The BMW X5 35d has been having issues starting when cold which seems likely due to a new Exide FP-AGML5/49 Edge Group L-5/49 Flat Plate AGM battery. I’ve gone great lengths to rule out almost everything other than the battery, and decided it must be a weak cell or defect in the new battery itself. […]
Adding a couple catch-up photos to the mix after driving the BMW X5 35d (26.1 mpg) up for a busy Christmas weekend with Katelyn, Drew and Taylor in Wayzata, Minnesota. We took Drew’s Acura RX out for a nice Christmas Eve dinner and am starting to realize Brenda and I are definitely looking older (and […]
My good friend and old college buddy lives in an apartment which as been visited by the fire department — they tagged his door regarding the grill on his patio. Bad for him, good for me. All I had to do was go pick it up … glad I put the hitch on the BMW […]
As mentioned a few posts ago, I finally found an amber fog light on ebay to replace the broken glass lens. I was disappointed in the cost, but very pleased with the quality of the lightly used Bosch part. Forgive the bug splats (needs to be cleaned) but when the weather is nice, this 1982 […]
In rounding out and connecting the dots in a couple previous posts, I’ll summarize with a short post and what happened. When reinstalling the brake caliper slides the other day on the BMW X5 35d, I snapped off my Craftsman branded hex socket when tightening down the slide. It was careless on my part as […]
We had another outstanding summer weekend weather-wise and enjoyed every minute of each day. I spent my Father’s Day afternoon working on the BMW X5 35d and installing a 2" hitch receiver (upcoming post). Getting all the snapped and clipped on trim off was the biggest hassle … but it is done. We enjoyed grilling […]
In an email exchange with Andrew Rodriguez of FixMyVW.com, he hinted that he’ll have a few new products up in Wisconsin at the 2016 TDIFest this Labor Day. One item that caught my eye was a billeted chunk of aluminum "goodness" as the marketeers say — he knew what he was doing sending it to […]
What a mess of "tiny snakes" as my daughter call the the organized harnesses of wires connected to my cars ECU. I have to admit, I was taken back at the perception of a rats nest of connectors and wiring all tying into the BMW X5 35D’s computer. The air and water tight box under […]
This weeks trip back and forth from SW Ohio to NE Ohio was the first with slippery road and winter snow in 2016. There are sure to be a few more winter days this year, but glad to already be into mid-January. This drive was also the first winter driving for the BMW X5 35d. […]
As I mentioned to my Liberty Mutual agent … “at least I know what my premiums are paying for – mailings!” It is hard to believe that removing Taylor’s car from our policy and adding the X5 could generate 14 multipage envelopes of policy information? That said, our annual auto policy renews in November… so […]
While helping Taylor look for his next car, I ran across a higher mile (highway), one owner 2010 BMW X5 35d that needs a little work. I'm confident I can take care of the minor body work and paint … but nervous about the computer issues and non-working AC. After a little research on how […]
Memorial Day weekend was the first chance I had to get a close up view of the ‘new to North America’ V-6 TDI 3.0L version of the diesel Volkswagen Touareg 2. Most TDI advocates have been wondering just when the ‘realistic’ version of a VW SUV was going to arrive in the states … seeing […]
After one year of Costco Executive membership it was time to ask the “is it worth it” question. Thankfully for us, after one year, it did pay for itself for the first year. For us, at least for the first year, being an Executive Member vs Gold Star Member at Costco did pay off, but […]
Our 2010 Acura RDX with 155,000 miles was sputtering and burning excessive fuel for the last couple of weeks (according to the car’s driver — Brenda) and by the time she asked me to take a look at it, a plethora of lights were on the instrument panel. A quick start-up and I knew something […]
After 5 or 6 years, a car batteries no matter their indicated warranties, lose some of their cold cranking amps (CCA). If I were a “maintenance-focused only kind of guy,” I’d probably just replace batteries every 5 years rather than waiting forthem to fail. BUT … as usual … I wait until the winter when […]
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As mentioned on Sunday, the delayed Amazon shipment of the Kubota fuel pump set my maintenance and repair plans back a bit, but I did get around to replacing the previously substituted fuel filter in the John Deere 330. We mostly use the old John Deere diesel tractor for trailer duty (and snowblowing), but ever […]
Another nail or something in the tire, this time in Brenda’s Acura RDX. Thankfully it was in the tread and small, so an easy plug … but plugging two tires within 30 days? (the animated gif above is just a little soap water sprayed on the tire for leak detection) As for a video that […]
A pitfall in real-time GPS mapping services is that, although they “can” highlight road construction and closures, they are not always accurate or give appropriate advice for detours or “route arounds.” This was apparent on a 16 hour drive back from Florida (see comment) and more recently for a road closing leading to our development […]
Just a little bit of wasted time this weekend after realizing I need a better way to hold my iPhone when using it for video conferencing and FaceTime calls. In the past I’ve used a little rubberized tape on the edge of ceramic plate that sits under my iMac … … but it was never […]
The prediction that diesel fuels will rise (“double in price” – note the last minute of the interview) is bound to impact the price of goods. Everything is shipped using diesel fuel, be it on ships, trains or trucks, and with those prices rising significantly, consumers will be paying. On the personal side, those of […]
According to my very pleased Volkswagen driving daughter, she’ll likely stay committed to the VW brand IF they continue to appreciate her as a customer. She was one of the first owners of the new 2018 Tiguan last year and has been very pleased with the first year vehicle. The performance, including regular 30+ mpg […]
Although I’m the last person to criticize folks for tweaking their diesel engines for performance and efficiency, I cringe when I see modifications that purposely over fuel and pump a bunch of black smoke when it is unnecessary (not under load). There has to be a commonsense balance between neutering diesel engines with excessively costly […]
Read an independent review about this IXCC 4-port IXCC USB charger with what it claims as “plenty of power” … although one descriptions says 48W and the other 36W (both claim 9.6 amp) … we’ll see. The Amazon reviews were a very high 4-1/2 stars and since our new “older” car doesn’t have an abundance […]
As the U.S. economy tries muddle along, few new jobs are consistently being added to put Americans back to work. With confidence in the U.S. fiscal situation and our own personal finances low, it’s no surprise to see even new efficient “diesel” passenger vehicle sale struggle. According to the latest numbers, diesel passenger sales through […]
For those interested in all things TDI (that’s Volkswagen TDI diesel automobiles), the TDIFest is this weekend in the host city of Lexington KY. Our local CinciTDI club is hosting the TDIClub “fest” and it looks to be a good one. Hopefully the weather and activities will be enjoyable … I know that I’m looking […]
Having one company divulge my personal information is bad … but having three (to date) divulging my name and email information is ridiculous. One would thing that that companies like Chase, Walgreens and Tivo would fear a class action suit enough to be a bit more protective with their clients privacy? In other words, don’t […]
Even with stable gasoline prices and minimal incentives, the sluggish new car buying public are still buying new diesel cars. Sales continue to increase in North America amongst the handful of European brands. Could it be that those who test drive this new breed of ‘clean diesel’ are surprised with how quiet and clean diesel […]
I’ve enjoyed the Cincinnati Auto Expo in the past although am unsure if I’ll find the time to head down this year. The Duke Energy Center (Cinergy) will have the filled floorplan set up as unusual and I’ve even heard that the Volkswagen booth is going to be much larger than in previous years (according […]
With two of the five cars competing for the “2009 Green Car of the Year” award at this years Los Angeles Auto Show, things are getting pretty interesting. The three competing technologies nominated include two gasoline hybrid vehicles — the Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid and the Ford Fusion hybrid, two clean diesel models — the […]