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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

32419 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 7:21 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

Messages Page 2719 of 3243

#27176 of 32419 Re: Help needed from the experts. [isellhondas] by stickguy

Sep 11, 2012 (9:33 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 11, 2012 9:16 am)
he is 4 hours away so hard for me to do anything about it. The car sits a lot outside in the winter in a real cold climate, so I fully well suspect the battery is on the way out anyway.
 
so, with all this going on, a new one will be required most likely (or certainly couldn't hurt).
 
If it won't jump, a new battery may not help either, but at that point (jump failing) it will have to be towed someplace. so putting in a battery himself is a good first attempt. Especially because I know where it is parked, and getting it out via a tow truck may be nearly impossible.

#27177 of 32419 Re: 400+ miles Re: story [michaell] by stickguy

Sep 11, 2012 (9:34 am)

Replying to: michaell (Sep 11, 2012 9:28 am)
only about 200 free. I have 300 now, and by the time I get the new one home, it will have 100. But I will have a trunk tray in it!

#27178 of 32419 Re: 400+ miles Re: story [stickguy] by michaell

Sep 11, 2012 (9:52 am)

Replying to: stickguy (Sep 11, 2012 9:34 am)
Glad that you and the dealer discovered this now rather than in 6 months.
 
Hoping for a positive (ie low cost) outcome for the kids' TL. Would truly be no bueno if it needed an expensive repair.
 
Is he a junior or senior this year? I ask since I'm curious about the possibility of a new (or newer) car for him if he graduates next spring.
 
We had to switch out the ION for the MINI when my daughter was a junior in college, since the ION died mysteriously twice and my wife refused to let her drive an unsafe vehicle.
 
Of course, in the 2 1/2 years that I've driven it, not one problem has cropped up.

#27179 of 32419 Re: 400+ miles Re: story [michaell] by stickguy

Sep 11, 2012 (10:23 am)

Replying to: michaell (Sep 11, 2012 9:52 am)
He is a senior (and yes will graduate in 4 years). My real hope was to get the TL through may, and hope he gets a job quick and can do what he wants with it.
 
I did discuss what to do if this was a fatal issue (or something else happened to it). 3 choices seemed to be do without (hard off campus), let him use the minivan that I can't seem to sell, or hunt out a cheap basic car lease deal (like those $200 specials on a Subaru Imprezza) and just get that, turning the payments over to him after graduation.
 
so yes, a new battery would be best case!

#27180 of 32419 Re: story [stickguy] by jayrider

Sep 11, 2012 (10:56 am)

Replying to: stickguy (Sep 11, 2012 9:12 am)
Sounds like a real cluster frigg at the dealer and you came out ahead. Why not take the minivan to them and try to squeeze a decent trade-in that ends your selling fun and saves a bit on sales tax. Nothing ventured -----. Good luck on the TL.

#27181 of 32419 considered a Chevy Malibu? by steve_ HOST

Sep 11, 2012 (2:02 pm)

A reporter seeks to interview anyone who recently considered or bought a new Chevy Malibu. Please email PRedmunds.com before Friday, September 14, 2012 if you are willing to share your thoughts on the car.

#27182 of 32419 Re: Help needed from the experts. [stickguy] by xwesx

Sep 11, 2012 (6:32 pm)

Replying to: stickguy (Sep 10, 2012 5:57 pm)
Not sure how this one turned out, stick, but if he was having issues with power while he was driving, the issue was most likely his alternator. Probably good at this point to replace the battery, too, but the alternator should keep stuff rolling while the car is on even if the battery took a poo (getting it started is the trick).
 
Either a bad connection or a failed alternator. Wal-Mart or an auto parts store should be able to diagnose. Alternator is super easy to R&R. Probably 20-30 minutes even for a novice.

#27183 of 32419 Re: Help needed from the experts. [xwesx] by stickguy

Sep 11, 2012 (6:52 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Sep 11, 2012 6:32 pm)
Not sure if I want him loose in a walmart with something not a battery. And no way he is going to be changing anything himself.
 
May be better to just bite the ($) bullet and tell him to take it into the dealer to see what is going on If it turns out to just be the battery, I may end up paying a little more for it, but not the worst thing in the world.
 
a good case study in the pitfalls of keeping a car indefinitely and running it in

#27184 of 32419 Re: Help needed from the experts. [stickguy] by roadburner

Sep 11, 2012 (7:25 pm)

Replying to: stickguy (Sep 11, 2012 6:52 pm)
I know for a fact that a bad battery in an E39 can cause problems exactly like you described. That said, I'd like to see an alternator output test AND a battery load test before parts start getting thrown at the problem.

#27185 of 32419 Re: Breld [fintail] by corvette

Sep 11, 2012 (7:50 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Sep 10, 2012 10:25 am)
Factory nav, when done correctly, is beautiful, but I generally only use the nav system once every month or two, vacations excepted. Also, my Garmin updates four times per year. I don't know of any factory nav systems that offer lifetime map subscriptions.

Messages Page 2719 of 3243

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