Hatchman

Looks like even Verizon throttles/"network optimization practices" their top 5% data hogs on the grandfathered "unlimited data" plans as well.

The OP and I were both talking about the iPhone 4s, which does have hotspot capability,so it is a catch 22, just like you stated in post #4. I think everybody knows that not all cell phones have hotspot capability. It wasn't even available until around 3 years ago on the top models. And you can't blow through your data allocation if you have an unlimited data plan.

Interesting, I didn't think that was possible. If the keys are sitting in the passenger seat, they should be close enough to the passenger door for the car to sense you are trying to open the passenger door by pulling on the handle. Hope the dealer gets this straightened out!

I had my sunroof tinted. The installer didn't mention it could crack, and I have never heard that until now. Should be possible though with the extra heat reflected back, little thunder shower, drop of cold rain/hail... sure it could happen. Tintdude says tint it and forget it... http://www.tintdude.com/forum/index.php/topic/35004-will-tinting-my-sunroof-cause-the-glass-to-crack/ It is the laminated glass, like a windshield, that usually cracks. Tempered glass, like the side windows and pano roof should be fine. Anything is possible, though, YMMV.

I've found Amazon is a great to buy it by the 32oz spray as well. Love 303!

Wow, it is just amazing how some people can be so hateful. I try to park far away, but not enough to draw attention. And the people who do the double parking, taking up two (or more) parking spaces are just asking for someone to mess with their car. If you got a beater, take it to the store.

We found out (after hours of researching and trying to get it to work) that our Verizon plan does not allow tethering with our iPhone 4s, which means it won't work with the Wifi function in the car. Yes, it is a Catch 22, if your iphone plan has tether, you wouldn't need the wifi hotspot from the car anyway, since your iphone could be the hotspot. Good info here, wish I would have read this before wasting hours trying to get it to work, Ha! Hope this helps someone some day.

Our car has made the sound since day one. Even with the car just sitting in the garage, checking out the Sync functions. It will make the noise every 5 minutes or so for about 5 seconds (roughly). I think it may be that electric driven vacuum pump for braking. Perhaps it is cycling to create the correct pressure/vacuum and then switching off. Whatever it is, it is loud and sounds like something is dying. Next time someone changes their oil, just lay under the car with the under shield/tray off and listen to where the sound comes from. Or I'll do it in about 9000 miles.

"Car drives forward when gear shift lever is placed in "Reverse"." That one screams RECALL. That is the biggest safety issue I've ever heard next to a stuck accelerator. Let us know what they say. That seems would be grounds for a loaner car until they could get it "figured" out. Either that or a complete buy back.

Changed mine at 600 miles. Cost was 30 bucks for Mobil 1 and a Motocraft filter from wally world. Oil was very dirty, a brown greenish color, very murky. There were also several very small metal flakes present in the drain oil. The front/underside of the motor was also very dirty, as if the car was towed on a trailer on a salty roadway. Since we got the car the same day it arrived at the dealership, this salt residue had gone unnoticed and uncleaned. Good thing I got up under there and sprayed it all off before too much corrosion took place. My fault for not popping the hood the night we picked up the car at the dealership, it was at night, but I might have noticed though most of the dirt/salt/road grime was down low. For piece of mind, knowing I got that dirty oil out, got the metal out, and cleaning the salt off, it was worth it to me.

Not sure if serious... :doh:

Got a car that is a gas guzzler? Gas Guzzler tax Got a hybrid in VA? Hybrid tax Buy a car? Sales tax Own a car? VA property tax Buy gas? Gas tax Ride in the VA HOV lane? Pay annual fee for Clean fuel tags So basically owning a hybrid to ride in the HOV lane is going to cost a minimum of $64 for the tax plus another $25 for the plates... This hybrid really pays for itself! Basically, no matter what, you gonna pay.

