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Jack B Nimble posted:My point being, it's hard for someone with a family to call a full bed compact truck the best daily driver if the family doesn't also have a whole other vehicle. Thats the biggest issue with wanting an actual truck the does truck stuff - overcoming the assumption that you need to take a whole bunch of people with you. Thats how we got here, where a six-foot bed is considered long. The idea that you take two cars has evidently been lost to history.
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Oct 28, 2021 00:57
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 14:09 |
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My parents are broke and bad with money. My mom (who's in charge of money) isn't like an indulgent spendthrift, but she has this very pre-internet mindset where doing research herself is out of the question, and whatever the nice salesman says must be the best idea because after all he's the expert! Their usual habit is to buy <$3k ancient beaters and drive them into the ground. The latest one just died, and my mom has gotten sick of maintenance issues. The desire of her heart is to get a $20-25k certified preowned SUV with an extended warranty and finance it through the dealer. And she wants it right now. She claims that nowadays all dealers charge you a 5% penalty if you self-finance, so you can't shop for rates or bargain with the dealer at all. While I'm sure dealers love the idea of that policy, I'm not seeing much about it online. Is it really that prevalent? (New England) Is there any kind of 101-level guide that has good current info and that olds would trust? Has anyone ever successfully talked their parents out of insane financial choices?
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Oct 28, 2021 01:14
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i like nice words
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I feel like with buying cars, if you want to save yourself the hassle, you can just negotiate the out-the-door price and leave it at that. Like, why can't you just agree on a price, and if the dealer wants to charge you the doc fee or nitrogen in the tires, then they can eat it somewhere else because the price is the price?
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Oct 28, 2021 01:33
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Anne Whateley posted:My parents are broke and bad with money. My mom (who's in charge of money) isn't like an indulgent spendthrift, but she has this very pre-internet mindset where doing research herself is out of the question, and whatever the nice salesman says must be the best idea because after all he's the expert! The problem is that your parents are grown adults and responsible for their own decisions. You aren't. Do your best to talk some sense into them, but ultimately if they're determined to get soaked, there's not really anything you can do about it.
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Oct 28, 2021 01:40
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Anne Whateley posted:My parents are broke and bad with money. My mom (who's in charge of money) isn't like an indulgent spendthrift, but she has this very pre-internet mindset where doing research herself is out of the question, and whatever the nice salesman says must be the best idea because after all he's the expert! Find the nearest CarMax or Carvana. They will pay a little over market but they won't get screwed and the price is the price. Costco has a car buying service that I hear is pretty good too.
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Oct 28, 2021 02:03
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JnnyThndrs posted:I always assume, and I suppose this could be my privilege showing, that people who talk about needing a truck to work on my house have another vehicle suitable to move their family. You dont need an 8 ft bed to do truck stuff lol. I get that sentiment (big drywall fans out there) but it doesnt actually invalidate 6 foot bed for the rest of us and then its fine for dailying. Most families have two cars so of course it makes sense to drive the economical one when possible. Full size 4 door trucks are quite spacious though, I mean you need room for the whole family when youre towing the 5th wheel
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Oct 28, 2021 02:22
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Crew Cab short bed's are fine as long as you have the tailgate extender for 8 foot stuff.
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Oct 28, 2021 03:26
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Anne Whateley posted:She claims that nowadays all dealers charge you a 5% penalty if you self-finance, so you can't shop for rates or bargain with the dealer at all. While I'm sure dealers love the idea of that policy, I'm not seeing much about it online. Is it really that prevalent? (New England) What a strange notion. I got approved for an auto loan through my bank at a nice low APR for the express purpose of bargaining for a lower rate if need be. We got to the finance manager stage without telling them that I already had a loan, and the first rate they offered was higher than my loan, so I showed him my loan sheet and he came back lower, so I took the dealership's financing. If I had not gotten that outside financing to bargain with, my APR through the dealer would have been over a percentage point higher. Maybe send your mom to her local bank/CU branch to talk face to face with a loan person who can tell her about outside auto financing and possibly set her up. I personally had a very nice experience getting the auto loan through my bank and would do it that way again. ethanol posted:You dont need an 8 ft bed to do truck stuff lol. You really don't. Even my construction industry dad thinks 6'/6.5' beds are totally fine for the vast majority of cases. I'm finding my 6.5' bed to be just right.
