What's so special about that . . . we've got alot of Strange folks here in StL!

 

Before you regret buying it. Mine started running really rough Thursday, so much so that the engine service light came on, so I stopped at the dealership where they informed me that they had just gotten a service bulletin from Hyundai on a problem with their vehicles. Now half of this is legit, but half is blowing smoke up my **** due to the reason why. The reason for my Sante Fa running like crap was/is due to carbon build up on the rings, valves and injectors whilst fouling up the plugs. The b.s. part is claiming that myself and their customers aren't using the correct gasoline? To which I responded, you mean top tier? Which I use (Marathon). And because of that oil is gettting past the rings due to carbon build up on the rings. Translated by me: Your engines burn oil due to usnig only two sets of rings per piston instead of three, which is the industry norm (helps when your best friend has 45 years in the ring business). These enigines also create vacuum, but more than a normal engine produces when you let off of the throttle, thereby drawing oil past the rings into the combustion chamber. Iwas quoted $270 and change to flush the system after it sat at thier dealership overnight with thier solution, replace the oil, run it replace the oil again, replace the plugs, and clean the injectors. Final bill was $571.00 A nice little placard was stting on the service counter letting their customers know that it was normal to use one qt. of oil every thousand miles.....more b.s. You would think that after losing a class action lawsuit with these engines, that they would have learned their lesson. Now my buddy (the engineer and car show partner) has a '17 Santa Fe with the 2.0T. After my belly aching awhile back on the oil consumption of my Hyundai (2+ qts. between changes) he started investigating their ring design and ring package, noting the two ring design. While the ring materials are good, having two per piston is not. There are some applicatons where this approach works, Toyota uses it on the Prius, but they don't have the engine vacuum problem, as they designed it in conjuction with the electric motor system used in this hybrid set up. His Santa Fe has 54k on the odo, and he is seeing above average oil consumption. He is starting to look for a replacement vehicle. When driving Hyundai's (and Kia's, which a co worker has) I noticed from day one, that when you let off of the gas that there is noticealble engine braking, quite a bit more than I have experienced before with other vehicles, like it downshifted a couple of gears as soon as I let off of the gas, and I have to wonder if that causes some of the problem with the vacuum produced?

 

Diet? Folks actually do such a thing?

 

Chris - I'd hate to grow up w/ the last name of Strange - I can only imagine. I went to H.S. with Michael Hunt. As he grew older he instructed everyone he knew never to call him Mike.

 

Baked butterfly shrimp, fresh salad, fresh baked red potatoes & cantaloupe for lunch. I won't post a picture since it's likely to **** someone off. I'll save it for dessert.

 

There are worse names for sure. Absolute truth, I went to school with a Harry Ball, and a Richard Head. WTF were those parents thinking!

 

Mine is a 2017 Sante Fe Sport AWD with 2.4L with 42,700-miles. Although I haven't had any issues with it yet, other than the known recalls, I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Thanks for taking the time to explain the issues with the rings. I'm not seeing any unusual oil consumption, YET??? I have actually been thinking of trying to unload it in the near term, but I honestly don't even know what to look for? I was hoping to put 150K to 200K-miles or more on this car, but from everything I've heard and read, I doubt that's gonna happen! It stings to think about having to unload a car thats paid off and only has 43K-miles on it!

 

I was kinda hoping KS Wildcats were going to dominate but this guy Goldin (FAU Owls) is something else.

 

Well I went to Carmax to check out a Ford Flex. As much as I hate Carmax I seem to end up there an awful lot. Anyway saw the Flex. It was just worn out. The AC didn't work. The touchscreen didn't work. The powered back seats seemed to work at random. I passed on it. The salesman went in and I wandered around and came across a Jeep Patriot. Now, I've liked them for awhile but have never been close up with one. Man did I like it. Comfortable, seemed to be well built, nice looking, and while I was looking at it some people walked past and said they used to have one and really liked it. I was a couple rows over from where the salesman left me, and he texted and asked if I was still there. I said I was by the Jeep Patriot. He said you don't want those problems. So I went in and told him about the people I saw and he said he's had several Jeep vehicles and they all had problems. So oh well.

