[dr.abhijeet]

@jomz I think it's 2 bucks in Amazon.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by dr.abhijeet

@jomz I think it's 2 bucks in Amazon.

Thanks. Btw what mpg (highway) do you get on the Sti? One friend was considering one and he was curious.

[Activ8]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Meanwhile , anybody going for the Detroit auto show??

Was able to catch the Industry Preview last Thursday - some good stuff, the S600 Maybach was open to the folks to sit in and fiddle, which was a pleasant surprise as was the S550 coupe. Ofcourse the new W213 E was Mercedes' launch vehicle at the show - much, much tighter than I'd have thought for such a big car. And still no dual-unit speedo. Only mph. Even Cavics have digital adjust for speed now. Don't US drivers ever go to Canada in their Benzes according to Benz marketing or what? How expensive is it to get a dual-unit marked speedo? It would even look classier. But apart from that, nice to see interior quality now on par with Lexus in terms of materials.

BMW on the other hand was a sorry state of affairs. The new M2 was locked and unavailable for exploration. The G11 7 was disappointing in person as much as it has been in the pics. Dated cockpit. And overly garnished in chrome - stepping into the A8 immediately after, felt like an upgrade.

In other news, Acura's Precision Concept was nice - kinda showed where Acura could've been instead of where it is. Lexus went one step better with the stunning FC & LC500. The FCA stand had the prettiest models - and the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio was awesome as an Italian alternative to the German compact sport execs (M3-C63-RS4). Has nice carbon-fibre seat backs too. And oh yeah, the new Civic looks pretty large in person - needless to say no one with their measuring tapes was anywhere near that.

Ford had the Focus RS, Mustang GT350 and F-150 Raptor open to sit and play with, reaffirming its current leadership in the widest portfolio of sport offerings from any full-line manufacturer. The GT ofcourse was locked down

Here's some pics off the phone:

[gatham.psb]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Thanks. Btw what mpg (highway) do you get on the Sti? One friend was considering one and he was curious.

On highways, the typical mpg is around 21. On few occasions i was able to eek out around 24 mpg. The gauge on the dashboard is optimistic by 1-2 mpg.

If a daily driver and doing only highway miles, the new wrx is a better bet. With the new engine, it has the same punch of the STi atleast in the 0-60 times and is friendly on the pocket too. I have seen reports of 30+ mpg on other scooby forums.

[dr.abhijeet]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Thanks. Btw what mpg (highway) do you get on the Sti? One friend was considering one and he was curious.

I daily drive it although I am supposed to daily drive the Elantra. It's all stop and go trafficking and I get 14-15 mpg. On highways in low 20s. I don't regret it for a minute. Although, I am slowly convincing my wife to change the Elantra to a WRX cvt.

[VIPER_SRT]

Industry prediction says oil prices will hit $20/barrel or maybe less, means around $1/gallon and it'll stay that way for another 5-10 yrs. With sanctions lifted off on Iran, they will be in full swing pumping more oil to recover their economy to some extent and so will Saudi's! Global warming against low fuel prices, that's another story but trend is set among manufacturers for more performance and better fuel economy.

2015 was the year for SUV's and Truck sales.
http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/pag...tml#autosalesB

Food for thought: How many of us will really care about MPG's against performance once the fuel hits $1.

[kaka46]

Originally Posted by Fraz33r

I think it s a pretty good deal, unless there is something wrong with the Car. But make sure you check everything and Yes,, Check the life of tires cause those run flats will be expensive.

My 328i 2014 is now on 34k and that's the biggest expense I see in the coming year.

Thanks for the heads up, the tires looked good but I'm not sure if they're new and the salesperson did point out that they would cost around $1000 or so.

Originally Posted by Technocrat

+1 to what Viper_SRT said

Also the 328i is a much smaller car compared to Accord & the 2016 Accord will probably have more features. But the BMW would be more fun to drive.