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Oct 28, 2021 06:55
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It seems like people keep referring to plows killing transmissions. Is that just for automatics, or do they murder manuals too?
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Oct 29, 2021 01:42
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My dear old da' has had a plow that he uses all the time (he lives in CO at 7800') on his manual transmission 1993 Toyota 4x4 with no trans problems but he also doesn't daily it or anything anymore so take that as you will.
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Oct 29, 2021 01:47
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DildenAnders posted:It seems like people keep referring to plows killing transmissions. Is that just for automatics, or do they murder manuals too? It's all in how you drive it and if you know how to plow. If you know how to plow and it's an otherwise well maintained and driven auto or manual trans box that is not a known manufacturer disaster it should be fine, but it's always gonna be severe duty time. There are so many auto boxes that run into to many issues with plowing unless you know how to run THAT autobox the right way and have the right coolers, etc. that it's impossible to just say "it's always a problem for X vehicle". For example, if you have a ford of an age with an OD switch on the column shifter you better not be plowing unless you turn that poo poo off, because it doesn't just lcok out overdrive, it also changes the torque converter lockup. Just like chevy/GM "tow" buttons in the same place. You keep on plowing all day with a slippy torque converter and no gauges to show you just how bad yu're cooking your trans and it's not gonna last long. Then you have people who like to plow in 1 or 2 on an auto. That works right up until it doesn't on certain boxes, because it also changes the torque converter lockup to the point where all of your off throttle is putting so much pressure on it that you'll trash it in that particular way. And there are 10s of other ways to destroy autos while plowing that I'm aware of that I'm not calling to mind right now and not going to put in there and probably hundreds more I don't even know about. Manual? Your biggest issue, if it's something rated for the loads you put on it (which are always grossly underestimated by those who just don't know how goddamn heavy snow is and don't understand shock loads) is someone who sucks at driving stick. And when you're plowing this is absolutely an advanced level unless we're talking about like, a road plow where you spend tens of minutes in second/third gear at a time, as opposed to constant forward/backwards. E: We've not even gotten into accidents (leading to) frame damage (which happen a lot when you're plowing poo poo that can't be seen like curbs and parking blocks), killing alternators and batteries, minor cooling system issues turning into major overheating almost instantly due to low speed and blocked airflow, and massive salt exposure and rust yet. Motronic fucked around with this message at 02:06 on Oct 29, 2021 |
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Oct 29, 2021 01:59
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I've kinda wondered how bad the plow on the front would be WRT blocking airflow to the transmission cooler. I suppose if you have a decent aftermarket cooler it might not be a big deal, but otherwise I see it as: you're creating way more heat and airflow is being somewhat blocked by a big metal thing, and even though its winter, the ambient temps might not be enough to keep things from overheating.
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Oct 29, 2021 02:11
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wesleywillis posted:I've kinda wondered how bad the plow on the front would be WRT blocking airflow to the transmission cooler. You're also running at high load at speeds that entirely rely on your fan to do the work of cooling, with a grill that may or may not be partially or entirely covered in snow. You need to constantly be watching ALL of your temps as you plow and most pickups simply don't have enough gauges and most operators don't know any better or care.
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Oct 29, 2021 02:23
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Motronic posted:It's all in how you drive it and if you know how to plow. Also, don't plow with a new truck kids! You'll ruin it.
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Oct 29, 2021 19:16
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A few years back the Prius C was labelled by this thread as not good. Why was that? Is that still the case? My partner is after a new car and the Prius C looks to be the go.
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Oct 30, 2021 07:45
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Red_Fred posted:A few years back the Prius C was labelled by this thread as not good. Why was that? Is that still the case? YIL that the Toyota Aqua was the number one selling car in Japan for 3 years in a row, selling over a million units worldwide. So, probably not bad.
