Locate an Auto Repair Shop in The Plains, Ohio

The Plains, OH Car Consumer Discussions

Re: Still "Cherry" [white3]

by terceltom on Mon Nov 17 21:00:56 PST 2008

Actually when there are so few of you out of hundreds of thousands of vehicles sold I would definitely say you ARE the victim of just plain old bad luck with your vehicles. I still feel for all of you but it's not some kind of conspiracy against you by Toyota. Your cars were just painted bad, not primed right or something like that.

Re: 2009 Maxima v 2009 Mazda6 [aviboy97]

by out4cat on Mon Nov 17 16:50:18 PST 2008

Look very closely at the new Maxima, just saw one on the sales floor at my usual dealership and some of the panels on the interior can be moved with low pressure applied by hand. Also the sport package seats had uneven cushioning on the passenger seat which gave the leather a wrinkle look on the right side of the center bolster. The styling is quirky to say the least, in front of the A pillar there are so many styling cues that it actually crowds the overall design. From the A pillar to the C pillar it is plain Jane look of the Camry/Lexus ES and then the rear window down to the trunk lid is all Altima. The side fender flares are right out of the Titan/QX 56 trucks so to make a long story short, the design is just over crowded to get attention, definitely not a timeless look. I can't even begin to tell you what a disappointment the CVT transmission is. The interior is OK, nothing strikingly unique there except for a copy-cat dash from the Infinity. Although sleek and unique, the design of the Mazda 6 is more timeless, less crowded, and definitely not quirky. No CVT is a big plus and even the one I saw in light blue the other day caught my eye, definitely a futuristic sleek look similar to the MB CLS and new Passat CC. Remember the Maxima is a 35K car mostly because it is Japanese yet the thing is built in the U.S. The Mazda is way lower in price. The HP difference as you pointed out is not that big a deal and with the CVT on the Max, getting the HP to perform can be quite a task. I would suggest a look at the Pontiac G8 V6 but who knows what will happen to GM in the near future. Bottom line, picking a car is certainly based on different subjective preferences and it is a decision to be made by no 1 but the actual buyer/leasee. Good luck either way.

Envy

by dallasdude1 on Mon Nov 17 15:11:28 PST 2008

For decades now the Japanese have been protecting their farm industry. Consumers there have paid an outrageous price for a steak. I see them eating even the fat in such places as the Grand Canyon, Disney World, and other tourist traps. Their govt has placed high tariffs on beef to protect their farmers/ranchers. However, we have allowed them entry to our markets. The auto market has been one. No barriers, tariffs, or hurdles to get in. The UAW has attained a high standard of living for folks who toil in many of these auto plants. Honest work for honest wages.Including the Toyota Corolla (UAW represented) plant in California. Many folks envy the compensation/benefit package. Instead of trying to get themselves the same or better, they want others to suffer with inferior compensation/benefit packages. Thats just plain envy. I say that they need to expend their efforts in organizing.

Re: Other Way Around. [donna388]

by captain2 on Mon Nov 17 12:23:58 PST 2008

donna388- grad's got it right here - hp is torque delivered over time. the actual formula is hp= (torque*rpm)/5252. In itself and as a measure of any car's ability to accelerate, the higher the HP the better the acceleration times, not necessarily the torque. If the Maxima is about the same weight as the 6 you are talking about, the Maxima's 290hp would easily blow away the 6s 260+. Otherwise we could all be driving around in rev challenged diesels that despite 350 lb ft. (or more) of torque still can't get out of their own way. Wouldn't we? :confuse: Yes it is certainly torque that you feel in the seat of your pants when you initially hit the accelerator (as grad noted) BUT it is the abililty of any engine to rev quickly (or apply that torque in a given period of time (making HP)) that determines actual accelerative power. Truck buyers worship torque numbers and tend to buy things like those slow diesels for precisely these reasons - they have big loads they need to get moving and are less concerned with how long it might take to get to any given speed. I would also challenge you on the 'modern" V6 assertion on the DT. While the engine is obviously putting out 50 or 60 extra horses than the old DT, is not nearly the 210hp 'dog' that it was comparatively, it is still requiring more displacement to do it. Plain and simple the Nissan VQ is getting quite a bit more hp per unit of displacement than either the Ford or Mazda DT. Furthermore the Ford/Mazda engine is still a coupla generations behind in the valve train design , simple VVT on the intake valves vs. CVVTi intelligent (computer controlled) continuously variable intake AND exhaust valve timing on undeniably the best V6 of this group - the Toyota 2GR. Now that engine - is 'modern' - and innovative. Recent updates have pulled the VQ to almost the same levels as the 2GR, but not quite - it is the VQs remarkable history that sets it above all the rest, including the newer Toyota design.

