What did you do to your Blackwing today?

[kevinwc]

I'm traveling until mid-late March for work. So I keep looking at my ring camera setup to get a glimpse, even if she's covered up.

 

[CaddyTrack]

I looked at my window sticker today. I don't own the car anymore but at least I have that.

That counts as doing something Blackwing related right?

Seems like it is the car for you.

 

[5VBW Nick]

Gave the car its first oil change today, 625 miles in. It was definitely kind of dark-colored coming out. I am sending it to Blackstone Labs to get it checked out; never have done that before with a car.

The funnel thing is awesome!! Harbor Freight ~$40, has adapters that screw in to any brand of engine. Locks in just like the oil cap, not a drop spilled. That, and the 4 post lift, make it easy, haha.

 

[KatyTxCT5V]

Gave the car its first oil change today, 625 miles in. It was definitely kind of dark-colored coming out. I am sending it to Blackstone Labs to get it checked out; never have done that before with a car.

The funnel thing is awesome!! Harbor Freight ~$40, has adapters that screw in to any brand of engine. Locks in just like the oil cap, not a drop spilled. That, and the 4 post lift, make it easy, haha.

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Here was the color of mine at 849 miles, didn’t seem any different from the last 2 other LT4’s I had. I haven’t used Blackstone or any labs on any vehicle. Pls share yours when you receive it. Thanks for sharing the funnel info.

 

[Exia]

Seems like it is the car for you.

Don't tempt me, I finally got back into a manual C7Z and its fucking yellow. I do not want to replace it with a green on tan manual super sedan.

I'm serious.

I swear.

 

[Roadhawk]

Well the good news is that I am alive and can look out my front window and see the car in the driveway. The bad news is that I haven't driven the car in nearly a month (and do hope it will start when i do). I was supposed to drive it to the grocery store yesterday....but ended up being hauled off to the hospital in an ambulance once again (luckily false alarm and got back home last night).

Just had some major abdominal surgery and I'm in a pretty bad way....been in the hospital basically 2 of the last 4 weeks. Hoping to recover quickly so I can get back out on the road (amongst other things).

 

[Sully]

Well the good news is that I am alive and can look out my front window and see the car in the driveway. The bad news is that I haven't driven the car in nearly a month (and do hope it will start when i do). I was supposed to drive it to the grocery store yesterday....but ended up being hauled off to the hospital in an ambulance once again (luckily false alarm and got back home last night).

Just had some major abdominal surgery and I'm in a pretty bad way....been in the hospital basically 2 of the last 4 weeks. Hoping to recover quickly so I can get back out on the road (amongst other things).

Hopefully you opted for the extended warranty.

Hopefully a speedy and full recovery!

 

[Roadhawk]

Hopefully you opted for the extended warranty on yourself!

Hopefully a speedy and full recovery!

Thanks - well I've been through this before - 24 years ago - even more touch and go...with this surgery due to complications from the last one.

During my 1st abdominal surgery - 911 occurred with planes crashing out of the sky....during this one a plane went down in the Potomac River (basically about 2 miles away) and another in Philly. I'd say my abdominal health is a matter of public safety at this point.

 

[565565]

I looked at my window sticker today. I don't own the car anymore but at least I have that.

That counts as doing something Blackwing related right?

Is this the car equivalent to looking at past photos of your Ex?

Just don't let the new car catch you rewatching the spicy PDR videos you filmed while you were inside the Blackwing.

 

[ngoni]

Just had some major abdominal surgery and I'm in a pretty bad way....been in the hospital basically 2 of the last 4 weeks. Hoping to recover quickly so I can get back out on the road (amongst other things).

Hope you have a speedy recovery and that you got some really good drugs. That has to be a painful experience start to finish.

 

[Exia]

Is this the car equivalent to looking at past photos of your Ex?

Just don't let the new car catch you rewatching the spicy PDR videos you filmed while you were inside the Blackwing.

If thats the case I look at a lot of photos of my "ex's". Lot of cars the last 5 years.

Its a good thing the current one doesn't talk back. She came from warm weather and was put into a cold garage with no end in sight.

But she doesn't complain!

 

[FLYARMY]

I told my wife that I might drive the 75 miles tomorrow morning to visit my ride that has been parked since early November. I will check the weather and see if I wake up early enough to beat any East Hampton weekenders. My wife asked me why do I have to go out there and I said...."because I just got my new registration sticker from the DMV". She said..." why don't you just put it on when you get the car in April ? "
She apparently is the brains of this operation.

 

[Roadhawk]

Well I was going to take the 4 BW out on Friday (just for errands) but after nearly a month of sitting and not being driven it was totally dead. (though I had encouraged both my wife and son who was home to drive it they failed to). So I got it jumped today and took it out for an extended drive (mostly on some local twisties) and it was a joyful experience.

