Is your car moody?

"and 100 more" (nth256)
03/31/2015 at 12:48 • Filed to: None

Just something I've noticed, especially with my current car...

Some days, I hit the same route i drive every, damn, day , and my car feels anemic and tinny, like it's driving around town chewing on a wad of aluminum foil with a mouthful of metal fillings all day. It just seems annoyed to be existing.

Other days, I get in, and it feels more eager, like it just wants to run; like if you squeeze the go pedal a little bit more, it says Aye aye, cap'n! and starts throwing torque at the pavement.

Anyone else's cars seem temperamental?

DISCUSSION (19)

thebigbossyboss > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 12:53

Nope. -26F starts first crank. 100F starts first crank :D

Not bad for 12 years old.

pauljones > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 12:53

When was the last time the car had a basic tune-up? There are all sorts of little variables that can cause intermittent running issues.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 12:55

I know what you mean, and I always attributed it to gas. I used to drive a Chevy Prizm which politely sipped gas and a tank could last 3 or 4 weeks sometimes. When filling up fresh, I noticed the car felt much peppier, so my theory is that the gas degraded and fresh gas added a bit more pep in its step. Just a thought though.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 12:55

I have a 305 with a quadrajet. It's always moody.

and 100 more > thebigbossyboss
03/31/2015 at 12:57

Its hard to explain... I mean, mine starts right away, and at a baseline it runs fine. It just seems that some days it has less energy, i guess?

I know there are so many variables involved... barometric pressure, humidity, temperature, the gas blend, tire pressure, etc, etc...

fhrblig > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 13:01

The Ranger I used to own had the personality of a cranky old man (just like its owner). It hated the cold and would groan and creak a lot. Then when it was warm it would be much happier. My Fiat is sort of like that, but not as bad.

and 100 more > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 13:02

It's been awhile. Probably time to replace the plugs and run some injector cleaner or Seafoam. Also, couldn't hurt to do the pedal dance again.

Zohaibman72 > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 13:12

My hybrid Camry sometimes feels actually kinda quick and jumpy (as much as a hybrid can be), other days it struggles to accelerate.

One thing that is extremely noticeable in my car is the audio system. One day it's super smooth bass the other it's like monkeys throwing pots and pans down an empty stairwell.

ly2v8-Brian > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
03/31/2015 at 13:19

ahh yes Qjet. They can be quite finicky.

ly2v8-Brian > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 13:20

Nope. Not my Silverado. You could say it's like a rock.

Ok I'll see myself out.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > ly2v8-Brian
03/31/2015 at 13:20

They're not that bad of a carb, just underrated and a bit temperamental.

ly2v8-Brian > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
03/31/2015 at 13:23

That I do know courtesy of my mom. She had a 77 Cutlass and hers had a sticky choke.

They can be modded and work quite well on performance engines.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > ly2v8-Brian
03/31/2015 at 13:25

I have an 84 Cutlass! My carb's fine, though. You just have to let the car warm up before you set off.

ly2v8-Brian > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
03/31/2015 at 13:34

Hers probably had a vacuum leak.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > ly2v8-Brian
03/31/2015 at 13:35

Yeah, that would explain it.

Two Drink Minimum > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 13:38

My Fiat 500 Abarth does this. Apparently the Fiat ECU has a load of performance maps that it swaps in and out depending on car conditions, driving style and who knows what else. It's running a UniChip piggyback, and the result is what I can only describe as schizophrenic. Some days, the car feels like it's on fire. Other days it feels a bit reluctant. Heck, it can switch between moods on the same drive.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 13:42

I know my Civic had slight headgasket issues which led to intermittent power problems. Some days it would run like new, other days it would run like a chain smoker trying to run a marathon. Generally, it was worse if I drove for more than an hour at a time and would just get progressively worse until the AC would start slowing down at stoplights. Gladly I don't own that problem anymore lol.

twochevrons > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 16:11

Heh, I don't think that I've ever owned a car that wasn't. They've all suffered from fits of temperament at some time or another, and that's how I like it. My 850R fits that pattern the best, though. Although it does have fancy (by '90s standards) electronic management, the power delivery is definitely old-school turbo: laggy, unpredictable and highly non-linear at the best of times, and with 214,000 miles on the clock, it definitely has a few non-factory quirks. Performance (as measured by the highly-accurate butt dyno) can vary from "meh" to "OHMYGODBOOOOOOST" based on all manner of arcane factors, and you can never entirely be sure what you'll get when you plant your right foot. Sure, some of it can be explained away by ambient temperature, different fuel grades, and possibly a few boost leaks (all of which it is extremely sensitive to), but even so, sometimes, under completely identical conditions, it will be an absolute rocketship one day, and comparatively lethargic the next.

While they may sometimes be annoying, I find that quirks such as that really enhance the charm of an older car, especially as you get to know them and work around them. Like my MG, that won't start unless you get the exact-right combination of choke and throttle, or the Citroën Xantia that I once owned whose rear suspension would sometimes get stuck on full-low until I got out and jumped on the tow bar a couple of times, and would gently bob up and down while at a stop. It's all part of the fun.

wafflesnfalafel > and 100 more
03/31/2015 at 22:37

Yep - the 2.3 MZR in my little 09 Mazda 3 definitely prefers dry and warm over cold and wet. But it's mood improved a bit in cold weather once I started using full synth.