gauge

by kneisl1 on Wed Oct 08 16:27:26 PDT 2008

No you really want just a plain jane gauge. If after using it you can see your way to move up to more expensive tools you might consider it. But I dont think thats likely. Hmm no codes. Can you go through the symptoms again and maybe elaborate a little? If the gauge says no codes there are no codes its that simple. If a code is set it stays in the computer until erased. So theres no sense keeping it hooked up.

It's all relative to the individual driving.

by knockster on Sun Nov 16 06:51:03 PST 2008

You personally may want to drive at slower speeds for your own reasons, such as fuel efficiency, safety, the law or just plain scared. My time and mood determine how fast I will drive at any given day on the road. If I am time constrained I will drive faster. If I just feel like cruising and taking in the scenery I will drive slower. Being in the military I make several long distance trips a year (400 to 1200 miles) to see freinds and family in different states. In reality what is going on here is that you don't want to drive faster and you don't like the fact that others are allowed so you make up EXCUSES (I stress that word because thats all they are) why others should have to drive a speed that you pull out of a hat. You hide beind numbers such as 40mpg, 55mph, and use statistics to supposedly prove your point. Actually the numbers of fatal accidents on the highways are low statistically when compared to the number of people on the road. There is fast driving, there is wreckless driving and there is fast, wreckless driving. The individual driving decides how fast he will navigate the roads and whether or not he will abide by the speed limit. Knowing this you have a choice set by the government to either join the others driving faster or moving to the right lane set aside for slower peeds with a MINIMUM in most states of 40 mph. So why is it so hard for you to drive in that lane and just let the others pass you by? Instead slower drivers who claim they want slower speed limits for safety in turn help cause accidents on the highway with what is known as road rage. When you get in the middle and left lane and and drive 45 or 55 mph to try to force someone to go slower, you are raising the risk of an accident significantly. You are also breaking the law which states slower traffic keep right so in essence those who do this are nothing more than hypocrites. The government in my opinion has done the right thing by raising the speed limit and designating the right lane for slower speeds. They also regulate that speed limits be slower in areas where there may be a lot more traffic or pedestrians may be in the road and that is why you see speed limits on the highway range from 55 to 75mph. It is also my opinion that the idiots driving wrecklessly at slower and/or higher speeds have no regard for thier own life much less anyone elses and should be punished accordingly. These are the people you should be targeting, not the speed limit because they are going to drive wreckless regardless of what the speed limit may be. As for 55 being better for fuel efficiency, I just don't beleive it. Like I said earlier I travel quite a bit and ALWAYS stop in the same places and at the same amount of miles to refuel regardless of how fast I am driving on that particular trip. I have found that your driving habbits will determine whether or not you get better gas mileage. Things like taking off from a stop more gradual than stomping on the gas pedal, coasting when you don't need to hit the gas, using cruise control and coasting to a stop instead of gassing it until you have to stop. Safety, like I said the individual determines safety. A person driving 55 can be just as unsafe as a person driving 70. I personally try to keep a good stopping distance from cars in front of me and all to often vehicles driving at slower speeds will use that gap to cut me off to get around an even slower driver or just to try and slow me down. In this scenario it isn't my speed that would have caused an accident but the ignorence of the person cutting me off. Consideration of others on both sides (fast or slow) can make driving a lot safer. Don't drive wreckless, don't be ignorant and be aware at all times and lives will be saved.