WDC's Practical Car Perseveration

[equ]

Brake pedal feel also depends on lines and master cylinder and those are costlier to deal with... Bite is mostly from pads, though a bleed may help (never heard a new car needing it). It's probably what Nick said. E.g. C's subaru impreza felt like the brakes didn't bite well (compared to my then new zhp) but it did; just required an additional moment and a committed leg.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by FC

Can't believe I missed this! Congrats!!!

Thank you! I’m enjoying it. Very easy to live with.

Originally Posted by equ

Brake pedal feel also depends on lines and master cylinder and those are costlier to deal with... Bite is mostly from pads, though a bleed may help (never heard a new car needing it). It's probably what Nick said. E.g. C's subaru impreza felt like the brakes didn't bite well (compared to my then new zhp) but it did; just required an additional moment and a committed leg.

I think that’s right, re: more effort and dedication. Just different from BMWs (my point of reference for the last 20 years.) It’s my only real quibble. I will adjust.

[kognito]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Or rather, ethanol isn't great for long term storage. And also many boat motors start out life two decades behind the present technologically.

This, and compared to New Jersey and Washington state boating regulations, if it floats, it's good down here in South Carolina. So older motors still have O rings and other stuff that doesn't like ethanol.

With the exception of sunbathers and some party boats, boating and fishing is a year round sport here. Nothing freezes over.

I rarely put corn free in our vehicles, it sells for about a buck higher a gallon than ethanol mixed gas. But I go through a lot for mower, tiller, tractor, weed trimmer.

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by kognito

This, and compared to New Jersey and Washington state boating regulations, if it floats, it's good down here in South Carolina. So older motors still have O rings and other stuff that doesn't like ethanol.

With the exception of sunbathers and some party boats, boating and fishing is a year round sport here. Nothing freezes over.

I rarely put corn free in our vehicles, it sells for about a buck higher a gallon than ethanol mixed gas. But I go through a lot for mower, tiller, tractor, weed trimmer.

I still remember when my parents bought a boat in '94 and Mercury was literally just debuting fuel injected outboards. My parents (to their regret) got the carbureted version because they didn't want to deal with teething issues. Real mistake.

[John V]

I'm late to the party here but congrats on the CX-5! Ours has treated us very well since picking it up in '17 (first year of the current bodystyle)

Regarding the brakes, they are very bizarre. They have decent initial bite, but as you lean into the pedal more the friction and stopping power feel about the same. Very non-linear. I started doing research into what aftermarket pads would fit back before COVID, but then gave up because our use of the car became so infrequent and we discussed selling it. Let me dig some more and see what I can find, because I agree the factory brake feel is sub-par. There was a pretty affordable set of StopTech pads that looked like a good option.

Be careful in rain - the factory Toyos are abysmal in rain, even at full tread-depth. Another thing I planned to replace, but then didn't because of the reasons above. They also don't have much dry grip.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

my parents bought a boat

Real mistake.

If I told my family's boat purchase story, it would read like this.

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by clyde

If I told my family's boat purchase story, it would read like this.

Luckily, we got pretty decent use out of the boat.

[JST]

Originally Posted by clyde

If I told my family's boat purchase story, it would read like this.

We had a lot of boats. My dad kept trying to fix the problems with the boats by buying bigger boats, but ultimately that did not work.

At one point we had a boat that had twin 454 cubic inch V8s in it, and that thing sounded mean as hell. When it was running. Which was...not that often.

[John V]

Originally Posted by JST

We had a lot of boats. My dad kept trying to fix the problems with the boats by buying bigger boats, but ultimately that did not work.

At one point we had a boat that had twin 454 cubic inch V8s in it, and that thing sounded mean as hell. When it was running. Which was...not that often.

Didn't Alex's boat have twin 454s? That thing was nutty.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by John V

I'm late to the party here but congrats on the CX-5! Ours has treated us very well since picking it up in '17 (first year of the current bodystyle)

Regarding the brakes, they are very bizarre. They have decent initial bite, but as you lean into the pedal more the friction and stopping power feel about the same. Very non-linear. I started doing research into what aftermarket pads would fit back before COVID, but then gave up because our use of the car became so infrequent and we discussed selling it. Let me dig some more and see what I can find, because I agree the factory brake feel is sub-par. There was a pretty affordable set of StopTech pads that looked like a good option.

Be careful in rain - the factory Toyos are abysmal in rain, even at full tread-depth. Another thing I planned to replace, but then didn't because of the reasons above. They also don't have much dry grip.

Thanks! I would appreciate any advice. (And I did read that about the Toyos. Yikes.)