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Post by Dr. Rumak on Jul 15, 2021 6:09:25 GMT -5
I just ordered parts to convert the 47 Willys Jeep from the original drum to disc brakes. The current brake system is completely shot, and it would cost about as much to restore them as it does to upgrade to the much more effective disc brakes. Wish me luck. Good luck, we're all counting on you. (Also, I wish I was capable of such things). |
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Post by Floyd Diabolical Barber on Jul 15, 2021 14:43:10 GMT -5
I just ordered parts to convert the 47 Willys Jeep from the original drum to disc brakes. The current brake system is completely shot, and it would cost about as much to restore them as it does to upgrade to the much more effective disc brakes. Wish me luck. Good luck, we're all counting on you. (Also, I wish I was capable of such things). If I screw it up, I'll be the first to know. |
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Post by 🐍 cahusserole 🐍 on Jul 16, 2021 22:05:21 GMT -5
Thank you to Djse's witty November moniker for being helpful and supportive while I panicked about the radio not turning off with the rest of the car. I successfully found the fusebox and the correct fuse to unplug/replug! I had to do this again today. |
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Post by ganews on Jul 23, 2021 14:08:02 GMT -5
I took my Fit to the dealership on a safety recall, and I could hear some grinding sound on the turn. After their work they said I also had bad CV joints, and the grinding sound was WAY louder. Got it with my regular mechanic now, and they say it's not CV joints at all. Dealerships...
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Aug 13, 2021 21:13:54 GMT -5
As someone who is driving on mountain roads through neighborhoods with low, but different speed limits (15,19,25,35,45), I really would like something which functions sort of like cruise control, but just sets the maximum speed that my car will go. Rather than trying to maintain the appropriate level of gas, I could just press the gas pedal confident that my car would never exceed the top speed I had set. Why doesn't my car have such a feature?
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Post by ganews on Aug 13, 2021 21:56:11 GMT -5
As someone who is driving on mountain roads through neighborhoods with low, but different speed limits (15,19,25,35,45), I really would like something which functions sort of like cruise control, but just sets the maximum speed that my car will go. Rather than trying to maintain the appropriate level of gas, I could just press the gas pedal confident that my car would never exceed the top speed I had set. Why doesn't my car have such a feature? Because the gubmit would just use it to track you and throttle your speed and it's your god-given right to drive too fast for conditions. |
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Aug 14, 2021 11:42:45 GMT -5
As someone who is driving on mountain roads through neighborhoods with low, but different speed limits (15,19,25,35,45), I really would like something which functions sort of like cruise control, but just sets the maximum speed that my car will go. Rather than trying to maintain the appropriate level of gas, I could just press the gas pedal confident that my car would never exceed the top speed I had set. Why doesn't my car have such a feature? Because the gubmit would just use it to track you and throttle your speed and it's your god-given right to drive too fast for conditions. Yeah, but people are willing to do auto-drive, or whatever the current self-driving car is at. This would just be a subset where instead of the car controlling all aspects of what is going on, it just controls top speed, which you would set, and do not have to engage. |
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Post by 🐍 cahusserole 🐍 on Aug 14, 2021 14:12:28 GMT -5
Because the gubmit would just use it to track you and throttle your speed and it's your god-given right to drive too fast for conditions. Yeah, but people are willing to do auto-drive, or whatever the current self-driving car is at. This would just be a subset where instead of the car controlling all aspects of what is going on, it just controls top speed, which you would set, and do not have to engage. had something like this on Boaty, where I definitely stayed awake the whole time. |
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Post by ganews on Aug 14, 2021 15:22:28 GMT -5
