Whatever...........soap opera?

[Ken L]

I feel your pain with the tire. I've blown out two and had one go severely flat but caught it before it blew. The blow outs were both on the interstate when I was going about 80, so they got changed on the side of the road which sucked big time. The one that was flat happened on a stretch of 2-lane in northwest Nebraska, and I managed to limp to a convenience store in the middle of nowhere to change it in their lot. It was about 90 degrees that day, so quite a work out.

[AJBert]

I've driven coast to coast a few time thanks to the peanut farmer with the speed limit of 55 so I feel your pain.

[wyntrout]

I came back from Germany in 1986 and drove from the DC area to Colorado, got married, and then drove to San Francisco, to Castle AFB, and a few months later back through Colorado to the DC area. My wife was stationed at Andrews AFB and I was going to Loring AFB in northern Maine. She flew out to join me for the ride back, I had a 1985 Audi 4000 Quattro and we drove mostly 110 or so... had a good Escort Passport radar detector. Did get one ticket in AZ for 85mph, was just starting to accelerate after a stop. Wifey was driving on two-lane road in Kansas at 110+ and the sparrows were used to 55mph, I guess, as they swooped out for bugs over the road. I was really trying to get her to go slower, and 110 was what I got! When I got my import inspection in Maine a few weeks later, there were 3 expired sparrows in the engine area.

My van is governed to 100mph and I did test it just for grins on one of our recent trips... still works, but I generally try to stay at or below 85. I have Valentine One that tells me how many and which direction the radar signals are coming from and I keep it updated/upgraded.

I've really backed off on my speed, but don't like to poke along. I can go with the flow, though, without going nuts. I've mellowed quite a bit. I still have super reflexes and I'll be 72 soon. I sure don't feel that old!

My 2005 GMC AWD Savana has 5 full-sized aluminum wheels and I have used the spare when I tore up the right rear quarter, including the tire and wheel. When I got my second set of replacement tires November 2016, I bought 5 new tires and got a matching aluminum wheel to start 5-wheel rotation. I was afraid to keep counting on the full-sized spare and steel wheel that had never been on the ground, but was over 12 years old!

[berettabone]

I got lucky I guess...…………………...the gouge in the rim was just short of the seat area, so they ground it smooth and water tested it. Bought 2 new tires and put them on the front. Figures, the wifey just had them rotated. I told her, no more rotating now. Kept the other tire for emergencies. A rim was a bit short of $400, so all in all bad luck, good luck. Still waiting for word on my mower. Maybe I can get lucky #2. Just glad we didn't get hurt.

[wyntrout]

Yikes... my wheels have only run about $130 to $150 used online. I got USAA to pay for my wheel and tire and I was out only the $250 deductible for about $5,000 damage with the car rental.

I was leaving the gun range and one of those long, low car trailers was partially blocking the driveway exit. I thought I had cleared it and had to turn quickly to enter the nearest lane stopped for me with two more more lanes. I felt like I had just touched the trailer and it kept getting to be more of a drag and noisier. I thought Damn, this has to be the end, but the "scrape just kept going and I had to get off the busy highway... a 6-lane divided boulevard. I pulled in front of the tow truck and saw how bad the damage was! It was like a big can opener had started with the the trailing edge of the front side door, through the rear side door about 3-4 inches deep, through the wheel well, the tire and into the rim of the wheel, finally meeting enough resistance to kick the van away a little bit.

I took pictures and everything and looked at the trailer... no apparent damage. I was okay and the driver said he would try to get better parking... and left. I felt bad that I had driven into a parked vehicle, but later I realized it was more his fault for improper/illegal parking. I caught the left rear tip of the trailer and it had no damage at all!

The first picture is of the new tires 11-06-15. The accident was on March 17, 2017. I had the van back in about 2 weeks. Parts took a while... that large right rear panel.

Anyhow, I was devastated over the damage to my vehicle and it seemed that USAA was trying to see about totaling the vehicle with all of the pictures they wanted, but could see that it was in great condition and well cared for, so they had ti fixed. I put my matching spare on the van and drove it until the dealership could get the parts in and fix everything. I was pretty lucky to have complete coverage and USAA paid for everything. I found out later that Sam's Club would have pro-rated the tire and replaced that under my road warranty with them on the 17-month old tire, but the dealership had kept the damaged tire. I had wondered about my road hazard warranty... something to consider in tire replacements.