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Oct 30, 2021 17:08
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Red_Fred posted:A few years back the Prius C was labelled by this thread as not good. Why was that? Is that still the case? I don't think there was anything particularly bad about the car other than it being slow and cheap. Rather the pricing dynamics of the North American car market just doesn't favor small cars, because marginally a larger car isn't that much more expensive. Obviously doesn't apply outside of North America.
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Oct 30, 2021 17:14
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I am shopping for a replacement for a much loved 2011 Chevy Cruze. I am looking for a similar compact sedan or hatchback that is gently used. I just use the car for a short daily commute in my city and then a couple of longer road trips every year.  , if that is relevant. In my area, there are some 2018 Chevy Cruzes for sale that look pretty good and are in my price range (~C$16k). One of them is a hatchback with a diesel engine (1.6L TD) -- is there anything I need to be wary about when it comes to diesel? I know the fuel economy is great but will it be more expensive/annoying to maintain and service? Are diesel fuel prices more volatile? Anything else I should know about driving a diesel? Thanks very much for the help - any other advice on shopping for a used compact car is welcome!
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Oct 30, 2021 18:30
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Throatwarbler posted:I don't think there was anything particularly bad about the car other than it being slow and cheap. Rather the pricing dynamics of the North American car market just doesn't favor small cars, because marginally a larger car isn't that much more expensive. Obviously doesn't apply outside of North America. Ah nice. Any tips on ensuring we can get one without clapped out batteries? Sounds like the battery is good for about 5-8 years and we would be looking for one about 5 years old. We are outside NA btw.
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Oct 30, 2021 18:59
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there are like a trillion NYC (regular) prius taxis with like 250-350k miles on them on original battery packs. where are you getting a 5-8 year lifespan? the general failure mode of the battery is that its capacity gradually degrades. this means it'll reduce your fuel efficiency (somewhat, not by much though), but the car will still work fine. it's rare for the battery to actually fully fail, and replacements are relatively cheap these days. replacing the HV battery with a remanufactured unit costs about $2000 installed, but it's a thing you'll have to do once, if at all.
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Nov 1, 2021 13:24
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:there are like a trillion NYC (regular) prius taxis with like 250-350k miles on them on original battery packs. where are you getting a 5-8 year lifespan? The "remanufactured unit" is the same used battery pack with several modules replaced.
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Nov 1, 2021 17:26
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Nitrox posted:I'm getting sick and tired of posting about how easy it is to swap damaged battery modules in a Prius, or any Toyota hybrid system. Because a single damage module, will give you a "battery pack error" on the dash and cripple the hybrid system. If you can replace a laptop battery, you can replace a module. Expect to pay $30-50 for a used one. Cheaper in bulk. Out of curiosity: 1. How many modules are there? 2. How do you figure out which one is bad? 3. Are they really that easily accessible?
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Nov 1, 2021 18:47
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Nitrox posted:I'm getting sick and tired of posting about how easy it is to swap damaged battery modules in a Prius, or any Toyota hybrid system. Because a single damage module, will give you a "battery pack error" on the dash and cripple the hybrid system. If you can replace a laptop battery, you can replace a module. Expect to pay $30-50 for a used one. Cheaper in bulk. it is relatively easy but the average poster in this thread is going to go to a shop and get a remanufactured battery (which as you correctly state is a used battery with some percentage of modules replaced) they do not have the tools to drop the HV battery pack, for one
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Nov 1, 2021 19:51
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ChrisFix has a video on this if anyone wants to see how it's done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3RCdrh666w Seems reasonably straightforward really.
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Nov 2, 2021 09:20
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again, not difficult with tools and experience wrenching on cars which most people do not have "pretty straightforward" he says as half the car's interior is disassembled. it's fine for regular posters in this thread who want the most appliance car they can find to spend money on a HV battery replacement on the extremely slim chance they need one.
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Nov 2, 2021 12:50
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You also need a garage or driveway or space where you wont be hassled as you work on the car for hours. Also, as someone who likes DIY poo poo but only does it occasionally, some of the stuff that looks easy turns out to be really easy to screw up, like breaking plastic fasteners, stripping screws, nuts, etc., and will easily turn a fun afternoon project into a 10 day nightmare. These videos done by people who do this kind of stuff every day can easily make things seem easier than they are.
