Could my Car Friend me on Facebook?

[TLS Guy]

I finally weakened and let Detroit have some of my hard earned cash. Six days ago I collected my first new vehicle since 1981.

I had to take these pictures on Main Street Walker MN, right out of the car wash. In a mile the vehicle would be filthy again!

2011 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ.

A very nice Chevy equinox LTZ. I picked it up with 11 miles on it. The nice young lady at OnStar even gave the vehicle a telephone number. When I got back to Benedict I found my trusty 1994 Chrysler LHS had already sold in the space of a couple of hours. We had already said our goodbyes after nearly 100,000 miles and nearly eight years faithful service.

On checking my Email, I found my car had already Emailed me as soon as I had taken delivery. The Email informed me that health status was good with all engine, transmission, stability codes and tire pressures listed.

I got up Tuesday and it was cold day at the lake, now covered in ice and a blanket of snow. I had to make my way to Eagan for an AES meeting at MPR studios yesterday. The electric heat was rippled out, so I went down to the fire which was still in and built up a roaring fire. I then went over to my laptop to check the mornings offerings. Right there another Email from the Chevy. It informed me the tire pressures were low. It happens in cold weather.

It took me aback though. You can’t be Emailed from a inanimate chunk of metal. Can you? I thought not. The old Sage of Donnebrog Nebraska, Roger Welsch must have been right all along. Machines do have souls after all!

So she must have a name. Whenever my father got a call from the office, the secretary was always Flossie. So these messages had to be from Flossie. So Flossie she is!

So after packing up I went to the shop and switched on the air compressor. Since Flossie had sent me such a nice message and was so concerned for my safety, I could not possibly disobey. So all tires where set at just a hare over 35 lb/Sq.in. in case it got colder. Flossie told me via her message center she was relieved and satisfied.

As I moved off Flossie flashed a message to be careful of ice. We had a good journey down and I held her below 68 mph with no harsh acceleration or braking. I frequently let the power off to make sure Flossie’s rings seal well. All part of the bonding process.

Coming in on I94 about six miles from the Lowry tunnel, Flossie suddenly turns down the radio and gently says, “slow moving traffic six miles ahead 6/10 of a mile long.” As I turn onto Crosstown MN 62 Flossie says “stop and go traffic 7/10 of a mile long.” In both instances Flossie was right and knew before I did.

This morning in addition to ice Flossie flashed a weather update to warn of snow.

Flossie guides me with a moving map. If I should get lost, all I have to do is tell Flossie my destination and she will guide me to it. What a friend in need.

When I back up Flossie shows me a good rear view on her sat nav. screen and car length grid. As I was backing out of a parking space at Trader Joe’s this morning I had a clear view to rear on screen and visually. As I looked to my front so as not to scrape the vehicle behind me, Flossie sounds a mighty alarm. I look to the screen and a pedestrian is right behind Flossie seemingly having appeared from nowhere. Lucky for me and especially the pedestrian Flossie is ever vigilant!

This has all got me thinking about the bonding of men and machine. I think women also bond, but perhaps not in the way men do but I could be wrong about that, may be they don’t own up to it as often. Then there is Thomas and Friends with very human faces on the engines, that in the stories have a will of their own. Herbie the Lovebug very much comes to mind.

In my career I have certainly had farmer patients who have had strong emotional bonds to their machinery, especially old tractors. Sailors have long been known to develop very strong emotional bonds with their vessels, especially after difficult passages. I certainly don’t mind admitting I bond with my machinery. Not a bad thing really, it all helps needed maintenance become a pleasure rather than a chore. Dues are then being freely granted to an old friend.

So now the machinery can talk to you and send you messages through the Ether, how will this affect the depth and incidence of bonding? My guess is that human machine bonding will occur quicker and deeper than before. I can tell you in less than a week Flossie and I are fast friends. I’m just waiting for a Facebook request from my new friend.

This post is also on my blog

 

[jostenmeat]

Congrats! My brother looks to get an SUV in the next few years or so, and since I know you do not take choosing your equipment lightly at all, I will look into this vehicle a bit at some point, and let him know about this model's existence.

