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This probably sounds dumb, but what should I search for to find someplace to do a used car inspection? I've got a place a few miles away that I trust but it's 15mi away (roughly) from where the car is so I'd like a backup plan if the seller has concerns about letting me take it or going with me and taking a bunch of time out of their day. If I can find something local to them it'd make things easier but I'm in CO and most of what I'm finding by searching (used car inspection *city* CO) is emissions testing stations.
GobiasIndustries fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jan 12, 2017 |
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Jan 12, 2017 04:11
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| # ? May 18, 2024 14:15 |
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I would just search on Yelp for any highly rated mechanics nearby. There's not enough of a market for there to be many people who *just* inspect cars, but mechanics will generally do the work for the cost of an hour of labor or so.
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Jan 12, 2017 04:35
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IOwnCalculus posted:I would just search on Yelp for any highly rated mechanics nearby. There's not enough of a market for there to be many people who *just* inspect cars, but mechanics will generally do the work for the cost of an hour of labor or so. Ah cool, yeah 'car inspection' doesn't seem to be a hot search term but I found 2 places like, a mile away from the seller that at least mention it on their site by searching for mechanics so I'll give 'em a ring tomorrow morning. Thanks!
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Jan 12, 2017 06:03
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Michael Scott posted:Were you able to bend the hood back, did you guys let the customer know? Interesting details, thank you. It wasn't a very substantial bend, so a bit of a yank in the other direction sorted it out. Still felt really stupid about it, though. I think I told my shop teacher, but I dunno if it made its way back to the customer.
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Jan 12, 2017 08:31
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So I took my 91 Jeep Comanche out to romp around in the snow last weekend, nothing crazy like 4 inches and they hadn't salted the roads yet. Didn't drive it again til today and now I get a bit of a creaking sound when coming to a stop. Don't hear anything when coasting to stop, only happens at the very end of the stop too. Sorta sounds like walking on an old hardwood floor. I don't think I feel anything weird in the pedal and stopping power seems normal. Not losing fluid and calipers do not appear to be seized or anything. Calipers, pads and rotors are all relatively new and I did lube the slide pins when I replaced the pads. Should I just ignore it and wait for it to go away or am I gonna die?
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Jan 12, 2017 19:04
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2008 Subaru Outback was driving fine before sitting for two weeks over the holidays (average daily temperature around -20C). Since returning, we noticed the car has started vibrating at highway speed. Braking is fine and vibrations don't really start until 95 - 100km/h. However, they seem to increase and decrease in intensity at random at that speed. Recent service on it includes replacing the timing belt (which was expected/scheduled) and replacing the transmission filter, which had cracked and started pouring transmission fluid everywhere (unexpected). Car drove fine after the transmission filter issue, however, and that was fixed about 1 to 2 weeks before we went on holidays. When the mechanic did the tranny fix, he noticed that the rear passenger wheel bearing was on the way out and recommended having it fixed before Spring, but said that it wasn't yet an issue. Otherwise, no leaks or anything noticeable under the car and no other problems we're aware of. I assume it's a balance issue but I wanted to get second opinions because it was driving fine until it sat for two weeks. I already blew out all the ice and snow that had accumulated in the rims. Vibration is most noticeable in the steering wheel but can also be felt through the car seat. Any kind words to make me not worry about a big post-Christmas repair bill would be great thanks
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Jan 12, 2017 21:05
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You registered with that name in 2008? How do you feel now?
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Jan 12, 2017 21:12
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Michael Scott posted:You registered with that name in 2008? How do you feel now? Golden
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Jan 12, 2017 21:24
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the trump tutelage posted:2008 Subaru Outback was driving fine before sitting for two weeks over the holidays (average daily temperature around -20C). Since returning, we noticed the car has started vibrating at highway speed. Braking is fine and vibrations don't really start until 95 - 100km/h. However, they seem to increase and decrease in intensity at random at that speed. First thought: tires / balance Second thought: shocks.
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Jan 12, 2017 21:29
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Michael Scott posted:You registered with that name in 2008? How do you feel now? It started as a stupid in-joke referencing the Prince of Nothing series of fantasy novels and then he won the presidency. How do you think I feel?
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Jan 12, 2017 21:30
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Thanks AI for saving me from spending 
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Jan 12, 2017 22:16
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Duckman2008 posted:My wife's car is a VW Passat 2006. 137K mileage. Transmission jumps when downshifting. Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:E15. Opinions? The label on the pump says it's good for anything that's at least a 2003 model year that takes gasoline. That's E15, not E85. Geoj posted:Jumping on this...a Sheetz near where I work recently changed all of their pumps to dispense the usual regular/mid/premium unleaded as well as an E15 and near E85 (pump says it contains between 70-83% ethanol) handle and I'm also curious. Do you typically get E0? I don't recall the last time I was able to get anything other than at least E10. Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:If it were my car, I'd be looking for a junkyard transmission instead.
