Yup, already to 1500. Not bad for living on an island...

Despite all the gloom-and-doom that I keep reading about here on the boards, the Son of Hulk has run like a champ so far. The HUD'* doing the standard-issue "dance" that seems to come with the Eye-Q equipped cars, and while they're working now, I've probably got a ticking time bomb in the foglights. Both issues will be fixed at the next maintenance interval.

Gas mileage is not too bad; I'm varying from 17.0 to 19.1 in the (very) mixed driving that I do here on Oahu. Gas prices, as you might expect, have surged straight past "ludicrous" and gone directly to "obscene"---premium'* running about 3.50/gall on this island; Kuaui'* gone all the way to 4.25/gall. My personal tactic for dealing with the gas situation is to get all my errands done by close of business on Saturday, then stay at home all day Sunday. For at least one day out of the week, the car doesn't move.

It'* alright...it'* in the garage, so it'* protected.

I DO have one question though: When I first crank up the car in the mornings, there'* this "whistling" sort of noise coming from under the hood. It runs like that for maybe 15-20 seconds or so, then it stops, the engine settles down to low idle AND starts running smoother as well. Does this Northstar engine have some sort of "warmup loop" that it goes into when cold?

Got the windows tinted last week; much better on the interior temps now, although I still need to get a better windshield screen for when I'm parked. They're real tight on windshield tint around here. 35% is the max legal limit; they do allow a slight "fudge factor" of maybe 3-4% each way, and at the state-mandatory safety inspections, they WILL physically check using a light meter.

All for now. At some point in time, I'm planning to set up my own website and blog; the folks over at mercurymarauder.net are encouraging me to do as much. For a while, I was using one of their discussion forums to hold my own impromptu blog on living and driving in Hawaii. (when nobody really chimed in, I decided nobody was interested and let it drop.) A small number of folks have urged me to get back to doing that, and I'd like to, but I think I need some more "swingin' room" to really hack away at the subject, ergo...the website. Will let y'all know.

Catch ya next time, folks!

So far so good I see. Mine too has been pretty trouble free other than the few anoyances like the sunroof deflector and fogs. My HUD has given me no problems nor has the shaft problem people here keep having. Due to the 3800s low end power many on here drive like they have race cars which I think contributes to that problem and others.

Continued good luck to you.

That'* perfectly normal. The sound should be coming from your driver'* side wheel well area, right in front of the front left wheel. It is your secondairy air injection pump pumping air into the exhaust to help the catalytic converter warm up more quickly. My Aurora makes the same noise, and at times can sound kind of like a helicopter being turned on. haha. I get a slight "whine" as the pump turns on, then the whistle like you mentioned. It should be hardly noticable though.

Glad to hear you dont have a "Monday car" Marauder and good luck. Is your side panels holding up ok with the heat there. Some have the double faced tape giving way.

Custom88 thanks for the info, I always heard the little whine and never really worried because it ceases after the idle down. Good to know what it is

The airlift compressors drown it out now anyway.

Hmm, sounds like ur having alot of fun with those gas prices there....

tint really is needed there...especially when yah get stuck on the H1 parking lot. Air conditioning is not enough when that happens! But it is always nice when you get right to the point that you can get on the H3...then everyone starts REALLY movin and the temps in the valley and in the tunnels are so cool that you can shut off that pesky gas eating air conditioning...

The VLT (visible light threshold) of the tint has nothing to do with the amount of heat (radiation) that gets through.

The UV and IR ratings of the tint film are what matters, not the %. Clear film will block as much heat as dark tint if the other ratings are the same.

Oooh, good question. Ever since new, the car'* had a popped-out spot on the DS rear
quarter. It'* right at the seam where the rear bumper cover wraps around and meets the rear quarter panel...pointed it out to the salesdude; he assured me that I could make an appointment to have it looked at.



Gonna have that taken care of too, at some point; I'm in my last week before going off to get married, so my schedule right now is balls-to-the-wall. It'll have to wait. But thanks for the reminder!

No problem, I quess they can come off anywhere. for me it was the door skirt and fender on passenger side, and the drivers side fender one came off twice. Now the muds gaurds hold fours pieces on and body kit adhesive the balance. Mine is all back normal and I no longer want to hurt Mr. Goodwrench......Too bad.

I stand corrected almighty tint master!

Sounds like you're pretty pleased so far... Glad to hear it.
I'm just over 7000 mles so far. I also have the HUD jiggle and no problem with the fog lights. The gas mileage bites, but it'* such a nice ride!