Hope we're done with the snow. Spring cleaning on the E38 and P38...

[ChrisV]

The temps went from the mid teens last week to the mid 60s, so this weekend was "get the goddamn salt off the cars" weekend. Finally they are back to black instead of being off white... Anybody else getting "spring cleaning" done yet?







Wish the S600 was mine...

[MaxPower]

Yeah, I actually washed my cars yesterday, when the temp hit 40!  The diamond gray metallic paint on the Subaru really looks much better when it isn't masked by salt and dirt.

'Course the cars will be dirty again in a week or less--the snow comes just often enough to keep them from staying clean for more than a few days.

I miss those mid-60 degree days in February--that and a real spring were the two things I liked most while I lived in PA.

[the Teuton]

For living in a modest house, someone certainly must love their $140k cars.

I need to wash the Prez.  It's rusting away in this thick brine.

[ChrisV]

For living in a modest house, someone certainly must love their $140k cars.

You mean my neighbor? He's got that Mercedes, and a new Z06, as well as a fleet of F350s-F550 landscape trucks, and his wife drives a new Expedition with all the options. His business is doing really well. But, while he paid full price on the Vette, and fleet price on the Expedition, he paid half price (in cash) for the Mercedes, as it was a couple months old and had 6K miles on it...

[the Teuton]

You mean my neighbor? He's got that Mercedes, and a new Z06, as well as a fleet of F350s-F550 landscape trucks, and his wife drives a new Expedition with all the options. His business is doing really well.

Good for him.  It's still kinda cool/odd that he's not in some McMansion.

[Raza]

Spring cleaning?  That's in May.  Late April at the earliest.  It's not even halfway through February.  You're doing winter cleaning.  What's wrong with you?

[Raza]

Chris, did you ever end up selling the old Rover?

[ChrisV]

Good for him.  It's still kinda cool/odd that he's not in some McMansion.

Funny thing, that was his folks' house. They moved away. (I think he paid for their new house).

[ChrisV]

Chris, did you ever end up selling the old Rover?

yeah. To a guy that has 3 other Range Rovers (including the same year and color SWB version). Apparently it's his favorite one ot of all the ones he has, and drives it all over the east coast.

[ChrisV]

Spring cleaning?  That's in May.  Late April at the earliest.  It's not even halfway through February.  You're doing winter cleaning.  What's wrong with you?

Screw that. Salt's gotta go as soon as it's warm. The HOUSE gets "spring cleaning" later.

[Raza]

yeah. To a guy that has 3 other Range Rovers (including the same year and color SWB version). Apparently it's his favorite one ot of all the ones he has, and drives it all over the east coast.

I'm in the process of convincing my parents to buy one similar to that (maybe a little newer than that, but older than your current car). 

Any pictures of the old Rangie laying about?

[hotrodalex]

Mine are pretty clean so I won't bother cleaning them much. Maybe I'll spray them off. I went to a really nice cleaning place 2 weeks ago and we haven't had too much snow since then (or at least I haven't driven in it)

[ChrisV]

I'm in the process of convincing my parents to buy one similar to that (maybe a little newer than that, but older than your current car). 

Any pictures of the old Rangie laying about?

Some...

[Raza]

Very nice.  I think I might like the looks of the SWB better.  I'll look into it.

[r0tor]

i washed and spray waxed the 8 yesterday... was close to 50 so i needed to do something outside

[Tave]

I need to give my car a good once-over inside and out as well as put on my new plates, but this damn cold is killing all my motivation.

[sportyaccordy]

Nice cars man. Almost forgot all about those Rovers. I'm still in shock that your 7 has been so problem free, it's been like 2 years now right?

I would get my car washed if

- it had a running motor
- it wasn't 30 degrees in NYC
- it could go through a car wash
- I wasn't sick...

[ChrisV]

Nice cars man. Almost forgot all about those Rovers. I'm still in shock that your 7 has been so problem free, it's been like 2 years now right?

Yeah, 2 years last month. And yeah, I'm loving it. It's about time for some new front suspension bushings, at 165k miles, but that can wait for a while. other than that, so far so good. With the snow gone, it's back to being the daily driver.

[cozmik]

I got my car washed yesterday too. It got too cold for me to do more than rinse the wheels off though. At least the salt is off the paint though.

[3.0L V6]

Nice cars! Love the 7-series. Nothing better than a freshly cleaned car to gander at.

Alas, where I live, my spring car cleaning won't take place until April or May at the earliest.

[MrH]

Wow, looks great Chris!

I have to ask, how much did your neighbor get his S600 for?  Was it really half off?  That seems ridiculous for depreciation.

[ChrisV]

Wow, looks great Chris!

I have to ask, how much did your neighbor get his S600 for?  Was it really half off?  That seems ridiculous for depreciation.

Yeah, he got a screaming deal, as the original owner wanted out, bad. IIRC, he paid a touch over $50k for it, cash.

[The Pirate]

Damn, I love your 7 so much.  The quad exhaust, BBS style wheels, and all the other upgrades make the car unbelievably awesome.

Every time I see a pic of it, it makes me seriously consider getting one!  And I've seen a few with ~100K miles that are getting into my price range.  Must resist urge...

[omicron]

The temps went from the mid teens last week to the mid 60s, so this weekend was "get the goddamn salt off the cars" weekend. Finally they are back to black instead of being off white... Anybody else getting "spring cleaning" done yet?

Bastard.



I'm happy to take the cars off your hands for the winter if you want to keep them nice and clean, and free of salt - I can assure you that our delightful summer temperatures keep rust at bay.

[J86]

You gotta throw a brushguard, some Hellas, and some light guards on the new Rangie!  My roommate's girlfriend has one identical to yours, except with the aforementioned accoutrements.

[cawimmer430]

Any more pics of that S600? 


Nice cars. Love that E38 7-Series. 

[Tave]

You gotta throw a brushguard,

Bah-brushguards are for posers. Put a real grill-guard on that bitch and do your best to thin the overpopulated deer herds.

[J86]

Bah-brushguards are for posers. Put a real grill-guard on that bitch and do your best to thin the overpopulated deer herds.

Didn't realize there was a difference!

[Colonel Cadillac]

ChrisV, how do you like the new Rangie? What are your thoughts so far, any issues?

[ChrisV]

ChrisV, how do you like the new Rangie? What are your thoughts so far, any issues?

Love it. More comfortable than the old one, more powerful, and better fuel mileage all in one.

Two issues, however. they normally need spark plug wires around 50k miles. This one had over 60k on it when we got it, and developed a misfire on #3 cyl. Replacing spark plug wires is a 2 hour job (well, the book calls for 4 hours, which is $400 plus parts at a dealer or indy). Did it myself for the cost of the wires ($35 online). Fixed it and runs better than ever.

the other issue was that in December, we weren't driving it for a couple weeks and when I went out to start it, the battery was very low. When I went to start it, turned the key on and everything came up, but when I tried to crank it, all the power went to cranking it over, which shut down power to all other systems. One of those systems is the nav unit, which normally has a timed shut down period where it writes to it's hard drive. It though that the power had simply been disconnected without doing it's shut down routine and died. So now I have no nav until I get it fixed. Not a huge loss, as we rarely used it, but still.