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Jan 12, 2017 23:07
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Gaschat: Looking for ethanol-free gas? http://www.pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html. You can search by state on the main page, but that's not near as easy as the map. Closest one for me is about 25 miles away  .
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Jan 12, 2017 23:26
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Fire Storm posted:Do you typically get E0? I don't recall the last time I was able to get anything other than at least E10. No, it's usually "up to 10% ethanol" here. E15 is sold at a handful of stations and seems to run 20c-30c/gallon cheaper when you do find it, and I seem to get slightly better mileage with it (which is the opposite of what I expected). Power seems to be the same, though anytime I switch between them it seems like the ECU has to re-learn its fuel maps a bit. A lot of people seem to freak out over E15, saying it'll destroy the fuel system if it's not a flex fuel car. The sticker on the fuel dispenser claims it's safe to use on anything that's at least a 2003. The owner's manual does say not to use >E10, but E15 wasn't a thing when my car was built - E85 was starting to become available.  Pretty sure a 2013 drivetrain is completely different from your 02's (the transmissions certainly are). They might bolt into the car, but that's as far as you're going to get. The electronics are completely different too; your existing electronics won't run it, and it's not as easy as just swapping the newer engine computer in with a modern car (assuming it would even plug in to the existing wiring - which it probably won't). randomidiot fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Jan 12, 2017 |
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Jan 12, 2017 23:30
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Fire Storm posted:Do you typically get E0? I don't recall the last time I was able to get anything other than at least E10. All gas sold here is the usual "up to 10% ethanol" blend. I doubt there'd be a substantial loss in economy by adding 5% more ethanol to the mix unless the usual pump gas is well below a 10/90 ratio. Fire Storm posted:OK, crazy talk here. I have an 02 Focus needs a engine and trans. Junkyards can get me an engine/trans on something from 2013 for ~$3000. How absolutely stupid is this idea? Multiply that price by three and that's probably what you could expect to pay to have a MkIII Focus drivetrain dropped into a MkI. Not totally out of the question - the current engine used in the Focus is a DI variant of the Duratec 2.0 that was used in the 2005-7 and 2008-11 models (which are all built on the same chassis/platform as your Focus), but there'd be a shitload of customization required to swap one in. OTOH you should be able to pick up a junkyard Zetec/SPI and transmission on the cheap. I'd guess under $1000 unless salvage transmission prices have spiked recently.
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Jan 12, 2017 23:44
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One of the few good things about living in Oklahoma was the number of non-ethanol gas stations all over the place. Edit: At this point I would stay away from getting an SPI. It probably has a ton of miles, and that's when they start having valve problems. Expensive ones. The Zetecs went to poo poo early or not at all.
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Jan 13, 2017 02:45
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^ Seconding that, I'm about to turn over 150,000 original miles on my Zetec. Haven't done anything special beyond routine oil changes and normal wear item replacement - belts, thermostat, gaskets, etc.
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Jan 13, 2017 03:21
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the trump tutelage posted:2008 Subaru Outback was driving fine before sitting for two weeks over the holidays (average daily temperature around -20C). Since returning, we noticed the car has started vibrating at highway speed. Braking is fine and vibrations don't really start until 95 - 100km/h. However, they seem to increase and decrease in intensity at random at that speed. Check if your rotors got unevenly rust spotted while sitting or got pad transfer from being braked hard right before sitting maybe. Mine shakes a little from this at highway speed and a lot when I brake. For some stupid reason I can't keep rotors from getting pad transfer really badly on my forester and I have never had this issue so I suspect subaru just has issues with it, not sure how accurate that is. Definitely check the wheel balance though, good job checking for ice buildup in the wheels before anything else since that is a common cause of this in the winter. kastein fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Jan 13, 2017 |
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Jan 13, 2017 06:10
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Yeah, gen1 Zetec issues are why I am not even considering grabbing anything gen1. At this point it's either fix the beast or scrap it and get something newer for my commute. The 2013 swap was a pipe dream idea, new engine and trans but the more I think about it the worse it sounds. Too bad there isn't a Focus Electric within 100 miles to test drive.
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Jan 13, 2017 06:11
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What issues does the Zetec have? I know the thermostat housing gets brittle and breaks as it ages, but you can still get new ones (both OEM and aftermarket). Genuinely curious. I've only owned one Ford, and it was far from modern (1980 F-150). All I really know is to avoid the CVH/SPI.
