Incident in Seattle this morning - self assessment, 2 observations

[Mikej]

Bimmer == BMW car

Beemer == BMW motorcycle

FWIW - I don't judge people by the vehicles they drive/own. I've driven/owned everything from a smoking rattle trap with bald tires I got from the recycle pile of a tire store and mounted by hand, to my nice BMW X1. Two out of three of my vehicles are not really road worthy either (or barely).

I just go by my own experience on the road. Seems like the most likely to be a dick is someone in a BWM automobile. Older, maybe bought well used up at some shyster used car lot with 180,000 miles. In other words, thinks they'll have standing now that they drive a "Bimmer"

 

[Flopsweat]

Bimmer == BMW car

Beemer == BMW motorcycle

FWIW - I don't judge people by the vehicles they drive/own. I've driven/owned everything from a smoking rattle trap with bald tires I got from the recycle pile of a tire store and mounted by hand, to my nice BMW X1. Two out of three of my vehicles are not really road worthy either (or barely).

Beemer bumper (fender) sticker:

My other bike is your mom.

 

[Mikej]

And for the record, I don't look down on what people drive if it's licensed, obeys traffic laws, and has some kind of semi decent muffler on it.

 

[Flopsweat]

And for the record, I don't look down on what people drive if it's licensed, obeys traffic laws, and has some kind of semi decent muffler on it.

Obeys the what, now?

 

[WillametteWill]

At least it's not a Beemer.

Do you know the difference between a BMW and a porcupine? With a porcupine the pricks are on the outside.


JK...usually.

 

[Mikej]

Do you know the difference between a BMW and a porcupine? With a porcupine the pricks are on the outside.


JK...usually.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

 

[gmerkt]

Quite a few GM and Ford vehicles made since around 2014 have the Start-Stop feature. Which I wouldn't care to have. Every once in a while, when I arrive at a notoriously long traffic signal right at the beginning of the cycle, I may turn my engine off. But that is rare. I've read that cars having the Start-Stop feature engage the starter five to ten times as often as a "normal" car without it. It's bound to wear out starters faster.

Quoting myself. The other day, my no. 1 daughter was visiting, she mentioned that she was taking her 2016 Jeep Cherokee in for service at the dealer. I asked her what was wrong with it. She said something about the heater, and (wait for it): The auto stop-stop feature didn't work. I asked her why she would want that feature to work and she said because the warning light on the dash kept coming on.

 

[Bobbygun]

Quoting myself. The other day, my no. 1 daughter was visiting, she mentioned that she was taking her 2016 Jeep Cherokee in for service at the dealer. I asked her what was wrong with it. She said something about the heater, and (wait for it): The auto stop-stop feature didn't work. I asked her why she would want that feature to work and she said because the warning light on the dash kept coming on.

And like a good father, you promptly went out and placed a piece of tape over the warning light. Am I right?

 

[gmerkt]

And like a good father, you promptly went out and placed a piece of tape over the warning light. Am I right?

I didn't realize you knew me so well.

Actually, in this case I didn't. The car was going to the dealer anyway, if she wants it a certain way, who am I to decide for her. I did say in my opinion it was an undesirable feature.

However, in the case of Mrs. Merkt's Hyundai and the low tire inflation warning light, that one did get a strip of black friction tape over it. I check tire air pressure myself anyway. The batteries in those little transmitters inside the tires are good for 10 years. Sure as shootin, at ten years, the dash warning light came on and stayed on. Because if even one of the transmitters isn't working, it activates the warning light.

There is more to this story. The tire shop wants $60 EACH to replace those sensors inside the tires. You can get them for less online. BUT: If you have the tire store install your own sensors, they won't guarantee them to work. And I'm not breaking down tires myself to change them. I am capable of doing it, but I choose not to rassle around with tires on rims. The car will need new tires soon anyway, and that would be the time to change them. The $60 thing rankles me, I'm not gonna do it.

Final note: I recently took the Hyundai up to the dealer for the reprogramming recall to make the car more difficult to steal. When I got it back, the mechanic had peeled back my black friction tape! The nerve. The car wasn't in for anything to do with that system.

 

[eustace_stelio]

I didn't realize you knew me so well.

Actually, in this case I didn't. The car was going to the dealer anyway, if she wants it a certain way, who am I to decide for her. I did say in my opinion it was an undesirable feature.

However, in the case of Mrs. Merkt's Hyundai and the low tire inflation warning light, that one did get a strip of black friction tape over it. I check tire air pressure myself anyway. The batteries in those little transmitters inside the tires are good for 10 years. Sure as shootin, at ten years, the dash warning light came on and stayed on. Because if even one of the transmitters isn't working, it activates the warning light.

There is more to this story. The tire shop wants $60 EACH to replace those sensors inside the tires. You can get them for less online. BUT: If you have the tire store install your own sensors, they won't guarantee them to work. And I'm not breaking down tires myself to change them. I am capable of doing it, but I choose not to rassle around with tires on rims. The car will need new tires soon anyway, and that would be the time to change them. The $60 thing rankles me, I'm not gonna do it.

Final note: I recently took the Hyundai up to the dealer for the reprogramming recall to make the car more difficult to steal. When I got it back, the mechanic had peeled back my black friction tape! The nerve. The car wasn't in for anything to do with that system.

I think the shop has some sort of legal obligation to remove that tape covering a warning light. I could be wrong but I think it's considered a safety issue.

 

[johnny bob]

The batteries in those little transmitters inside the tires are good for 10 years. Sure as shootin, at ten years, the dash warning light came on and stayed on. Because if even one of the transmitters isn't working, it activates the warning light.

