ICE Vehicles: General topics

[Clix Pix]

My first car was a black car (chosen by my father, it was not anything I ever would have selected for myself), and then many years later, we had a black Honda Accord. Yeah, black cars definitely show the dirt quickly! Ditto for white. My new car, which is a deep grey ("Space Grey" in Apple parlance) so far doesn't seem to show the dirt much, but then again she hasn't really accumulated much since I haven't driven all that extensively. We'll see how she looks after a snowstorm and then the stuff only half-melts into a slushy, muddy mess and I have to go somewhere!

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Our new car, picked up this morning. Weird having a completely human free exchange outside the dealership.

 

[User.168]

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[Clix Pix]

Oooh, she's purty!!!! Another CRV? Isn't it fun having a brand-new vehicle? Even though it has now been a couple of months I still am marveling over the experience of getting into and driving a shiny new car!

 

[SuperMatt]

Saw this in The NY Times. I have had an electric vehicle for 5 years and can confirm it is cheaper over time, by quite a bit.

Electric Cars Are Better for the Planet – and Often Your Budget, Too (Published 2021)

New data published Thursday shows that despite the higher sticker price, electric cars may actually save drivers money in the long-run.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Clix Pix]

When I was in the thinking-about-a-new-car phase I briefly considered the idea of a Prius or other hybrid electric vehicle but it would have to be one which did not require that I plug it into a battery charger at any time since we do not have charging stations here in my parking lot or anywhere near the community, which would obviously be an issue. Finally decided to just stick with a gasoline-powered car once again, since I have driven those since I was sixteen years old, lo these many, many moons ago.

 

[DT]

We are starting to think about the replacement for the family ride, verified the lease docs, and it will be over this may (as expected, May 2018 - May 2021).

We might just "play it safe", and go with another traditional gas, mid/full sized SUV ... in Red (have to keep Pinchy in spirit and color ...), performance-y variant, etc.

 

[User.168]

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[DT]

We are starting to think about the replacement for the family ride, verified the lease docs, and it will be over this may (as expected, May 2018 - May 2021).

We might just "play it safe", and go with another traditional gas, mid/full sized SUV ... in Red (have to keep Pinchy in spirit and color ...), performance-y variant, etc.

... or not.

I dig on my current '19 GT, it's setup fantastic (just the right amount of aftermarket), perfectly optioned (basically __all__).

I'm starting to think about doing something different. Heck, I've got a few aftermarket parts I still haven't installed for several months, so while I do dig on it, I'm not as "into it" as I was.

My car, is sort of my hobby/fun thing, I mean, it's the wife's too, she's always welcome to use it, but she generally doesn't (even with with an A10 this time for ease-of-use). Then we have the "family ride" we keep stock, usually a lease, it's always under warranty/maintenance coverage, so zero worries, and it's the only vehicle we take on any kind of drive that: has larger carrying or towing needs, more than 4 people, more than ~30 minutes (so any trips to Universal, The Keys), bad/inclement weather (including hurricane escape), it's big, safe, roomy, and very capable.

My idea: maybe merge my car with the family car, swap the RT for an SRT, get rid of the GT, and get a less expensive, 2nd car as kind of a "backup", it would sit outside, thinking maybe a Golf GTI. Then I'd have a fun car, that's also the family cruiser, road trip car, tow vehicle, that also stays in the garage (so it stays cooler, warmer, cleaner).






... and maybe buy another boat, hahahaha, TBC ...

 

[DT]

Reached out to my dealer, bought some crack.

Reach out to my __other__ dealer, got him looking for a DD/SRT.

 

[DT]

Scratch that plan, going a different direction

Side note: I've told people that you can sell your leased car, they just want it paid off for the residual amount + outstanding payments. Well, we did a couple of buy offers (through Carvana for example), the DD is coming back $7500 over the buyout/residual So instead of just handing over the keys, it's being sold, we pocket the money, on to the next lease.

 

[DT]

Snazzberry.

 

[DT]

OK, our new ride is sitting in the garage, had it for a few days (as I mentioned the dealership in Orlando was kind enough to drive it the 2 hours to our door)

It's a Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4XE.