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Jan 13, 2017 14:53
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Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:What issues does the Zetec have? I know the thermostat housing gets brittle and breaks as it ages, but you can still get new ones (both OEM and aftermarket). I honestly can't remember there being any widespread regularly reported issues, at least with the variant that was installed in the Focus. All of the recall issues always had something to do with things attached to the engine or that the engine was dependent on, but never the engine itself. Also the thermostat housing issue is the end result of oil leaking from the valve cover, causing the o-ring to swell which then breaks a thin race of plastic around the inside of the inlet:  That thin ring of plastic around the inside of the groove that the o-ring sits in (and which in that picture is missing from 9 to 1 o'clock)? That's what causes the leak - once it breaks the oring is no longer captive and coolant is able to leak out between the housing and the side of the head. An easy way to prevent this is to lay down a bead of RTV to isolate the o-ring from any potential oil leaks and/or routinely replace your valve cover gasket. Geoj fucked around with this message at 18:06 on Jan 13, 2017 |
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Jan 13, 2017 15:51
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Hey carbuddies, My '86 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham (5.0, 307) needs a new carburetor, and I found a guy who thinks he's got the exact model of Rochester Quadrajet that I need. Problem is, before I have him ship it across the country, I want to be absolutely sure I've got it right. Does anyone know off the top of their head what model of Quadrajet the 86 Fleetwood Brougham used, or know where I can look that up? Sadly my car (along with its manuals) is across town, and I'm not going to be able to get to it until next week, and I'd really like to have the new carb by then so I'm looking to order it as soon as possible. Thanks in advance!
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Jan 13, 2017 17:28
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Josh Lyman posted:Thanks AI for saving me from spending If it has a trailer hitch - and it was used for towing - I'd suggest changing the transmission fluid - just in case it was abused. Toyota calls it a lifetime fluid - but not under severe use. The Prius transmission doesn't use friction bands or clutches - so there's no material floating around in there. It's just lubricating the gears and cooling things. Its just a drain and fill on the Prius - there's no filter. Just a drain plug and a fill plug like a manual transmission. Use Toyota ATF WS. If you take it to a shop to get this done - don't let them sell you a flush. Just a drain and fill. You don't want flush chemicals meant for conventional transmissions running around in there. A regular shop might not even want to touch a Prius transmission anyway. ,l If the trailer hitch was just used for a bike rack? Maybe don't bother. If the car has no trailer wiring this might be a good clue.
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Jan 13, 2017 17:47
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Clunking noises while stationary and turning the wheel is probably the top strut mount bearing, right? A spring under tension that settles kinda of sound.
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Jan 13, 2017 18:42
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I was browsing used cars under $10k, and 75% of the entries seemed to be 2015 Nissan Leafs. Was there something wrong with that year's model?
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Jan 13, 2017 20:41
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Cursory search doesn't appear to turn up anything egregious, could be a bunch of two year leases just ended so your local market is flooded.
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Jan 13, 2017 20:46
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MrOnBicycle posted:Clunking noises while stationary and turning the wheel is probably the top strut mount bearing, right? A spring under tension that settles kinda of sound. Could be that or most othe rthings in the steering, lower balljoint, who knows. I would suggest having someone turn the wheel back and forth enough to cause the noise and going looking for it by feel. You'll find it pretty quick. A friend of mine came by my work one day for a spare wiper motor circuit breaker and we checked his "odd steering play" issue a while ago. I expected it to be worn tie rod ends or a blown out steering box or worn intermediate shaft ujoints, but it ended up being the nut on the TRE at his pitman arm was 3 turns looser than it should have been and the taper stud was flapping around in the hole  He'd been over it a few times looking by hand and trying to identify the feeling, but what it took was him wiggling the wheel a few inches back and forth while I looked at all the moving parts and found the one that was moving where it shouldn't be.
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Jan 13, 2017 21:23
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Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:What issues does the Zetec have? I know the thermostat housing gets brittle and breaks as it ages, but you can still get new ones (both OEM and aftermarket). Based on forum posts, the SPI was the more reliable engine through about 100k miles. After that, they tend to start dropping valve seats. Zetec problems were all over the loving place, from what I remember. Detonation, poo poo sensors and electrical problems, transmission issues with the manual and auto, etc. But it seemed like if you made it past 20k-30k miles, you were probably fine. Zetec made more power, SPI got better mileage. I sold my '02 SPI powered sedan with 139k miles; it was still getting 34 mpg, and the worst thing I had to deal with was a fuel pump failure around 80k. Mine was probably an outlier on reliability.
