kimberlyanne546
Final Approach
Then again if I went into operant conditioning with you it might sound like Japanese to your ears.
True, he did say it would start "slipping" - he's a great guy and the way he explained it to me is about the revving. Anyways I guess it will give some warning but I was under the impression not that much warning.
My first "new" car was a 2001 Forester. Still have it. It just started making a noise my mechanic said was differential lash, a common thing, and I could expect the diff to fail in maybe another 100,000 miles.I buy new cars and then don't sell them. My first new car is now ten years old, my second new car is four years old. I have taken great care of both cars and have no intention of selling either of them. Since they were paid for with cash, and well taken care of, their total cost over their lifetime is reasonable. Plus, I like to know they were not abused by previous owners. If I wanted to get rid of them, I will probably give them to a family member in need of a car. I had an old Mustang I gave to my nephew; my father gave it to me, I thought I should pass it on.
Read my earlier post. I don't have a tach.
So I'm doing really well, then, right?
You're probably doing it already... it's more something you do when double clutching (usually down-shifting). The idea is that you go into neutral, then rev the engine a bit so you're not engaging the transmission unless the engine is revving at a speed appropriate for that gear. Without two tachs, one for the engine and one for the gears, it's a pretty intuitive exercise. You can base it somewhat on the lowest rpm you normally shift at, but that doesn't always apply. My rule of thumb when downshifting is to make sure the rpms are at least higher than when I first hit the clutch to take it out of gear. You've probably noticed what happens when you go into a lower gear when the engine's not revving enough- the trans and engine kinda fight each other, with the poor clutch caught in the middle... and you can also have an interesting, sudden "torque event". Releasing the clutch with too much engine speed is not good, either, but "lugging it" is worse.Matching revs during shift? Can you explain? Maybe I'm already doing this? I do NOT rev to redline and then shift (never have except for onramps). I tend to undershift / shift early. It just feels like I'm being "nicer" to the car. It has worked so far and I've owned several sticks. I've heard it is also bad to hold the clutch in so at stoplights I am in neutral.
You can also do it by ear and feel. You don't have to match rev's exactly to greatly reduce clutch wear. The way you can tell if you messed up is the car sort of jumps when you let off the clutch going into the next gear. It should be a very smooth transition from one gear/rpm to another.
Only your clutch knows if you're doing good. It'll let you know one day. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in 10 years. I hope it is the latter. ;-)
You're probably doing it already... it's more something you do when double clutching (usually down-shifting). The idea is that you go into neutral, then rev the engine a bit so you're not engaging the transmission unless the engine is revving at a speed appropriate for that gear. Without two tachs, one for the engine and one for the gears, it's a pretty intuitive exercise. You can base it somewhat on the lowest rpm you normally shift at, but that doesn't always apply. My rule of thumb when downshifting is to make sure the rpms are at least higher than when I first hit the clutch to take it out of gear. You've probably noticed what happens when you go into a lower gear when the engine's not revving enough- the trans and engine kinda fight each other, with the poor clutch caught in the middle... and you can also have an interesting, sudden "torque event". Releasing the clutch with too much engine speed is not good, either, but "lugging it" is worse.
I drive a '90 Mustang LX 5.0, a torque-y beast with very little weight on the rear axle, and a truck-like clutch and gearbox. When I first started driving it, I was eager to downshift with finesse, but I am losing interest. It's not as easy as with the last manual trans car I owned ('76 Fiat Spider), or the one before that (my wonderful '86 Subaru GL wagon)... in fact it's not easier than some of the trucks I've driven, LOL! If I screw this maneuver up on, say, a wet offramp, the rear end will head for the curb before I can say "Oh sh-". I have yet to successfully "power-shift" this thing (shift without the clutch by moving the gearshift at precisely the right rpms), so I am never 100% sure what the magic number should be.
For that reason, it is definitely wise to just take it out of gear and coast most times, especially when coming to a stop. The other reason is that brake work is cheap, clutch work is expensive. That's also a good reason to "granny shift" (shift up before yellow or redline, as you describe)... also saves gas. I see a big difference in mpg if I short-shift the Mustang in city traffic. And as a rule, when I can, if I'm going over 50 mph, I put it in 5th gear. It'll go pretty fast in 4th, but at near 3000 rpm as opposed to 1500-2000 in 5th.
As for holding the clutch down when stopped, I don't do it mostly because if some dummy rear-ends you, there is less likely to be damage to the drivetrain or the engine (if your foot slips off the clutch pedal). Better to be in neutral, and firmly on the brake pedal. Even when pointing uphill at a light (which can sometimes happen in SF, eh?) it's not a big deal to do the fancy footwork required to start rolling out of neutral. Everybody in front of me always seems to take 5-7 seconds to start going anyway, so there's no rush...