 

[sparky77]

Out of my vehicles, the old 1980 VW Rabbit was my favorite. Non-electronic fuel injection system (CIS) and manual transmission, nothing fancy. I guess I prefer my vehicles dumb, and simple. 10 years of North Dakota winter driving, and only got stuck once, which required a 4 wheel drive tractor with quads to pull me out of the ditch. I do love all the gadgetry in the new vehicles, I just don't think they're for me.

 

[Alex2507]

I’m just waiting for a Facebook request from my new friend.

... and if you get one that's fine. However should it be you that sends the request to the car I think we may need to send the men with the big nets out your way.

 

[TLS Guy]

Out of my vehicles, the old 1980 VW Rabbit was my favorite. Non-electronic fuel injection system (CIS) and manual transmission, nothing fancy. I guess I prefer my vehicles dumb, and simple. 10 years of North Dakota winter driving, and only got stuck once, which required a 4 wheel drive tractor with quads to pull me out of the ditch. I do love all the gadgetry in the new vehicles, I just don't think they're for me.

I had a couple of VW Rabbits, the last one was diesel and that was the last new car I bought for my own use in 1981. All used vehicles since until last Friday.

 

[Alex2507]

The On-Star thing I found to be mostly good while free. It did drop the ball on us when we got out of satellite range. Still I enjoyed having it for general convenience. Somehow they dropped the ball on sending me a paper bill to pay for a years service and the whole thing fell by the wayside which was good because it really wasn't enough money for them and it was too much for me. Eventually the emails stopped about the oil changes and tire pressure which was good too. There was always some hook in there trying to get me back to the dealership and that it turns out is the last place I want to be.

For maintenance and break in I gave ours a regular oil change at 2K miles and went to synthetic at 5K miles. Then it went on the every 5K mile plan until the last one at 25K miles. Now I'm going to let the on board computer tell me when to change the oil. It's under the assumption that I'm using conventional oil so I figure I'm ahead of the game due to using synthetic. I'm curious what your plan is for that.

In the other thread you mentioned a disdain for Subarus as an AWD contender. I've always been an admirer of them albeit an uninformed one. Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me.

 

[TLS Guy]

The On-Star thing I found to be mostly good while free. It did drop the ball on us when we got out of satellite range. Still I enjoyed having it for general convenience. Somehow they dropped the ball on sending me a paper bill to pay for a years service and the whole thing fell by the wayside which was good because it really wasn't enough money for them and it was too much for me. Eventually the emails stopped about the oil changes and tire pressure which was good too. There was always some hook in there trying to get me back to the dealership and that it turns out is the last place I want to be.

For maintenance and break in I gave ours a regular oil change at 2K miles and went to synthetic at 5K miles. Then it went on the every 5K mile plan until the last one at 25K miles. Now I'm going to let the on board computer tell me when to change the oil. It's under the assumption that I'm using conventional oil so I figure I'm ahead of the game due to using synthetic. I'm curious what your plan is for that.

In the other thread you mentioned a disdain for Subarus as an AWD contender. I've always been an admirer of them albeit an uninformed one. Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me.

I had them put in Synthetic oil right away. That is much better. It will be -21F this weekend and it would never start at that temperature without synthetic oil. If it did it would do damage to a new engine likely. That 2.4 Lt engine is a European designe and European designers expect synthetic oil to be used. It is actually hard to get regular oil in Europe, as using regular oil in most European cars voids the warranty and it has been that way for a long time. So I will always run this vehicle on synthetic oil. Unless you have an older engine that never had synthetic oil, then in my view synthetic oils should always be used now.

As far as the Subaru Forester and other Subarus, I just can't get on with them. My neighbor has an outback and so I'm very familiar with them. I think they are tough enough, but not nice vehicles for the miles I do. The engine is noisy, it only just pulls a four speed. However the transmission changes down to third gear at the slightest incline, and the engine makes a racket.

On the Forester, in addition I did not like the rear suspension, it was noisy and felt it could get you in a spin. There is no stability control and no sat nav. available. Subaru are now definitely building yesterdays motor cars in my view.

The Equinox, I felt dominated this small crossover field by a big margin. The ride was the quietest by far and actually extremely quiet for any vehicle including Mercedes. The ride is firm and sure footed and zero rattles. I really liked the new electronic power steering that I was initially suspicious of. It goes up the snow packed hill from my garage at the lake like a flat dry road. It gives a good commanding view of the road to with good all round visibility.