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Jan 13, 2017 21:55
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kastein posted:Could be that or most othe rthings in the steering, lower balljoint, who knows. I would suggest having someone turn the wheel back and forth enough to cause the noise and going looking for it by feel. You'll find it pretty quick. Thanks, I'll do that tomorrow. In the meantime I did some more research and this model (and the ones that share the chassis) apparently eats strut mounts for breakfast lunch and dinner, so it's very likely. No play in the steering. I recently MOT:d it and specifically asked if there was anything about the suspension that seemed worn, but there was nothing. It's been the last couple of weeks or so (also with freezing and thawing temperatures) that the sound (and vibration to the floor) has been present. The suspension mounts are located in the scuttle tray, and not inside the engine bay like on other cars, so they get exposed to a lot of rain.
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Jan 13, 2017 22:23
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I need someone to tell me what to do and you guys have opinions on everything. Going to purchase a 2017 Tacoma but since I live in Canada we get hosed on configurations for some reason. My ideal would be TRD Offroad double cab short box with a manual, but this isn't offered. My two choices are TRD Sport which comes with moonroof, rear cross traffic alert and a manual, or a TRD Off road which is auto only but comes with offroad tires, crawl control and bilstein shocks. Truck will be my main commuter vehicle but I got deep into the bush usually once a month to camp and bike. So, manual transmission or off road tech?
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Jan 14, 2017 00:53
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For your use case I'd go off road tech. Especially if it's your daily, I love manuals but for everyday traffic stuff I'm too old and lazy to use one. And if you get caught in some weather when you're up country you'll be glad you got the off road kit.
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Jan 14, 2017 01:08
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Memento posted:For your use case I'd go off road tech. Especially if it's your daily, I love manuals but for everyday traffic stuff I'm too old and lazy to use one. And if you get caught in some weather when you're up country you'll be glad you got the off road kit. I'd suggest going the other way, if you don't mind (or prefer) the mantrans in traffic, if it's easier to retrofit the "offroad" bits with aftermarket. Easier to buy shocks and tires than do a trans swap.
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Jan 14, 2017 03:41
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Good points, but keep in mind the new car warranty. I assume you'd be grilled pretty hard on a failure of a component that was even vaguely associated with a system where you had installed an aftermarket part.
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Jan 14, 2017 03:55
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Memento posted:Good points, but keep in mind the new car warranty. I assume you'd be grilled pretty hard on a failure of a component that was even vaguely associated with a system where you had installed an aftermarket part. The Magnuson-Moss Act puts the onus on the dealer to show why your aftermarket part directly caused the failure of something else. They can certainly try to deny coverage, but if you stick to your guns they will usually back down. It's certainly easier to just leave the car alone and not modify it, but if you do know your rights and the law. They can't arbitrarily abrogate the warranty.
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Jan 14, 2017 04:15
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First off, he's in Canada so MM doesn't apply. I assume there's something similar in Canada, though. Second, actually do some research into what hardware is different between the two models. What the hell is crawl control and how is it special? That's an example of what you should research, I don't care about the answer. If it's something significant like a different/better/lower transfer case, that's a good difference. If it's an extra traction control setting, I'm less impressed.
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Jan 14, 2017 04:42
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0toShifty posted:The Prius transmission doesn't use friction bands or clutches - so there's no material floating around in there. It's just lubricating the gears and cooling things. It's a good idea to change the trans fluid on the Prius every 50-60k anyway.
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Jan 14, 2017 06:06
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I have never done my own oil change, but want to start doing so. 2008 Pontiac G6. I've got a Pittsburgh socket wrench set, screwdrivers, a funnel and plenty of gloves/cloths. I know I'll need a pan to collect the old oil, and probably a jack + jack stands to prop the car up. Anything I'm missing?
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Jan 14, 2017 06:14
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There's no probably about jack stands; never get under a car that is just supported on a jack. Apart from that, watch a video of someone else doing it on YouTube so you have a vague idea of where everything is, and be careful of things like burning yourself on the exhaust or splashing oil in your eyes/mouth. You might need a filter wrench if it's on really tight. Good luck and feel free to ask specific questions if you have them.
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Jan 14, 2017 07:04
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Don't forget to engage your parking brake before jacking up the vehicle. Dropping a vehicle on yourself or someone else is no fun for anyone involved.  When it comes to disposing of the oil, most municipal dump stations and any parts store will accept used oil for recycling for free and many will take the filter too. If your vehicle has the 4 cylinder motor, you may also need a special socket to remove the cap that allows access to the oil filter. Most parts stores will sell them. The Lisle (common company who make alot of specialty and niche automotive tools) part number for it is 14700, or ask for a gm ecotec oil filter socket. Alternately, a shallow 6 point 32mm socket may work, someone else who has done an ecotec oil change can chime in on that.
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Jan 14, 2017 07:23
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Have some rags handy. You're going to spill some. Every time. Forever. Probably some of it on yourself.
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Jan 14, 2017 09:47
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