What is your car ?

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

...a small leak in the exhaust system that's too difficult to detect (check engine light has been on for more than a year, but the techs can't find the issue).

I had this once. Tell him to run his hand along the top of the exhaust pipe, it's undoubtedly up there. It's an awkward weld to plug the hole up, but he should be able to manage it.

[Derek]

98 Honda Civic
02 Toyota 4Runner
08 Toyota Tacoma
12 Kia Forte
13 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
15 Subaru WRX

Currently:
2016 Nissan Sentra
2020 Subaru Crosstrek

Edit: Dang this is the Canada forum my bad lol

[Coldrsx]

Current

[whatnext]

The Golf, the bike, or both?

[Coldrsx]

The Triumph - Street Twin 900.

Üter is her car (which I use to get to and fro ski hills)

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I had this once. Tell him to run his hand along the top of the exhaust pipe, it's undoubtedly up there. It's an awkward weld to plug the hole up, but he should be able to manage it.

The exhaust system is rusting out, so that's possible.

One shop quoted me thousands to fix a hole I did have in a manifold a couple of years ago, but the Midas I went to instead did a fix for about $200. They noted the check engine light, and that it might be a sensor malfunctioning, but that since the car runs great it's not a worry right now. As a result, I have used them for regular maintenance and bought replacement winter tires from them in November.

The Mazda owes me nothing. I might even be willing to put a lot of dough into an exhaust system overhaul, when it's really needed, since the rest of the car is in great shape. And given the still-inflated market value of used cars!

[Nashe]

My most entertaining car was a '99 Golf Wolfsburg that I bought new.

6 years later the wiring harnesses in the doors cracked and frayed and started grounding out random wires on the body.

I'd lock it then start to walk away... then hear 2 or 3 of the windows start to roll down on their own. Or the horn would sometimes beep on hard left turns. Or the security system would go off. So much soldering...

People thought it was possessed.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

One shop quoted me thousands to fix a hole I did have in a manifold a couple of years ago, but the Midas I went to instead did a fix for about $200.

The very same thing happened to me! They saw me show up in a Lexus (ten years old at the time, but still, a luxury car) and quoted me $1,600 for a whole new exhaust system. Midas welded the hole shut for $100.

Actually, that very same shop did that another time. Wanted $700 to replace a wheel bearing. Got it done for $250 at my now regular guy.

Crikey.

P.S. Been going to my regular guy for several years now. I pick up coffee and donuts for them from Timmies every single time, and it's always appreciated. I treat them right, and they treat me right.

P.P.S. Should add that they treat everyone right, because all customers should be treated equally. It's just that some customers are "more equal" than others.

• Video Link

[urbandreamer]

Next time a wheel bearing goes, I'm doing it myself. The part itself is $50 on Amazon, then I need angled nose pliers for $8 at KW Surplus and a rubber mallet and I should be able to save $500. Sometimes it's a bad oxygen sensor that's triggering the code, as it used to happen all the time on my old mk4 Golf. Worth owning an OBD2 scanner. Or it could be a leak around the heat shield.

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Next time a wheel bearing goes, I'm doing it myself. The part itself is $50 on Amazon, then I need angled nose pliers for $8 at KW Surplus and a rubber mallet and I should be able to save $500. Sometimes it's a bad oxygen sensor that's triggering the code, as it used to happen all the time on my old mk4 Golf. Worth owning an OBD2 scanner. Or it could be a leak around the heat shield.

I'd recommend caution on cheaping out on wheel bearings. I did one on my wife's Honda Fit last January, and I think it's already on the way out. It was a Moog too, not some no-name Chinese knockoff (although you'll find plenty of comments saying Moog's quality has fallen... tough to find a parts supplier that hasn't). I'm now looking at spending $100 more for a Honda one so I don't have to do it a third time.

[lio45]

Seeing your username reminds me, I helped my mother-in-law recently, she needed a truck, so I brought my teal 1993 GMC Sierra out of storage, and she was super impressed at how nice and solid it was

You still have yours?

[homebucket]

My version of adaptive dampers. With a simple turn of the knob, I can fine tune the suspension from comfort to normal to sport to track mode. These days, it can be adjusted electronically by going into a series of menus on your touch screen. But this is how it was done before that technology existed. All four corners can be adjusted individually.

[Coldrsx]

^NOICE!

I've got the same on my PSS9s


Also, here is a puzzle for you

[homebucket]

Double noice!

I need to get myself a set of coilovers at some point. Maybe next Black Friday. And a set of racing buckets too. I slide around way too much on my OEM seats. Hmm... decisions decisions!

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by lio45

Seeing your username reminds me, I helped my mother-in-law recently, she needed a truck, so I brought my teal 1993 GMC Sierra out of storage, and she was super impressed at how nice and solid it was

You still have yours?

Yup, still have it, still a work in progress. I'm almost done the front suspension rebuild, then it's onto brakes and she'll be running/driving/stopping again. Then this year's focus is anything else I need to get it safetied, which at minimum means welding in new rockers and cab corners.

In an ideal world I like it on the road for November, when both me and the truck will be 30 years old, but I've decided sticking to a budget is more important than an arbitrary timeline.

Before:


After:


Rockers

[Coldrsx]

^wow man, that's fantastic work! Congrats on the rebuild.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Also, here is a puzzle for you

Are those Bride Zeta IIIs?

[Coldrsx]

Driver - Maxis III


Passenger - Vios III

But what about that signature?

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by jonny24

Yup, still have it, still a work in progress. I'm almost done the front suspension rebuild, then it's onto brakes and she'll be running/driving/stopping again. Then this year's focus is anything else I need to get it safetied, which at minimum means welding in new rockers and cab corners.

That's impressive.

I think most people today lack the knowledge, motivation, or simply the space to do their own work (and no doubt the growing complexity of engines and systems since the 1970s has played a role too). Seems like many people are just satisfied with being able to wash their vehicles at home, let alone do anything mechanical to them. I used to be more handy, but these days I really don't care how clean and detailed my auto looks... so I'm happy for a strong rain or wet snow to take care of that and make her look prettier on the street again. I'll vacuum the interior, make sure she's got the fluids she needs, but that's about it. I did get a good jack with the plan to do my own summer/winter tire changes, but my space constraints have changed recently so the jack is still in the box! lol

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

But what about that signature?

Ha, I'm not good with signatures. Fernando Alonso!?