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Nov 2, 2021 14:25
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Ur Getting Fatter posted:Also, as someone who likes DIY poo poo but only does it occasionally, some of the stuff that looks easy turns out to be really easy to screw up, like breaking plastic fasteners, stripping screws, nuts, etc., and will easily turn a fun afternoon project into a 10 day nightmare. Plastic fasteners always break anyway, you definitely need to have some around for what you're working on. But most people don't/don't know that/don't have a place to keep them or whatever. The stripping screws/nuts thing is a LOT harder. You can't learn or teach that over youtube. It's a feel thing, and it takes years to get really good at it. Then you have the entire litany of tools/potions/techniques for dealing with stripped fasteners, often the easiest of which starts with "pull out your welder and......" So yeah, totally agreed and I don't think people get how must finesse and skill are involved in these videos that make things look so simple.
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Nov 2, 2021 15:02
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The video is incredibly informative, and I wish I had that when attempting my first Prius battery repair. There's a number of steps that are completely unnecessary. Like cleaning out the fan and using a torque wrench on 14 lbs bolts. Some of these interior panels do not need to be removed, just bent out of the way. The 12-volt battery is accessible through a little access panel. I've compared it to a laptop battery install, but it's more like replacing your head unit/speakers in the car. Small bolts and plug connections, no specialty tools needed. Everything is accessible, you're fine with the basic ratchet set and screwdrivers. And it took me three hours in the AutoZone parking lot, with a printed out instruction sheet.
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Nov 2, 2021 16:46
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Residency Evil posted:Out of curiosity:
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Nov 2, 2021 16:53
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Nitrox posted:Watch the video posted above, it shows everything. But if you only replacing select modules, open the battery cover and use the volt meter on individual modules to determine which ones are not like the others. You only need a screwdriver and the basic set of metric sockets to get to this point. How are you going to actually replace any of the modules without getting the tension bars out of the way? And removing the bus bar? At that point you're just making it more difficult to do things by leaving it in the car.
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Nov 2, 2021 17:07
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Motronic posted:How are you going to actually replace any of the modules without getting the tension bars out of the way? And removing the bus bar?
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Nov 2, 2021 17:43
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Nitrox posted:I meant you only need to take the cover off to test the modules. The entire battery case need to be unbolted for replacement, but you can continue working on it right in the back seat, no need for $4000 Snap-on rolling toolbox, to serve the purpose of a basic bench. If you have the space and the means, go hog wild. But just like any effort, it could be scaled down in a pinch. So it's a little disingenuous to say: Nitrox posted:But if you only replacing select modules, open the battery cover and use the volt meter on individual modules to determine which ones are not like the others. When this is a fruitless endeavor that's going to leave you with still having to remove the battery. And now your big gripe is he's using an expensive rolling toolbox as a bench. Can you explain what in particular about this whole topic that's getting you so worked up? I think it was pretty well covered already with: KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:it is relatively easy but the average poster in this thread is going to go to a shop and get a remanufactured battery (which as you correctly state is a used battery with some percentage of modules replaced) But you seem determined to make this out to be "easier" than it is, you're ignoring things like panel tools that nobody except for people like us have (and someone without them WILL screw up the scrivets trying to take them out with a random flat head screwdriver or whatever they have laying around) and completely missing the point that this isn't in any way easy for the average person. We get it. You know how to work on cars. You seem to even know how to do this particular repair. Do you think this is representative of the people asking for suggestions in this thread? Of Prius drivers in general?
