Recently I purchased a used 2005 Silver Insight with around 36,000 miles on it. I had a dealer inspect it before purchase and for the first four months everything was excellent. Really fun and smooth ride. Playing the high score game with the milage was interesting and I was impressed with the numbers I was able to do around town and on the highway. By using the 'coast and encourage momentum' method, 55-68 mpg was normal.
Then...
After an oil change at the dealer nearer my location I experienced the milage go down about -15 mpg for each similar route. Being new to this game I didn't want to jump to conclusions, I started doing some research on this site and found something about firmware, ... hmm, anyway.
After driving it kinda sluggish for two weeks or so a huge spike to the temp gauge occurred on the highway. Usually it sits around 1/4, maybe 1/3, up the display. This time time it quickly rose to 1/2, then 3/4 and then red for less than a minute. Each time it rose I cut the gas applied the clutch and coasted, trying to avoid traffic, the meter would respond and dip back down below 1/2 and act normal. I got home.
I took the car back to the dealer and asked them to look at it. They could find no leaks, flushed the coolant and said they could not repeat the overheat.
After driving for another two weeks or so the car started exhibiting the same spiking temp gauge. Before it hit the red again I called the dealer and was told that their hunch was a blown head gasket and they needed a part to test it.
After waiting another two weeks, the part came in, the test was done and they are taking the car apart on monday.
Anybody got a similar story, a different hunch, ... shoulder to cry on?
Could too much/wrong type oil cause such a thing?
Could the head gasket leak be a result of the overheat and fixing it will not actually solve the problem?
Why do bad things happen to seemingly good vehicles?
Thank you for your time and this forum.
Then...
After an oil change at the dealer nearer my location I experienced the milage go down about -15 mpg for each similar route. Being new to this game I didn't want to jump to conclusions, I started doing some research on this site and found something about firmware, ... hmm, anyway.
After driving it kinda sluggish for two weeks or so a huge spike to the temp gauge occurred on the highway. Usually it sits around 1/4, maybe 1/3, up the display. This time time it quickly rose to 1/2, then 3/4 and then red for less than a minute. Each time it rose I cut the gas applied the clutch and coasted, trying to avoid traffic, the meter would respond and dip back down below 1/2 and act normal. I got home.
I took the car back to the dealer and asked them to look at it. They could find no leaks, flushed the coolant and said they could not repeat the overheat.
After driving for another two weeks or so the car started exhibiting the same spiking temp gauge. Before it hit the red again I called the dealer and was told that their hunch was a blown head gasket and they needed a part to test it.
After waiting another two weeks, the part came in, the test was done and they are taking the car apart on monday.
Anybody got a similar story, a different hunch, ... shoulder to cry on?
Could too much/wrong type oil cause such a thing?
Could the head gasket leak be a result of the overheat and fixing it will not actually solve the problem?
Why do bad things happen to seemingly good vehicles?
Thank you for your time and this forum.