Re: German Cars
From: Martin Stark (MStarkCopper.net)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:22:30 -0800 (PST)
The aluminum bits stand up just fine. The suspension rubber bushings don't, but I can't pin that on the road salt.

Michael James wrote:

One concern I have is this - how does the Aluminum Suspension 'stand-up' to the salt corrosion inherent in the 'Snow Belt'? Any issues with cars that have these suspension setups? My 308 mechanic had an M3, he loved it and had it reliable, but ultimately sold it after he moved to New Hampshire and wouldn't drive it year-round. M


--- On Wed, 12/23/09, Martin Stark <MStark [at] Copper.net> wrote:


    From: Martin Stark <MStark [at] Copper.net>
    Subject: Re: [Ferrari] German Cars
    To: "Michael James" <cavallino_rapante [at] yahoo.com>
    Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
    Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 11:15 AM

    Five of those cars were from the mid 1980's early 1990's, the more
    recent MB 420E had significant rust issues and the 2002 M3 is
    starting to show rust at the rocker panels.  At least the A8 will
    never rust.

    Michael James wrote:

    I can understand that sentiment, however.....seems as though
    you've set yourself up for failure.  An M3 isn't even a
    consideration for me, as I regard the motor as too 'high-strung'
    to be dependable for daily-commuter use.  And I have never heard
    anything positive regarding the reliability of Audis, especially
    the modern models - too many 'bells and whistles'...they're not a
    consideration either, none of my friends who own them will
    recommend them to me.
Is there a significant correlation between the higher-performance
    models, and the amount of service/lack of reliability?  I think
    so - someone mentioned Brabus in an earlier post.  Brabus might
    be a great road-rocket, but....haven't you just turned a
    reliable/dependable machine into a fire-breathing hand grenade
for an extra $60K+? M

    --- On Wed, 12/23/09, Martin Stark <MStark [at] Copper.net> wrote:


        From: Martin Stark <MStark [at] Copper.net>
        Subject: Re: [Ferrari] German Cars
        To: "Michael" <Cavallino_Rapante [at] yahoo.com>
        Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
        Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 10:53 AM

        Good luck finding any German car that can run 100K miles
trouble free. I and my immediate family members have owned upwards of 10
        cars from
        Audi, MB, and BMW, and currently own an A8 and M3.  Trouble
        free is not
        a phrase that can be associated with any of them - past or
        present.

        Michael James wrote:

