Gravy Train

I replaced my relatively-modern Rain-Bird ESP-Me controller (with WiFi dongle) for the Rachio 3, just to see how much better the app was. The Rain-Bird offered 80% of the digital functionality with just a different methodology of talking to the controller. Both were very easy to use and set up. I found the Rachio 3 a complete pain in the ass to wire up and it made me want to strangle the hardware engineers as they tried to make it too simple. There just isn't enough room to store extra wire length, the magnetic cover is too weak to hold with a bulk of #10 wire entering the controller and it won't accommodate a 1" PVC conduit entering the controller either. I trimmed the pipe with a dremel and tried stuffing as much of the extra wire back into the conduit before mounting the Rachio. Tag your wires with tape and numbers before removing the old controller. If your prior controller uses hardwired power, you won't need the old power wires. My Rain-Bird ESP-Me is for sale with the wireless rain/freeze sensor. I sorta wish I didn't spend the money on the Rachio but it does a better job of predicted rain delays and zone watering times.

Where do we place the cretins who paint or powder coat their wheels black?

Pretty sure that turbo 4.0 in the GTS and Turbo is the same Bentley and Audi derived V8 that went in the S6/7, RS7 and S8. It's a hoot and makes all the right noises. I'd like to see what they've done to improve upon it as the oil separator and turbo supply line are the only big known issues, associated with higher mileage cars.

I'm with you and would have expected 25K or so out of them. It's still one of the best tires in that class and I feel compromises are made when choosing a tire for longevity. Take a look at the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500-- it's sold overseas as the Bridgestone Potenze RE003 and has reviewed well among Audizine and Bimmerforum members. They'll probably save you a few bucks too. I'm looking forward to a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S for a set of HRE wheels waiting to go on the S6. Gotta make a world of difference over the heavy stock wheels and Pirelli P-Zeroes.

That's completely expected, given the VZE camera, rain sensor and perhaps an ambient light sensor are bonded to the factory windshield. Yes, shit's complicated, but no way in hell would I trust a third-party glass shop to replace my windshield with all the integrations built in and delicate trim strips that are intended for replacement, not glued-and-reused. We have insurance, take it only to the dealership or their partner body shop.

Backyard looks awesome! I assume it's a DE filter? You'll want it completely disassembled and cleaned if you don't have documented maintenance history. That Error message is just on the pool temp sensor. Easy and cheap replacement, if one is connected at all. I know Hayward stuff really well. You might have an OnCommand controller, which I have installed. You can easily get a wireless gateway that puts it on your network for remote/web/smartphone control.

My confidence owning/servicing a modern Cadillac is high, but I've been fueling and driving kraut for a long while. It's remarkable how such 'parts-bin-engineering' goes on across the board, even German brands. I've fitted and activated a few EU-spec parts to my S6 with basic hand tools and coded them with a $30 bluetooth dongle, paired to a burner Android phone. A set of RS7 turbo cartridges can be purchased for less than $1500, with a $1000 APR tune that supports the hardware and multiple pump/race fuel options, up to 700HP on the otherwise stock engine. People are crafty and this is the best time to be a car enthusiast before we're all driving semi-autonomous, 5G-peered, full-time-monitored, smart-grid-connected EVs that do everything for us except allow us to be actual owners/drivers.

Is there an option for any form of color contrast with the M5 Competition or does the addition of that option automatically equip it with Nissan Murano Night Edition wheels?

And the Charger's Natty Lite version, the 392 R/T Scat Pack. Somewhat like their truck counterparts, I'd expect the engine and trans to hold up long term while everything around the drivetrain ages to brittle state. I can't imagine holding onto any of these high-boosted or high-strung performance sedans beyond 6 years/100K, but the domestic versions are probably the easiest to wrench on and obtain parts for long-term. You could stick with boring and reliable via Lexus GS-F, but there's no redeeming quality in that car, to me, beyond its exhaust note and use of a normal-aspirated V8. It's otherwise tacky looking, performs at the bottom of its segment but probably reliable for no other reason than kaizen and Toyota. No, you can't change my mind, since the LF-A is no longer produced, the Lexus F-line is all fail. Almost as cheesy as the overt-English-accent narration used in their commercials.

Why not a Holden (Chevy) SS? The last year (2017) had magnetic shocks, decent infotainment and a 6-speed behind the LS3. Personally, I'd stretch the budget for a C7 RS7, if you're projecting two years out. It's a bruiser of a car with proven, reliable powertrain, AWD, air suspension (don't get the adjustable performance suspension) and ZF8HP trans. Brakes are EXPENSIVE, mostly in the cost for rotors, but everything will get cheaper on the C7 generation after the C8 RS models emerge.

X5 with B&O? I nearly bought a loaded F15 xDrive50i in 2017. How good is that system compared to other well-optioned cars you've heard?

I love my 2018 S6 (and I bought it new, at the end of last year with all the incentives) but if I were to do it over again, I'd rather have a slightly older "fun" performance car like a Coyote Mustang or Gen-2 CTS-V AND a light truck, capable SUV (Grand Cherokee, 4Runner) or JK Wrangler. It's not construction-site friendly but I've been distracted by the 2019 Merc GLC63 AMG lately. Would make for a fun car that nearly does it all: That hot-vee 4.0 is already well under-rated and a RennTech flash tune puts it at 601HP and 644 lb-ft.