I can't tell acceleration etc yet, as the break in period is 3000 miles. I will report on that later. However the first 400 miles + have been a pleasure with the vehicle.

One nice bonus, is that the Pioneer audio system is fantastic. It is quite the best sounding sounding non custom system I have heard. In fact I think a custom installation would have a hard time beating it. None of the competitors have a system even in the ball park of that one.

My biggest concern about the vehicle is longevity, since it is a relatively new vehicle. It has had that TDI engine two years. However that engine has been in some GM vehicles since 2006 and has a very good reputation. It also has a timing chain and not those miserable toothed nylon belts that I abhor.

It was a surprise to see how well an American vehicle stacked up to the Far Eastern competition. The vehicle is built in Canada and the engine built at a brand new plant in Tennessee.

The runner up in my list was the Toyota RAV 4. Same size engine and it has a timing chain. However the ride is lot noisier, with a lot of engine noise transmitted to the cab. My son has one, but wishes he had bought an Equinox. However the RAV 4 is significantly cheaper, as are the rest with the exception of the European models.

A lot of these crossovers I thought were pretty miserable, which included the Forester and especially the Nissan Mirano. I just can't understand the popularity of the latter. A really bad riding vehicle.

When all was said and done, the Chevy Equinox was the only vehicle that felt a step up from my Chrysler LHS. All the rest felt like a definite step down in terms of ride, comfort, driveability, fit and finish.

So there you have it for now.

 

[Swerd]

Nice new vehicle. Enjoy it.

Even though the emails seem clever and useful at first, I worry. I think of HAL from 2001, the Borg Collective from Star Trek, or Microsoft.

Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated.

 

[Whitey80]

Just ditched my '07 equinox lt last week for a newer honda ridgeline.
@ 38k it was on 3rd transmission and I just had to shell oit $4k for a new motor after popping a wristpin, barely out of warranty. Even though I am very thorough with maintnance, and not an abusive driver (either way, an engine should never go at that mileage , even if I went to redline everytime I accelerated...especially an internal part...not even valvetrain!)
good riddance to that nightmare.

 

[TLS Guy]

Just ditched my '07 equinox lt last week for a newer honda ridgeline.
@ 38k it was on 3rd transmission and I just had to shell oit $4k for a new motor after popping a wristpin, barely out of warranty. Even though I am very thorough with maintnance, and not an abusive driver (either way, an engine should never go at that mileage , even if I went to redline everytime I accelerated...especially an internal part...not even valvetrain!)
good riddance to that nightmare.

Well we will have to see. This engine is very different to the one yours had. I have extended warranty to 60 K miles bumper to bumper, so if it proves troublesome it can go down the road. This engine however seems unusually smooth and well balanced.

Time will tell.

That is why I have driven so many older vehicles. By the time I pick them up the wheat is sorted from the chaff. If this ends up a bad experience it will be back to older vehicles.

I have had bad experiences with Honda by the way. There are multiple reasons that you don't see many older Honda's. They have a habit of doing some really obtuse things, not the least of which is interference engines with nylon timing belts.

 

[Whitey80]

Well we will have to see. This engine is very different to the one yours had. I have extended warranty to 60 K miles bumper to bumper, so if it proves troublesome it can go down the road. This engine however seems unusually smooth and well balanced.

Time will tell.

That is why I have driven so many older vehicles. By the time I pick them up the wheat is sorted from the chaff. If this ends up a bad experience it will be back to older vehicles.

I have had bad experiences with Honda by the way. There are multiple reasons that you don't see many older Honda's. They have a habit of doing some really obtuse things, not the least of which is interference engines with nylon timing belts.

I'm very certain that my experience isn't indicative of the vehicle as a whole. And your's is a complete redesign from what I had.

That ridgeline won't see 100,000 before I get rid of it I'm sure, I cycle through newer vehicles every couple of years, but always keep my old standby driver....1995 Ford Taurus SHO. Those Yamaha motors are bulletproof, even being so overly complex. I'm at 285,000 without any major issues to speak of. (I got it at 15 miles new at the end of '95. It was my very first car. My father told me when I was 12 that at 15 1/2, he would match whatever I could save for my first car. After years of working as much as I could on my grandfather's farm and saving nearly every penny, I'm sure my dad only expected to have to shell out $2k...never expected that I would save $13k...haha)
But the Yamaha motor is an interference head design with the same nylon timing belts (yes, it is plural, there are 3. One primary that drives from the crank to intake cam wheels, and then on the backside, one each that drive the exhaust cams off of the intake cams. Very odd) and I've never had an issue, change at the 120,000 marks.