Because the gubmit would just use it to track you and throttle your speed and it's your god-given right to drive too fast for conditions. Yeah, but people are willing to do auto-drive, or whatever the current self-driving car is at. This would just be a subset where instead of the car controlling all aspects of what is going on, it just controls top speed, which you would set, and do not have to engage. As I understand it current technologies only do things like parking and holding the lane. (While I personally would be happy to have a robot chauffeur, I have consistently stated that they will never be universally popular until you can program them to drive like a jerk.) |
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Aug 15, 2021 6:56:15 GMT -5
It does seem kind of odd to me—don’t you have to do a lot of medal-modulating anyway to go up hills or such anyway? Might there be cases where it helps to go to 30 to get up a hill but once you’re up there the sign indicates the safe speed is 25? In Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains, at least, successive curves can also have different speeds—is twisting a lever that easier than just paying attention to speeds and just getting a feel for what’s safe for your car? Either way it seems like you’d still need to be doing a lot with the gas pedal anyway. For the vast majority of places around here, the speed limit does not change based on the incline. For example, in our community, the speed limit is 19, regardless of whether you are going uphill or downhill. I end up going anywhere between 15 and 25, pressing and releasing the gas pedal, trying to maintain a speed around 19. I would just like to set my speed at 19, and not worry about it. Maybe it's just me. |
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Post by ganews on Dec 15, 2021 23:06:16 GMT -5
I can parallel park with my eyes closed, whether it's my Fit or my old Caprice. But I am somehow incapable of backing into slanted street parking and having the car go straight between the lines.
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Post by Powerthirteen on Dec 16, 2021 13:57:42 GMT -5
I can parallel park with my eyes closed, whether it's my Fit or my old Caprice. But I am somehow incapable of backing into slanted street parking and having the car go straight between the lines. There was a grocery store parking lot in Moscow that had slanted parking at an unusual angle and in eight years I never figured out how to get my car in those spots at the right angle. |
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Post by Floyd Diabolical Barber on Mar 1, 2022 19:11:20 GMT -5
I am finally starting on the brake upgrade on my 47 Willys jeep. I'm trying to get nuts and bolts with decades of rust broken loose without breaking anything. Lots of PB Blaster, cheater bars, a BFH, and a few busted knuckles so far. I may have to get out the torch next.
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Post by ganews on Mar 1, 2022 22:19:29 GMT -5
I have seen the most insane thing on the highway not once but three times since the year began: cars with a wheel at an insane camber. Both tilted out and tilted in. Not like some kind or racing mod, I mean like one single wheel on your SUV at an extreme angle like the axle is broken and the whole thing is about to fall apart. How is it even possible to drive like that, and at over 60 mph on the interstate?
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Post by Powerthirteen on Mar 7, 2022 15:22:25 GMT -5
I took my car out on Saturday to accomplish two regular car tasks: first, to get an oil change, and second, to go buy a new battery and install it because the battery I had was 7 years old and on death's door. Then, while I was waiting my turn at the oil change place, my battery finally gave up the ghost so completely that no amount of jump-starting could make it go, so I ended up buying a battery from the oil change place and having them install it right there in the waiting lane. Fun bonus: the battery they sold me cost $20 less than the cheapest compatible battery at the auto parts store.
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Mar 8, 2022 9:13:30 GMT -5
We need something bigger and want to buy my mom's Honda Pilot off of her. She's agreed, but only after she finds something new for herself. Either another Honda Pilot or, hmmm, I think Chevy Traverse was the other one.
Anyway, she's very particular about it, and due to the new car shortage she can't get what she wants. So we're stuck in waiting mode. This has been going on for a year.
Meanwhile they're still putting mile after mile on the Pilot. Grrr.
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on Apr 26, 2022 15:40:03 GMT -5
I'm starting to focus on finally replacing my ancient (15+ years old) car with something new. I think I mentioned before wanting an EV compact pickup, which doesn't exist. My father (who will shortly be living next door to me) reminded me he's buying a new (full sized) truck himself, so if I need to use a truck, I'll be able to use his. So I'm starting to abandon the "fictional truck" idea and instead looking at the currently EVs available.
