Daily Driver

[southkogs]

There are days when I climb into the car, and love driving (helps when it's one of the antiques).

There are those other days ...

 

[Scott Danforth]

I think this year the vehicles are trying to commit suicide. Now I need to call and get truck windshield replaced.

 

[poconojoe]

With the price of used cars these days and the fact that you know your car and you love it, I would fix it, especially if it's a mere $200. Dang, even if it were $500, it would still seem to be worth it.

If you buy a used car, you just don't know what you're getting.

A stick shift story:
Back in the '90's we had an F250 with a manual transmission. Looking back, I'm amazed how my wife used to drive that beast! 4x4, 33" tires...it really was a beast! In 4 low and in that granny first gear, you could almost pull a house down the street! People would wave her on at 4 way stops!
I had a front end collision with a cutlass. The guy crossed the double line. The cutlass was totaled. The only damage to the truck was an aftermarket fog light fell off! Always bought trucks after that!

 

[Scott Danforth]

With the price of used cars these days and the fact that you know your car and you love it, I would fix it, especially if it's a mere $200. Dang, even if it were $500, it would still seem to be worth it.

If you buy a used car, you just don't know what you're getting.

A stick shift story:
Back in the '90's we had an F250 with a manual transmission. Looking back, I'm amazed how my wife used to drive that beast! 4x4, 33" tires...it really was a beast! In 4 low and in that granny first gear, you could almost pull a house down the street! People would wave her on at 4 way stops!
I had a front end collision with a cutlass. The guy crossed the double line. The cutlass was totaled. The only damage to the truck was an aftermarket fog light fell off! Always bought trucks after that!

for daily drivers, I always buy used. already have the alternator back in (took it to work today)

Now calling on getting the Truck's windshield replaced....!#$%@#$% rock

 

[poconojoe]

for daily drivers, I always buy used. already have the alternator back in (took it to work today)

Now calling on getting the Truck's windshield replaced....!#$%@#$% rock

Uhgg...a windshield. ..it's always something... I've had a few done over the years. Good thing is the installs were always good, never any distortions or leaks. Just use a reputable installer. The last time, they did it right in my driveway. Pretty cool.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Uhgg...a windshield. ..it's always something... I've had a few done over the years. Good thing is the installs were always good, never any distortions or leaks. Just use a reputable installer. The last time, they did it right in my driveway. Pretty cool.

with all the road construction going on in Florida, the unsecured loads from construction vehicles, and the pure amount of debris on the roads that gets kicked up from traffic..... we average about 1 windshield every 2-3 years with all the vehicles. Truck has appt tomorrow.

 

[gr8knurlin]

I really loved my 02 Mx5 - 6MT and very fun to drive.
I got greedy and have always wanted an E46 M3 so when one came available that wasn't silver/white/black I sold the Miata and bought the M3 - Bad move.
I had the Miata for 2 summers (convertible season here is May-October) and had zero issues over 50K km
I've currently had the M3 for 2 summers but it has spent 4/12 driving months in the shop, had 3 flat deck rides and has cost me about $11K. Absolute blast to drive (my commute is about 160km/day) but the cost/headache has been hard to swallow. Likely will sell it and go back to a little 2 seater.

 

[Meames1]

I think this year the vehicles are trying to commit suicide. Now I need to call and get truck windshield replaced.

I feel your pain. I'm usually good for a windshield a year in my work truck. Now that the cinder trucks are out I'm probably due....

 

[Scott Danforth]

new update on daily driver......

Thursday, developed a rattle in the trans. thought it was typical dual mass flywheel rattle at low speed. could not find anything with borescope in the clutch area

could not see anything.

continued to drive.

Thursday night at 6:15pm, going thru the south bound toll booth on the Sunshine Skyway bridge as i slowed and dropped down a gear to go thru the toll booth, the transmission grenades internally. the rear wheels skid for a second and there is a horrendous grinding and banging from within the transmission and under the car. push the clutch in and coast to a stop.....

called AAA, advised 20 minutes to 1hr and 20 minute wait.
after 5 calls to AAA, 3 to the dispatch company
6 hours and 5 minutes later, the tow truck shows up.

if you have AAA, you may want to see how many tow truck companies are listed with them. apparently in Pinellas and Manatee county, there is 1.

Talking to the driver they get $36 per tow. average tow is 33 miles one way and total time is 1.5 hours to 2 hours. so most companies wont tow for AAA anymore

so...... now looking for a transmission

new - MSRP $1886, on-line price from various GM dealers $1667
used - $450 plus $200 shipping from midwest or $800 from local salvage yard
rebuild - Estimated at $2200

 

[Lou C]

I haven't bought a brand new car for myself in 23 years, when I bought the '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee we still have. I have fixed a lot of stuff on it, but we are attached to it being one of the last of the AMC/Chrysler era Jeeps. Simple, great off road and cheap to fix.
Then felt the need for more speed, bought a 2 year old '07 Grand Cherokee Limited with the Hemi & Quadradrive II. Then (2009) the economy had crashed and gas was over $4 a gallon no one wanted V8 SUVs, except guys like me, so got a great deal paid a little over half the sticker price, 2 years old, 25,000 miles, and had the Chrysler cert warrantee to 80,000 miles. It turned out to be my favorite vehicle since I started driving in 1972....fast, comfortable....not too big....great in bad weather....good off road....and not troublesome at all despite the not great rep that Jeeps can have. I plan on finding another just like this, Limited, Hemi + tow package, 2 years old, ChryCo cert warrantee. I haven't yet because I am semi-retired, and work from home.
I checked the mileages of the 2 older jeeps that I drive: Last year I drove the '07 2500 miles, the '98 about 400. So who needs a new car lol!
The 07 has 116,000 miles on it, the '98 about 180,000.
and, quite honestly, I am happy to have vehicles WITHOUT gov't mandated "driver aids" that I find annoying in the extreme. In fact I could be persuaded to travel out west and come back with a classic Jeep like the CJ-7 or CJ-8 or even an SJ Wangoneer. Modern vehicles just don't turn me on.....unless there is a HEMI under the hood....

 

[Scott Danforth]

Update on the daily driver......

Thinking the trans was gone..... Found a salvage yard listing a trans with only 8000 miles. The pics of the car looked clean except the fact it was T-boned. Turns out the trans was replaced in 2014. Only paid $400 for the trans and $250 shipping from Kansas City to FL

So Trans shows up between Christmas and New Years. Get car up in the air and start pulling the exhaust, belly pan.......

And the driveshaft mounting bolts come out.

Turns out the rattle was 4 of the 6 bolts backing out of the driveshaft CV joint, and when they came out, the remaining two bolts broke.

Found a forum link that the CV joint bolts should be checked and retorqued about 500 miles.....

Pulled the shaft, removed the broken bolts, ordered new bolts and new CV joint, cleaned up the output flange an waited for the new parts to show up the 3rd

FedEx lost the shipment for a day, and the package showed up Wednesday.

Saturday the 8th, put the new CV joint on the shaft, and took it for a run

500 miles later, still going. Will retorque tomorrow. Now I have a spare trans that I will end up swapping out the next clutch job

Thinking time for the tune to bump power from 260hp flywheel to 330hp