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A number of the Mercs have TWO batteries, so make sure you are chasing the correct one. The big one is for starting while the smaller one serves the instruments, computers, controls, etc. Had some crazy things happen to my Merc while driving. Had already replaced the main battery and had a...

Buying a car, new or used is no longer fun. Most recently tried to buy a used car, 2 - 4 years old with under 50K miles. Didn't find any worthwhile deals, just a lot of fights with overpriced dealerships and used car salespeople. Ended up buying new from a dealership as minimal savings didn't...

Possess an interesting dilemma, particularly if you have owned the vehicle since new/nearly new and maintained it well. Today what you get in dollars for the replacement of an older vehicle (say 10+ years) is usually much less than what it is worth to you, assuming it is running and serving you...

Would be interesting to see the break-out of parts vs. labor costs in a similar format. My experience with German cars has been that parts are a little more expensive, being more durable(?) and more complex, but the BIG difference is in cost of labor/no. of hours for repairs. As an aside, the...

Maybe some money to be made importing Ru Bars, as in Australia. Should work! :ROFLMAO:

Always encourage learner to try on my manual trans in a quiet parking lot for selfish reasons. Reasoning: more manual trans capable drivers = more demand, at least until EVs overtake. Have had several successful converts as well as family members moving abroad where the market is still...

Always have adhesive weights on my rims. Not by choice. Often they seem to fall off eventually (due to salt/cold?), but before tires need replacing. Wishful thinking is that as the rubber wears, maybe not a bad thing to counter the loss in rubber. Reality is rims/tires always seem to be out...

Mostly had manual transmissions. Several have had clutches fail at projected or longer replacement miles, if that counts. Other than that, lost second gear on a Porsche Boxster S. Still missing it....a great convertible. Did change the trans fluid but made no difference. Old fluid was clean...

Check out Sanibel Island, Fl. Been a few years but was a great experience, particularly if you can find somewhere on the island.

Congrats. As the owner of a 16 328i F30 I think you will be well pleased. Mine is a six-speed manual rear wheel drive and I run snow tires November through April. Handles great and nice and peppy, although a bit of a harsh ride with the OEM replacement tires that it came with. Not hard to...

Exactly the same for me. The 2A NOCO has been doing the job for me and seems to satisfy the needs of multiple AGM batteries in cars, an SUV and a motorcycle. Recognize they are NOT cheap. Did not find any deals and the cost varies depending on retailer.

"Some newer VW engines use a plastic drain plug that only turns so far (o-ring makes the seal with the plastic sump). They seem foolproof, but I’m sure there are ways around it." My 3 Series BMW too. Must be a German thing! Just need to be sure it's the "kit" when buying the filter. Or you...

My go-to for my Beemer. Seem like good quality. One of the few cartridge filter "kits" that includes the mandatory oil drain plug. If the cartridge filter is purchased alone you may end up paying similar to a second cartridge just for the plastic oil drain plug, so buyer beware!!

Yes, the trend to exclude chargers is very annoying. Not all chargers are equal, so it does make a difference. Amazed that the exorbitantly expensive Apple phones do NOT include a charger. May result in compatibility issues as well as extended charging times. But then it does allow...

It's the deer around here that break our cars! Thud!

As others, also like the Continentals. In my case the DWS (latest is the 06). Ride well, handle both rain and mild snow in their early years, but they do get noisy in later life. Wear lettering tells you when you can be at risk when driving in snow, but for wet and try good until close to...

I listen to the engine on the Beemer. It's voice tells me when to shift and if I am in the correct gear. Crawling around down usually 2nd or 3rd. Once I get rolling, I aim for a target on the rev counter. If feeling aggressive it's open season!

Sumitomo HTR ZIII for summer. Falken 439 EuroWinter for winter in SE Michigan! Not enough snow to spend more on better. Keeps my rear only wheel drive car rolling. Probably stay with snow friendly all-seasons when time comes for new SUV tires, brand TBD, but had good experience on cars and...

"Check EVERYTHING". Drove home, about four miles after new tires installed. Ride seemed a bit off. Next day, as always, I checked the cold air pressure. Three tires good. Fourth tire reads 85lbs! Yes. I think they pressurize to make sure the rim seal is good as well looking for leaks...

Owner of a 2016 BMW 328i (F30). Bought it because it has a 6-speed manual trans, rear wheel drive. Handles and performs well. About 70K on it and no issues so far (touch wood!). Still on original clutch! Do my own service work. Oil change is easy. Cabin air filter take a bit of...