Locate an Auto Repair Shop in Friend, Nebraska

Friend, NE Car Consumer Discussions

Re: [euphonium]

by steve_ on Tue Nov 18 11:49:08 PST 2008

I remember the DOE. They funneled a lot of money to Alaska when I lived there (some was Exxon overcharge settlement money). They subsidized an energy audit, furnace upgrade, caulk and insulation for me. The window retrofit didn't pan out so I didn't go there. I owned a house in Anchorage for about 15 years and my electric and gas bill was lower when I sold it than it was when I moved in. A friend of mine just got a house up there and his energy audit is scheduled for later this month, so I guess the DOE funding is still out there.

Re: Leaking engine seal [herzogtum71]

by wwest on Tue Nov 18 10:26:26 PST 2008

I stopped using Bellevue Lexus for oil changes in my '92 LS because I once got it back with the new oil added on top of the old and no filter change. Its NEVER been back. A friend with a PRISTINE garage floor got his '95 LS back from the same dealer with a leaking rear engine seal after an oil/filter change. $1100 later and all they would do was offer a free oil change.

Re: Anybody want a Mark V? [Mr_Shiftright]

by andre1969 on Tue Nov 18 07:06:33 PST 2008

My friend did look into getting another engine put in, but I forget now how much the mechanic told him it would be. It didn't seem too outrageous. Unfortunately, there's the fact that the car has all those other issues, so it just seemed like throwing more money into a pit. I was really surprised at how quickly this car deteriorated. I remember when he bought it, and drove it to Maryland from New Mexico. At the time it seemed really nice, although the paint was starting to crack here and there if you really looked closely. I think he's had it about 5 years now. It's sat outside all that time, but he'd usually keep it under a cover...one of those "breathable" types. Still, it just seemed like the paint and interior went to hell alarmingly fast. I wonder if the climate change could do that...with the car spending most of its life out in a warm, dry climate and suddenly getting subjected to Maryland's wider variety of weather?

Re: 09 EX-L Lease Quote - Can I do better? [milzo]

by dannyhashovav on Tue Nov 18 07:06:14 PST 2008

Hi Milzo, i think your family friend can do better :-) here is a breakdown from my spreadsheet based on your numbers: Step 1: Calculate the Capitalized Cost Vehicle Selling Price: $31,000 Down-payment $0 Total: $31,000 Step 2: Calculate Vehicle's Residual Value MSRP: $35,800 Residual: 51% Total: $18,258 Step 3: Determine Vehicle's Total Depreciation Residual - Cap Cost: $12,742 Step 4: Determine Vehicle's Monthly Depreciation Lease Term in Months: 36 Total: $354 Step 5: Determine Interest Charges Money Factor: 0.00110 Total: 54 Step 6: Calculate Monthly Payment Total Pre-tax Monthly Payments $408 Sales Tax Rate: 7.75% Taxes per month: $32 Monthly Payments+Tax: $440 Hope that helps Dannyhashovav

Re: [m4d_cow]

by lexusguy on Mon Nov 17 23:40:00 PST 2008

bmw 6/ 3coupe / MB cls Audi A6 / 3sedan / XJ Get rid of the 6 series, trust me. Bad exterior, bad interior, and its a big heavy boat that has no business wearing the BMW badge. The 3 coupe is a significantly better car. A proper coupe should look better or drive better than the sedan its based on (preferably both), and the 6 achieves neither. A friend of mine just picked up an '06 CLS 55AMG for a song, those AMGs depreciate almost as fast as the Jag.

New to the forum

by gotoyota on Mon Nov 17 22:28:33 PST 2008

Hi all, I used to post a little here at Edmunds but I haven't for a little while and I just thought I'd check in to see how the IS does in the snow, so I'm pleased that what I have read thus far is generally positive. I decided it was finally time to replace my trusty old '97 Maxima a little while back and bought an '08 IS350. Mine is silver on black with chrome rims and has the luxury pkg with the ML audio (wow) and the wood trim, nav with back-up cam, etc...etc...I am still geeking out over it. I LOVE the power and I'm very happy with the mileage I can get (when I try). I think it's really fun how it eggs people on even when you're not doing anything to provoke them - seems they just want a shot a keeping up with this beast. My friend has an '07 WRX STi, and I honestly think my car could at least keep up with his. Off the line, no contest, unless you rev the STi up to 5k and dump the clutch. STi is a great car, but this car really suits me. So far, no complaints with mine. I love everything about it. I guess the only minor niggle I have is with the traction control. I had read about it in the car mags and didn't really notice until I had it a couple weeks, but it is pretty aggressive. Accelerating from a stop into a turn (such as when leaving the parking lot at the grocery store) will often cause it to step in when I don't want it to, like the other night when a goofball in a new Civic Si thought he was going to show me up and I wanted to show him what a really, truly fast car can do..but the TC kicked in, somewhat reducing the shock and awe of my design to pass him like he was standing still and I think it ended up giving him an artificial confidence boost ;) and I was just sure he went and told his friends how he almost kept up with and IS350, even though I started out behind him and he started accelerating at least 1 sec before I did as we were making left hand turns exiting the parking lot and accelerating into traffic. Had I been able to use all 306 ponies from the get-go, it would have been much more embarrasing for him, I'm sure. I still passed him easily, of course, but not as quickly as it would have been. Annoying. I have tried switching TC off, but when I accelerate up to speed it comes back on. Is that normal?? Is there a trick to make it stay off when you don't want it? If not, I can live with it, I'll just have to modulate the power with my right foot so as not to engage the nanny. Anyway, my wife giggles every time we go somewhere in it (it's a far different driving experience from her Sienna). She has driven it once and the power scared her. YES! Gotta love that, he he. I try not to be a brat on the road but it's hard. I just feel funny, seeing how I'm a 36 yr old father of 5 kids in a respectable profession, etc., when this car turns me into a kid and forces me to spank the tires off of somebody fool enough to try to get ahead of me :blush: Also looked at '08 G35x, which I was actually intent on buying when I started my quest. I was really disappointed in the G35. I looked at a couple of '07's to see how they were holding up and they just didn't have the same robust feel of the IS, nor did the engine feel as potent and it sounded like a truck engine by comparison. I also considered the Acura TL-S, but never got around to driving one, I was that smitten with the IS. I'm sure the TL-S would have been a nice car, too, but I don't like Honda's affinity for gutless bottom end with all the power up at the top of the rev range. Plus the acceleration numbers didn't look as impressive for the TL-S and I was sick of front wheel drive. All told, I am absolutely happy with my purchase and would welcome any discussion/feedback from other IS owners. Just don't tell me anything bad! I'm still on the honeymoon ;)