***Official Car and Gearhead Thread***

[BigRedChief]

Seems like we need one on here to talk cars, mods and the coolness of your or their car.

Interested? Chime in

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Cars run rich under cold conditions. You could get a block heater installed, plug the car in at night, and the engine will be warm when you start it up. But, honestly, unless you are living in a place like the northern states, Canada, up to Alaska, there's really no reason to have a block heater. Otherwise, jus be prepared for the car to run rich when it's cold.

One thing I have noticed as I've lived up North, is that a small, 4 cylinder engine gets warmer WAY FASTER than a V8 or even a V6. But that just makes sense, smaller engine, quicker to heat up.

Yeah, I guess it's just the nature of the beast. My most common drive is back and forth to the train station, which is just over a mile. The car doesn't have much of a chance to warm up during that short of a drive.

Earlier today I had to drive to another suburb about 30 miles away, reset the mileage indicator, and with a good combination of highway and city traffic I averaged just under 24, which is okay, I guess. I can't image the boxy little ****er is terribly aerodynamic going 80 on the interstate, either. But again, it is what it is.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Thanks. I commute to work by train, so I don't drive enough for it to be a really big deal for me. And I really do like everything about it other than that. I just expected a smaller vehicle with a 4-cylinder engine to get better gas mileage than the mid-sized V-6 I traded for it.

Between the mileage and the 12-gallon tank, I'm definitely hitting the gas station a bit more frequently now.

I've read that winter gas has more shit in it, too, which reduces gas mileage. Researched it some after noticing the drop in gas mileage last winter in the new car... and similar to you, I only had a 2 mile drive during the week.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I've read that winter gas has more shit in it, too, which reduces gas mileage. Researched it some after noticing the drop in gas mileage last winter in the new car... and similar to you, I only had a 2 mile drive during the week.

Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Hit me up before you tackle this job buzz

Planning on doing it next Saturday. He has a diesel generator to heat his shop and apparently has done several. At this point I'm along for the ride, it's a Christmas gift so I can't see saying no. The clutch showed up on my doorstep and I was like what the ****? I didn't order this. My niece sent me a text message after the fact and said not to turn it away.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Planning on doing it next Saturday. He has a diesel generator to heat his shop and apparently has done several. At this point I'm along for the ride, it's a Christmas gift so I can't see saying no. The clutch showed up on my doorstep and I was like what the ****? I didn't order this. My niece sent me a text message after the fact and said not to turn it away.

Sounds like a good deal.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

We're headed to Sprint center for monster jam. My youngest is crazy about them. Pit passes too

Nice, build those memories, I always wish I would have done more with my son. But then again, I also think I was a helicopter parent.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Nice, build those memories, I always wish I would have done more with my son. But then again, I also think I was a helicopter parent.

It was pretty good, he lived it. He was a little upset they didn't have a back flip ramp.

[SAUTO]

And hello hell we all ended up going. 8 of us all together

[KS Smitty]

Sauto or Buehler may know the answer to this. Mr. Smitty is in the ag tire service business. He has a customer with split rim tires on his 1968 Chevy C50 that need replaced with one piece, lock, or multi piece rims (cuz Kipp aint changin' 'em cage or not). Advanced Wheel Corp is the only company he knows of that can do custom wheels. Curious if anyone knows of any other sources. He's looking for 10 hole 22.5 bud wheels with 3/4" lug stud holes (hub pilot).

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by KS Smitty

Sauto or Buehler may know the answer to this. Mr. Smitty is in the ag tire service business. He has a customer with split rim tires on his 1968 Chevy C50 that need replaced with one piece, lock, or multi piece rims (cuz Kipp aint changin' 'em cage or not). Advanced Wheel Corp is the only company he knows of that can do custom wheels. Curious if anyone knows of any other sources. He's looking for 10 hole 22.5 bud wheels with 3/4" lug stud holes (hub pilot).

Sorry man. I don't have any good ideas. We still have a couple trucks with split rims. I'm not sure the truck is worth the money to buy new rims/tires for. **** that's a lot of money.

[KS Smitty]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Sorry man. I don't have any good ideas. We still have a couple trucks with split rims. I'm not sure the truck is worth the money to buy new rims/tires for. **** that's a lot of money.

Split rims are the devil, even if they go together ok they're like a timebomb waiting to go off. The guy that owns the truck said the same thing, he bought the truck for $800 and doesn't want to spend $1200 (min) for tires/rims. There are a lot of small family farms trying to hang on here and this is just another example of them nickle and diming themselves out of business. Land rich and cash poor.

[DJ's left nut]

Just found out about something called a 'buyers consultant'.

Anybody that work in the industry have any knowledge of these guys? It seems like a reasonable business model that may actually work out pretty well. They're essentially professional car purchasers that do the same kind of shit I'd do when I'm dicking around on Autotrader but then they actually work with the dealers for you to cross-shop and haggle.

Seems to be in the $300-$500 range to retain one and at the upper end of that scale you essentially just say "here's what I want - go get the best price for me..."

Honestly, it seems that if you got the RIGHT one, that could work out extremely well. But how would you ever know just how good of a guy you got?

[hometeam]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Just found out about something called a 'buyers consultant'.

Anybody that work in the industry have any knowledge of these guys? It seems like a reasonable business model that may actually work out pretty well. They're essentially professional car purchasers that do the same kind of shit I'd do when I'm dicking around on Autotrader but then they actually work with the dealers for you to cross-shop and haggle.

Seems to be in the $300-$500 range to retain one and at the upper end of that scale you essentially just say "here's what I want - go get the best price for me..."

Honestly, it seems that if you got the RIGHT one, that could work out extremely well. But how would you ever know just how good of a guy you got?

There is little to haggle nowadays. The prices you see online are within a couple hundred bucks of what you can buy the car for, and alot of the time, thats the price, period.

In my 15 years in the car business I have came across two of these guys. Neither one of them where nearly as good as they thought.

[DJ's left nut]

So what you're saying is that he's probably not going to get me that SRT Durango for $50K....

So, figure if I wait out the initial hype on that thing that I can find a few still sitting on lots in the spring of '18 for $10K under sticker?

[Dayze]

I'm with hometeam on this.

Used cars, I always just get a very rough idea of NADA and KBB AND (most importantly) market prices. Then, depending on if there is a large positive variance between the value books and market, it's up to me to determine if I'm wiling to pay market . But unless one is buying a hot commodity car, market and NADA etc 'typically' are in the same wheel house IMO. The last 4 vehicles I've bought have been super painless - can't imagine needing a buyers agent. Hell, when I bought my wifes Beetle, I did everything over email - granted it was a new car so the value is easier to establish. I think I paid 4% over COST (invoice less hold back and any FTD incentives), and they replied back in 10 minutes, done deal. They make some money, and i get fair price. A little research on the part of the buyer and the buyers agent is moot. and 'research', meaning once we knew what car, color.options etc we wanted, spending a few hours browsing online

I'm not spending hours haggling over $500 on a $20k car. To me, buying a car is a breeze these days. To me, it would seem, the market is hyper competitive for dealers / business. I would think they make more money turning cars at a reasonable return, rather than jacking up rates and hoping for some big score/sucker to over pay. just my gut feeling...no evidence to support that theory lol.