I love the roof too. First of all, we weren't sure we wanted it since it doesn't open and you really can't enjoy it from the front seats. But, the passengers in the rear love it, and sometimes my wife will ride in the back just to enjoy it. Also, in the winter on a sunny day, it really helps to heat the car up with the shade open, don't really need the heater unless it is really cold outside. To keep it cool in the summer, we got our's tinted with 20%, which with the shade shut should keep most of the heat out.

Might as well slap some "Turbo" and "Supercharged" stickers on there while you're at it. And get a personalized tag that says "FAKENRG". :drop:

That's a good deal for oil, filter, and tire rotation plus all the other inspection. Sounds good!

I don't think changing the oil at 4K will have that much of an affect on MPG. That said, going from a semi-synthetic oil to full synthetic should provide better protection for the engine, as well as getting the break in contaminants out. I had a few very small flakes of metal in my first oil change, and the oil had an ugly, murky brownish green tint to it. Don't want to get into an oil debate, but I don't think anyone can doubt that break in oil has some small, even if you can't see it, break in metal, which I'm sure a Blackstone Lab oil test can prove. But I changed our oil at 600 miles, and the MPG has been getting better and better, almost every trip higher than the last. But that is most likely due break in, not the oil itself. Funny part was, the day after the oil change, the car got over 51 MPG on a short trip, which was better than it ever had done before. Probably just the type of trip, short and slow. Unless the oil is totally broken down/used/beyond the change interval, there shouldn't be a notable change in MPG. And at 4K, your car is pretty much broke in. Still, I'd change the oil. A Motocraft filter and 5 quarts of Mobil 1 is only 30 bucks at wally world, cheap I'd say, won't hurt, but could possibly help.

I actually watched the EV Plus work the past few days. While in Empower mode, when the car was 1/4 mile from home, even without using the nav to navigate to home, the available power outer bar / EV to ICE threshold outer bar grew to past the second mark almost tripling the available EV energy/threshold. It was fun to watch, I was actually accelerating in EV mode, yet the available EV power band, the outer band in Empower mode, was actually growing more and more as soon as I hit the 1/4 mile from home mark. Pretty cool to watch, and it shows that EV Plus reserves more than enough energy to get you home over the last 1/4 mile. Go to Empower mode and check it out! Also, I noticed it is pretty hard to keep the car from switching to ICE about 1/2 mile from home. I had to slow down to about 15 mph and finally, even coasting down to less than 15 mph, ICE kicked in no matter what I did. But I only stayed in ICE until about 25 mph and then coasted to let it switch off again.

For price, availability and performance you really can't beat Meguiar's products. You can find them anywhere, and they really work for less $$ than the premium products. +1 on the Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer Cleaner, and for touchups between washes the Ultimate Quick Detailer is great on the exterior. I also really like the Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax after washing. I've tried several different products, and Megs Ult Quick Wax was the best. If you want some great sunscreen, and doesn't dry out plasticizers, protect any plastic/vinyl/leather with Aerospace 303 Protectant, though it has almost no cleaning properties, so only apply it to clean surfaces or you'll just smear the dirt around or cover it up.

Got the sunroof redone, now 20%. I like it better than the 35%, now the roof is a little darker than the sides. Should be nice during the hot summers. 20% Old 35% for comparison

Yes, which is why I said look "on the under engine tray". Drip tray, panel, aerodymanic shield, what ever you want to call it. Look on top of the panel, which means you'll have to take the 8 screws out to look and see what has dripped on it. Only takes a few minutes.

Sounds like an air bubble. You should be good. You can smell leaking antifreeze, very sweet . Or look for drips under car or on the under engine tray. If the engine was burning it ( leak head gasket) there would be white exhaust smoke. But you should be fine , just a bubble in the system that worked its way out to the reservoir.

Having the sunroof re done, had a bubble in the sunroof tint. Going darker 20% this time. It's free, guaranteed for life and gives me something to do while wife is in the mall down the street . :)