General Car Conversation 2025 - Part 1
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,588
Likes: 94
From: CA, Mid OC
Wow, so car enthusiast Europeans don't care about gas mileage either and like big engines just because... what a shock. (Not directed at you.)
Though yes, gas is much more expensive over there and also in many countries they tax you on displacement.
A mint 1998 S500 is a fabulous car. It's gonna potentially cost some $$ though. W140 is fantastic but there are more reliable Mercedes....
Though yes, gas is much more expensive over there and also in many countries they tax you on displacement.
A mint 1998 S500 is a fabulous car. It's gonna potentially cost some $$ though. W140 is fantastic but there are more reliable Mercedes....
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,588
Likes: 94
From: CA, Mid OC
For @Striker223 pulling an engine is no big deal, just a minor inconvenience. Haha 😄 👀 📣
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 11,281
Likes: 1,612
From: FL
Jokes aside, my friend used to be a Benz tech at Fletcher Jones. There was a required service on the V12 and the techs would pull the engine to do the service because it was faster. Unfortunately, Mercedes figured out how to make their techs work twice as hard for 2/3 the money, so he rolled his toolbox out and turned his side hustle of home audio/theater into a booming business.
I remember the old Trans Ams?
It had a rear plug that required dropping the exhaust.
Techs just ignored that plug on tune ups. Haha
Another good one is on the old cadillacs with fwd and they would blow head gaskets like crazy.
I knew a tech who did many of them and he made a special lift plate to raise the head 1/2" and level without removing hardly anything else on the engine.
He would pull the old head gasket out and slip the new one in and torque it down.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,746
Likes: 3,775
From: California
When they do that to techs, they just find ways to shortcut and cheat a little.
I remember the old Trans Ams?
It had a rear plug that required dropping the exhaust.
Techs just ignored that plug on tune ups. Haha
Another good one is on the old cadillacs with fwd and they would blow head gaskets like crazy.
I knew a tech who did many of them and he made a special lift plate to raise the head 1/2" and level without removing hardly anything else on the engine.
He would pull the old head gasket out and slip the new one in and torque it down.
I remember the old Trans Ams?
It had a rear plug that required dropping the exhaust.
Techs just ignored that plug on tune ups. Haha
Another good one is on the old cadillacs with fwd and they would blow head gaskets like crazy.
I knew a tech who did many of them and he made a special lift plate to raise the head 1/2" and level without removing hardly anything else on the engine.
He would pull the old head gasket out and slip the new one in and torque it down.
I used to buy cars from auctions, and one of the issues with the late 80's/90's fwd Seville was soft CAMS. After 50k they would need to be changed
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 11,281
Likes: 1,612
From: FL
Even on our cars we can cheat the book time but we do it legit, not like that head gasket trick.
He had another cheat on a car that likes to crap throttle bodies.
Book time was 1.5 hours to remove a solid aluminum fuel line that snaked thru the engjne and was in the way.
He cuts the fuel line with an air powered rotary tool and just patches it with a piece of fuel hose and clamps when he's done.
Reduced from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes. Haha
Last edited by Margate330; Apr 11, 2025 at 10:18 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,375
Likes: 1,801
From: Ohio
It would hold long enough to get the car out of warranty and that's the goal lol!
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,375
Likes: 1,801
From: Ohio
I have no idea, I guess he was just rolling the dice and sending the car down the road. Lol
Even on our cars we can cheat the book time but we do it legit, not like that head gasket trick.
He had another cheat on a car that likes to crap throttle bodies.
Book time was 1.5 hours to remove a solid aluminum fuel line that snaked thru the engjne and was in the way.
He cuts the fuel line with an air powered rotary tool and just patches it with a piece of fuel hose and clamps when he's done.
Reduced from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes. Haha
Even on our cars we can cheat the book time but we do it legit, not like that head gasket trick.
He had another cheat on a car that likes to crap throttle bodies.
Book time was 1.5 hours to remove a solid aluminum fuel line that snaked thru the engjne and was in the way.
He cuts the fuel line with an air powered rotary tool and just patches it with a piece of fuel hose and clamps when he's done.
Reduced from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes. Haha
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,746
Likes: 3,775
From: California
I have no idea, I guess he was just rolling the dice and sending the car down the road. Lol
Even on our cars we can cheat the book time but we do it legit, not like that head gasket trick.
He had another cheat on a car that likes to crap throttle bodies.
Book time was 1.5 hours to remove a solid aluminum fuel line that snaked thru the engjne and was in the way.
He cuts the fuel line with an air powered rotary tool and just patches it with a piece of fuel hose and clamps when he's done.
Reduced from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes. Haha
Even on our cars we can cheat the book time but we do it legit, not like that head gasket trick.
He had another cheat on a car that likes to crap throttle bodies.
Book time was 1.5 hours to remove a solid aluminum fuel line that snaked thru the engjne and was in the way.
He cuts the fuel line with an air powered rotary tool and just patches it with a piece of fuel hose and clamps when he's done.
Reduced from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes. Haha
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 11,281
Likes: 1,612
From: FL