Do the due diligence & then take the call. All the best

Yep, it's smaller than the Accord but the Handling is terrific. It definitely is a fun to drive car but the only reason i'm still holding back is because of the maintenance costs after the warranty. Although it still has factory and extended warranty, I'm told repairs would cost a bomb. the 2016 Accord Sport looks terrific and with the Honda sensing package, 19 inch alloys and paddle shifter's, it's an incredible value for money car.

Originally Posted by VIPER_SRT

Assuming this is a BMW dealership, since you said "Certified Preowned", its a good deal if it comes with extended warranty and new tires. BMW certified also means, car is free of accidents, an important factor to consider. Make sure you check the CarFax report. Did you check the tires? The good thing is, its still under warranty and BMW maintenance. New Honda's have more tech compare to 2013 BMW. Its a very personal choice but if you love driving then go for BMW. You can't go wrong with it!

Yes, it is from a local dealership and the new Honda's ride better now due to the improvised suspension set up. If only the Accord came with AWD and turbo option(2016 Civic is available with a 2.0L Turbo petrol option), I wouldn't have thought so much and would've ordered it rightaway

[VIPER_SRT]

Originally Posted by kaka46

it's an incredible value for money car.

My 2006 Acura TL is close to 10 yrs old with 90K miles on it. Its technically a Honda Accord V6. All parts are same, including windows All it needed was regular maintenance. It runs as good as new and I see no reason to get rid of it.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by kaka46

Yep, it's smaller than the Accord but the Handling is terrific. It definitely is a fun to drive car but the only reason i'm still holding back is because of the maintenance costs after the warranty. Although it still has factory and extended warranty, I'm told repairs would cost a bomb.

The repairs should be covered under warranty/ extended warranty??.

Could buy from Carmax and get an extended warranty from them - Carmax warranty lets you do the repair at a BMW dealership.

[dr.abhijeet]

My Nissan Pathfinder was in a fender bender last week. The car has done 67000 miles. I was planning to change it next year but after the incident/ accident I am planning to do it now. I don't buy new cars except performance cars.

I decided that the car cannot be more than 3 years old and less than 40000 miles and was just looking at Carmax. I don't have time to haggle anymore. The budget was 40 to 50k .
I test drove a lot of cars including a 2015 town and country, 2014 Toyota landcruiser, a 2012 S550, a 2011 bmw 750, 2013 x5, Lexus RX 2011( the car was very well kept), merc ML 2013 and a Cadillac SRX.
Both me and my wife loved the Mercedes ML and paid for transfer of 2014 ML blutec from SoCal. Now a Lexus GX premium has appeared in Phoenix which is 2012 but has only 32000 miles.
I am yet to test drive both cars as both are in transit. Both have been maintained well. Apart from the Carmax provided autocheck , I also ran Carfax and called respective dealers where both cars were serviced and both are evenly matched in maintainence.
Suggestions? Experiences? Reading mbworld and club Lexus like crazy.

[VIPER_SRT]

Originally Posted by dr.abhijeet

Suggestions? Experiences? Reading mbworld and club Lexus like crazy.

'14 ML Bluetec is a nice SUV but it'll depreciate more than Lexus. GX is more bang for buck being a 7 seater and reliable; besides I like the interior of Lexus compared to '14 ML. My vote is for GX. Good luck!

[dr.abhijeet]

Originally Posted by VIPER_SRT

'14 ML Bluetec is a nice SUV but it'll depreciate more than Lexus. GX is more bang for buck being a 7 seater and reliable; besides I like the interior of Lexus compared to '14 ML. My vote is for GX. Good luck!

Here is the comparison thats going on in my head:
Engine/powertrain
I am not so sure about the engine of the GX. Its power OP makes it a V8 from from yesteryears. 2014 is the last year ML came with the 3.5L turbo-diesel making 450lb of torque. The GX's engine pales in its comparison. I am not a fan of the Merc 7 speed dual clutch gearbox( I have no experience in the bluetec models). I have never driven a GX.
Reliablity:
The GX will be waaaay more reliable, for ML I can use the Demuro style Carmax warranty.

