Stereodude
Not really a
I hope you replaced the brake pads more than once in 150k miles. 
Something Random
- Thread starter ddrueding
- Start date
ddrueding
Fixture
I hope you replaced the brake pads more than once in 150k miles.
Nope. The stock ones ran until 150k. Of course, at that point the remains shattered and fell off
Stereodude
Not really a
Not sure how you're managing that, but ok... I don't think I've ever seen a set of front pads last more than 50k.
The way you originally presented the thought was passive aggressive. The way you just described it now was not passive aggressive, but positive with ideas to support the opinion. It's not a big deal and I'm not arguing the data, it's just a subtle difference in conveying your opinion/thoughts/ideas. I tend to accept and prefer positive reflection when evaluating an opinion versus passive aggression.
I got about 64K miles out of the stock break pads on my TSX. I talked about it here with pictures of how much material was left on them. I probably could have gotten another 10-20K out of them.
I think ddrueding does lots of highway miles like I did (even more), and that would make for a good reason why the pads could last to the higher miles.
ddrueding
Fixture
It really does depend on the amount of highway driving. When I was commuting from Oregon I would burn through entire tanks of gas, only using the brakes to get more. When I was in Palo Alto I lived close to the freeway and work is right off the freeway; less than 10 stops total every 150 miles. In traffic I tend to average out the stop/go by leaving it in first and trying not to hug the bumper in front.
ddrueding
Fixture
Ended up buying an A3 with the following:
2.0 Turbo
6-speed dual-clutch automatic
S-Line (better seats, wheels, some other stuff)
Convenience (Bluetooth, required for Nav)
Cold Weather (Heated seats, windshield washer fluid, mirrors)
Navigation
Open-Sky (massive sunroof)
Got it for about 22% under sticker (10% under invoice), so I think we did well.
2.0 Turbo
6-speed dual-clutch automatic
S-Line (better seats, wheels, some other stuff)
Convenience (Bluetooth, required for Nav)
Cold Weather (Heated seats, windshield washer fluid, mirrors)
Navigation
Open-Sky (massive sunroof)
Got it for about 22% under sticker (10% under invoice), so I think we did well.
Stereodude
Not really a
Does it have Quattro?
Want to share how you did that? I'm absolutely hopeless at negotiating...
ddrueding
Fixture
It does have Quattro and special mounts in the back seats for kid seats.
The 2.0T, DSG, and Quattro are a fantastic combo. This thing moves like you would not believe. It was pouring down rain today and I picked the toughest road in the area. Came around a bend very quickly, hit a sand wash-out, and...nothing. The car went right over it while I was panicing without any drama. The stability control can be thanked for that.
How did I negotiate the deal? By not having any choice, really. I was given a hard ceiling by my wife, and simply started there. Either he would agree or he wouldn't. The dealership was over 3 hours away, so we did all this over the phone over the course of about an hour. In the first phone call I tried to spell out my position, and he explained very politely that we were "really far away". I thanked him, declined to talk about other cars (if we were going to have a dealer perform a search, it would be the local dealer) and hung up. 20 minutes later he called back with a number $5k above mine, I explained that I couldn't do a thing, thanked him, and hung up. After another 20 minutes he called again with a number $2k above mine, still no go. 10 minutes later he was within $1k, but said there was nothing else he could do. We agreed to split the difference. So I went up $500, and he went down ~$9k.
If I didn't have my wife there keeping the pressure on, I would have overpaid by at least $3k, or more. I hate negotiating.
The 2.0T, DSG, and Quattro are a fantastic combo. This thing moves like you would not believe. It was pouring down rain today and I picked the toughest road in the area. Came around a bend very quickly, hit a sand wash-out, and...nothing. The car went right over it while I was panicing without any drama. The stability control can be thanked for that.
How did I negotiate the deal? By not having any choice, really. I was given a hard ceiling by my wife, and simply started there. Either he would agree or he wouldn't. The dealership was over 3 hours away, so we did all this over the phone over the course of about an hour. In the first phone call I tried to spell out my position, and he explained very politely that we were "really far away". I thanked him, declined to talk about other cars (if we were going to have a dealer perform a search, it would be the local dealer) and hung up. 20 minutes later he called back with a number $5k above mine, I explained that I couldn't do a thing, thanked him, and hung up. After another 20 minutes he called again with a number $2k above mine, still no go. 10 minutes later he was within $1k, but said there was nothing else he could do. We agreed to split the difference. So I went up $500, and he went down ~$9k.
