regular was $3.09 and Premium was $3.99. Yes, three point ninetyfuckingnine. A NINTY CENT PREMIUM over donkey peepee.

Wow... I would out of anything that requires that fuel in the midwest

[Irish]

In other news, I was down to a quarter tank of fuel so I gassed up on Friday. Regular was $3.09 and Premium was $3.99. Yes, three point ninetyfuckingnine. A NINTY CENT PREMIUM over donkey peepee.

[wap]

In other news, I was down to a quarter tank of fuel so I gassed up on Friday. Regular was $3.09 and Premium was $3.99. Yes, three point ninetyfuckingnine. A NINTY CENT PREMIUM over donkey peepee.

Wow... I would out of anything that requires that fuel in the midwest

Can't do much about it now, but it'll be a consideration when I probably next year.

Side note, is it still considered ing if you've had the car you're getting rid for 9+ years?

[Irish]

Wow... I would out of anything that requires that fuel in the midwest

Can't do much about it now, but it'll be a consideration when I probably next year.

Side note, is it still considered ing if you've had the car you're getting rid for 9+ years?

Geriatric is still , just slower.......

[wap]

Can't do much about it now, but it'll be a consideration when I probably next year.

Side note, is it still considered ing if you've had the car you're getting rid for 9+ years?

Geriatric is still , just slower.......

[max225]

Wow... I would out of anything that requires that fuel in the midwest

Can't do much about it now, but it'll be a consideration when I probably next year.

Side note, is it still considered ing if you've had the car you're getting rid for 9+ years?

9 years...

[CaleDeRoo]

I've been paying $3.35 for 93 the last couple weeks.

[wap]

Can't do much about it now, but it'll be a consideration when I probably next year.

Side note, is it still considered ing if you've had the car you're getting rid for 9+ years?

9 years...

Didn't think so, lol.

[max225]

9 years...

Didn't think so, lol.

At that rate you can only experience 6 vehicles in your lifetime before you’re likely too old to be driving that’s around 24 months in an average cycle

[wap]

Didn't think so, lol.

At that rate you can only experience 6 vehicles in your lifetime before you’re likely too old to be driving that’s around 24 months in an average cycle

Well, my is only the 4th car I've owned. 6 if you include the 2 cars we bought for the Mrs. since we've been married. Which means we'll be up to 7 or 8 by the end of next year.

[max225]

At that rate you can only experience 6 vehicles in your lifetime before you’re likely too old to be driving that’s around 24 months in an average cycle

Well, my is only the 4th car I've owned. 6 if you include the 2 cars we bought for the Mrs. since we've been married. Which means we'll be up to 7 or 8 by the end of next year.

You’re the resident anti

[Huckleberry]

Didn't think so, lol.

At that rate you can only experience 6 vehicles in your lifetime before you’re likely too old to be driving that’s around 24 months in an average cycle

Only if you own just one car at a time.

[wap]

Well, my is only the 4th car I've owned. 6 if you include the 2 cars we bought for the Mrs. since we've been married. Which means we'll be up to 7 or 8 by the end of next year.

You’re the resident anti

[Johnny_P]

So I was sitting in my car, turning it on and letting it warm up for a second. Neighbor drove by me in a new Forester, and I actually got a little

is wrong with me.

[max225]

So I was sitting in my car, turning it on and letting it warm up for a second. Neighbor drove by me in a new Forester, and I actually got a little

is wrong with me.

I dunno but I hope you go on that trip soon

[ChrisoftheNorth]

So I was sitting in my car, turning it on and letting it warm up for a second. Neighbor drove by me in a new Forester, and I actually got a little

is wrong with me.

Forester?

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Though, I get the feels...

Drove the to work today, and of course there was a light out on my route causing a 20 minute bumper to bumper backup. Car handled it well...as well as a cammed 440whp lightweight flywheel sports car can, but the entire time I missed of the Volt...which is so effortless in that environment. I need to be more diligent about checking traffic before I chose what car to drive in the AM.

[Apex]

Though, I get the feels...

Drove the to work today, and of course there was a light out on my route causing a 20 minute bumper to bumper backup. Car handled it well...as well as a cammed 440whp lightweight flywheel sports car can, but the entire time I missed of the Volt...which is so effortless in that environment. I need to be more diligent about checking traffic before I chose what car to drive in the AM.

Blown Hemi Gladiator would solve all issues.