The trouble is, in part, that this is a terrible time to want to buy a car. Plus, we're about to get a bunch of models that don't exist yet (though it's not entirely clear if or when they will exist). But I looked at what was available and narrowed it down to four, at least initially: two Hyundais (A Tucson plug-in Hybrid and the Ioniq 5), a Kia (the EV6), and the Mustang Mach-E. They've all got downsides:
The Tucson doesn't appear to be available anywhere. They make them in Montgomery, Alabama, which is only about 4 hours away, and they're not even available there. Plus, as a PHEV, I'd have to use gas at least some of the time; charging at work might keep me from needing to charge during a normal workday, but any heavy driving is likely going to extend beyond it's 33 mile electric-only range, which defeats the purpose of buying an EV.
The Ioniq 5 is available, at least sort of nearby, but is marked up over MSRP by at least $3300 everywhere I've looked. $6000 in some places. Which will likely make it either the most, or close to the most, expensive option. Plus, another problem with this and the Tucson (and the Kia), is that I've never heard of those cars having a great reputation for reliability. Along which lines...
The Mach-E is probably my front-runner right now, in part because there are at least four of them within an hour or so's drive, and none of them are marked up over MSRP. And two are close to base model, and the other two just add a package I was considering getting anyway. But you can't order them, and I may have to make a decision pretty quickly on those, in case someone else buys them. And Ford's reputation for reliability isn't the best right now either.
The EV6 actually has one in town I can test drive, but it's so jacked up that it costs $60k, plus it has a sun roof, which lowers the headroom from (low-end, but I'll make due" to "Not enough." (I'll add here that, while I'm not particularly tall [5'10", roughly], I'm short legs-long torso [29" inseam], so I need more headroom than the average person my height). Plus, the base model has a short range (232 miles), and to get the 300+ mile range costs an extra $7k. Which makes it more expensive than the Mach-E. Plus it's probably the manufacturer I'm the least enthusiastic about.
So anyway, just trying to organize my thoughts on this.
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Post by ganews on Apr 26, 2022 16:25:53 GMT -5
I'm generally committed to driving cars into the ground, especially when I'm getting 39 mpg at less than 250 miles/week with my 2007 Fit, but now that my rooftop solar panels are over-producing so much I would love to have an EV. Too bad there are no EVs with the Fit's magic seats. It's so hard to get estimates on the carbon footprint of vehicle production, I can't judge very well how truly beneficial it would be to swap an efficient ICE for a new EV.
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Post by nowimnothing on Apr 27, 2022 7:29:09 GMT -5
I'm starting to focus on finally replacing my ancient (15+ years old) car with something new. I think I mentioned before wanting an EV compact pickup, which doesn't exist. My father (who will shortly be living next door to me) reminded me he's buying a new (full sized) truck himself, so if I need to use a truck, I'll be able to use his. So I'm starting to abandon the "fictional truck" idea and instead looking at the currently EVs available. The trouble is, in part, that this is a terrible time to want to buy a car. Plus, we're about to get a bunch of models that don't exist yet (though it's not entirely clear if or when they will exist). But I looked at what was available and narrowed it down to four, at least initially: two Hyundais (A Tucson plug-in Hybrid and the Ioniq 5), a Kia (the EV6), and the Mustang Mach-E. They've all got downsides: The Tucson doesn't appear to be available anywhere. They make them in Montgomery, Alabama, which is only about 4 hours away, and they're not even available there. Plus, as a PHEV, I'd have to use gas at least some of the time; charging at work might keep me from needing to charge during a normal workday, but any heavy driving is likely going to extend beyond it's 33 mile electric-only range, which defeats the purpose of buying an EV. The Ioniq 5 is available, at least sort of nearby, but is marked up over MSRP by at least $3300 everywhere I've looked. $6000 in some places. Which will likely make it either the most, or close to the most, expensive option. Plus, another problem with this and the Tucson (and the Kia), is that