Jeff's winter Corvette thread.

[mjannusch]

Mine has been stored in the back garage for about a month now already. Wisconsin winters certainly suck for car people.

[Jeff V.]

If I didn't have this complex about taking mine to work, I'd have been driving it from the day I got it until probably this Thursday. The high is supposed to be in the upper 50s. Then on Friday it doesn't get much above freezing, and it only gets worse from there.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/u ... alwx_10day

I'm hoping it'll be consistently above freezing by early March. Then I can start driving this thing for real.

In the meantime, I can sell off a bunch of extra 3S and Audi parts to pay for my stage 2 aero wish list.

[Jeff V.]

Well this is a kick in the balls.

I'd read about people losing functions as part of an infotainment upgrade, so I finally emailed these guys to get the details.

https://digital-dash-solutions.com/prod ... o-upgrade/

I told them what I wanted to do (add Android Auto) and sent my VIN. This was the response.

I don’t recommend it. You have a z51 and they didn’t have comparable package in 2016. You will loose ALL control over your Drive modes ( sport mode, ect) and exhaust settings. You will also lose you pause rewind feature for you XM radio.

I recommend just sticking with adding navigation an No Carplay. A 2015 HMI for $750.

I couldn't care less about the XM because I don't subscribe to it, but losing the drive mode control would be huge.

At least they were up front about it though.

[mjannusch]

Bummer, I wouldn't mind CarPlay in mine - but not really a huge deal for me.

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""Mike""]I'm good with Spotify and my blue tooth connection [/quote]

Right?

I have a 2013 Volt - so no carplay. I just have my phone in a holder and use google maps for Nav and Spotify through blue tooth for music.

The 2017 Kia Soul we have has android auto. Wife likes it. I don't see the point in it over what I currently do. :d ontknow:

[Jeff V.]

I really, really wanted the Google maps and traffic. I love having it on Vira's Mazda. Even if we know where we're going, like the lake, we leave it on just to see traffic and ETA.

I've read that the 2016+ systems were much faster and more responsive due to a CPU upgrade. It sounds like it cured a lot of sluggishness in the 2014-2015 factory nav system, which I don't have (yet).

I'm not that upset over it, but it is a disappointment.

Maybe I just need to get into GM HMI (human/machine interface) module hacking. :suspect2:

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I really, really wanted the Google maps and traffic. I love having it on Vira's Mazda. Even if we know where we're going, like the lake, we leave it on just to see traffic and ETA.

[/quote]

Google maps works like that on my phone (traffic, eta, etc)... don't see the need to have it on the car screen when I can mount the phone right there.

[Jeff V.]

I have a deep seated hatred of having loose cables and bulky brackets hanging off my dash. Especially when I've got this beautiful 8" touch screen integrated with the car.

[Duck Vader]

First world problems...

[Jeff V.]

[DCIV]

Didn't know you kept the grim reaper with you!


Coop

[Jeff V.]

Death is my co-pilot.

[Duck Vader]

TJ interior.

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""][/quote]

Get out of my XJ!

[Jeff V.]

Today was kind of a Corvette day, even though I'm not driving it.

I stopped by CarMax to pick up my license plates. While I was walking back out to my Audi, a lady pulls up in a 2018 Audi A5. The brand new B9 generation. She asks me where to get her car appraised, and says "Darren arranged it".

I pause for a moment, wonder why she's asking me this, and then remember I'm holding paperwork with license plates, and I'm wearing a blue shirt. You couldn't really blame her for thinking I worked there. Sometimes I think I work there

So I promptly tell her exactly where to go to get what she needs

My license plates suck. YL4 P0G I already have something custom in mind.

Speaking of CarMax, I took the sticker off a few days ago.



I need to find a nice license plate frame now. Does anyone know where to get a cheap, blank carbon fiber one?

Two things came in the mail today. My title, and this little gem that I found totally by accident on eBay.





In 2014, right after the car came out, GM sent these to some of the early owners. It's a short book about the creation of the car, a discounted invitation to the Spring Mountain Corvette school (with someone else's name on it ), and a leather pouch made from the same leather as the seats. They were color matched to your car. It's a really neat piece of memorabilia to have, even though it wasn't for my car. It was cheap too.

It's funny though. This isn't actually the first one I bought. I didn't realize until later that there was more than one color pouch. I figured that out about an hour after I bought this one.



So I've got this spare book and pouch (but no box). Fortunately I happen to know someone who has a C7 with black seats and white stitching. I'd be willing to give it to him (assuming he wants it) in exchange for occasionally answering my silly questions, and as an apology for not taking him up on his offer of drinks a few months ago.

[Chris GTO TT]

I always hate those carmax stickers! The book is cool!

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]Get out of my XJ![/quote]


Thats a tj though. You can see the door straps.

[Jeff V.]

There was a factory optional trickle charger that was all fancy and Corvette branded. The big benefit is that you can plug it into the accessory socket in the trunk rather than having to clamp it to the battery. This is nice, because battery is a pain to get to in the back. Thanks to GM's notorious cost cutting, they didn't put jump terminals under the hood. I hope I never have to jump this thing.



It's nice, but I'm not paying $100 for one. Especially when I already have a Battery Tender.

So I picked up a cigarette lighter adapter for my Tender.

Works great.