The Automotive Thread

[Road Guy]

FWIW I got my tranny expedited on my Jeep by nagging the shit out of Chrysler on jeepforum- FCA has trolls that monitor and eventually they responded to me and got mine moved up a few weeks if I would basically stop bitching about it non stop-

I assume there is some kind of popular Ford forum?

And I agree with ya on the maintenance - I don’t really like doing it but just sick of dealing with the morons in the auto industry... don’t know which is worse to be honest - the time consumption on both is high...

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

^^^ There were several GM reps on the Camaro5 forums who would message you if you posted legit problems.

 

[jeb6294]

First step, complaint has been filed with the BBB.  We'll see if that helps at all.  If not, then we'll start working on paperwork and blasting them on social media.

 

[Road Guy]

curious to see what the BBB does ( this was basically the pre- yelp procedure) keep us posted!

in other news I found out they sell these for aiding with doing brakes?  If this is not a new device I feel stupid because I have always used a gigantic bulky C-clamp? & at $9 bucks its already ordered...

 

[jeb6294]

Yeah, I've just always used the cheapie Harbor Freight c-clamp and an old pad to do it.  I don't do enough brake work to justify a whole new tool...not just the $$$ but also taking up space.

 

[blybrook PE]

curious to see what the BBB does ( this was basically the pre- yelp procedure) keep us posted!
in other news I found out they sell these for aiding with doing brakes?  If this is not a new device I feel stupid because I have always used a gigantic bulky C-clamp? & at $9 bucks its already ordered...

 

I've had a variation of that in the brake tool box for 15 years. Picked one up after my clamp went awol while in the middle of a rotor replacement.

 

[Road Guy]

So I did the brakes on the jeep last weekend, have to say that little clamp worked pretty well.  My rear brakes were almost gone but after 85K miles the front brakes had more than 50% pad left on them. I went ahead and changed them since I had the tires off but I always thought the fronts wore off quicker? Maybe the brake fairy came and I just don't remember!

 

[jeb6294]

Huh, yeah, fronts generally go first...unless you installed a brake lock to hold the rear brakes and dig the front end around while rock climbing.

 

[Supe]

If its even side to side, then its likely your traction/stability control doing it, since all the newer cars handle that using the brakes.  The only other time I see rear pads wear out earlier (when they're not defective or misapplied) is when you do a lot of towing with a bunch of tongue weight.

 

[Flyer_PE]

The latest update on Project Farm Tractor:

Just finished the last of the wiring.  The lights are what happens when your were raised by a combination of an electronics technician and tinkerer father and a farmer uncle.

 

[Supe]

That thing looks great!

Found out yesterday that my tie rod end adapters only fit later generation RX7's, not mine.  Now I'm stuck buying an $80 tie rod reamer just to make a stupid set of Pinto adapters fit!

 

[MA_PE]

Flyer:  put some blue lenses in and you could be the Farm Police.  Not to be confused with the Church Police.

Tractor looks great.  nice job.

My son is away for a few months so his '09 Cobalt is sitting in the driveway.  Convoluted storyline but My in-laws shipped their car to FLA and then ended up no being able to follow it on schedule.  Therefore they're up here with no car.  My wife leaves them her car ('05 Ford Freestyle) and starts driving the Cobalt.  We've had a real cold snap come through here.  Last Friday on my way home from work, Mrs MA calls and says she left the lights on for an hour or two on the Cobalt and it won't start.  Called AAA.  Car started right up with his power pack but the battery was reading 0.0  He said he had a new replacement ion the truck and could throw it in right then.  Ambient was about 15 deg F with wind chill in the single digits.  I said fine throw a new one in.

Mrs. MA gets a call from her mother this morning.  Freestyle won't start called AAA for a jump.  I really don't want to deal with it and MIL is staying with SIL in southern NH, so fine....just go to local tire/battery shop and have them put in a new battery.  I think the Cobalt was OEM battery (it was an AC Delco and I don't remember ever having it replaced).  Not sure how old the Freestyle battery is but I'm not going to screw with it. f'n PITA. 

 

[Road Guy]

Flyer - Is that your garage where the tractor is being worked on?  Totally jelly of that lift!

So MA - both battery's died? that sucks!

 

[Road Guy]

Anyone have a Toyota Rav4? Thinking of (helping) acquire one for the eldest kid - wouldn't get one without a V6 or 4WD /AWD - Most reports of them are pretty good - looking at ones in the 2012-2014 range.

 

[Master slacker]

Anyone have a Toyota Rav4?

Yes!  I am going to be useful!

wouldn't get one without a V6 or 4WD /AWD

Oh... um...  Maybe he really meant I4 and FWD.  Typos happen.

looking at ones in the 2012-2014 range.

Sh*t.

Well, since we're in this deep, we have a 2002 Rav4 with the 2.0L 1AZ-FE.  Nearly 200k miles and still working like a champ.  From what I gather, the V6 versions run like a scalded dog, but good luck doing any maintenance on them.  Probably the same as any other transverse V6 car.  Plug change anyone?  Our 4-banger is the antithesis of the V6 variety - dead simple to work on, but runs like a dead dog.  I'm boring nowadays... gimme the slow one.

 

[Road Guy]

I assume they are like my wife's highlander - they are advertised as either 4WD or AWD but they really have some type of full time 4 wheel drive (hopefully a notch up from the Subaru one)?

My old ass Tahoe V8 struggles in the mountains here sometimes, so I don't think anything less than a V6 or I6 if you can find one will work long term out here - Don't really want the speed just to be able to get uphill with a full car -

Its been dry for the 1st year going back and forth between Denver and Rapid City, SD, but eventually he will get stuck in one of those crazy storms they have where the interstate gets locked down for a few days..

 

[Flyer_PE]

Flyer - Is that your garage where the tractor is being worked on?  Totally jelly of that lift!

So MA - both battery's died? that sucks!

That lift is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  The garage belongs to a friend of mine.  He's the one responsible for the really nice paint job.  In exchange for his help in making the tractor look pretty, I'm on the hook for wiring a 66 Mustang he's building.  It's getting a bunch of digital upgrades and he hates doing the electrical work on these things.

 

[MA_PE]

Flyer - Is that your garage where the tractor is being worked on?  Totally jelly of that lift!

So MA - both battery's died? that sucks!

yeah 2 batteries.  The AAA guys old me one of the truck and installed it for me in the parking lot where he met us.  $150.  MIL called/took it to the local mechanic that all the in-laws use in southern NH.  He quoted $300 for a battery (i said WTF and don't know hy they all go to his guy if that's what he charges).  MIL is going to call AAA or take it to Walmart.  (Walmart has a service center that'll throw one in, correct?)  I don't feel like going up there to do it.  FIL has to go to dialysis every couple of days which is one of the primary reasons Mrs. MA gave them her car, so we really can't play around with it.  Just $300 for a car battery?  WTF?

 

[Supe]

$300 must be for the battery and BJ combo, because it sure as hell isn't the cost to replace a battery.

 

[MA_PE]

$300 must be for the battery and BJ combo, because it sure as hell isn't the cost to replace a battery.

my thoughts exactly.