If I didn't have my wife there keeping the pressure on, I would have overpaid by at least $3k, or more. I hate negotiating.
ddrueding
Fixture
Stereodude
Not really a
That's seems like a really good deal. Usually there isn't anywhere near 10% of hold backs that the dealer has to work with once they cross invoice.
Congrats! That is quite a lot lower than I would have thought possible, so nice deal! I'm assuming those pictures are of your car which means it was on the lot and ready to take? The car might have been costing them a bunch to keep on the lot and made sense to move it to you even for a steep discount.
ddrueding
Fixture
Yup, it was on their website (still is as a matter of fact - Stock# 5021). But it is a relatively rare car, we were looking for something with the performance goodies in blue and that was the only one in California; they are common in red or black.
Stereodude
Not really a
So you got that all the way down to $30,500? That's very impressive. According to Edmunds.com the invoice on that car is $36,471. The dealer had to lose money on that deal since there are no rebate or incentives.
ddrueding
Fixture
We were actually a grand higher than that, so my math was off. My wife is still reeling from cutting the check, no matter how good a deal we got.
CougTek
Hairy Aussie
He paid cash.
Cold weather? Aren't you in California? Is there such a thing as cold weather in California?
Stereodude
Not really a
They have mountains and skiing there.
ddrueding
Fixture
Hey, it did go below freezing overnight 5 times this winter
The heated seats are nice, you can keep the sunroof open at night.
Honestly, we didn't care about it, but it was on the car that was closest to what we wanted.
The heated seats are nice, you can keep the sunroof open at night.
Honestly, we didn't care about it, but it was on the car that was closest to what we wanted.
ddrueding
Fixture
Mammoth.
:scratch:
ddrueding
Fixture
I haven't gone skiing at all since I was 12. I intend to go, one of these days, but I really don't like snow.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
I just got back to the office from a wonderful drive. Last night I was to do a system installation in a rather remote location, (5hrs west of Brisbane, QLD) and all the hardware was to be on site ready to un-box/install last Thursday (sent via courier). The courier company acknowledged delivery. I drove out to the location and met with the local contact who informed me that the servers/PCs hadn't arrived yet. I stayed the night in the hotel, had dinner at the pub, and drove back to the office this morning.
So I've been on the road for just over 11hrs, and done just under 900kms, all to have dinner at a pub which is located 5hrs west of Brisbane. And I now have to do it all again to 2 weeks time. (the next available time to do the required work).
Damn courier companies and their use of sub-contractors...:frowner:
So I've been on the road for just over 11hrs, and done just under 900kms, all to have dinner at a pub which is located 5hrs west of Brisbane. And I now have to do it all again to 2 weeks time. (the next available time to do the required work).
Damn courier companies and their use of sub-contractors...:frowner:
ddrueding
Fixture
Depends on what you are driving, I suppose, but that is a long drive. Long ago UPS botched shipping a server shipment twice (the parts arrived, in the duct-taped remains of the box, rattling around, twice.). Each time I shipped the box, flew from the SF office to Austin to take delivery, refused the package, and flew back. Attempt three was me buying a seat on the plane for a 4U, 100lb+ server. If that didn't work, I would've had to drive it (1,750mi, 2,800km).
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
Holden SV6 Sportswagon ( http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=100002 )
Not a bad drive, but rather boring considering the road/scenary. (Similar to the trip from LA to Las Vegas, when going through the remote desert regions).
ddrueding
Fixture
Nice car, good looking, too. I'm sure there is a speed where that road is fun, and it looks like that car could do it, but I doubt the authorities would approve.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Never trim your nose hairs with a nose hair trimmer that's low on batteries.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
As someone who has done that in the past, I agree 100%... ouch....
CougTek
Hairy Aussie
Nice but unusable. The driving wheel is on the wrong side of the cart.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
care to explain?
ddrueding
Fixture
It stops cutting and starts chewing, then it jams and you need to remove it somehow...
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
There's an inch long cut inside my right nostril. It bled profusely and dried to a big, chunky scab. It's not painful but it is incredibly annoying.
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
Tweezers? You sadist! What's wrong with scissors?
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
Scissors? Either you have tiny scissors, or a big nose.
Both!
As a female friend who is into the lighter side of the BD scene would say "what's a little pain between friends?".
I sure I can hear Rick James in the background... "She's a very kinky girl..."
:0