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Bobby MSME

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Everything posted by Bobby MSME

  1. Bobby MSME
    In a haste, I dropped the car key on the seat and locked myself out today. Used the My Chevrolet app on my phone to unlock driver's side door, even though my LS Spark 2017 does not come with power locks.
  2. Bobby MSME
    All should be very glad no one got hurt. Back when I was 24 years old, I was rear ended inside a Corvair. My neck suffered a bad whiplash (in those days there was no head rest).
  3. Bobby MSME
    All I can tell you is after driving a 2016 (?) Toyota Prius Hatchback yesterday I like my 2017 Spark Hatchback even more.
  4. Bobby MSME
    A very hot engine can cause pre-ignition which is also known as pinging. It sounds like marbles rattling in a glass bottle. This was more common in the old days of carburetors and no electronic ignition.
  5. Bobby MSME
    Your Cobalt was a close cousin of my previous car, Pontiac G5. Same engine, same body structure. And I vividly remember the temp increased rapidly when caught in heavy traffic ballooning to over 220 very quickly.
  6. Bobby MSME
    I miss the built in coolant temperature display available in my previous car, a Pontiac G5. The engine coolant temperature tells you a lot if engine is running normally. It tell you if the cooling system is performing normal, if you need new coolant or flush. It is like your body temperature. If it is above normal, you have a fever and something is wrong. If it is much below normal, you are suffering hypothermia. Now that I have a OBDII scanner and the Torq software on my smart phone, I can monitor temperature in the Spark. I am new owner, so do not yet know what the
  7. Bobby MSME
    I am liking the CVT more every day. If it lasts 70-75k miles without any problems, I am never going back to a geared automatic. Better gas mileage, better acceleration, less engine wear due to lower RPM's for the same vehicle speed, less cost to buy new, smoother operation without the jerks of gear changes, and a sporty feel due to noisier operation when stomping on the gas pedal, no need to tighten bands in a geared automatic, etc.
  8. Bobby MSME
    I am liking the CVT more every day. If it lasts 70-75k miles without any problems, I am never going back to a geared automatic. Better gas mileage, better acceleration, less engine wear due to lower RPM's for the same vehicle speed, less cost to buy new, smoother operation without the jerks of gear changes, and a sporty feel due to noisier operation when stomping on the gas pedal, no need to tighten bands in a geared automatic, etc.
  9. Bobby MSME
    Today I drove a lot of miles on I-95 & I-295 on my Spark 2017 LS with CVT. The transmission performed great going from 0 to 70+MPH. It felt like the car understood exactly my speed demands, and responded positively & smoothly. I don't think I will ever want the geared auto tranny. I am sold on the CVT concept. I do realize the CVT is governed by a computer program and there are many variables the program has to tackle. Such as: Current vehicle speed Current engine RPM Change in position of gas pedal (acceleration demands by driver) How much is the total load
  10. Bobby MSME
    In 56 years of driving American cars (GM, Ford & Chrysler) many over 100k miles, and a couple over 150k miles, never had to replace wheel bearings. Either I am a fantastic driver, or just a staid old boring conformist who has never tried to use non-standard tires and wheels or suspension components. I am betting on the latter. However my hat's off to you two, gearhead & blue for having the skill, energy, patience and brains to tackle such jobs which probably are not even your line of work. I am just a mechanical engineer who became pretty good at designing and N/C machinin
  11. Bobby MSME
    Be wary of any dealer services beyond what is covered by warranty. As the very knowledgeable folks on this forum point out, have your own mechanic order the tank and install it for you. My 2007 Pontiac G5 gave me flawless service for 9+ years. Never had a engine check light come on in 9+ years, or any other malfunction for that matter. Then I decided it deserves a coolant flush. Dropped it off at the dealer. After I picked up the car, I noticed coolant temp was running 10 degrees higher than during previous 9+ years. I took it back to dealer, and they said this was norma
  12. Bobby MSME
    I lived in WA state before moving to FL last year. The sales tax in WA was pretty high, 9+% neighborhood. I love Florida taxes. 6% sales tax, and property tax on my $110k condo is less than $600/year because I am senior age and live in the property. In WA property tax was a killer. Back to the Spark 2017 LS, I bought it a few weeks back, and loving it. The CVT tranny is smooth with superb acceleration for such a small 1.4 liter engine. At 60 mph, the engine is under 2000 rpm. The only issue I found with the CVT is when I am slowing down to almost a stop due to slow traffic ahead, m
  13. Bobby MSME
    Try using Sea Foam additive or similar product available at Walmart & other auto part stores. Dirty valves with carbon deposits could be one of the causes. That causes lower compression, misfires and rough idling. I am assuming your car is mechanically & electrically in good shape. If that does not solve the problem, your car will need a valve job. $1500-$2500.
