American Revolution Decal:-(

[cruzned]

Getting an oil change and inspection today at my dealer. Apparently they will have to remove the decal on the windshield because it violates some absurd code in Virginia. Those of you in my state may want to reconsider buying one of them if you ever plan to pass your state inspection. Oh well, it looked cool for about a year. Time for it to go.

[RickSSR]

Bummer, can't you state it came from the Factory that way?

That's just like the smog laws here, Arnold changed it last September, now my 76 Camaro has to be smogged every 2 years.

RickSSR

[Marc NY]

Originally Posted by cruzned

... Those of you in my state may want to reconsider buying one of them if you ever plan to pass your state inspection. Oh well, it looked cool for about a year. Time for it to go.

Just put it back on and have it for another year! Or if the one you have won't reapply then just get one that can peel on and off and you can just reapply it back on after your inspection is over.

[wingrider]

Originally Posted by cruzned

Getting an oil change and inspection today at my dealer. Apparently they will have to remove the decal on the windshield because it violates some absurd code in Virginia. Those of you in my state may want to reconsider buying one of them if you ever plan to pass your state inspection. Oh well, it looked cool for about a year. Time for it to go.

Ed, I when I live in Hampton I was a state Inspecter (this was 20 years ago) if the decal wasn't in your line of sight it was ok. but maybe the law has changed. I would get a second opinion. Try going to the state police as the are the ones that control the insections.

[cruzned]

Thanks Wingrider, but the nice folks at Colonial Chevrolet's new service facility left it alone and passed Black Betty on for another year. They even left my front skull license plate alone, which I had to remove to pass last year! I was curious though, they wanted to put in synthetic oil which is a lot more expensive, but my 03 does not require it and I did not get the synthetic. Should I be using the synthetic oil? there is a pretty big cost difference, I think to the tune of $70!!!

On another note, I noticed the HHR has drum brakes on the rear! Why? They are so problematic as opposed to disk brakes!

[ssr71]

Ed,

No problem with running "dino" oil in the 5.3s. Only the LS2 SSRs are supposed to use synthetic only. Frankly, I'd scoff at paying $70 for the synthetic! I didn't even pay that much for a case of AMSOIL (possibly the best oil out there - period), but then again, I do my own oil changes (you should see my driveway! )

As far as drum brakes on the HHR, it's all about the $. Drum brakes are cheap to make and maintain compared to discs. When you have to factor in the parking/emergency brake hardware, it's easier to simply rig a cable to the drum mechanism than add a complete second set of brake hardware on discs. Also, GM has had tremendous problems with rear discs for some reason, such as on the first gen W-body and on the current full size trucks (GMT-800).

[WOW_FCTR]

Originally Posted by cruzned

Thanks Wingrider, but the nice folks at Colonial Chevrolet's new service facility left it alone and passed Black Betty on for another year. They even left my front skull license plate alone, which I had to remove to pass last year! I was curious though, they wanted to put in synthetic oil which is a lot more expensive, but my 03 does not require it and I did not get the synthetic. Should I be using the synthetic oil? there is a pretty big cost difference, I think to the tune of $70!!!

On another note, I noticed the HHR has drum brakes on the rear! Why? They are so problematic as opposed to disk brakes!

I don't use synthetic in my SSR but I do in my Camaro. The synthetic is about $35 more than regular.

[Marc NY]

Originally Posted by WOW_FCTR

I don't use synthetic in my SSR but I do in my Camaro. The synthetic is about $35 more than regular.

I use Mobel 1 in mine.

[WOW_FCTR]

Originally Posted by Marc NY

I use Mobel 1 in mine.

Well after I had to replace the engine in my Z28 which used mobil one because a piston was eating a cylinder call...I figured why spend the extra money. I had 2 other camaros that I had used regular oil in and never had a problem with the engine...one had 175k miles on it.

[Marc NY]

Originally Posted by WOW_FCTR

Well after I had to replace the engine in my Z28 which used mobil one because a piston was eating a cylinder call...I figured why spend the extra money. I had 2 other camaros that I had used regular oil in and never had a problem with the engine...one had 175k miles on it.

IMO: What happened to your Z28 probably would have happened even if you had used just regular oil in it. However, I do believe using Mobil 1 or any other synthetic oil should enhance and prolong the engine life of any vehicle.

Ps. Regualar oil changes with good grades of oil should be enough to keep your engine running for a long time too.

[Boosted]

Originally Posted by Marc NY

IMO: What happened to your Z28 probably would have happened even if you had used just regular oil in it. However, I do believe using Mobil 1 or any other synthetic oil should enhance and prolong the engine life of any vehicle.

Ps. Regualar oil changes with good grades of oil should be enough to keep your engine running for a long time too.

I agree 100%. When my truck goes to the dealer ifr it's oil change I always get Mobile 1. It comes in the vette's from the factory and there ain't no stinking vette better than my truck!

Unless we are talking early 60's big block.. then it would have to go!

[Peaches]

If you change your own oil like I do, and buy it from WalMart or CostCo, Mobil 1 is just a couple bucks more for the change, which is easily made up for by extending the time between changes slightly.

I've noticed that when I switch to Mobil 1 on my older vehicles, the engine seems to start to use oil. Is this because the synthetic is so much "slicker" that it goes by the somewhat warn rings easier? Anyone else notice something like this?

[Subdriver]

Originally Posted by ssr71

I didn't even pay that much for a case of AMSOIL (possibly the best oil out there - period), but then again, I do my own oil changes (you should see my driveway! )

Thanks for the solid recommendation.

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