This is Jeep's new PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), our is in Snazzberry Pearl (black interior), has most options/packages: safety, advanced safety, tow, body colored hardtop, cold weather (heated everyone and remote start), special LSD type rear axle - the 4XE models come standard with what's normally options, even at the Sahara trim (which is kind of their mid-upper), so the larger uConnect display/system, leather, the LED lighting system, 500+ watt bunch-o-speakers Alpine audio upgrade, etc. The Sahara comes with gloss black 20" wheels, body colored fenders.

As I mentioned in another post, We cross shopped another 3 row, explorer ST, nice with the 21" Perf Pack, quick, gave the Hyundai/Kia twins a review, finally, we decided we don't care about a 3-row/6-7 seaters any longer (why do we really need it, it was always to accommodate someone else ...), have never owned a Jeep myself (Dad had one) we were looking at Grand Cherokees.

However, the wife had a hankering, I sort of did too, the little G is into it, it's new, it's old, it's super cool, it's very "beachy", it's small step towards the future. When Tesla gets their $7K (and certainly if it's $10K), fed tax credit back, I'll very likely get a Model 3 Performance.

Anyway, Wranglers are neat, they're the "real" Jeep, super competent offroad, I mean, this thing can traverse 30" of water!

Now about the PHEV system, it's a hoot, it doesn't have super long range in pure electric mode (20-25 miles), but you can go hybrid where it works both the ICE and EV systems together, or E-save where it runs in ICE only, saves the EV mode, like driving to a trailhead where you want to __quietly_ drive through a forrest. It has a port to charge, with regular 110/5a, it's a LONG duration, with the new 240/32a charger I have arriving today, it's about 50 minutes - plus, it has regenerative braking, so in slowing down the vehicle, it actually charges the EV battery.

The ICE engine is Jeep's very solid 2.0L I4 turbo, that puts out 270HP, and 290 lb/ft of Torque, but ...

With the electric motors doing their thing in combination, this Wrangler is 375HP __and__ 470 lb/ft of Torque. That means, this 5000 lb box can go from 0-60 in 6 seconds or less (some people have been testing and getting 5.8-5.9 seconds).

Also, Wranglers are modular. The hardtop has two front panels that come out (has a nice padded storage bag), so the front seats have an open roof - but the WHOLE roof comes off as well, the vehicle has a full chassis "under" the top so to speak, and it even retains all the lighting, audio, etc.. The carpets all just snap out and there's drain plugs in the floor, you can literally hose it out Even the rear subwoofer is completely water resistant - there are tops that cover just the seating and leave the back open, kind of like a mini pickup truck.

The hardtop is a bit heavy for just a manual lift (not insanely heavy, the newer JL model hardtop is about 100-110 lbs), that's what the winch is for, we'll lift it off in the garage, leave it hanging, and score an easy to remove, emergency rain soft top

On to some pics ...

 

[DT]

A few exterior shots, my GT providing the photo bomb in the background on a couple Love they maintain the iconic grill/headlamps, while updating it, and adding way more sophisticated lighting.

 

[DT]

A few interior shots ... front panels were out, so one is through the open roof 2nd row has a 40-60 split, so the three of us can ride with both the hatch area and some middle area loaded up. In that 3rd photo, you can see over on the driver's lower left, there's the mode control, Hybrid vs. Electric vs. E-Save, also the extra shifter to the left, that's the 4WD control, you can 2WD, 4WD auto or select mode, toss the whole thing in neutral so all the axles free spin, and finally a real 4WD LO mode, for crawling around

 

[DT]

And a couple of close-ups, one of the PHEV plug/badging, and one of the hood, it was a bit dusty already, but you can see the depth and layers on the Snazzberry, it's a multi-stage paint, with a flaked pearl coat, really beautiful.

 

[Clix Pix]

WOW!!!!!! You're going to have such fun driving that thing!

There are a few Jeeps which live in my neighborhood -- two of them right here at my building, the others further down the parking lot belonging to other buildings. I see a fair number of them on the roads around here, too, so I daresay they're pretty popular, even in this very congested suburban area.

 

[Edd]

OK, our new ride is sitting in the garage, had it for a few days (as I mentioned the dealership in Orlando was kind enough to drive it the 2 hours to our door)

It's a Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4XE.

