Your current car!

[jakeroot]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

[cjk374]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

And gives me good reason to buy a new Challenger one day soon.

[Max Rockatansky]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

And gives me good reason to buy a new Challenger one day soon.

SXT?

[1995hoo]

My wife seems to be baffled by there being two buttons labelled "P" (one for the parking gear, one for the handbrake). I keep telling her that for the handbrake button it's like a normal handbrake where you push down to turn it off, pull up to turn it on. Doesn't seem to help.

Emergency Brake or Parking Brake might be better terminology. The term "handbrake" is better reserved for when you physically pull to apply, rather than pull/push a trigger that does it electronically.

....

It's not the terminology that confuses her, it's the two buttons marked "P" and the lack of a traditional handbrake lever or pedal. Bear in mind that all her cars have been manuals as well (until this one) for at least the past 25 years, so it's an adjustment for her too!

[jakeroot]

Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

I suppose only a Challenger will do!

[jakeroot]

My wife seems to be baffled by there being two buttons labelled "P" (one for the parking gear, one for the handbrake). I keep telling her that for the handbrake button it's like a normal handbrake where you push down to turn it off, pull up to turn it on. Doesn't seem to help.

Emergency Brake or Parking Brake might be better terminology. The term "handbrake" is better reserved for when you physically pull to apply, rather than pull/push a trigger that does it electronically.

....

It's not the terminology that confuses her, it's the two buttons marked "P" and the lack of a traditional handbrake lever or pedal. Bear in mind that all her cars have been manuals as well (until this one) for at least the past 25 years, so it's an adjustment for her too!

IMO, you have a better chance of teaching her the thing if you don't relate it to what she's owned. These button-based gearboxes have no relation to manuals. She needs to forget everything she knows about changing gears, setting an "auxiliary" brake, hill starts, etc. None of it really matters quite like it did.

I'm not sure how Acura's electronic brake operates, but a lot of the systems operate automatically. Door open: aux brake set. Put into D: aux brake released. Shut off engine: aux brake set.

[cjk374]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

And gives me good reason to buy a new Challenger one day soon.

SXT?

Nah....just a plain old SE. V6, no frills, no bells, no whistles. But I have to give my kid credit: he changed the 3 PITA sparkplug on the driver's side of the motor. I gave up on them. They had 163K miles on them when he pulled them out. He now gets the 26-28 MPG the car is rated for.

[Max Rockatansky]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

And gives me good reason to buy a new Challenger one day soon.

SXT?

Nah....just a plain old SE. V6, no frills, no bells, no whistles. But I have to give my kid credit: he changed the 3 PITA sparkplug on the driver's side of the motor. I gave up on them. They had 163K miles on them when he pulled them out. He now gets the 26-28 MPG the car is rated for.

Wasn't 2011 the first year for the 3.6 Pentastar replacing the 3.5L?  That's a pretty solid car to tote around college with for sure even with the miles.  Really I dig the 15-current body style more since it resembles the 1971 model which I always liked better styling wise.  There are some screaming deals out on R/Ts these days.

[cjk374]

I had a 2011 Challenger. I gave it to my son for a graduation gift.

Now my regular driver is a '98 Ford Ranger with 260K miles on it.
My back up is a 2000 Saturn SL1 with 200K miles.

Geeez, you got jipped! Why not give him the Power Ranger or the Saturn? Unless he graduated from like Harvard or Standford.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child has reliable transportation when they move far away.

And gives me good reason to buy a new Challenger one day soon.

SXT?

Nah....just a plain old SE. V6, no frills, no bells, no whistles. But I have to give my kid credit: he changed the 3 PITA sparkplug on the driver's side of the motor. I gave up on them. They had 163K miles on them when he pulled them out. He now gets the 26-28 MPG the car is rated for.

Wasn't 2011 the first year for the 3.6 Pentastar replacing the 3.5L?  That's a pretty solid car to tote around college with for sure even with the miles.  Really I dig the 15-current body style more since it resembles the 1971 model which I always liked better styling wise.  There are some screaming deals out on R/Ts these days.