Supposed to rain tomorrow but if it doesn't I'm going to go get an alternator for the Cadillac and see if I can get that guy running. The alt is the only problem it had. I hope it hasn't grown any new problems while sitting there.

Challenging ride home tonight. I brought the car because my plan was to trade it. So now I have a one headlight car I'm driving home in the dark. Luckily this isn't a well-traveled area. I guess I'm not supposed to get rid of this car. I have tried.

Okay have a good evening everyone. Might sleep in tomorrow.

 

Tough loss for K-State, but like I said yesterday, they're all good at this point. Certainly not a loss to hang their head about.

 

Mike - I got a kick out of the part of your story above. I had previously told Dan I was thinking of unloading my Santa Fe in the near term, but really didn't know what to look at to replace it. Actually, the only thing I have thought about, although I know absolutely nothing about them, are the newer Jeep Gladiator trucks. My only reason for liking them is that I like the Retro-look of them, like the old Jeep trucks. They may be a POS for all I know? I guess I'm going to have to start doing my homework.

 

The team who played a better game, won.

 

The salesman singled out(dualed out?) the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee as being decent vehicles. I didn't know if that meant the regular Cherokee also or the other [real]Jeep looking vehicles. There's a stick shift Patriot that's been making the rounds of Atlanta for awhile, and I wonder if he'd think that was an okay car because it isn't an automatic. Of course, the purpose of this excercise is to find a car Mom and my sister can drive, and that leaves out the straight shift.

Beautiful evening.

 

Mike, I have a Wrangler (it's 24 years old) and have found in the community that JEEP is an acronym for Just Empty Every Pocket.

 

Kenneth - By chance do you know anyone who has one of the newer Jeep Gladiator trucks?

 

A co-worker has one but I haven't talked to him about any issues with it. You could peruse the Gladiator pages on the Jeep Wrangler forum and see what (if any) issues owners are having.

https://www.wranglerforum.com/forums/gladiator-jt.1504/

 

Thanks Kenneth, I'll check it out!

 

Dan, that is interesting about your car. I also have noticed on 2 newer vehicles that if cruise control is engaged and speed increases when going down a hill, car will downshift attempting to maintain set speed. Well of course that would cause the vacuum to go way up! Weird if you ask me. I am used to the old type cruise control. "Officer, I couldn't help the speed I was going, I set the cruise at 75 and it was the car's fault that it sped up on it's own!!"- "Officer, It was the car's fault I hit the other car while parallel parking." -"I can't believe the car was out of gas, the low gas alarm never went off!!" I don't get the new cars today- No personal responsibility.....

 

And the Ultimate . . . Hands free driving . . . Can you really even call it driving???

 

Only if your name is Miss Daisy.

 

Good afternoon guys,

Beautiful out today, sunny and a high of 70 this afternoon. More storms moving in later this evening though.

Did'nt make it to the cruise-in yesterday evening. Went out for a recon drive to see if I could even get the car out to a main road without encountering substantial water, unfortunately there were sheets of water flowing completely across the road in multiple places. Despite how much I wanted to get the car out, it was going to be filthy by the time I got there, and it was not going to be worth it to me to have to spend hours getting it nice and clean again. There are more events next weekend and hopefully the weather will be more cooperative.

No big plans for today. Maybe I'll watch some of the basketball or pull one of the bikes out and go for a ride, just not sure yet?

Hope ya'll have a great day!

 

Chris - Status update on BIL's son?
- Status update on H2O main?

 

Been slinging a paint brush since dawn. Two scaffolding sections moved.

Shrimps

 

Norm - Here are the few updates I know on my BIL's son's case:
- Police determined somehow that the 911 call from the Ex-wife's boyfriend's apartment claiming a home intrusion came into the Police dispatch before BIL's son and granddaughter even arrived at the apartment. I'm guessing this is from geolocation of phone records? Or possibly Onstar or similar technology.

- BIL's granddaughter has been initially been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and has been released on bond, and isn't talking. Last I heard, the Ex-wife and boyfriend have not been arrested? I'm guessing the DA/Police are trying to get the granddaughter to flip on the Ex-wife and boyfriend for some kind of plea deal? That's all I know at this point. Pretty crazy $hit!

