Actually Lewis - I have a suspicion what is happening is that the throttle position sensor has just been recalibrated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM
Yup, and hence why a good kiwi mate chipped my Passat gratis. He also showed me a VW tech tip (that even the local VW dealers didn't know or won't admit to). It may only be applicable to SOME Passats of model/make/vintage:
Put the key in the ignition, but leave it in the off position. Push the accelerator pedal flat to the floor, through the kick down position. Hold it there for 3 seconds. Let go of pedal, and start car. It has now been switched over to the "Sport" mode.
At least in mine, it makes a SERIOUS difference. Obviously "unlocks" a restriction programmed into the computer, and perhaps many Aussie dealers/service agents either don't want to let people know or are not allowed to.
If I want to go back to normal mode, the reverse applies.
Do you mean the OLD original Lancia Thema (Italian design), or the rebadged Chrysler 300 (aka Lancia Thema)?
I know several people who own Chrysler 300's... none been too happy with them. Our neighbour at a former place had one, and I saw her swearing profusely at it in Hungarian before she threw a house brick at it! And it hit...
Lewis, love to drive and love to own are not necessarily the same thing
OTH, I drove a 300 SRT a little while back and it was a blast, on the straight and even in the corners
Yup, and hence why a good kiwi mate chipped my Passat gratis. He also showed me a VW tech tip (that even the local VW dealers didn't know or won't admit to). It may only be applicable to SOME Passats of model/make/vintage:
Put the key in the ignition, but leave it in the off position. Push the accelerator pedal flat to the floor, through the kick down position. Hold it there for 3 seconds. Let go of pedal, and start car. It has now been switched over to the "Sport" mode.
At least in mine, it makes a SERIOUS difference. Obviously "unlocks" a restriction programmed into the computer, and perhaps many Aussie dealers/service agents either don't want to let people know or are not allowed to.
If I want to go back to normal mode, the reverse applies.
Maybe Pat can try it and report back
that is very interesting lewis, what if you already have the option of "sport" in the gearbox anyway?
the sport mode just makes everything more responsive and it hits redline deffinately a little quicker!
i will try that though
pat
I've had a lot of cars over the years. Some mainstream, some quite unique and interesting. I did have a Holden VY2 Adventra 5.7L wagon a few years ago. That was a good car. Bucket loads of power, and as stable as anything. Only downside was the lousy 4 speed auto trans.
I have 3 cars at the moment. My daily drive-to-work is a 2011 Suzuki Swift GLX. Has all I need in an everyday car, including Bluetooth, ABS, ESP & 7 airbags, plus a really good sound system. It's comfy to drive, pretty zippy, and good fuel economy. I haven't driven a car as good as it for a lot of years. And it's cheap to maintain. Only regular servicing - no repairs required yet.
I also have a quite low mileage 2005 Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R diesel 4x4. Great offroad vehicle with all the fruit. It never gets used anymore. My dear late wife used to drive it but she got to the stage early this year where she couldn't drive anymore. Now it's just sitting in the driveway waiting to be sold.
My current weekender is a 1981 Porsche 911SC sunroof coupe (not a 930 turbo unfortunately - see the current prices of those things?) with 204hp 3.0L, 5 speed, factory LSD, Dansk dual exhaust, no AC, no power steering, and it's great fun to drive. Has the most comfortable seats I've sat in for a car it's age. Last year my wife & I drove to Melbourne, put it on the Spirit of Tassie, and drove around Tasmania for 10 days. It was an absolute blast. I'm going there again this November with a group of other Porsche owners from around the country to drive some of the Targa Tas stages.
I had a BMW E30 M3 Sport Evo about 10 years ago. The 911 leaves it for dead as a driver's car. Both are raw performance cars, but the 911 gives me a workout. No need to go to the gym after an hour of spirited driving.
Earlier this year I had the good fortune to drive a McLaren MP-12C and a fairly new 911 GT3. My mind is made up. Win lotto & buy the McLaren. And a new 911 Targa. That is one seriously gorgeous looking car.
Oh, you guys just don't get it do you!!! Do either of these old, hideously expensive to maintain bombs have:
Oh, you Camry guys just don't get it do you!!! Does your Camry send a shiver down your spine when you open the garage door? (And that's before you even fire the engine up!)