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Nov 2, 2021 18:17
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Good question. This, and any other automotive repairs are entirely dependent on a individual's skillset and tools. I'm just getting irrationally annoyed when people overestimate the skills and tools required. I've attempted to counteract those speculations with my personal experience story. Yes, the battery pack has to be detached for module replacement. Nobody stated otherwise. I'm trying to explain that it doesn't need to go far, you can work on it right there and then. No, you do not need specialty tools. I've used 2 flat head screw drivers to remove body clips, and something like 10-12-14mm sockets for everything else. A box of replacement clips is like $10 and I guarantee that some of them are already broken, so just get ready to replace a few. I did my repair in AutoZone parking lot and bought the correct size clips right on the spot. They also lend me a voltage tester, so I could identify the damaged modules. I've ended up replacing 2 modules and driving it home free and clear. You can be under $100 in tools even if you buy a torque wrench. Harbor Freight exists. For anyone thinking of attempting this, If you ever had to replace stereo/speakers in the car, it's exactly at your skill level. If you never worked on a car before, but have put together a PC, you can handle it. Just follow that video above or printable step by step directions https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uJugxiaOxYkH5rlPiANhUI0FkhpDVsHP/view The point I'm trying to make is that you can have a functional Prius without incurring thousands of dollars in expenses. Some battery cells will crap out at 150k miles, some are running with 450k on the clock. But there is absolutely no need to throw out the entirety of hybrid battery pack because 1 out of 24 cells have dropped voltage low enough to trigger the warning light. Reman cells are $60 https://electronhybridsolution.com/product/toyota-prius-2004-2009-remanufactured-battery-module/ UPSATE: Just called my local mechanic and got quoted $200 to replace 2 modules with working used ones! They didn't give a time estimate, but said it'll be ready for pick up same day. Anyone suggesting you spend thousands of dollars on this poo poo is just wrong.
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Nov 2, 2021 19:00
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Nitrox posted:The point I'm trying to make is that you can have a functional Prius without incurring thousands of dollars in expenses. You should try to do it more effectively by paying attention to the thread topic/audience. Rather than......whatever that whole thing was. Edit: Because you seem to be having so much trouble with this, let me give you some suggestions to effectively make the point you're trying to make here: "You don't always need to replace the entire battery. Individual modules can be replaced. I just got a quote from my mechanic for $200 to replace two battery modules. They are only $60 each, so it shouldn't be too much more expensive if you need more. There's no need to replace all 24 if you don't want or need to." Notice, none of my suggested phrasing includes telling the average prius owner to empty the tools out of the kitchen junk drawer and go for it because it's so easy to do. Motronic fucked around with this message at 19:40 on Nov 2, 2021 |
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Nov 2, 2021 19:35
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also like, holy poo poo, the content of my post was "you will not need to do this but on the very small chance that you do the worst case scenario is like two grand for a reman unit installed" not "it will cost you two grand to own a prius"
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Nov 2, 2021 19:49
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What's the voltage on a Prius? I was pretty surprised that you can just unplug the orange thing and get your wrench out. I assume you need a lot more precautions with a BEV 400V/800V pack, or maybe just a lot more orange plugs. (Also given most people come into the thread looking for the easiest ownership experience possible, I'm going to agree disassembling half the car is not going to be on the menu for the average Prius owner)
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Nov 2, 2021 20:03
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:also like, holy poo poo, the content of my post was "you will not need to do this but on the very small chance that you do the worst case scenario is like two grand for a reman unit installed" not "it will cost you two grand to own a prius"
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Nov 2, 2021 21:51
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Nitrox posted:I got the impression that the general consensus is that you need to be spending thousands of dollars on your Prius the moment it hits a hundred fifty thousand miles. Because this is the opinion people bring into this thread, and aren't really told otherwise. you should work on your reading comprehension! KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:there are like a trillion NYC (regular) prius taxis with like 250-350k miles on them on original battery packs. where are you getting a 5-8 year lifespan?
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Nov 3, 2021 10:15
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This is all getting weirdly aggressive. FWIW I appreciated someone adding a real life experience about changing the batteries, and also now I know I can apparently just park in Auto Zone and do those kind of repairs.
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Nov 3, 2021 12:30
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Ur Getting Fatter posted:This is all getting weirdly aggressive. FWIW I appreciated someone adding a real life experience about changing the batteries, and also now I know I can apparently just park in Auto Zone and do those kind of repairs. It is definitely against the rules on paper at perhaps 100% of Auto Zones, and similar places, and lots of them have signs up on the light poles saying no repairs are allowed in the lot. But, it is frequently unenforced.
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Nov 3, 2021 17:04
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