Hyundai Sonata is my favorite rental car but I'm not sure it's in Kimberly's price range. The Elantra is good too. I recently rented a Toyota Yaris. It was OK and maybe closer to the right price.I drive a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, easily the best car I have ever owned. Phil Edmunston (of Lemon Aid fame) says that Hyundai is building better cars than anything coming out of Japan. Indeed, the Elantra won Car of the Year awards at at least two shows in the last two weeks.
Hyundai Sonata is my favorite rental car but I'm not sure it's in Kimberly's price range. The Elantra is good too. I recently rented a Toyota Yaris. It was OK and maybe closer to the right price.
That's all good too.Kimberly is subtly being convinced to keep the current car until the wheels come off. Besides, one day when I don't have a $143 payment (next year) I can actually stop eating crappy groceries. Or fly the 150 for almost 2 hours.
That's all good too.
I do need to confess to being a new car person, though, and an impulse buyer.
Too late...Do you need an intervention?
Too late...
LOL, no. Remember I live in Colorado. I got a Subaru Forester, and it's AWD capabilities have been tested numerous times since I got it, including today. Works pretty good. I got in and out of my driveway with 8" of snow.Too late? What did you get? A Prius?
LOL, no. Remember I live in Colorado. I got a Subaru Forester, and it's AWD capabilities have been tested numerous times since I got it, including today. Works pretty good. I got in and out of my driveway with 8" of snow.
I don't think of the Subaru as a rich person's car.Wow. One day when I am rich I will own a Subaru. They had a great episode on Top Gear about the Subaru vs the Mitsubishi (both AWD). Fun looking car. Not the Forester though. I think it was more of a rally car.
I don't think of the Subaru as a rich person's car.
Maybe they were talking about the Impreza WRX which is more of a sporty looking car.
Keep the car... Period
Take all or some of the monthly payment you would be making on a new car and squirrel it away in the event you need the repairs. If you don't use it on the repairs, then later on you will have almost paid for a new car and can pay cash, or take half of this "maintenance reserve" and use it for something like... errr... flying, yeah, that's it. Then keep right on driving it until you have to buy one and you will still (having kept up the "payments") have a huge chunk of the new car paid for.
We have
They all (knock on wood) run just fine, and have no payments.
- 1997 Ford F-150 - 259,000 miles
- 2000 Infiniti I30t - 189,000 miles
- 2000 Ford Windstar- 170,000 miles
Even though they don't get 50 MPG, for the cost of a car payment we can absorb quite a bit of extra gas cost.
Just a thought.
It looks like a new Impreza base model is about $17,500. But it's also an AWD which always costs more.Yes they were. Sorry, forgot the name. Well if you don't have to be rich then please tell me the MSRP of a new Subaru vs the MSRP of, say, a Nissan Versa (around 13,000 new).
It looks like a new Impreza base model is about $17,500. But it's also an AWD which always costs more.
http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/impreza/index.htmlWow that's less than I thought. I just don't see a lot of Subaru's around here so I assumed they were expensive.
New tires (Costco): great ones about $400 - $500
Major service coming up: about $300 - $600
Possible manifold exhaust leak (just starting to hear noises): ????
New brakes: $200 - $300
(any day now) New clutch: $800 - $1000 (or more)
Issues with battery (might need new one): $50 - 200 depending
Side door / mirror (someone dinged it): ????
Squeaky noise (belts)????
New stuff when due (timing belt, water pump, etc): many dollars.
Well, that obviously isn't the $17,500 model.
Fully agree. That's why my delivery truck (2001 Silverado 4.3L Auto with beefed up rear springs to hold up the flatbed) has just over 500,000 miles on it with the original engine and only it's 2nd transmission.I'd drive it till the wheels feel off but thats me!
Well, that obviously isn't the $17,500 model.
do the clutch and the exhaust FIRST. These are immediate safety items. The exhaust may be MUCH less than you think.
I have no idea why you want GREAT tires on an 8 year old honda. Get middle grade tires with relative firm formulas (you're not a race driver, if you are a little cautious, the slightly lower traction coefficient buys you a MUCH longer lasting tire).
Brakes: 2-300 if you need rotors, but if they're not warped and are in spec, this is a $100$150 item for pads and shoes.
You don't need a TOP battery, either, budget $80-90 and buy at Walmart. Keep it in concert with the fact that it's 8 years old.
Side mirror- yours is very common, AggieMike is dead on.
I maintain a 1997 Toyota Camry for my 21 year old daughter. It'll get her through grad school.
I drive a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, easily the best car I have ever owned. Phil Edmunston (of Lemon Aid fame) says that Hyundai is building better cars than anything coming out of Japan. Indeed, the Elantra won Car of the Year awards at at least two shows in the last two weeks.
There is very little that is worse enslavement than debt. Keep the car.
LOL, no. Remember I live in Colorado. I got a Subaru Forester, and it's AWD capabilities have been tested numerous times since I got it, including today. Works pretty good. I got in and out of my driveway with 8" of snow.