I've never heard of those cars having a great reputation for reliability. Along which lines... The Mach-E is probably my front-runner right now, in part because there are at least four of them within an hour or so's drive, and none of them are marked up over MSRP. And two are close to base model, and the other two just add a package I was considering getting anyway. But you can't order them, and I may have to make a decision pretty quickly on those, in case someone else buys them. And Ford's reputation for reliability isn't the best right now either. The EV6 actually has one in town I can test drive, but it's so jacked up that it costs $60k, plus it has a sun roof, which lowers the headroom from (low-end, but I'll make due" to "Not enough." (I'll add here that, while I'm not particularly tall [5'10", roughly], I'm short legs-long torso [29" inseam], so I need more headroom than the average person my height). Plus, the base model has a short range (232 miles), and to get the 300+ mile range costs an extra $7k. Which makes it more expensive than the Mach-E. Plus it's probably the manufacturer I'm the least enthusiastic about. So anyway, just trying to organize my thoughts on this. There has been a real dearth of compact pickups. Hopefully the wild success of the Ford Maverick will lead to more along those lines. At least hybrids if not full electric. Personally I am hoping the hype around the Maverick dies down a bit and I can pick up a used one in a year or so. |
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on Apr 27, 2022 7:39:20 GMT -5
I'm starting to focus on finally replacing my ancient (15+ years old) car with something new. I think I mentioned before wanting an EV compact pickup, which doesn't exist. My father (who will shortly be living next door to me) reminded me he's buying a new (full sized) truck himself, so if I need to use a truck, I'll be able to use his. So I'm starting to abandon the "fictional truck" idea and instead looking at the currently EVs available. The trouble is, in part, that this is a terrible time to want to buy a car. Plus, we're about to get a bunch of models that don't exist yet (though it's not entirely clear if or when they will exist). But I looked at what was available and narrowed it down to four, at least initially: two Hyundais (A Tucson plug-in Hybrid and the Ioniq 5), a Kia (the EV6), and the Mustang Mach-E. They've all got downsides: The Tucson doesn't appear to be available anywhere. They make them in Montgomery, Alabama, which is only about 4 hours away, and they're not even available there. Plus, as a PHEV, I'd have to use gas at least some of the time; charging at work might keep me from needing to charge during a normal workday, but any heavy driving is likely going to extend beyond it's 33 mile electric-only range, which defeats the purpose of buying an EV. The Ioniq 5 is available, at least sort of nearby, but is marked up over MSRP by at least $3300 everywhere I've looked. $6000 in some places. Which will likely make it either the most, or close to the most, expensive option. Plus, another problem with this and the Tucson (and the Kia), is that I've never heard of those cars having a great reputation for reliability. Along which lines... The Mach-E is probably my front-runner right now, in part because there are at least four of them within an hour or so's drive, and none of them are marked up over MSRP. And two are close to base model, and the other two just add a package I was considering getting anyway. But you can't order them, and I may have to make a decision pretty quickly on those, in case someone else buys them. And Ford's reputation for reliability isn't the best right now either. The EV6 actually has one in town I can test drive, but it's so jacked up that it costs $60k, plus it has a sun roof, which lowers the headroom from (low-end, but I'll make due" to "Not enough." (I'll add here that, while I'm not particularly tall [5'10", roughly], I'm short legs-long torso [29" inseam], so I need more headroom than the average person my height). Plus, the base model has a short range (232 miles), and to get the 300+ mile range costs an extra $7k. Which makes it more expensive than the Mach-E. Plus it's probably the manufacturer I'm the least enthusiastic about. So anyway, just trying to organize my thoughts on this. There has been a real dearth of compact pickups. Hopefully the wild success of the Ford Maverick will lead to more along those lines. At least hybrids if not full electric. Personally I am hoping the hype around the Maverick dies down a bit and I can pick up a used one in a year or so. Yeah, if there was an electric Maverick I'd be in line for one already. |