        >I was hoping of getting-into a German car in the next month
        or two - I actually like the MB C280 4Matic or a 5-speed
        manual 3-Series BMW.  I think either car would be practical
        and a good 'snow-car' with Blizzacks on the rims.  I'm not
        looking to 'make statements' per se, or drive a land-yaht (I
        don't know any fat people who need seat-space defined in
        cubic yards) - I just want a 4-door car that is well-built,
        great in the snow, some Cache', some modern/modest luxury,
        and can run for 100K miles trouble-free.  I'm finding LOTS of
        C280s and 3-Series BMWs with sub-30K miles for around $20K,
        cars that would appear to be leased vehicles that were
gently-used. >
        >Keep in mind, my 'current' car is a 1996 stripped Ford
        Ranger with 250,000+ miles on it.  A five-year-old Honda
        would be luxurious in comparison - I'm not a
        'bells-and-whistles' guy.  If the heater and A/C work, and
there's a radio, I'm pretty happy. >
        >M
        >
        >P.S. - the Head work on my 308 is going well, I should have
        those finished in January.  The Transfer Case and associated
        bearings will also be done by spring.  Having a great deal of
        difficulty finding the correct Cylinder Liners at an
        affordable price, though.
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >--- On Wed, 12/23/09, TheMightyToe <themightytoe [at] gmail.com
        <http://us.mc318.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=themightytoe [at] 
gmail.com>>
        wrote:
        >
        >
        >From: TheMightyToe <themightytoe [at] gmail.com
        <http://us.mc318.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=themightytoe [at] 
gmail.com>>
        >Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Michael Schumacher
        >To: "Michael" <Cavallino_Rapante [at] yahoo.com
        <http://us.mc318.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Cavallino_Rapante [at] 
yahoo.com>>
        >Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com
        <http://us.mc318.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ferrari [at] 
ferrarilist.com>>
        >Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 10:02 AM
        >
        >
        >KR says:
        >But fear not; the German cars  have video cameras to use
        backing up until mirrors are invented. They have vibrators in
        the steering wheel that chide you when you prove incapable of
        staying in your lane. They have forward-looking xray lasers
        to part the waters when the road floods. And the tires are
        good for 10,000 miles. Unless you get the run-flat option
        which rides like Flintstone Rocktreads and cannot be fixed
        when punctured.
        >
        >Ken, you do realize that these exact "advances" are
        specifically
        >targetting the Houston area driver?  Flat perfect roads,
        occasional
        >floods mixed with year round perfect conditions, and the worst
        >collective driving ability on the planet?  Seriously last
        time I drove
        >there I saw some poor bastard on a Harley get taken out by a
        lady in an
        >SUV on her cell phone, leaving a tollbooth.  Last time I saw
        something
        >that horrible was on trip to India (where I imagine driver
        training is
        >marginally better than Houston's).
        >
        >But on BMW's I agree, that company jumped the Shark back in
        2000.  My
        >E46 M3 was probably my last BMW, they just don't make a cool
        car
        >anymore.   MB has never appealed to me in any way, not even
        their
        >"classics" which are below any standard set by their
        contemporaries in
        >both looks and performance.  Who wants a car that lasts
        forever if its
        >hideous and you have to look at it forever?  They drive very
        solidly,
        >but have no soul whatsoever and really belong only in the
        hands of a
        >retiree.  Porsche and Audi are about the only German car
        companies
        >making interesting rides these days (I do like my VW GTI a
        lot, but it
        >is a standout for VW's line of cars I think).
        >
        >Now here is something I pondered a few nights ago at the movie
        >theaters...   They played an add for Kia, and the ad was not
        for a car
        >but for the company.  The pitch was how great and modern their
        >manufacturing plant in the southern US was and how it
        provided jobs for
        >American workers...  So if I analyze this?  What they are
        actually
        >saying is it is cheaper for them to make cars in the deep
        south of the
        >US than in Korea?  Wow.  Just wow and how sad for us to be
        practically a
        >third world country in many respects...
        >
        >That said, a neighbor of mine has a Hyundai Genesis Sedan,
        and it is
        >every bit as nice as a Merc S class.  Even looks like one a bit.
        >
        >Now what I really do not get, is how ANY car company could
        link F1 to
        >their product line?  When have we seen any F1 tech in a
        Mercedes if
        >ever?  Or a Renault, or a Toyota road car?
        >
        >BR,
        >Mike
        >
        >
        >Ken Rentiers wrote:
> >
        >>Fellippe always enjoy your messages, but I have to disagree
        with this one.
        >>
        >>It's certainly true that many of the old garden variety
        Benz's were slow, and about as exciting to drive as, well, a
        bank vault which is what they were built like. It is also
        true that many of the latest iteration of MB and BMW products
        are crap.
        >>
        >>Due to the pressures of the Deutschland greenies much of
        the current BMW line is now made of recycled plastic. This
        includes the radiator. Given enough heat/cool cycles (oh say
        50,000 miles worth) the eco-plastic becomes as brittle as the
        peanut variety of same, and cracks. Usually at the most
        inopportune time, giving you about 30 seconds to shut down
        before the head warps.
        >>
        >>Did I mention they were as ugly as moose butts? Did I
        mention they had no dipsticks? Onliest way you can check the
        oil level is to drain it out and measure it!
        >>
        >>Crap. Idiocy. Obergruppenarrogance!
        >>
        >>But fear not; the German cars  have video cameras to use
        backing up until mirrors are invented. They have vibrators in
        the steering wheel that chide you when you prove incapable of
        staying in your lane. They have forward-looking xray lasers
        to part the waters when the road floods. And the tires are
        good for 10,000 miles. Unless you get the run-flat option
        which rides like Flintstone Rocktreads and cannot be fixed
        when punctured.
        >>
        >>Crap!!! - gimme the older, simpler cars that you drove
        instead of rode in. The ones without bulbous snouts to meet
        new Euro-regs about not hitting below the pedestrians' knees.
        Like the ugly new 5 series. Don't cry for me Pininfarina - I
        got some nice old iron I shall keep forever.
        >>
        >>Screw progress and while I'm at it HUMBUG!
        >>
        >>Except for you Fellippe - you're a good guy even if you do
        latch on to a little misdirected opinion at times. My best to
        you and yours and have a wonderful Christmas. All the rest of
        you too, except those taken in by the Hollywood crap machine
        now showing "Eco-smurfs v The US Marines" (Avatar). ##$%^&*
        tree-hugging commies every one of them.
        >>
        >>:-)
        >>love and kisses
        >>the kenverine
        >>
        >>
        >>On Dec 22, 2009, at 10:14 PM, Fellippe Galletta wrote:
        >>
>> >> >>
        >>>On Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 8:46 AM, LS <lashdeep [at] yahoo.com
        <http://us.mc318.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lashdeep [at] yahoo.com>>
        wrote:
        >>>
>>> >>> >>>
        >>>>Roger that...before they became plastic toasters?
        >>>>
        >>>>I'll take a 190E 2.3 16v and an AMG Hammer.
        >>>>
        >>>>LS
        >>>>
>>>> >>>> >>>>
        >>>Oh man.
        >>>
        >>>With some of you guys on here, it's like every civilian
        brand needs to
        >>>maintain a 250 GTO like aura around their cars....ugh.
        >>>
        >>>Sure, MB of new isn't quite like MB of old but who
        seriously wants a 190E
        >>>over a new E, S, CL, CLK, SL or CLS? LOL.
        >>>
        >>>A vintage Gullwing is a different story of course, and a
        genuine AMG Hammer
        >>>or Porsche built E500 is worthy of consideration, but not
        all garden
        >>>variety Benzes made between 1980-1999. You seriously want
        bulletproof, buy a
        >>>new Japanese car...done, end of story.
        >>>
        >>>I'll play along and be a good sport and say the '90s S
        Class was the last of
        >>>the uber Mercedes Benz elite class. When comparing each
        respective
        >>>generation of S, this was easily the best, from the look,
        the armored car
        >>>like construction, those dual pane windows, and the first
        big HP V12 in the
        >>>600...the quintessential Benz.
        >>>
        >>>Still wouldn't get it over the newer S's. You're buying an
        >>>expensive prestige sedan for the cachet/style/keeping up
        with the
        >>>joneses/etc first, everything else comes second. Anyone
        who says otherwise
        >>>is clearly lying to himself or others!
        >>>
        >>>The '90s S or Miami Vice era S's no longer fit the
        bill....so no point in
        >>>owning these maintenance nightmares unless it's for the
        novelty factor and
        >>>short term. For that LS, you did it right with those BMWs!
        >>>
        >>>It's time to expose the (forty) 800 pound gorilla for what
        it is! I don't
        >>>hate those older Benzes...still respect them....but to act
        like they were
        >>>the only good cars from the factory is silly.
        >>>
        >>>FG
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