Driving in Melbourne is a heart attack waiting to happen. Or world record blood pressure readings. I HATE driving in Melbourne. Communist revenue cameras everywhere, hopeless drivers, iron fist approach to road "safety", (safety is a nice word for backwards commie oppression as opposed to the rest of the developed world), idiotic rules/policies, such as closing a lane and reducing speed limit in the Burnley Tunnel and Bolte Bridge in PEAK HOUR to INCREASE traffic flow... FFS!!!! Then there is this Tullamarine Fwy "upgrade".... $1.4 Billion to repaint the lines, and DerpRoads wants to reduce the limit to 80km/h between the city and the airport because they painted over the emergency lanes. 1.4 billion to paint some lines and to reduce the speed limit. Classic. HERP DE DERP fit for a Monty Python sketch
Last edited by pgc hunter; 09-07-2015 at 02:12 AM.
... who has a *red* Italian telescope and still doesn't get it ...
Hehe ... Yes, it's red. Yes, it's Italian. But it cost roughly the same as a ....... Camry!! I.E. Entirely consistent with my philosophy!
I'm not an exotic sports car guy. I'd like to have 3 cars in my garage - the Camry (comfy, pleasant and all the mod cons), the 4WD (for touring - I own a Landcruiser 100 series V8) and an imposing, mean looking classic muscle car with a throaty, throbbing large capacity V8 under the hood. One with the sound that you feel in your gut regardless of whether you're pressing the pedal to the metal or sitting at traffic lights! The older folk among you will remember the killer sound of Steve McQueen's car in the movie Bullit (1968 390 (6.4L) Mustang GT Fastback) ... Mmmmmmmm!
Oh, you Camry guys just don't get it do you!!! Does your Camry send a shiver down your spine when you open the garage door? (And that's before you even fire the engine up!)
Yes, but we just turn the air con heater on when we get in.
Shiver gone !
I always told the wife that when the kids are all grown up, which will put me in my 60's, that we will get a 1954 MG TS - green of course (or red, maybe).
I like curves on cars. I have a serious dislike of straight line or angular designs (most modern cars), and a definite dislike of anything looking TOO futuristic (read that as wanky) like the Lamborghini's.
The Murano - whilst being modern - at least is curvaceous and not a straight line in sight anywhere. The Passat is curvy enough too.
Flowing curves forever. If the designer didn't use a French Curve designing it, I don't like it
I owned a Camry for 2 years - damned good car. Nothing exciting about it, but it does it's job RELIABLY. I never managed to kill it with all my home mechanics
Just don't pronounce it Kam-Wry like I have heard many do here in QLD. Kam-ree works better
Doesn't have to have curves to increase my pulse...angles can be might fine too, like a Lambo Aventador up close but IMO it's all about fluidity and consistency. Many car designs just don't work to my eye, but this is why we're individuals.
I don't get Camrys either. Oh I understand why people own them, but IMO the world will be a better place when the people aren't driving them (i.e. they're autonomous) All the cars I've owned have had the reliability people praise for Toyotas for, but none of them have been so dull
Oh, you Camry guys just don't get it do you!!! Does your Camry send a shiver down your spine when you open the garage door? (And that's before you even fire the engine up!)
One car I had the DISPLEASURE of driving, that sent a shiver down my spine for all the WRONG reasons was a Peugot 304. I am not sure if there was a lot mechanically FUBAR with the chassis, but it would ROLL out of corners, the steering was jittery, the gear box was mushy, and it was just plain horrible - and the thing looked new (probably needed new suspension, bearings and a host of other things). Almost worse than the Ford Cortina my Grandfather used as his farm bashing vehicle.
Driving in Melbourne is a heart attack waiting to happen.
Actually the German Autobahn is just as nerve wracking. I've wasted way too much time on it. The main problem on unrestricted sections is the difference in speed between vehicles, which is stupidly high and can occur anytime, without warning, even if no-one breaks the law. Sure, travelling at 200-250 kph puts a smile on many people's faces (not sure why), but boy does that smile turn into sheer terror when a truck pulls out in front of them doing its allowed maximum speed of 80. Truckies (or anyone else) are not expected, or required, to judge your speed correctly if you are going faster than 130. Not to mention the tedious accelerate-brake-accelerate-brake thing you do 90% of the time, deperate to enjoy the freedom of having no speed limit but finding it impossible to get ahead because you are not alone on the road. False economy at its worst.
For fast surface travel, I much prefer trains over there. No stupid staring in one direction for hours, plus at 250 kph, you can still have a relaxed conversation with your travel companion over a cup of coffee, or dinner in the dining car for that matter
Do either of these old, hideously expensive to maintain bombs have:
) ....Shunnnnn!! 