Features:
GX beats ML hands down, No ventilated seats( I live in AZ), no quad zone AC( not even tri zone), MB tex vs Lexus leather.

Model Year/ Mileage:
Lexus is 2012 while ML is 2014. The lexus is pre- alien face grill model which I like and has done 32000 miles while the ML 2014 with 40000 miles.

Prior History
Lexus was bought in MO but was transferred to AZ the same year. dealer maintained. No tow hitch so no towing. Brand new tires.
Mercedes was also maintained at a SoCal dealership and changed oil every 5000 miles instead of recommended 10000. Assuming most miles are highway as difficult to get that mileage in city driving. The car does have a tow hitch it does mot have scratch marks or any other tell-tale signs of towing but I can never be sure. 40000 service is done and has brand new continental tires.

Other things:
My mom is sold on the Mercedes( elders from India love Mercedes). My wife is unsure and will let me after driving the GX( likes the Mercedes though). My 2 year old boy like to spend time in Carmax than anywhere else and has no opinion.
I don't know what I want.

When we started, our requirements were:
- Car for Highway trips.
-We are Couple with a 2 year old.( Mom visits).
-5 seats will work as well-Time 7 seats were used in the pathfinder-3 in 2 years.

Opinions are appreciated.

[VIPER_SRT]

Originally Posted by dr.abhijeet

Its power OP makes it a V8 from from yesteryears. 2014 is the last year ML came with the 3.5L turbo-diesel making 450lb of torque. The GX's engine pales in its comparison. I am not a fan of the Merc 7 speed dual clutch gearbox( I have no experience in the bluetec models).

Agreed... 300 ponies from a 4.6L V8 doesn't look much but like any other Lexus its smooth and reliable with better interior design. Its a great off-roader for rugged terrains, always good to have an off-roader whether you are an adventurous person or not! Its always nice to have those 2 extra seats and more luggage space if family grows. Do you need hitch? Bike carriers, boats, JetSkis?
Best part, Lexus's good resale value! You will have a better decision making ability after a test drive.

'14 ML is a newer model but interior's pale in comparison. Its a 3.0L Turbo Diesel with 7 speed transmission. I don't think its a dual clutch but its smooth. Diesel's are great freeway cruisers and this Bluetec is fast too from 0-60 compared to the GX.. You will be happy with ML if you have that extended warranty for peace of mind. I'm not sure what options this ML has but they can easily go 15-20K plus on base price. I'm sure you have done the comparisons by now.

Resale value, more space, extra 2 seats, better interiors, Premium edition (leather interior, HID's etc), off-road capabilities...... GX wins

Fuel sipper, BENZ brand Name, gigantic torque.... ML's the way to go.

[MrA]

My friend is going through a tough time and yesterday he banged his car with a road divider and it managed to impact the front left side of the car bumper, just below the headlights (Image attached).
We live in New York and the quote provided by local body-shop is about $3000 which is ridiculous.
Luckily we have car junkyards over here where we can find the similar car of our interest and detach the parts we need and buy them for a very cheap price. e.g The front bumper cover can be bought for $30.
However I'm failing to understand what other parts would my friend need apart from the front bumper cover.
I'm attaching the image below. The plastic cladding below the bumper is broken from one side which extends to the arch that's around the wheel.
After a lot of online search and research I finally got the idea of asking for suggestions and proper info from the experts of our Team-BHP community.





Note from Support: Please upload your attachments to the forum's servers directly using the attachment system instead of external image hosts. Thanks!

[Jeroen]

The best way is to check on the inside of your old bumper. Are you getting it from a junkyard where they allow you to take it off the car yourself? Then you know exactly on how to put it back on as well and you can detach and take all other parts you need too.

Taking a bumper of can be a bit of an art form. Its not always that obvious how they attach. Not sure what car this is, but at any autozone or similar part shop they will sell Hayenes Technical manuals or something similar. Make sure you get the correct manual for the right model and year. They have very detailled instructions and lots of photographs on all jobs on your car.

Good luck
Jeroen