Mine had the 3.5L in it. Maybe 2012?

Quick story about giving my kid the car: at his graduation party, I officially presented him keys to the Saturn as his first car. Then we gave him a new pair of shoes with the FOB hidden in them.

His first day to drive it as the new owner....he puts it in a ditch 1000' from the house. (Wet roads + taking the turn too fast = dumbass!). That was $4500 of damage the insurance paid...2 months after they had to pay $5500 for damage caused by a deer slamming into the same side of the car that the ditch tore up.

That poor Challenger. Thankfully I wrote the last note on it July 1. The title should be home soon.

[1995hoo]

My wife seems to be baffled by there being two buttons labelled "P" (one for the parking gear, one for the handbrake). I keep telling her that for the handbrake button it's like a normal handbrake where you push down to turn it off, pull up to turn it on. Doesn't seem to help.

Emergency Brake or Parking Brake might be better terminology. The term "handbrake" is better reserved for when you physically pull to apply, rather than pull/push a trigger that does it electronically.

....

It's not the terminology that confuses her, it's the two buttons marked "P" and the lack of a traditional handbrake lever or pedal. Bear in mind that all her cars have been manuals as well (until this one) for at least the past 25 years, so it's an adjustment for her too!

IMO, you have a better chance of teaching her the thing if you don't relate it to what she's owned. These button-based gearboxes have no relation to manuals. She needs to forget everything she knows about changing gears, setting an "auxiliary" brake, hill starts, etc. None of it really matters quite like it did.

I'm not sure how Acura's electronic brake operates, but a lot of the systems operate automatically. Door open: aux brake set. Put into D: aux brake released. Shut off engine: aux brake set.

As I already said, it's very simple, or at least I think so: There is a button marked "P" forward of the "R" switch. That's the parking gear, like "P" on a traditional automatic transmission lever. There is a separate switch marked with a "P" in a circle. That's the parking brake or handbrake, depending on your preferred term. To activate it, you pull up on the switch. To deactivate it, you push down on it. (Hence why I said it's the same as a conventional handbrake lever where you pull up to activate and push down to deactivate.)

Found a picture online. It's even the same colors as ours. In this picture, the parking gear button is to the far left and the parking brake switch is to the right next to "brake hold" (which prevents the car from doing that annoying roll-forward thing most automatics do if you take your foot off the brake while stopped).

[jakeroot]

My wife seems to be baffled by there being two buttons labelled "P" (one for the parking gear, one for the handbrake). I keep telling her that for the handbrake button it's like a normal handbrake where you push down to turn it off, pull up to turn it on. Doesn't seem to help.

Emergency Brake or Parking Brake might be better terminology. The term "handbrake" is better reserved for when you physically pull to apply, rather than pull/push a trigger that does it electronically.

....

It's not the terminology that confuses her, it's the two buttons marked "P" and the lack of a traditional handbrake lever or pedal. Bear in mind that all her cars have been manuals as well (until this one) for at least the past 25 years, so it's an adjustment for her too!

IMO, you have a better chance of teaching her the thing if you don't relate it to what she's owned. These button-based gearboxes have no relation to manuals. She needs to forget everything she knows about changing gears, setting an "auxiliary" brake, hill starts, etc. None of it really matters quite like it did.

I'm not sure how Acura's electronic brake operates, but a lot of the systems operate automatically. Door open: aux brake set. Put into D: aux brake released. Shut off engine: aux brake set.

As I already said, it's very simple, or at least I think so: There is a button marked "P" forward of the "R" switch. That's the parking gear, like "P" on a traditional automatic transmission lever. There is a separate switch marked with a "P" in a circle. That's the parking brake or handbrake, depending on your preferred term. To activate it, you pull up on the switch. To deactivate it, you push down on it. (Hence why I said it's the same as a conventional handbrake lever where you pull up to activate and push down to deactivate.)