 

[Chu Gai]

I seem to have somehow received one of Flossie's emails

Dear TLS Guy,
Please stop cutting cheese on the new upholstery.
Love,
Flossie

 

[jostenmeat]

One nice bonus, is that the Pioneer audio system is fantastic. It is quite the best sounding sounding non custom system I have heard. In fact I think a custom installation would have a hard time beating it. None of the competitors have a system even in the ball park of that one.

Time to crank some Bach in there. After all, he was born on the Equinox.

 

[TLS Guy]

Time to crank some Bach in there. After all, he was born on the Equinox.

I have been traveling with MPR. However I likely will rip some CDs to the hard drive. It has a 10 gig hard drive in the sound system.

 

[Davemcc]

Congrats on your new friend. Like you, I am also breaking in a new friend this week. I traded my Corvette for a new Malibu, which I think is based on the same platform as the Equinox. This also seems like a well-built, quiet, economical and comfortable car. I was originally looking at the Equinox but I really don't need the utility, being a city dweller and all.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Congrats on your new friend. Like you, I am also breaking in a new friend this week. I traded my Corvette for a new Malibu, which I think is based on the same platform as the Equinox. This also seems like a well-built, quiet, economical and comfortable car. I was originally looking at the Equinox but I really don't need the utility, being a city dweller and all.

WHAT! So you finally decided to get rid of the Vette. I hope the Malibu treats you well, Dave.

 

[TLS Guy]

Congrats on your new friend. Like you, I am also breaking in a new friend this week. I traded my Corvette for a new Malibu, which I think is based on the same platform as the Equinox. This also seems like a well-built, quiet, economical and comfortable car. I was originally looking at the Equinox but I really don't need the utility, being a city dweller and all.

Yes, except for the four wheel transfer case, the Equinox is basically a Malibu mechanically. The body has some distant ancestry to the Saturn Vue.

We have had a terrible storm in The Twin Cities Metro today. I had to pick up my next door neighbor from dialysis on the south edge of town this after noon and Flossie did well. There were large SUVs and trucks stuck all over the place and the Plows had been pulled.

 

[KEW]

I traded my Corvette for a new Malibu, which I think is based on the same platform as the Equinox. This also seems like a well-built, quiet, economical and comfortable car.

The Malibu is based on the Epsilon platform and the Equinox is based on the Theta platform.

From Wikipedia:

The seventh generation Malibu is built on a revised version of the long-wheelbase Epsilon platform shared with the Saturn Aura, the Opel Signum, and Pontiac G6. It is assembled in Kansas City, Kansas and Lake Orion, Michigan. Overall it is 3 inches (76 mm) longer with a wheelbase that is six inches (152 mm) longer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Malibu

Current Theta vehicles:

* Short wheelbase
o 2006 Daewoo Winstorm/Chevrolet Captiva/Holden Captiva
o 2007 Opel Antara

* Long wheelbase
o 2010-11 Chevrolet Equinox
o 2010-11 GMC Terrain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Theta_platform#Vehicles

 

[lsiberian]

I've thought about switching to synthetic, but I don't have a garage to do my own maintenance in. I really wish I did, but I'd end up turning it into a woodshop or home theater so it's a moot point.

Keep us updated. I'd heard GM is stepping up it's game, but the last car I drove from them was terrible.

FWIW the cars should be driving themselves in 20 years. We already have the technology it just takes about 20 years for the auto industry to safely use new technology. I'm not sure how iced roads will work though. It's easy to follow dashed and striped lines with a camera.

 

[Davemcc]

The Malibu is based on the Epsilon platform and the Equinox is based on the Theta platform.

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Malibu


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Theta_platform#Vehicles

There does seem to be a relationship between the two platforms. From the wiki link:

"Theta is General Motors' compact and mid-size crossover SUV automobile platform. The architecture debuted in 2002 with the Saturn Vue (Theta, compact crossover SUV) and was later used for the Chevrolet Equinox (Extended Theta, mid-size crossover SUV). The platform was developed by GM in North America, based on the GM Epsilon platform used by the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and other models."