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Post by nowimnothing on Apr 27, 2022 14:26:32 GMT -5
I'm generally committed to driving cars into the ground, especially when I'm getting 39 mpg at less than 250 miles/week with my 2007 Fit, but now that my rooftop solar panels are over-producing so much I would love to have an EV. Too bad there are no EVs with the Fit's magic seats. It's so hard to get estimates on the carbon footprint of vehicle production, I can't judge very well how truly beneficial it would be to swap an efficient ICE for a new EV. There were some estimates in this article today: arstechnica.com/cars/2022/04/new-ev-vs-old-beater-which-is-better-for-the-environment/?utm_brand=ars&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=ownedTL;DR "In two years, the EV will have caught up to the used car in terms of ecological footprint. After that, as with new gas cars, an EV surpasses it in efficiency for its entire life cycle." |
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on Apr 30, 2022 6:54:18 GMT -5
Update on my car purchasing woes: I've decided to punt. The RAV4 Prime (a PHEV I didn't mention earlier, but that might be the top option) isn't going to be available for 8-12 months, all of the MACH-Es in the area, that made it look like an appealing option, are the standard model with the low range (a distinction I didn't catch until I did some more digging), the Tucson PHEV doesn't have enough range for my daily drive on electric only reliably (and isn't available here anyway), and the Ioniq 5 and EV6 are both hard to get (easier than the others, but still hard) and as a result have massive dealer markups, and I'm simply not willing to pay a premium for a brand I don't have that much confidence in.
I'm honestly contemplating buying something old I like, like one of those 2002 revival Thunderbirds, and doing an EV conversion, but I wouldn't even know where to start with that.
Now let's hope my antique holds up.
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Post by Jean-Luc Lemur on May 1, 2022 15:32:45 GMT -5
Ben Grimm At least in CA EV conversion houses have very long wait times as well.
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on May 1, 2022 16:25:07 GMT -5
Ben Grimm At least in CA EV conversion houses have very long wait times as well. Doesn't surprise me. The trade-off is that there are some, there. I could only find one in all of Florida, and it's not nearby. |
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Post by ganews on May 27, 2022 7:54:22 GMT -5
It appears that my car is out of air conditioning coolant, though at least I don't hear any noise to suggest that the compressor is bad. I wonder how long I'll go before getting that refilled. I've also been meaning since last fall to replace these cheapo tires that have prematurely worn, but I was waiting for warm weather so I could sit outside while it's being done.
Anyone have any opinions on tire replacement and rotation? I am skeptical that any brand is significantly more reliable, and I am even more skeptical that rotating tires every 5-10k miles for $20 (unless you have your own driveway jacks) saves money - if you have a bad alignment or tie rod end, you should get that fixed instead seeking "even wear".
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on May 27, 2022 8:56:08 GMT -5
My car is still in very good shape - it's 9 years old with 87,000 miles on it, and no issues to speak of besides needing new brakes soonish. (knock on wood.) but the warranty will be up next year, and we're thinking about my next car a bit. A PHEV makes sense to us - I could use electric-only most weeks but still have the gas as a backup for longer trips. My husband currently has a Prius (just the regular hybrid, not an EV) and it's been good but the idea of not needing ANY gas in a standard week of mostly driving around town is very appealing.
(A fully electric car has been discussed, but there are times when we both need to drive longer distances, separately, so for us it wouldn't work quite as well to have one short-range car and one long-range car.)
My question - does anyone know - how long does the charge last on a PHEV? like, if it's fully charged Monday with a 50 mile electric range, and I drive about 30 miles over the course of the week, will the charge last that whole time? or would I need to plug it more often? That's not a deciding factor but I'm just not sure how it works.
