[amitoj]

Originally Posted by aah78

Lol, I'm sorry but I'm used travelling that stretch from MA to DC so I keep forgetting how daunting it can be. It takes time to get used to it.

Anyway, all the best & enjoy your trip!

So i ended up taking CT15 S and the Tappan Zee bridge and then Palisade parkway to get onto NJTP. The only place where i found traffic jam was the NJTP, before the 7A exit to 6 Flags.

In around 10 hours, I touched 8 states! New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and finally, Virginia.

The contrast between Delaware and Maryland was surprising! It was like going from a 2 star hotel to a 5 star one. After entering Maryland from Delaware, the road became better, the vast agricultural land was replaced by tall trees lining the road and the houses were replaced by huge farmhouses. Also, there was hardly any commercial establishment in MD!

Tomorrow the return journey starts.

[infotech58]

Check the oil level as a starting point; they might have filled more oil than required and the car may be going in limp mode.

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Hello folks, Need some technical advice.

A friend of mine just got the oil changed (from Valvoline) for her Honda Accord (2008, 94K miles). After driving for around 5 miles, the car seemed very sluggish and the revs refused to build up.
The car is rattling and feels strained when you pump the gas.

She is planning to tow it to Dealer/Valvoline first thing tomorrow.

Could you guys pls let me know on the basic things that she can get checked so that she doesnt get ripped off.

Thanks again.

[chevelle]

I had this happen on my previous car - camry.

Turns out the oil change was not done properly. Oil filter was also not changed. They put in a different grade of oil and it was not even filled completely.

While my car didn't rattle, it did feel sluggish and would not rev with or without ac on.

Did another oil and filter change, changed spark plugs and all was well. Now, i won't know if it was just the oil change or the spark plugs that was responsible for improvement of the way it drove. Though the old spark plugs looked in ok condition as per mechanic.

Hope your friend found some solution. Keep us updated.

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Hello folks, Need some technical advice.

A friend of mine just got the oil changed (from Valvoline) for her Honda Accord (2008, 94K miles). After driving for around 5 miles, the car seemed very sluggish and the revs refused to build up.
The car is rattling and feels strained when you pump the gas.

She is planning to tow it to Dealer/Valvoline first thing tomorrow.

Could you guys pls let me know on the basic things that she can get checked so that she doesnt get ripped off.

Thanks again.

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by chevelle

Hope your friend found some solution. Keep us updated.

Originally Posted by infotech58

Check the oil level as a starting point; .

Thanks Chev, Sumeet - Much appreciated.

The oil Level was found to be proper, the guys from Valvoline came and towed the car the culprit was found to be a loose "hose". They fixed it and returned the car to her.

Since my friend is not technical, she has no idea what the "hose" was. I will be back in town Next week, and update on what exactly was done.

Thanks again for the replies - appreciate it.

[Fraz33r]

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Hello folks, Need some technical advice...

A friend of mine just got the oil changed (from Valvoline)..

Originally Posted by chevelle

Turns out the oil change was not done properly. Oil filter was also not changed. They put in a different grade of oil and it was not even filled completely...

I have bad experience a couple of years ago..well it wasn't Valvoline but I had changed oil at a Walmart Tire and Lube. However after 2k Miles the engine started to show some weird signs. I suspected instead of draining the oil they must have just topped it off.

Since then i have never been to that place. I prefer MIDAS, which has been flawless in their services. I always monitor my driving and MPG's though an app which gives me a li'l fair idea about my car's health.

Originally Posted by infotech58

.. the car may be going in limp mode.

If the car is going in the limp mode, I assume the OBD should start sending out CEL warning signs ( I may be wrong)

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by Fraz33r

I have bad experience a couple of years ago..well it wasn't Valvoline but I had changed oil at a Walmart Tire and Lube. However after 2k Miles the engine started to show some weird signs. I suspected instead of draining the oil they must have just topped it off.

Since then i have never been to that place. I prefer MIDAS, which has been flawless in their services. I always monitor my driving and MPG's though an app which gives me a li'l fair idea about my car's health.
If the car is going in the limp mode, I assume the OBD should start sending out CEL warning signs ( I may be wrong)

I had bad experience with independent shops too. Also had bad experiences with oil changes bought through Groupon. I also stick to Midas for G35's oil change. They are better, have good price and are easier to work with. Though i am not sure if i will get a major work done from them. Guess i will go to a dealership if a big issue arise like a sensor going bad or something. Eventually it is more or less the same when it comes to luxury as even independent shops charges a lot for this cars. (Generally Speaking for Infi, Acura and Lexus from experience, don't know about Germans).

[maddy42]

Thanks for the advice folks. Trip was fun and a bit tiring. 6 flags was the cake with the cherry on top in this trip.

We got to six flags by 12 and got a Gold pass which is a fast pass which is faster or cuts the wait time by half. This is a advisable piece of investment as we basically started each ride from the loading area.

In all we did 11 rides(friends did 12 as i dropped out from Lex Luthers drop).

