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It was just a bad battery. Drain and charging system tested within normal limits. Thanks for the help.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
I called the stereo installer and they think the amp must be installed properly because if it was not shutting down when the ignition's off and the key's out, it would be drawing enough current to discharge the battery overnight. Since that hasn't happened, they think it is indeed merely a weak battery. Therefore I scheduled the car with my usual indie mechanic on Friday, and he will run a diagby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Hi, I wondered if you could give me some advice or feedback. My 08 Cayman has been getting weekly use all summer up to now, and by that I mean use that would be easily sufficient to keep the battery charged. Over the last several weeks, however, I've noticed it cranking very slowly when getting ready to go out. Today it cranked very slowly but started, and we went out and ran several errands,by paulwdenton - Main Forum
Wife's car is a 2006 Acura MDX with under 30K miles, most of which are just highway miles on long trips. Always garaged, always treated the tires with Armorall or similar protectant. Still has the OEM tires with about 2/3 of their tread and still look like new. I feel like I ought to be replacing them due to age, but darn it, I have a hard time justifying it. I keep thinking, "Next year, whenby paulwdenton - Main Forum
re: "Now finding an indy tire shop that will repair an otherwise good tire on one of these cars is hard enough, but finding a Porsche dealer that will fix a tire... Forget it." That's NOT my experience. I got a screw in the tread of my brand new OEM Pilot Sports (slow leak) shortly after taking delivery of my Cayman and took it to my local Porsche dealer. They happily repaired it rather thanby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Thanks, Marc, for a really thorough answer. Hadn't thought about fracturing the block or the localized overheating. And in no way was I intending to be critical of replacing a water pump with 170K miles on it ... probably I will be freaked out about possible failure to replace my own at 50K or 75K just as a preventive measure.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
When the water pump fails, I thought that just meant that the water stopped circulating and it rapidly overheated. I figured that if my Porsche waterpump failed, I'd immediately shut down the engine to prevent overheating and just have it flatbedded back to the mechanic for a new pump. That was my Dad's experience with his old Buick and it was not really that big a deal. I would never run theby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I had my Boxster seats as low as they would go, because I had to in order to fit in the car. The car has not been built that I don't drive with the seats in the lowest position. The problem in the 986 Boxster is not the height of the bottom cushion, the problem is that the seat back does not extend high enough. Hence a tall person can fit comfortably in the car but unless you tip your head bacby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I'm sorry, I never had bought a car that would kill me in a rear-end collision, so I have to admit my laughable ignorance. How foolish of me to forget that it was my responsibility to identify the manufacturer's defective design prior to purchase. So now I have added, "Slam my head backwards into the seat to make sure I don't hit something that will smash my skull open" to my new car checklist.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
It's kind of humorous to describe Porsche engineering as "fantastic" in the same thread where people are discussing a device to detect the imminent destruction of the engine. But forget the IMS issue, tall people can strike their heads directly against the roll bar in an accident in the 986 models. The problem would have been immediately obvious had Porsche bothered to test their own car with dby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I had a 1930 Model A Tudor when I was in high school. It was my dream to own and restore one and I worked a paper route to earn the money for it. Bought it in running condition but rough. Took it apart down to the engine and frame in our garage (my parents were delighted, especially the day the undercoating spray can exploded). Removed all rust, repainted, replaced brake parts, tie rod ends,by paulwdenton - Main Forum
My thoughts exactly. This is a giant leap backward. I don't like the strake OR the giant kit-car scoop. It's just way overdone. If the motor is running, I'd be afraid it would suck in my wife's purse. Together with the giant wheels, it looks like a Hot Wheels car now. If I want to look like a boy racer, I might as well drive a Corvette.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
If you have lived in Philippines (as I have), you'd know the reason for their pollution problem is billions of ill-maintained vehicles with no pollution controls in a very tiny space. Also a lot of cook stoves over open flames. Plus, Manila is far more crowded than LA. Anyway, try driving a few miles behind the Philippine Rabbit (bus) or a jeepney belching oil smoke and rich fuel mix on 3 outby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I like it the styling, and little cars can be lots of fun even if they are slow. They are like driving a go-kart. The fun is all in how and where you drive. Probably would be rotten on a track or long-distance travel on the freeway, but I'd take a 500 over a Boxster in a race across Manhattan in rush hour. And you have to remember, Porsche drivers are not exactly the demographic that FIAT isby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I'm not so sure it's that easy. I had a Suzuki Ninja 500 and a Boulevard C50 (800 cc cruiser) and neither one would get even close to 54.5 mpg. I would get 35-40 mpg out of the Ninja 500 and maybe 45-50 mpg out of the Boulevard if I worked at it, but I know guys with the powerful sportbikes and if they get 30 mpg, they are doing well. If a motorcycle with an 800 cc engine can't get 54.5 mpg, wby paulwdenton - Main Forum