Found a picture online. It's even the same colors as ours. In this picture, the parking gear button is to the far left and the parking brake switch is to the right next to "brake hold" (which prevents the car from doing that annoying roll-forward thing most automatics do if you take your foot off the brake while stopped).

http://www.canadianautoreview.ca/images/car_photos/2015-acura-tlx-v6-elite-shawd/normal/acura-tlx-shawd-push-button-shifter.jpg

No, no, no, no, no. I got all that! I'm a valet IRL. I'm very used to Honda & Acura's new button-based gearboxes. The new Ridgeline and Pilot have the same setups.

What I'm wondering is whether or not the parking brake/handbrake will automatically apply/de-apply itself under certain circumstances (bolded by you above).

Mercedes' operate like this. Turning the car off sets the parking brake. Putting the car into "D" will turn it off. Opening the door while in "D" automatically sets it (though only on newer models, and only at low speeds IIRC).

[riiga]

2004 Volvo S40 with 240K kilometers (150K miles) on it. Got it for $1750 last autumn. It has a 165 hp turbocharged 1.9 liter petrol engine, and I get about 0.9 L/10 km to 1.1 L/10 km (21 to 26 mpg). So far I've had to have the brake pipes replaced ($400) after vehicle inspection failed them for "too much rust". The new ones are copper though, so I doubt they'll get rusty anytime soon.

Only pic I have of it, from February:

[jakeroot]

I love the custom lamps on the grill. Must be helpful during those dark winters! Or to help spot large animals.

I've always preferred the first-gen S40, particularly the V40 variant, though I'm not sure any [V40's] made their way to US. The only one's I see are registered in BC; they appear to have been imported.

[riiga]

I love the custom lamps on the grill. Must be helpful during those dark winters! Or to help spot large animals.

The previous owner had mounted them as he lived in a rural area, but I agree, they've been very useful.

I've always preferred the first-gen S40, particularly the V40 variant, though I'm not sure any [V40's] made their way to US.

It seems in the US only the sedan and cross-country/SUV models are popular. The original V40 never really caught on here either, the 850 and the V50/V60/V70 have been far more popular.

[Brandon]

2004 Volvo S40 with 240K kilometers (150K miles) on it. Got it for $1750 last autumn. It has a 165 hp turbocharged 1.9 liter petrol engine, and I get about 0.9 L/10 km to 1.1 L/10 km (21 to 26 mpg). So far I've had to have the brake pipes replaced ($400) after vehicle inspection failed them for "too much rust". The new ones are copper though, so I doubt they'll get rusty anytime soon.

You'd love Illinois then.  Salted roads and the only inspection (in 8 counties) is for emissions.

[jakeroot]

^^ though Sweden is on to something. The idea that I could potentially buy an '03 or '04.0 S40 with a rusty *whatever* is annoying to say the least, even if the car is legally road-worthy.

The fact that we have no road-worthiness test is a bit odd. Though I don't expect one to show up now, given how much more reliable cars are.

[1995hoo]

No, no, no, no, no. I got all that! I'm a valet IRL. I'm very used to Honda & Acura's new button-based gearboxes. The new Ridgeline and Pilot have the same setups.

What I'm wondering is whether or not the parking brake/handbrake will automatically apply/de-apply itself under certain circumstances (bolded by you above).

Mercedes' operate like this. Turning the car off sets the parking brake. Putting the car into "D" will turn it off. Opening the door while in "D" automatically sets it (though only on newer models, and only at low speeds IIRC).

I was gonna look this up in the owner's manual last night and didn't get to it, but I got an answer via an alternate method this morning: We rode the Auto Train last night, and when the Amtrak employee brought our car out and parked it at the Sanford depot, he turned it off. I got in and started it and found the brake was not set, so there's our answer.

I bet that's what confused the guy taking the car onto the train yesterday in Virginia. He seemed confounded when he tried to move it and I'm sure they've seen Acura/Honda pushbutton transmissions before, so maybe he's not used to people who set the brake. I always set it, probably always will, due to almost 30 years of manual-shift habit.