However, as I was coming home on a 4 lane divided highway doing about 65 a small Subaru entering the highway kept moving all the way left right into me. It was very close and I though I was either going to hit her or enter the median....but my awareness and quick reaction as well as the cars outstanding braking saved me.

It was some young girl totally oblivious to what she had done. As I pulled along side of her in the right she was still spasmodically waving her arms and rocking away to what loud sounds she was listening to and seemed to not have heard my horn or noticed that anything was amiss. If I'd hit her it would have been like a PIT maneuver on her left rear bumper which I think would have been much worse for her than me. Still, considering my recent surgery it wouldn't have gone well for me either. Just wonder what she thought about my extended finger as I passed and cut in front of her before I sped off...

 

[sonny200]

She was probably still oblivious. Even had she noticed your signaling, she probably would have thought you were being an A-hole bc she didn't even know what she did. Driving defensively is the only way to be these days. Glad to hear nothing bad happened!

 

[ngoni]

I don't know what it is about Virginia drivers, but it seems they're taught there is some magical "right to merge" where the entire highway must adjust to allow them in. I see it almost every day on my commute. It REALLY doesn't mix well with Maryland drivers' propensity to use the right lane as the speeding/passing lane.

Non-branded battery tenders are like $25-30. Maybe if the fam doesn't want to drive Dad's car, at least they might plug it in?

 

[DCV]

Mine sat for a month and fired right up, no tender used. Not sure but if you lock the car and hear it honk that shuts down more systems that can drain the battery and it’s 7 stories below me, so it’s not talking to the fob. Porsches will go to sleep within a week or so, long as the fob is not near it. I’m not sure what GM does. At the least, keep the fob in a faraday box if you’re not driving and the fob is physically close to the garage. When it’s talking to the fob it’s keeping lots of parasitic current draws active.

 

[ngoni]

There's also 'transport mode' which should shut down even more systems:

• Begin with engine Off
• Turn on the hazard flashers
• Press and hold the brake pedal
• Press the start button and hold for @ 15 seconds
• "Transport Mode On" will appear on the cluster and the battery warning lamp will flash
• Use the same procedure to cancel the On mode
• Cluster will show "Transport Mode Off" and battery warning lamp will extinguish after cancellation

 

[Roadhawk]

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice.

I recently picked up and am using a battery tender on my GTI. I'm considering one for the Caddy but still hope its not necessary. I will use the transport mode next time I know I'll be leaving the car off for an extended period. Thanks ngoni.

I'm wondering if the Aero Gauge i installed on the OBD port might be draining the battery a bit when its off....any thoughts? Just seems it should be holding charge better even if its doing its modern car active mode when just sitting there....

As a driver who first learned to drive in Maryland as a teen, commuted for a time from Baltimore into DC, now lives in Virginia and frequently drives up into Maryland I feel that I am very attuned to the varying driving habits of Marylander's and Virginians. In general Virginian drivers seem more oblivious to whats going on around them - but are generally slower and more polite drivers...where Maryland drivers are more aggressive - particularly the closer to Baltimore you get. Maryland drivers tend to cut in and out of lanes more and cut it closer. Still I think universally Maryland and DC drivers see Virginia drivers as a menace (but also see them as patsys)...mostly due to how slow we drive and how generally oblivious we are to traffic situations. Thats my take anyway....

I;m very glad to have avoided that accident....not sure I would have in any of our other cars, The Caddy's braking was just outstanding....it was a very close call.

 

[ngoni]

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice.

I recently picked up and am using a battery tender on my GTI. I'm considering one for the Caddy but still hope its not necessary. I will use the transport mode next time I know I'll be leaving the car off for an extended period. Thanks ngoni.

I'm wondering if the Aero Gauge i installed on the OBD port might be draining the battery a bit when its off....any thoughts? Just seems it should be holding charge better even if its doing its modern car active mode when just sitting there....

Some good info from Challenger folks: ODB power is unswitched (always on) so anything you plug into it needs to have its own switch. I think you may have found the culprit unless your gauge has an auto-shutdown feature it could be killing your battery.

So even though there's a bunch of auto-off features in modern Aero gauges, it seems like even Aero says (p23 "Precautions") you should unplug it if you're not driving for more than five days:

If the vehicle will not be used for more than 5 days, it is recommended to unplug the gauge(s) to prevent excessive battery drain.

So I guess the simplest solution is just unplug the gauges rather than plug in the car to a tender.

 

[Roadhawk]

Yeah I was afraid of that.....the Aero gauge must be the issue.