First off, Hi! I am new to the forums, and just recently bought a 2013 Chevy Sonic LT Hatchback. I have a few questions, and hopefully you guys are able to help.
I know some of these issues/quarks appear to be common for sonics, but I would like some reassurance for my peace of mind.
- Slightly laggy throttle. Is it really normal for slight delays from the time I push the gas pedal, to the car accelerating? Seems to be.. nothing..nothing.. then the car kicks in all at once. Now I may sound like I am exaggerating and I am. Just curious if this kind of behavior is really normal? Is it just an automatic thing? I would eventually like some kind of exhaust installed on the car, would this help open the car up at all for accelerating or is it unrelated? (I do not know THAT much about cars in general).
- Very light "click, tick, noise..etc" when a/c is running. I only notice this when I am at a stop. It is only one sound, and I cannot do a very good job of describing it. Click, or tick is the best I could come up with. It only happens maybe one time at a stop light, and I do not notice any kind of noise when I am driving. If I shut the A/C off (at a stop) it seems to make a noise like it's adjusting and then stops. Is this normal?
- I am doing my first fill up tomorrow, what grade of gas should I use? I have found so many conflicting answers... My previous vehicle ran 91 (3000GT SL). Now I'm not suggesting 91 in my sonic, but would sticking with 89, rather than 87, make much of a difference? I generally fill up at Shell and have not PERSONALLY seen any 0% Ethanol gas stations. There is one in Colorado Springs (Where I am located) but have never seen it. I do not drive enough for the price to make much of a difference, I just would like to keep this car at least 5-6 years and would like to take care of it as much as I can.
- My car already threw "code 82". Did they just forget to reset it when the Oil got changed? (Mid September)? Or is this something to worry about? When I go to get the oil changed, can I just switch over to synthetic or do I need to do something before? Is this what you would recommend for the sonic, or should I use a different type of oil?
- Lastly, (sorry for being so long winded) I am looking for advice on upgrades, customizing, and upkeep. Things on my list are relatively basic, just want to add some personality to my sonic! Exhaust, Some new Wheels (only part of the sonic I'm really not happy with!). Any suggestions regarding these? I really love the White (Sonic's white is GREAT) and Black contrast on vehicles... and would love to do something along those lines. Black rims, but nothing too gaudy. Just something to distinguish me from other sonics on the road! Finally, what kind of routine for basic upkeep? How often should I wash, Armor All (or similar) for the interior dash? This is my first "newish" car I've ever owned and Just want to take some pride in keeping it nice. Any suggestions, even about something I did not mention would be GREATLY appreciated!
I play a lot of video games and participate on the forums, and think it's awesome to be apart of one for my car
Thanks in advance.
I know some of these issues/quarks appear to be common for sonics, but I would like some reassurance for my peace of mind.
- Slightly laggy throttle. Is it really normal for slight delays from the time I push the gas pedal, to the car accelerating? Seems to be.. nothing..nothing.. then the car kicks in all at once. Now I may sound like I am exaggerating and I am. Just curious if this kind of behavior is really normal? Is it just an automatic thing? I would eventually like some kind of exhaust installed on the car, would this help open the car up at all for accelerating or is it unrelated? (I do not know THAT much about cars in general).
- Very light "click, tick, noise..etc" when a/c is running. I only notice this when I am at a stop. It is only one sound, and I cannot do a very good job of describing it. Click, or tick is the best I could come up with. It only happens maybe one time at a stop light, and I do not notice any kind of noise when I am driving. If I shut the A/C off (at a stop) it seems to make a noise like it's adjusting and then stops. Is this normal?
- I am doing my first fill up tomorrow, what grade of gas should I use? I have found so many conflicting answers... My previous vehicle ran 91 (3000GT SL). Now I'm not suggesting 91 in my sonic, but would sticking with 89, rather than 87, make much of a difference? I generally fill up at Shell and have not PERSONALLY seen any 0% Ethanol gas stations. There is one in Colorado Springs (Where I am located) but have never seen it. I do not drive enough for the price to make much of a difference, I just would like to keep this car at least 5-6 years and would like to take care of it as much as I can.
- My car already threw "code 82". Did they just forget to reset it when the Oil got changed? (Mid September)? Or is this something to worry about? When I go to get the oil changed, can I just switch over to synthetic or do I need to do something before? Is this what you would recommend for the sonic, or should I use a different type of oil?
- Lastly, (sorry for being so long winded) I am looking for advice on upgrades, customizing, and upkeep. Things on my list are relatively basic, just want to add some personality to my sonic! Exhaust, Some new Wheels (only part of the sonic I'm really not happy with!). Any suggestions regarding these? I really love the White (Sonic's white is GREAT) and Black contrast on vehicles... and would love to do something along those lines. Black rims, but nothing too gaudy. Just something to distinguish me from other sonics on the road! Finally, what kind of routine for basic upkeep? How often should I wash, Armor All (or similar) for the interior dash? This is my first "newish" car I've ever owned and Just want to take some pride in keeping it nice. Any suggestions, even about something I did not mention would be GREATLY appreciated!
I play a lot of video games and participate on the forums, and think it's awesome to be apart of one for my car
Thanks in advance.
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