I absolutely love my new car! And am having fun discovering all the hidden benefits and perks. I'm writing to say hi to my new family here and to ask a couple small questions: What is the renewal fee for registration? (DMV won't tell me until I get my plates - the initial License, Reg, & Tire fees came to $235, I paid $21,400 for the car after $1k trade-in) What did you pay year 1 and any subsequent years? Anyone have a good recommendation on an inexpensive car cover? (Amazon has a few but there aren't many reviews on them) How do you get the hub caps off? (I couldn't pull them off and trying to pry them with a flathead seemed like it would bust or crack them) Thanks!
Welcome aboard! Pretty good price there... I paid 22900 in 7/2009. I just pull my caps off. You can also tape a large head flat screwdriver and find the slots on the side of the caps to pry from. They are pretty tough really. Enjoy
Welcome! Two ways worked best for me to remove the wheel covers: - Grab a single spoke cover with a hand on each side and yank - Grab the inside of the outer rim with a hand on each side of a spoke and yank. Pulling from the outside of the rim just seemed to bend the cover too much for my comfort.
There are some other opinions about removing plastic wheelcovers, but... the owner's manual states to get the wheel nut wrench from spare tire area. Use the pry end of it with a rag between the pry tool and rim to protect. Pry and use other hand nearby to pop it off. I found mine to be very, very snug. I really felt if I pulled too hard and didn't use the pry tool, a plastic cover could have broken. So, I found doing it by the manual worked and did not scratch the wheel when using a rag.
Thanks, cycledrum, I've read all the materials EXCEPT the OM, but am eager to do so. That sounds like the best and safest way to go. I don't know why I didn't think of looking in the OM... I'm still considering when I want to take the caps off - Early in the life of the car or later when the caps start looking shabby, but I did try to get one off and it was on there tight! So, we'll see. Hey, you are in CA, have you paid renewal fees on your 2011 yet? The DMV website will tell what the renewal fees are if/when you have your plates, but I won't have mine for a couple months (so they say). Would you mind sharing with me what the fees are? I'm setting up my budget.
Oh! Somehow I thought you had your car longer! I'm trying to figure out what the renewal fees are. Anyone?? ...in CA, of course.
Btw, Cycledrum, how are you getting the good fuel mileage? I'm still on my first tank, but I can only hit 50mpg if I drive like a snail and strictly monitor my power/gas usage by pulsing the gas constantly inline with what I see on the power usage display! lol I really want 50 to be my average!!
