Hey folks

[Pillzilla]

Cold hard $ prompted the purchase. My Nissan frontier was getting 15 MPG and with a 100 mile roundtrip commute (80% HWY) it was a no brainer to buy something with high MPG.

I looked at new corollas, but with a 5 year loan I was still looking at 300-333$ per month likely. So I decided to go the Metro Route. It certainly isn't as nice, but the seats are pretty comfy and I think I am already getting use to it. I figure I average a 600$/month gas bill at 15MPG, so at 45MPG that would compute out to 150$...a nice 450$ a month savings. Car will be paid for in 4 months of driving. I dont think that is too lofty of a goal for this car. It has new clutch. tires, valves, timing belt, and battery so I hope it will get me a minimum of 4 months.

The one problem I am noticing is the front right tire seems to go thump thump thump and is worse when I turn left, and almost disappears when i turn right. The car does not pull at all in either direction so I wonder if my front end is crooked? Ideas? The tires are suppose to be new and look like they are?

I have put it (JR Executive) in the garage and have some more details there. I have yet to put any more gas on it. At 300 miles right now and its just a touch below half full. So I am guessin I will be around 40MPG.

[MetroMPG]

I was also pleasantly surprised by the seats in the Metros. Not bad at all. Though I did take mine out and added some extra padding under the front part of the cushion (between the foam & springs) to get a bit more of that "bucket" shape for more thigh support.

The tire: could be a belt that's going. If it's got 4 new tires, I'd put that noisy one on the back and see if the sound goes away.

[metroschultz]

If the sound moves with the tire, the tire is bad.
If the sound stays where it was, the car has an issue.
You described the noise as going away in a right turn.
Possible bad wheel bearing or CV Joint.
Both easy to fix.
Not very expensive.
I'm leaning toward wheel bearing.
Keep us posted.
BTW
Greetings,
Have Fun,
S.

[MetroMPG]

I was thinking wheel bearing too, but the two I've had that went bad were more of a dull constant rumble (which went away when you unloaded the offending wheel via weight shift in a turn) rather than a thump, thump.

Move the tire to the back, and you'll know soon enough.

[Pillzilla]

Its hard to describe, but it is pretty constant. Could be either. I am having my "car guy" look at monday likely.

ANy other general maintenance things I could have him do that would improve things?

[cfg83]

Pillzilla -

Originally Posted by Pillzilla

Those stripes would be sweet

Life just got sweeter for you (if you live in Sweden, that is, and I'm not talking chocolate, unless that's your thing, in which case it would be sweeter anyway, but that's not the point and I digress) :

Volvo Launches New Personalized Sticker Program for C30 – No joke! - Thursday, April 3, 2008
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/04...d-sticker.html

According to Volvo, starting from April 7, 2008, C30 buyers in Sweden will be able to choose among 20 different designs for their car. The removable film has a guaranteed durability for around two years, after which it’s either replaced with a new variant, or alternatively, taken away for good. Volvo promises that the film will not cause any harm to the car’s color but on the contrary, it will protect it. The cost of the film –including labor, has been set in Sweden at 18,750 SEC, which is about $3,130 USD or €2,000.

CarloSW2

[Pillzilla]

That is cool as He!!

[Daox]

Welcome to the site. Great car for mileage. You should hit 45 mpg without even trying.