  14. Bobby MSME
    Best MPG is 99 with my foot off the gas pedal.... But seriously I am averaging 36 mpg in combined hi-way/town driving.
  15. Bobby MSME
    Your A/C problem could simply be lack of enough Freon (or whatever fluid is used in your car). If car is past bumper to bumper warranty, GM or dealer will not repair it free. Freon leaks out from all A/C units depending on how good seals are. That is not considered a repair. It is a maintenance item. Same as air pressure in tires. Seals tend to last better if A/C is run briefly once a month. I would stop by a repair shop who services Auto A/C.
  16. Bobby MSME
    Completely agree. I have done my own oil changes for 50+ years! It is a bit messy and takes 30-45 minutes, but is not that hard. The worst part is crawling under the car to loosen oil drain plug, in a safe manner, using a reliable jack. On the Spark, the oil filter seems easily accessible, which is good.
  17. Bobby MSME
    Fate of another 2013 Spark....
  18. Bobby MSME
    My first car was a 1952 Buick with straight 8 engine. I learned to drive on that car. 5 mpg in town. That was a good thing because I hit a few objects while learning to drive at age 20, such as other cars, a closed gate, a fence post, and slid into a ditch. But the damage was always on the other objects. My car was impervious to damage with bumpers made of 1/4" thick steel. I would have loved to have that car during my 37 years of driving in Chicago.
  19. Bobby MSME
    Looks great!
  20. Bobby MSME
    Just watch this video about fraud at cheap $19.99 oil change facilities....
  21. Bobby MSME
    Where exactly is the oil filter located? Does it require special tool to remove it? Although since I do not have a garage anymore, I doubt very much if I will try it.
  22. Bobby MSME
    The battery in my G5 (now traded out) was in great shape after 9+ years of use. The HHR (still own) battery after 5 years is still working great. Your Cobalt battery lasted longer. What is common thread here? All those cars had batteries located in the trunk, away from the engine heat! The engine gets lot hotter than heat in Arizona or Florida or Texas.
  23. Bobby MSME
    Bon Voyage gearhead! Stay safe, take enough bottles of drinking water and the .50 caliber! I am sticking with the rented boat called princess cruises.
  24. Bobby MSME
    First determine source of most of the noise. Is it the tires, or the engine compartment, or rear trunk area, or mainly wind noise due to open windows. The 2017 Spark engine has a hood which should help with noise. Additional insulation layer attached to the hood will reduce noise coming into passenger compartment. Try adding insulation to the firewall. The pictures in this thread for applying insulation layer in the trunk and trunk lid could help cut noise. I understand this one of the cheapest car on the market comes with cheap tires. Why is that not expected? Replace with expensive tires kno
  25. Bobby MSME
    Buy the cheapest price between 2016 & 2017. I agree with Jonboy, nothing much seems to have changed. Dealer will be anxious to unload the 2016 and you can get a much better deal. But here is the caveat...if you plan to trade in after a short time, such as 2 or 3 years, then you will get less for the older model, thus negating much of the price advantage. If you plan to keep the car for 7+ years, then 2016 is a better value for the money.
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