They replaced the right rear panel and the door. Everything was like new, so I'm happy. This is my favorite vehicle ever and I love it... great for trips and can handle snow and the sandy beaches with the AWD. It was built for me in August 2004 and I got it in September, amazing me and the dealer.

GM stopped making the 1500 Vans ans no more AWD and mine has the left passenger doors, too. I would have to look for a 2014 for a replacement, the last year they made these Savanas and Chevy Expresses.

I get around 12 mpg around town and 16 to 17 on the road. I seemed to get 17.5 or better on the trip to southern Illinois and back last month, at mostly 80-85mph. It's a great travel vehicle with 7 feet of room behind the single rear seat for our bed frame and storage underneath that. And I have a cassock potty, aux battery and 2KW inverter to run our Keurig coffee maker, and a 55-qt DC cooler, so we can do overnighters or naps as needed on trips.

Wynn

[Bawanna]

I been watching for one of the last year AWD's for quite awhile.

[wyntrout]

Looking for you and myself, I've seen a few nice ones and they're not cheap... loaded 2014's for $27K! <sigh> Mine has over 114K miles and is running strong, but would like to be able to stand up and turn it into an RV, but there's lots of a/c ducting and stuff in ceiling.

[berettabone]

I just called the place where my mower is. They said 2 different people ran it and cut some grass with it and didn't have a problem. He asked me how long I ran it before it died. I told him about 2 1/2 hours. He said they each ran it about 2 hrs. and didn't have any issues. Now I don't know what to believe because it definitely died, so either they screwed up the first time and don't want to admit it, or I am having delusions of non grandeur. The mystery continues.

[Bawanna]

Sounds like something electrical is getting hot or something and kicking out. Be interesting to see if once it cooled a bit if it would start and run again.

Hard to believe they had two mechanics? who had time to cut grass for 2 hours testing your mower. I'm detecting a bit of a forked tongue.

[Bawanna]

Looking for you and myself, I've seen a few nice ones and they're not cheap... loaded 2014's for $27K! <sigh> Mine has over 114K miles and is running strong, but would like to be able to stand up and turn it into an RV, but there's lots of a/c ducting and stuff in ceiling.

Yup, not cheap and once I got one I have to jump through hoops and rings of fire with the state to get the needed equipment in it so I can drive it.
that's usually another 20 grand plus but the state covers that if I jump through the hoops and rings of fire properly. It's a nightmare.

Even a 2014 I'd have to have a mechanic inspect it and assure them that it will not have any issues for 5 years. Course you could do that with a 52 dodge if you did the needed repairs and such. Just like any insurance, looking for an out so they don't have to pay.

[berettabone]

The word forked is close to what I was thinking.......................................... ..

[berettabone]

An old girlfriend had a van like yours but 2 wheel drive. A comfy ride which wasn't bad to drive, but it was horrible in the winters up nort here. Used to drive it to Illinois to see her parents. I can see how AWD would be a huge plus.

[Bawanna]

Chains and getting stuck on a hill (I live on a big one) are just not an option for me. I don't know why I worry really, been on the hill for 30 years.
If it snows or is bad I just stay home. Work is not worth risking limb and vehicle. The issue is if it goes bad while at work. If I get reports it getting bad I bail and head for home, been real close a few times but always made it so far.

Just nice insurance to have that AWD. I'd prefer one of the aftermarket versions where they take a brand new van and put 4x4 under it but unless I win the lottery, that will never happen.

[wyntrout]

I bought two sets of cable/chains to fit my tires, but may never have to use them. Chains are required sometimes in the mountains, but my van can handle just about anything.

At my son's wedding in the Columbus, OH, area mid-January, I had a chance to play in the snow in a large parking lot and do some skids and recoveries, and some awesome drifting! This was way above and beyond the Winter Storm that got there after we arrived. We left town on the leading edge of the next one... great timing!

We spent the first night in the LARGE Hollywood Casino on the western part of the Loop, so we could arrive early the next morning. We camped out in the van as planned, of course. It cost less than a motel room for our stay... not bad.

[Ken L]

Next time you get up nort' and pick up the mower I'll be interested to hear where they mowed 4 hours worth of grass. I'd have them show me, to see if 1-it exists and 2-if it was similar to what you had to cut. If the mower just idled at the shop, I'd point out to the fella that it's not exactly the same as cutting grass.