Awesome Rides:
Goliath
X2 - This didnt live upto the expectation as it was the last!
Full throtle
Tatsu - Favorite ride
Scream
Batman
Riddlers revenge
Super man - Over too fast but worth it

Rides which we tried but didnt like
Green lantern
Viper(Both these hurts your body )
Ninja - Was a waste of time

Icing of this all was the fireworks in valencia. And for folks in CA the food at the Lazy Dog resto is very good.

Update on my cars battery trouble. Dropped the car in for service on wednesday and they replaced the battery as its charge was low free of cost under warranty. Am a happy man now

[Fraz33r]

Originally Posted by chevelle

..(Generally Speaking for Infi, Acura and Lexus from experience, don't know about Germans)....

Yeah you are right. I would not trust the independents with sensors, et all. Additionally my civic had a CEL going off with an vague OBD code. MIDAS told me they will send smoke up my hose lines and see if there is a leak which could take a minimum of 5-8hrs with no guarantee that it would solve the problem.

Went to Honda and they new exactly in 30 min what the problem was. They billed me 900 bucks for parts/labor and my car was done in a couple of hours.

As far as the imports in US go, there are ton of forums for the germans like BM that would tell you a local Bavarian Auto Specialist to deal with it if you want to avoid the Dealerships.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by amitoj

My head is spinning from trying to follow all those suggestions on google maps

B...

Here is my recent experience in this route, but from Hartford CT (about 90 miles SW of Boston). In May, I did two trips to DC from Hartford CT all in different routes. In first trip I went by 84 > 684 > Sawmill pkwy > Tappan Zee > GSP > I95 and it took about 7.5 hours to cover about 360 miles with lots of traffic in NY state. On the way back I took I83 N, 78 E, joined GSP and rest on same route above. This was about 420 miles and took again 7.5 hrs. This trip was in a Subaru Legacy.

Next trip from Hartford, I continued on I84W till Scranton and turned to I81S, I78W and I83S towards DC. About 440 miles long, but took just about the same 7.5 hours. And coming back took I95 all the way, including GW bridge, up until Bridgeport CT, took 9 hours to cover 340 miles. This trip was in Camry and Rav4.

Overall, I liked the Scranton route best, even though it was about 100 miles longer in comparison. Good relaxed drive, cleaner rest rooms on the way and better scenery around. Of course summer drives will be more tiresome with heat and traffic all around.

[NinadJoshi]

The routine visit to the usual family mafia in NY/NJ over the long weekend was spent marveling at the utterly terrible traffic there, collecting many 'argh' moments with horribly undisciplined drivers, asking myself yet again what pleasure was I deriving under 96 degrees of a thick humid sun, rubbing bumpers with other cars on the exorbitant $13-a-mile stretch of confusion and clog called the George Washington bridge for the 6th time in 3 days.

Every year I swear to avoid the East coast cities on vacations/holidays, and every year I break my oath at least half a dozen times

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by NinadJoshi

The routine visit to the usual family mafia in NY/NJ over the long weekend was spent marveling at the utterly terrible traffic there, collecting many 'argh' moments with horribly undisciplined drivers, asking myself yet again what pleasure was I deriving under 96 degrees of a thick humid sun, rubbing bumpers with other cars on the exorbitant $13-a-mile stretch of confusion and clog called the George Washington bridge for the 6th time in 3 days.

While going south from NH, i saw a sign for Tappan Zee bridge and followed that, even though my GPS was taking me to GW Bridge. It wizened up after the TZ Bridge and directed me towards a beautiful, scenic and very relaxing Palisades Parkway which helped me avoid all the NYC traffic.
On the way back too, I followed the same route.

BUT, NJ and CT seem to have maximum number of left lane hoggers. Thankfully enough, not all of them seemed to be of desi origins!!

Originally Posted by vasoo

Here is my recent experience in this route, but from Hartford CT (about 90 miles SW of Boston). I

Ok you have also made my head spin.
I guess, one year of living in this small town in the north eastern corner of this country has made me a hillbilly.

[Fraz33r]

Originally Posted by amitoj

..I saw a sign for Tappan Zee bridge and followed that, even though my GPS was taking me to GW Bridge.

Ok you have also made my head spin...

TZB is my favorite route over to the other side of the Hudson even though it may take some time. I think the toll is also less than GWB.

Dont worry, A couple years more and you would be sending others in a tizzy with the map directions.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Fraz33r

TZB is my favorite route over to the other side of the Hudson even though it may take some time. I think the toll is also less than GWB.

Where do they collect the toll?? I have not paid any toll when crossing TZB. Is it one of those express lane tolls? I do have EZPass.

Anyway, was day dreaming on craigslist and found these
http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/3927526498.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/3847508088.html

Thankfully daydreaming doesnt cost you anything. Nothing instantly, at least!

[aah78]

You only pay one way toll on TZB, driving towards NYC. Toll booths are on the East (Tarrytown) side of the bridge

No EZPass Express lanes, if I remember correctly.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by aah78

You only pay one way toll on TZB, driving towards NYC. Toll booths are on the East (Tarrytown) side of the bridge

No EZPass Express lanes, if I remember correctly.

There is a 25 mph or 35 mph lane - if that counts as express lane (obviously not). But yes, you only pay toll when you cross the bridge to the east.