Ebay Q 45 is in hand

[RAP]

at my place after an 840 mile, mostly nonstop, shakedown run.

The car runs flawlessly and I'm impressed.

Bought the paper manuals from Infinity Publications, $ 300.00 with shipping. Can't cope with the download, dial-up connection and a Dell computer that shuts itself OFF randomly due to overheating. Plus no printer and plus I don't much care to fool with this machine if I want to do some serious studying.

Well after the rather high speed shake out run, 80 mph +/-, mostly +, the car got + 21 mpg all the way from start to finish.

The car is clean as advertised. The engine compartment can use some TLC in the cleaning dept. No DINGS and only minor blemishes that should easily polish out.

But, the TRANSMISSION and shifting?

There is, in the cluster 1, 2 & D with the lowest window un-used. What is this?A 3 speed? 4 speed? There is this strange delay between 2? and D? The delay is really pronounced when "givin' it da gazz". Is this normal? I did read some about a delay at some point in the shift cycle, here on the boards, but didn't fully understand what was being discussed.

I really haven't experimented much with driving and noting what happens and at what speed/rpm because it's been somewhat cold and I, me, not the car, don't do well in cold weather but plan to do some experimenting soon to get a better feel for driving this car.

However that shifting was really strange: Kinda like everything was stopping and then re-engaging, although softly, without jerking, after a spell.

The plastic engine cooling fan is cracking on the hub. Is this a sign of imminent failure?

The hood vibrates when the car is driven. I noticed this yesterday and it's near the front drivers side. Has anyone noticed this on their cars? I haven't looked under the hood to see if the rubber hood rest bumpers can/or need to be adjusted yet.

I have all the service records from 30000 miles to date. Changed, throttle position switch, 02 sensors, module "anti-ski" ?, at various miles. The ignition coils were changed at 77,894 so I should be good for awhile with that? Engine oil and filters were changed at around 3000 using Jiffy-lube and 10-30 Pennzoil.

The owners manual states: Recommended that engine oil be changed at 7500 miles or six months depending on conditions, dusty or other adverse conditions I suppose. No oil additives are NEEDED or RECOMMENDED.

This car was the 3 rd Q45 my seller owned, a '91, '95 and this 2000.

All in all this is a nice car and drives extremely well. I am very pleased.

Jack
Modified by RAP at 4:58 AM 12/19/2007

[maxnix]

7,500 mile OCI is for highway duty. Urban cycle (short trips) requires 3,750 OCI.

Check or replace all fluids not verified proper or fresh.

[bullittandy]

The hood fluttering could be the rubber bumper is misadjusted. However, I noticed that my hood did the same thing until I replaced the seal on top of the air intake on top of the radiator support.

Seems like many of the 97+ have the weird shift delay but mine has been doing it for 40K miles and is at 235K miles and shifts the same, even today when it was 28 degrees.

My fan is also cracked and has been for the past 40K miles so I don't think its an imminent failure.

[AlabamaDan]

The cracked fan is common on Q45s, but I'd replace it. They're about $100 from IOS.