[bulldog1979]

As of just a few hours ago, my current car is a 2017 Chevy Cruze LT; my 2003 Oldsmobile Alero is being retired in the near future.

[jakeroot]

For 1995hoo...

I took this video earlier today. It's of the brand-new Chrysler Pacifica, and it has a rather unique electronic parking brake. Push on, push off. No confusion here...

https://youtu.be/g-W5Co0kFnA

[Sanctimoniously]

My current vehicle is a 2014 Ford Fusion SE with the 1.5-liter EcoBoost and (somewhat sadly) six-speed automatic.



I also own a 1995 Volvo 960 wagon that I had planned to turn into a 24 Hours of LeMons race car with a Buick V6 swap, but I will be selling it off soon due to space and money constraints. Once things stabilize a bit more, I plan to buy another RWD Volvo wagon and turn it into a drift car.

[jakeroot]

My current vehicle is a 2014 Ford Fusion SE with the 1.5-liter EcoBoost and (somewhat sadly) six-speed automatic.

Seems like the 1.6 with the 6-speed manual gearbox is a rather rare beast. Not sure how well the engine performed, but Ford seems to make great manual transmissions (especially those with European heritage (wink wink Mondeo)).

[Sanctimoniously]

Seems like the 1.6 with the 6-speed manual gearbox is a rather rare beast. Not sure how well the engine performed, but Ford seems to make great manual transmissions (especially those with European heritage (wink wink Mondeo)).

The 1.6/manual is pretty rare because it was "special order only" (although some dealers stocked a handful), and killed off after the 2014 model year. When I bought the one I have now, CarMax did have a 1.6/6M but it was in Indianapolis, a $400 transfer fee away, and it was refrigerator white and the lesser SE package.

[davewiecking]

As of just a few hours ago, my current car is a 2017 Chevy Cruze LT; my 2003 Oldsmobile Alero is being retired in the near future.

My Cruze hatchback is about a month old; my 2005 HHR was rear ended in Feb and it took me awhile to conclude that the range anxiety of a pure electric was a problem, and that I didn't want a car with 2 engines. With the front passenger seat folded down (backwards, not flat like the HHR), the Cruze can carry 8' lumber or 10' pipe (with some flexing). Have yet to see if my 8' step ladder fits.
Great car, but my foot keeps sliding off the parking brake pedal...

[Max Rockatansky]

I haven't hit on this thread in awhile...so some updates on my current cars with the 2014 Sonic LT and the 2016 Challenger R/T Scat Pack....

The Sonic has had a pretty rough go this year.  Right now I'm at about 64,500 miles and had numerous issues with the coolant hose this year.  For whatever reason my coolant clamps keep coming loose which results in slow leaks that progressively get worse.  I think that I have the issue sorted out finally with the last coolant clamp, but I do check the fluid levels far more regularly than I used to.

I also had some major issues with the brakes this year.  I was at 5mm of front pad and had really pedal feel that would shift from super loose to super firm, I also had rotor shutter from warping which was an easy fix with a good machining.  I just replaced the front pads, calipers, and had the brakes bled which has resolved pretty much all the issues I've been having.  I've been driving a ton of mountain roads the last two years and really been pushing the Sonic to its limits....it was really meant to be a suburban commuter.  So far 2nd and 3rd on down hill slopes has been a huge assets in terms of keeping the brake system cool.

The Challenger is about to take its biggest foray since US 66 from Ash Fork, AZ west to Barstow.  I'll be heading up to the Sierras this coming weekend with it to do a circuit of all the passes between Tioga Pass and Mount Rose.   I'll be doing a circuit of Lake Tahoe as well which is something that I've been really looking forward to.

[jakeroot]

The Challenger is about to take its biggest foray since US 66 from Ash Fork, AZ west to Barstow.  I'll be heading up to the Sierras this coming weekend with it to do a circuit of all the passes between Tioga Pass and Mount Rose.   I'll be doing a circuit of Lake Tahoe as well which is something that I've been really looking forward to.

How many miles you got on that rig now? Seems like you go on a lot of drives with it.