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on May 29, 2022 17:01:46 GMT -5
My car is still in very good shape - it's 9 years old with 87,000 miles on it, and no issues to speak of besides needing new brakes soonish. (knock on wood.) but the warranty will be up next year, and we're thinking about my next car a bit. A PHEV makes sense to us - I could use electric-only most weeks but still have the gas as a backup for longer trips. My husband currently has a Prius (just the regular hybrid, not an EV) and it's been good but the idea of not needing ANY gas in a standard week of mostly driving around town is very appealing. (A fully electric car has been discussed, but there are times when we both need to drive longer distances, separately, so for us it wouldn't work quite as well to have one short-range car and one long-range car.) My question - does anyone know - how long does the charge last on a PHEV? like, if it's fully charged Monday with a 50 mile electric range, and I drive about 30 miles over the course of the week, will the charge last that whole time? or would I need to plug it more often? That's not a deciding factor but I'm just not sure how it works. It depends on a bunch of factors. The PHEVs don't just use gas when the battery is drained - a lot of them will use it when they need more power (like going uphill), for example, and speed and temperature and some other factors can affect it. If you have a PHEV with a 50 mile range (which is high for a PHEV; some have as low as 17), you'll probably want to plug it in every night, but even if you only drive 10 miles a day, and charge it every night, you're still liable to use some gas just driving around. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on May 29, 2022 17:15:25 GMT -5
My car is still in very good shape - it's 9 years old with 87,000 miles on it, and no issues to speak of besides needing new brakes soonish. (knock on wood.) but the warranty will be up next year, and we're thinking about my next car a bit. A PHEV makes sense to us - I could use electric-only most weeks but still have the gas as a backup for longer trips. My husband currently has a Prius (just the regular hybrid, not an EV) and it's been good but the idea of not needing ANY gas in a standard week of mostly driving around town is very appealing. (A fully electric car has been discussed, but there are times when we both need to drive longer distances, separately, so for us it wouldn't work quite as well to have one short-range car and one long-range car.) My question - does anyone know - how long does the charge last on a PHEV? like, if it's fully charged Monday with a 50 mile electric range, and I drive about 30 miles over the course of the week, will the charge last that whole time? or would I need to plug it more often? That's not a deciding factor but I'm just not sure how it works. It depends on a bunch of factors. The PHEVs don't just use gas when the battery is drained - a lot of them will use it when they need more power (like going uphill), for example, and speed and temperature and some other factors can affect it. If you have a PHEV with a 50 mile range (which is high for a PHEV; some have as low as 17), you'll probably want to plug it in every night, but even if you only drive 10 miles a day, and charge it every night, you're still liable to use some gas just driving around. Sure, that was just an example, but we’re looking at either the Ioniq or Prius plug in, I guess those are closer to 30 electric miles. Still less gas than I’d use otherwise. But the cost of electricity is a slight factor too. also, to clarify, I only drive ~2 miles some days! 2-5 is pretty normal over a weekday. |
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Post by Ben Grimm on May 29, 2022 17:53:03 GMT -5
It depends on a bunch of factors. The PHEVs don't just use gas when the battery is drained - a lot of them will use it when they need more power (like going uphill), for example, and speed and temperature and some other factors can affect it. If you have a PHEV with a 50 mile range (which is high for a PHEV; some have as low as 17), you'll probably want to plug it in every night, but even if you only drive 10 miles a day, and charge it every night, you're still liable to use some gas just driving around. Sure, that was just an example, but we’re looking at either the Ioniq or Prius plug in, I guess those are closer to 30 electric miles. Still less gas than I’d use otherwise. But the cost of electricity is a slight factor too. also, to clarify, I only drive ~2 miles some days! 2-5 is pretty normal over a weekday. For you, if you're not driving too fast, and it's not too hilly, I suspect you won't use any gas in a typical week with a PHEV, as long as you keep it charged. |
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Post by ganews on Aug 8, 2022 11:02:58 GMT -5
I finally got around to getting the coolant recharged for my car AC after noticing in May it was getting cold. Feel like luxury.
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