looking for a new DD and autox car

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:28 pm

Judi Westerfield wrote:

So it's Monday...what happened?

lol.... it's in the driveway getting wet. So, my big drive home was in the rain, at rush hour, on 40. Not recommended.... Very tense driving home in a new to me car. Handles nothing like the 328, going to be a bit of a learning curve on this one. Car does pull a bit to the left, so off to Marks on Friday for an alignment.

Again, the whole carmax thing was good, no issues and no complaints. Staff was very nice, made sure I was happy w/ the car, they cleaned the interior where I pointed out a few issues, filled it up w/ gas and even put a legit plate on the car. No visiting DMV! All I have to do is finish up financing at the SECU tomorrow.

As for warranty, they still have their 5 day return policy and they cover any and all repairs to the car for the first 30 days. I'd say that's fair.

The 328 is now for sale....

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:30 pm

steve remchak wrote:

i just read your letter to Roundel this morning. kinda like the Sports Illustrated Curse i guess.

If I hadn't inherited the e30, I'd still have the e46 vert and the mini wouldn't even have been a thought. Funny how stuff changes around you.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:35 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

i just read your letter to Roundel this morning. kinda like the Sports Illustrated Curse i guess.

If I hadn't inherited the e30, I'd still have the e46 vert and the mini wouldn't even have been a thought. Funny how stuff changes around you.

so true. you should see what i picked up today. :twisted:

i just have to hide it until X-mas. :roll:

Sean O'Connell · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:51 pm

steve remchak wrote:

so true. you should see what i picked up today. :twisted:

i just have to hide it until X-mas. :roll:

another lemons/ chump car? i almost picked up another e36 last week, imagine that.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

Congrats on the new ride then! I'm glad there is another really tall guy in a mini out there. Now I won't be the only one who people look at weird. Then again, maybe they are looking at me weird because the license plate is BTBYAGRL. . .

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:53 am

BriceJohnson wrote:

Now I won't be the only one who people look at weird. Then again, maybe they are looking at me weird because the license plate is BTBYAGRL. . .

Or, maybe for another reason . . .
:lol:

Sorry, I couldn't resist - you left yourself wide open, Brice.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

RodneyWright wrote:

Judi Westerfield wrote:

So it's Monday...what happened?

lol.... it's in the driveway getting wet. So, my big drive home was in the rain, at rush hour, on 40. Not recommended.... Very tense driving home in a new to me car. Handles nothing like the 328, going to be a bit of a learning curve on this one. Car does pull a bit to the left, so off to Marks on Friday for an alignment.

Again, the whole carmax thing was good, no issues and no complaints. Staff was very nice, made sure I was happy w/ the car, they cleaned the interior where I pointed out a few issues, filled it up w/ gas and even put a legit plate on the car. No visiting DMV! All I have to do is finish up financing at the SECU tomorrow.

As for warranty, they still have their 5 day return policy and they cover any and all repairs to the car for the first 30 days. I'd say that's fair.

The 328 is now for sale....

Can't you get Carmax to do the alignment?

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

Keith Quistorff wrote:

BriceJohnson wrote:

Now I won't be the only one who people look at weird. Then again, maybe they are looking at me weird because the license plate is BTBYAGRL. . .

Or, maybe for another reason . . .
:lol:

Sorry, I couldn't resist - you left yourself wide open, Brice.

Very true, I should have known better.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:14 pm

Les Davis wrote:

Can't you get Carmax to do the alignment?

All they will do is the standard alignment. Need Mark to put his magic touch on it. I did figure out the pulling issue though. Checked the air pressures this morning. Both the left front and right rear were at 15psi each, so pretty close to being a true run flat. Back left was at 20 and the front right at 42. No wonder this thing drove wonky. Much better now and drives like it should.

BTW, these damn run flats suck. Noisy as hell and stiff. Can't wait to burn these down and order some decent tires for it.

This is a very fun car and getting ~27mpg mixed driving. I'm digging that part of the car.

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:48 pm

So, let me get this straight . . .

Carmax wouldn't let you drive it the other day due to a mismatched wheel, but they were perfectly fine sending you off with 15, 15, 20 and 42 psi pressure in the tires?

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

RodneyWright wrote:

Les Davis wrote:

Can't you get Carmax to do the alignment?

All they will do is the standard alignment. Need Mark to put his magic touch on it. I did figure out the pulling issue though. Checked the air pressures this morning. Both the left front and right rear were at 15psi each, so pretty close to being a true run flat. Back left was at 20 and the front right at 42. No wonder this thing drove wonky. Much better now and drives like it should.

BTW, these damn run flats suck. Noisy as hell and stiff. Can't wait to burn these down and order some decent tires for it.

This is a very fun car and getting ~27mpg mixed driving. I'm digging that part of the car.

No TPMS going off with those sorts of pressures? Thats certainly odd, unless the CarMax people incorrectly reset them with the tires actually AT those pressures.

Pete Guthrie · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:17 pm

my wrx does not have tire monitoring device either. it will just drive funny, if it is off alot.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:18 pm

Maybe it's just a Mini thing, but I didn't know you could set them (TPMS sensors). I think it just notices the difference in rotational speed because the pressure dictates the circumference of the tire.

My Civic sensors are great. They let me know when there's another nail in my tire from habitually driving slightly "off line" on the streets. I found another one changing tires in Danville last week. :roll:

Enjoy the new toy Rodney and welcome to the 'wrong wheel drive' club. :lol:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:33 pm

Matt McGrain wrote:

Maybe it's just a Mini thing, but I didn't know you could set them (TPMS sensors). I think it just notices the difference in rotational speed because the pressure dictates the circumference of the tire.

It seems that depends on whether you have the Direct or Indirect type of sensors.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

If I'm not mistaken, you can "calibrate" the TPMS on the mini (there is a button that does SOMETHING) so that it can account for ACTUAL differences in rolling diameter that aren't pressure dependent (i.e. the front tires wearing so much more than the rears for example). You press the button, and you are supposed to drive straight for a certain distance. Its possible that Carmax put the tires and new wheel on there, got a TPMS, and just recalibrated without actually checking the pressures. If so, it could in theory not set off the sensors. Thats one of the risks of indirect monitoring systems. The other one I've found, since we drive my wife's mini so infrequently, is that they do not detect seasonal variations in pressure. For example, if you're at 30 psi in summer, and it drops below freezing, dropping your pressures to 19 psi, it won't set the monitors off, b/c the tires are ALL equally flat.

Then again, you can go with direct monitors like whats on my mazda, and get constantly leaking valve stems and dead batteries. All TPMS systems SUCK.

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