How much power would you like from the 7? The N63 reverse-flow twin turbo V8 has been through a few iterations, and for the model years you're looking at, it'll be the improved Tu2 model that addressed a number of issues from the first-gen N63 hot-vee. Oil consumption, brittle rubber and plastic turbocharger oil and coolant lines and fueling-related misfires are the top concerns with the V8. Like all their V8s, BMW's recommended 10K synthetic oil change intervals should be addressed much sooner, perhaps around 6,000-8,000 miles per change. If Mrs. Chief doesn't mind road trips with 120hp/100ft-# less output, the inline-6 turbo B48 went into the 740i and most of BMW's U.S. fleet at the same time. It's a reliable, fairly proven engine connected to the same ZF8HP transmission. If you don't mind the differences in tech, you should take a look at a 2015-up Audi A8 as well. It has the same 4.0tt V8 from the S6/S7 mated to the same ZF8 auto and fixed AWD with Continental-supplied air suspension. BMW's iDrive infotainment is far more advanced than the MIB MMI in the Audi (that didn't even get Carplay in the D4 generation), but the A8 offers a ton of room, comfort, additional aluminum construction and value, now that the last somewhat-analog D4 generation was replaced by the new D5 model.

Bloomberg says we've reached "Peak Car." I believe it, but this has been said 100x for the last 4-5 years. OTOH, it's positive news for those who enjoy casual drives and loathe those around us who have no interest in vehicles. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-02-28/this-is-what-peak-car-looks-like

Because Gawker Media / Gizmodo is a shit enterprise and there are far better, creative journalism resources and services to offer clicks.

Thank you. Glad common sense prevailed here. Meh, if he ever gets the chance, he can file a civil claim and collect exactly $0 from her in the future.

There's also one choice between those two with a powertrain developed within this decade.

Fuck Jalopnik, fuck Doug DeMuro and Schmee. If we collectively look down on articles linked to Deadspin, the rule should apply across the entirety of Gawker Media. /rant

Yep, I'm curious how those plans have been adopted among the major carriers. I have yet to see an insurance dongle installed in a car.

Anything can be hacked. Lump this in with the "black boxes that snitch on you" (to forensics teams post-accident) and Teslas with unencrypted logging and camera feeds. More offensive (to me) is the pitch from every major car insurance agency to offer marginal discounts for plans that monitor your driving via OBD-II dongle. They can get fucked.

I did and unfortunately there were no '18s to be found with comfort seating AND B&O. The color and audio system was more important to me and Arras Red was only packaged with the sport seats. The color is a bit darker, like a brick red, and I've come around to it. I say get the tune done, unless you have AudiCare and visit the dealer frequently or are thinking of trading out of it in the next year or two. The APR tune is a sunk-cost but can be removed prior to a dealer visit, and although the TD1 flag isn't a foregone conclusion, AoA will support warranty work unless they can directly attribute the failure to a modification. Surprisingly, the DSG is stronger than I thought-- there are guys ripping axle half shafts apart on the dragstrip using launch control but no fuss from the trans. I feel fairly confident in it with the number of RS7 turbo tunes running around, putting 700ft-# through the DSG on the street.

Yep, I took advantage of that $15K marketing rebate on the C7.5 cars in allocation from the PODS recall. Found the car I was looking for out of Denver and Audi Plano worked the trade. Took delivery on New Years Eve. It's a 2018 Prestige S6, Glacier on Arras Red/Black Exclusive Design, S-Sport package with Sport Differential, Sport Exhaust and black tips, Dynamic Steering, Black Optics and Bang & Olufsen audio. It got 30% Llumar CTX tint, Air Blue 80 on the sunroof and the full XPEL treatment with a mild paint correction in January. I've since done all the coding mods, lowered the air suspension 17mm, did Eurocode front/rear sway bars, TRW DTEC ceramic pads, Euro dynamic LED tail lights and the RS7 intake and turbo inlets. With only 1500 miles on the odometer, I need a few more miles before I'll feel comfortable with a tune. It'll eventually go Stage-3 with RS7 CHRAs. I also refinished a set of HRE FF01s in a 3-stage "hyper silver" powdercoat process to match the "Liquid Metal" process HRE only does on the FF04:

Yep. If we don't get the RS6 in the next iteration, an M5 is probably my next car. I'm still seriously doubting we'll get the RS6. A6 Allroad, maybe, but nothing more in the Avant body. Even if we get the RS6, tens of them will sell, despite all the "enthusiast" clamor over a car they wouldn't shell out the bucks for in the first place. /Team C7.5 S6

I have a .25ac lawn of all Bermuda, which surprisingly is still dormant, albeit probably just a couple weeks away from showing signs of life. Unfortunately, the bermuda has performed poorly in frequent shaded areas, around the foundation, along fence lines and at the property line due to heavy runoff. I figure the best thing to do in those areas is to drop zoysia sod. I seeded the wetter areas with a fescue/rye mix to get roots established, but I hear zoysia will work better with the bermuda and perform well in the shaded areas. Will the root structure of zoysia hold the soil together where I have heavy runoff and brief pooling? Also, what's the verdict on Jobe's spikes? I have a couple rose bushes, palms, azaleas and other bushes that I'd like to keep fed but all are under a couple layers of bark mulch that are difficult to reach with granular fertilizers. I'm lucky to have just a couple inches of fertile topsoil under shit north Texas sandy loam and clay.

TM doesn't make a single interesting car so that's gonna be a no from me, dawg. Enjoy the appliances tho.