Nothing else has happened with the water main. It was fixed late in the afternoon the day it happened, and residents on that street were under a precautionary boil order for 24-hours. It didn't effect us at all.

 

It is.

 

This makes sense, both technically, which you did well explaining, and from a culture point of view.

In Asia, there are basically two fundamental mindsets, the Chinese and the Japanese. The Japanese believe in charging high prices for good stuff. They will rip you off in terms of initial price, and legitimate parts and labor purchases, but, if something is really wrong, and it's on them, they will bend over backwards to fix it. They want you as a customer, and they think they are the best people in the world. Japan tends to respect America because we beat the stuffing out of them in a world war and then rebuilt them. They are incredibly racist to all Asians that are not Japanese and view them as lesser. They probably view Americans and other whites as lesser, but we are such a novelty in Japan that it's not really an issue. Japan is an awesome, expensive, safe country to visit.

The Chinese mindset is different. China views life as cheap, and stuff as cheap. There are so many Chinese, and the country is so big, that they do not mind ripping other people, and themselves, off. You should have done your research with Chinese stuff, they would think, and it's the luck of the draw if your purchase fails. I am considering buying a Digital to Analog Converter made in China, as they are trying to grow out of this "cheap ***** oh well" manufacturing, but I don't know if they are there yet. The Chinese hate everyone for looking down on them, but hate themselves as well for their average misfortune.

Koreans are simply technologically advanced Chinese, but with a paranoia complex of being reabsorbed by the dragon. This could also describe Taiwan. Korean cars started, and still are, as an excuse for Hyundai Heavy Shipping to have something to fill their holds with when they had room. This is why the cars are cheaper. Another reason is less material quality, and, like described above, shortcuts. The Koreans do good work, when they want to, but have the Chinese eye for being cheap. This leads to informed decisions being made, but not necessarily the right ones for lasting car quality. When they get it right, it's a good car.

Sitting on my driveway is my Tacoma. It is an 07 and has 282k on the clock. Some of the paint is failing, some emissions stuff is causing the check engine light to come on, and my clutch pedal is cracking. Valve cover leaks. Prior to about 250k miles, I had had one bearing go, the airbag spiral cable went, and the heater pipe cracked (heater hose). That was all. It won't die. I still have original brakes, clutch, and shocks. It needs a couple months off while I fix everything, but I think it will get to 400k easily. That's a Japanese car.

 

Crab Louis last night but couldn't load pictures from the hills

 

Something that I need to correct, as i just got off the phone with my engineer buddy. Hyundai uses a three ring set, not two as I stated, but the OIL ring is two piece, and my buddy thinks that this is part of the problem, but can't say for sure as Mahle does not do business with them, and he is unable to look at the data pertaining to the ring design & wear, which is something he does with every new engine program that Stellantis comes out with, plus they have other engine programs with Ford and GM, so it is easy for him to access data pertaining to them.Chris, my Santa Fe is the same year and drive train as yours.The Stellantis 3.6 is a decent engine, with no problems with the current design (Mahle has this contract, and my buddy has experience with it). The Gladiator is not a smooth ride as it is a stretched wrangler designed for off roading, so maybe for young uns who don't worry about how their back feels after a road trip. They ain't cheap either. I would suggest Toyota, Honda, or Subaru. My buddies son is giving it to him, as he has an '09 Prius that just keeps running with about 170k on it. brakes and tires are all that's required. His nephew had one, and had 250k on it. Back in 2010, my buddy worked for Hastings mfg. for two years (recession/Mahle cut his hours, and he has been back with them ever since) in the same capacity as he has at Mahle, but with a 70 mile commute one way, he bought a 2010 Carolla to commute with, he later gave it to one of his daughter's, he told me that he misses it. This is a guy with three 442's, a '05 Mustang GT, and his wife's '94 Z/28. Greg, everytime that I have the cruise control set on the highway, and I go up a grade, or a hill, my Hyundai downshifts at least two gears, revs and slams back into a higher gear once the hill/grade has been conquered. I brought that up to the dealer a few years back, but nothing was done.