Before the 10 years were up the dash light indicated low pressure in a tire. I checked all 4 road tires and they were at spec. Little did I know the 2006 Toyota Tacoma had an indicator in the steel spare wheel also. Sometime after the 10 years it again indicated a low pressure however inflating all 5 tires to spec the dash light was still on. I now just ignore the light.

 

[Bobbygun]

Before the 10 years were up the dash light indicated low pressure in a tire. I checked all 4 road tires and they were at spec. Little did I know the 2006 Toyota Tacoma had an indicator in the steel spare wheel also. Sometime after the 10 years it again indicated a low pressure however inflating all 5 tires to spec the dash light was still on. I now just ignore the light.

I wish I hadn't smarted off on @gmerkt 's comment. It didn't take long for karma to catch up with me. No kidding, my wife called from Springfield while grocery shopping today to let me know the TPMS light was lit up on her 2015 RAV4. She said she went to Les Schwab and they checked and filled the tires. She drove around a bit and the light came back on. Now I'm wondering if they checked the spare. I checked it when she got the RAV4 about four months ago, so it should be fine.

Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I'll have my black electrical tape ready when she gets home.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I wish I hadn't smarted off on @gmerkt 's comment. It didn't take long for karma to catch up with me. No kidding, my wife called from Springfield while grocery shopping today to let me know the TPMS light was lit up on her 2015 RAV4. She said she went to Les Schwab and they checked and filled the tires. She drove around a bit and the light came back on. Now I'm wondering if they checked the spare. I checked it when she got the RAV4 about four months ago, so it should be fine.

Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I'll have my black electrical tape ready when she gets home.

The Rav4 wants to be a Subaru crosstrek when it grows up.
You should go test drive one.

 

[Tony617]

The want almost $800 to replace my TPMS to replace all four. My Impreza was.the first car to have these. I had all 4 replaced years ago but I said no thank you. I don't need tire sensor pressure monitors anymore. I can buy a set 4 new tires for that price.

 

[Bobbygun]

The Rav4 wants to be a Subaru crosstrek when it grows up.
You should go test drive one.

I drive an old Forester. I like the looks of the Crosstrek, but it just seemed a little small when I got close to one. My wife was talking a lot about getting a Crosstrek when our Accord was getting too many miles on it. But then my MIL gave her RAV4 to my wife when she got too old to drive. So, we didn't' really choose it, but my wife loves it. My mom has a RAV4 as well and she likes it. I like the RAV just so-so. I find I can't see out of it as well as the Forester. Reminds me a little of driving my Dodge pickup with the canopy on it. My son was considering the Crosstrek, but he got a screaming deal on a Chevy Trax so he bought that instead. The Trax is a little small for my liking as well. A set of golf clubs won't fit across the back hatch. For what he paid though, he can make it work.

The old Forester has over 200K on it, so I always keep my eyes open for a deal on one with less than 120K. Certain years are better than others too. It's my primary "local" hunting rig. If I'm going to the east side of the state or need to haul a lot of camping gear, I take the Dodge Ram 1500. It's a 1998 that only has 152K on it, largely because I use the Forester a lot.

 

[Bobbygun]

The want almost $800 to replace my TPMS to replace all four. My Impreza was.the first car to have these. I had all 4 replaced years ago but I said no thank you. I don't need tire sensor pressure monitors anymore. I can buy a set 4 new tires for that price.

Yeah, it's ridiculous. When my wife says "how will we know when the tires are too low?", I respond "the same way we know on all of the other vehicles we own/have owned that didn't have TPMS monitoring." Sheesh. I've got a couple of pressure gauges and an air compressor. It's not that tough. Just another profit center for the tire businesses. Siping anyone?

 

[User 1234]

I've driven various Subarus. The Crosstrek is like a clown car for driver space. Plenty of legroom and headroom for tall people. The back seating is much better than expected too. Won't win any drag races without a JATO bottle though.

 

[gmerkt]

Little did I know the 2006 Toyota Tacoma had an indicator in the steel spare wheel also.

Wow, you got a spare?? The 2012 Hyundai Elantra came without a spare, all they gave us was a can of instant flat fix. Mrs. Merkt drove the car for 10 years without a spare. Only time a tire failed was sitting the the driveway. Then after 10 years, I finally got around to buying a spare steel wheel, tire, mounting and a scissors jack. Last year, she hit a curb and forced the tire off the rim. She called me out on an emergency to fix it and I was thankful of having the spare tire then. Needless to say, this spare that I set up does not have the transmitter.

There was a recall on this Hyundai having to do with an electrical air pump that was supposed to be supplied with such cars not having a spare tire. It's back there somewhere, but I've never used it. We have a compressor at home.

 

[Bobbygun]

I've driven various Subarus. The Crosstrek is like a clown car for driver space. Plenty of legroom and headroom for tall people. The back seating is much better than expected too. Won't win any drag races without a JATO bottle though.

What deterred me was the room behind the back seat. I was thinking it would be difficult to stack four sets of golf clubs, or a buck, or four elk quarters, etc. in there. Honestly though, I was just on the outside looking in. I've never actually driven one.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I've driven various Subarus. The Crosstrek is like a clown car for driver space. Plenty of legroom and headroom for tall people. The back seating is much better than expected too. Won't win any drag races without a JATO bottle though.

I was waiting for the Wilderness edition to launch before I seriously considered a Crosstrek as my next personal daily.
Looks good, but still no turbo. And, they don't even offer it in manual!
Nope. Just keep pushing the wife's Ascent for another winter I spose.