QuoteMarcW When I was shopping for my 1st or subsequent Porsche if I thought I was considering a car that that required me to sit down with 2 chemists at a trade show, then buttonhole a tire expert, a brake expert, and fuel expert, a suspension expert, a mechanical engineer, a bearing engineer, and so on to assemble a hodge-podge of recommendations then I would have avoided the car. But Marc, yoby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Agreed, that's what the gauge *should* look like with 7.75L or 8.19 quarts; unfortunately my gauge goes all the way beyond the top arrow with 8.0 quarts in it. It was in the center or even a little above the center after we added 7 quarts (6.62L), but it should have been almost on the bottom arrow.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
You are correct. What I meant was that with only 7 quarts, the gauge showed an oil level halfway between the two marks. Sorry, didn't express myself well. But with 7 quarts, it would still be 1.18 quarts low, so it shouldn't be showing up on the gauge right in the middle of the allowable range. I can only surmise that the gauge would have still been within the two marks with only six quarts.by paulwdenton - Main Forum
I went back and checked my manual and you are right, the capacity was 7.75L. When I wrote the post above, I went by memory of the conversion but I checked now and it converts to 8.19 quarts. Furthermore, I checked my actual receipt for the last oil change and they charged me for 8.0 quarts. I do remember stopping after adding 7 quarts and seeing the gauge showing half-full and the mechanic sayby paulwdenton - Main Forum
This has been a frequent topic on Planet 9. Knowing of this, I asked my indie mechanic about it, and he thinks it's silly. So, we did an experiment on my last oil change, and after the experiment, I had to agree with him. First, I looked up how much oil the car should take (8.7 qts). Then, we drained the old oil for half an hour, and removed and replaced the filter, then replaced the drain plby paulwdenton - Main Forum
If all you are looking for is a reliable, practical car, for $25K and some sharp bargaining you can have a brand-new Camry, Accord, or Sonata with almost every option, full warranty, and reliable, and it will always be a used car in high demand. Of course, such a car is boring as mud, but if you want reliable and practical, they've got it in spades. I personally would rather drive one of theseby paulwdenton - Main Forum
About 20 miles from the epicenter ... sitting in a lecture hall with 100 others at The Judge Advocate General's School. Ceiling shook so fast it was a blur. Everyone made a dash for the exits. Many had what could be graciously referred to as "coffee stains" on their laps. LOLby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I concur about the self-selecting sample, and I have an admission to make that kind of helps prove Mike's point. I ... um ... didn't participate in the sample because I hadn't had any troubles with my 08 Cayman and had barely owned it a year or so when the survey was started. I mean, really, I can't be the only one who figured, "What is the point in participating if you don't have anything to rby paulwdenton - Main Forum
As I'm reading Dave & mkaresh's last two posts, it seems like the stats really do nothing but confirm that the IMS failure rate could be anywhere from near zero up to 20%. No offense intended, and if I'm misreading your posts and data, please feel free to correct me ... but it really seems like that wide a variance isn't much different than the various WAGs that have been expressed frequentlby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Surely I misunderstand this part: "Six IMS failures were reported for the 2010 calendar year, most of them for 2004-2005 model year cars ... with over 220 owners of 1999-2005 cars participating." This sounds like you are saying there were 6 IMS failures out of 220 cars reporting. I'm no statistician, but doesn't 6/220 equate to a 2.7% failure rate for the 1999-2005 cars?by paulwdenton - Main Forum
I have been reading IMS failure reports for several years now and have never seen any definitive correlation between IMS failure and anything. I see three possible explanations for your mechanic's opinion: (a) he is drawing a conclusion based on his extensive exposure to IMS problems; (b) he is secretly Karnak the Magnificent; or (c) he is talking out his @$$. Since IMS problems are rare and yby paulwdenton - Main Forum
I hear you -- we were talking about different things. I was referring back to Faster Horses' post that mentioned that the perp's insurance was cancelled three days before the accident. The license suspension procedure would apply there. If the other party actually had insurance and denied it, I agree that you would either have to hope your own insurance can get your money for you or else thatby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Although I agree with you, I would add that in Missouri (and presumably other states also), if you had an accident with over $500 in damage and the other driver failed to maintain financial responsibility (i.e. insurance), you can apply to the State to have his or her license suspended. They don't get their license back until they settle with you. That may not work with a complete deadbeat whoby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Quotelongislander1 I have a feeling a lot of people will go for a roadster that's simpler and cheaper to own than a Boxster, but slightly larger and sturdier than a Miata. Maybe it's the niche left open by the departure of the S2000. My problem with the Miata is width (I would have to cut off the left arm to own one) and construction (If I had to be in an accident, I'd MUCH rather be in the Boxby paulwdenton - Main Forum
Haha, that's funny. I wonder how many others of us there are. Silly Japanese, the Miata isn't for people over 6' tall. I love the Miata but I just ... can't ... fit. When I started sports car shopping, I started at Miata, couldn't fit. Tried an RX-8, couldn't fit under the sunroof. Tried a 370Z but just wasn't happy with that car at all. Couldn't fit under the sunroof of a G-37. And that'by paulwdenton - Main Forum