This is Jeep's new PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), our is in Snazzberry Pearl (black interior), has most options/packages: safety, advanced safety, tow, body colored hardtop, cold weather (heated everyone and remote start), special LSD type rear axle - the 4XE models come standard with what's normally options, even at the Sahara trim (which is kind of their mid-upper), so the larger uConnect display/system, leather, the LED lighting system, 500+ watt bunch-o-speakers Alpine audio upgrade, etc. The Sahara comes with gloss black 20" wheels, body colored fenders.

As I mentioned in another post, We cross shopped another 3 row, explorer ST, nice with the 21" Perf Pack, quick, gave the Hyundai/Kia twins a review, finally, we decided we don't care about a 3-row/6-7 seaters any longer (why do we really need it, it was always to accommodate someone else ...), have never owned a Jeep myself (Dad had one) we were looking at Grand Cherokees.

However, the wife had a hankering, I sort of did too, the little G is into it, it's new, it's old, it's super cool, it's very "beachy", it's small step towards the future. When Tesla gets their $7K (and certainly if it's $10K), fed tax credit back, I'll very likely get a Model 3 Performance.

Anyway, Wranglers are neat, they're the "real" Jeep, super competent offroad, I mean, this thing can traverse 30" of water!

Now about the PHEV system, it's a hoot, it doesn't have super long range in pure electric mode (20-25 miles), but you can go hybrid where it works both the ICE and EV systems together, or E-save where it runs in ICE only, saves the EV mode, like driving to a trailhead where you want to __quietly_ drive through a forrest. It has a port to charge, with regular 110/5a, it's a LONG duration, with the new 240/32a charger I have arriving today, it's about 50 minutes - plus, it has regenerative braking, so in slowing down the vehicle, it actually charges the EV battery.

The ICE engine is Jeep's very solid 2.0L I4 turbo, that puts out 270HP, and 290 lb/ft of Torque, but ...

With the electric motors doing their thing in combination, this Wrangler is 375HP __and__ 470 lb/ft of Torque. That means, this 5000 lb box can go from 0-60 in 6 seconds or less (some people have been testing and getting 5.8-5.9 seconds).

Also, Wranglers are modular. The hardtop has two front panels that come out (has a nice padded storage bag), so the front seats have an open roof - but the WHOLE roof comes off as well, the vehicle has a full chassis "under" the top so to speak, and it even retains all the lighting, audio, etc.. The carpets all just snap out and there's drain plugs in the floor, you can literally hose it out Even the rear subwoofer is completely water resistant - there are tops that cover just the seating and leave the back open, kind of like a mini pickup truck.

The hardtop is a bit heavy for just a manual lift (not insanely heavy, the newer JL model hardtop is about 100-110 lbs), that's what the winch is for, we'll lift it off in the garage, leave it hanging, and score an easy to remove, emergency rain soft top

On to some pics ...

Congrats, that’s an insane ride.

 

[Huntn]

My 2012 Fiat 500:

not my image​

...with 50k miles on it developed 2 oil leaks, one at the forward engine seal and another in the vicinity of the oil pump. Is that common, or is this a case of Fix It Again Tony? Fortunately I purchased a lifetime maintenance warranty though MOPAR at the time of purchase ($3k).

This car waited for 3 weeks to get parts. Now the interesting part, although warranty company approved the repair, in the process of disassembling the engine, they came across a bolt that has seized (I think it is in the vicinity of the camshaft) and they were worried that they would break a sprocket (?) and when they asked MOPAR, MOPAR would not cover this because “the bolt as is was not broken”. What the hell?

I would describe a seized bolt as defective and if it hinders a repair, the expense of replacing it should be covered IMO.

Now the estimate cost of this bolt if broken is $50, which obviously in the big picture, is a drop in the bucket, but MOPAR nor the dealer would cover this expense, and they expect me the customer to pay for this? From my perspective this is not about cost but principle, and it’s absolutely chicken shit that they are refusing to cover it.

MOPAR has a dispute board where I will file a complaint, and I will check with my lawyer, but $50 is not worth a lawsuit.

Thoughts?

 

[Edd]

Utter bullshit is my thought. Agreed it’s a drop in the bucket but I’d put up a little resistance after dropping 3K on a warranty. Not worth going to war over but Jesus.