 

Went and plowed/snowblew the wet ,sloppy stuff we got yesterday. Shoulda just left it- today it has warmed up to almost 50 and most snow is gone. After that I went over to barn and replaced belts on Olds. SO Easy!! Makes me feel like a hot shot mechanic! Well I never really was one, but it's funny if you become comfortable working on certain things, you don't seem to forget it- Yep belts on a 350 Olds are old school-I love it!! Started it up and let warm up - every year I am reminded of how I love the sound of a Olds 350 idling! I didn't take it out of barn cuz of snow, but it shouldn't be too long now. Brakes felt fine as in good pedal, but still need a test drive as I replaced calipers and 3 brake hoses earlier this winter.
SPRING is a comin' !!!!

 

John, thanks for the post. One thing that my buddy mentioned a few years back when it comes to cost, is the Big Three will beat them up on price for ring sets while demanding cuts to keep price down, and giving up some quality in order to do so, while the Japanese will ask for a lower price, without sacrificing quality nor beating them up on price. They are willing to pay more for quality, but won't beat the supplier to death to get lower costs.

 

I find this to be common amongst Olds owners, including other cubic inch displacements.

 

Hi everyone.

Thunderstorms this morning and then just rain. Went to Walmart in the rain and back home, but then it cleared up and the sun came out. Now it's cloudy again.

Chris that whole deal gets more unbelievable. I don't remember a granddaughter being mentioned before. Was she the girl that went with BIL to the apartment? Did she lead him there?

John a friend of mine is over in Japan right now. He goes there a lot. I think he has friends there but don't know if they are Japanese or Americans that live there. He loves it.

Regular week coming up. Supposed to be nice all week, after Monday morning, so I hope I can get a couple things done. Like take the pickup for a clutch. And get an alternator for the Cadillac. I should get a battery for it as well because I know it will be bad.

Okay Mom has dinner almost ready. Her food doesn't look glamorous but it always tastes good.

Have a good evening everyone.

 

Jim - Crab Louis looks delicious. Hardy chunks of crab, nice sauce.

 

Mike - I think you may have gotten confused. It wasn't my BIL that went to the apartment and got killed. It was my BIL's son, and the girl that was with my BIL's son was his daughter, making her my BIL's granddaughter. Yes, it appears the DA/Police are thinking that the granddaughter in conjuction with her mother (BIL's son's ex-wife) and new boyfriend were in cohoots in luring BIL's son to the apartment. That is why they have charged the granddaughter with conspiracy to commit murder. I know this is somewhat confusing, but if you still don't understand, let me know.

 

And, the guy isn't really a BIL.

 

Dan - Remember what I said the other night about not knowing what brand/car to look for? I started doing some research last night, and Consumer Reports had Jeep rated at #24 out of 28 major brands. The Jeep Gladiator is not rated very well and has lots of reports of transmission issues. The other newer model I like are the new Broncos. Ford was rated overall at #18 out of 24, the the Bronco V6 has had major issues already. I may check out the Subaru Forester and Outback. I had a Subaru Loyale 4-dr Sedan (AWD) years ago and it was a decent car. One day the nut holding the cooling fan on came loose and my ex-wife let it overheat to the point of blowing the heads, and then we unloaded it.

 

Good memory Norm!

 

Chris, another friend's wife is looking to replace her '17 Cherokee, and was looking at the Bronco and Gladiator, a friend of hers has a Gladiator and told her not to get one. She's buying a Mercedes suv instead. Who would have thought that a jeep would cost as much as a Mercedes? If you are not having any oil consumption issues, it may not hurt to keep the Hyundai awhile longer. Subaru's have a cult like following.

 

Dan - There isn't anything worth having that's cheap anymore, that's for sure! I really do want to get out from under the Santa Fe before anything catastrophic happens. Guess I'll start my search by narrowing it down to 2 or 3 makes/models and then start searching for a used late model with low mileage with some factory warranty left. If that isn't fruitful I'll consider something new. Even with low mileage on the Hyundai I'm sure I won't get crap out of it in a trade in scenario.

 

Just make sure if you get a Subaru and the wife drives it that she is prepared to get hit on by women.