Saving on vehicle costs

[imoldernu]

This may be off topic, but the part about the Prius battery needing voltage, to start charging reminds me of a similar situation, with my 36v 6 battery (older) Club Car golf cart... Last year, after 7 months away from FL, I asked a friend to put a charge in the cart. He wrote back, that my charger wouldn't work... Hmmm.. that's a $300 bill for a used charger... Sure enough, when I tried it myself... nada... Last ditch stand... used my 12V car charger to put a minimal charge into 2 batteries at a time, just to be able to move the cart. VOILA! Last ditch try to used the cart charger... Perfect... Seems the circuit in the charger requires some minimum charge to trigger the automatic cycle.

And one more... re: safety... five years ago, after charging the cart batteries on a hot day... decided to tighten the cable terminals with pliers. Oooops... BIG BOOM... knocked me on my tail, singed my eyebrows, and sent the plastic battery caps into the air, to land about 100 ft. away and bulged the sides of two batteries.... 36 volts and high amps, cause a big hot spark, and nitrogen gas is pretty powerful. Nothing like a personal experience to learn a lesson.

 

[travelover]

...... nitrogen gas is pretty powerful. ........

I think it might have been hydrogen.

 

[imoldernu]

One more... about the trunk... My 96 SLS has an electric automatic "pull down", where after lowering the lid to the switch, it draws down to the lock position. Anyway, it stopped working, so I had to adjust the catch to engage mechanically and use the key to open.
I figured out why the pulldown motor wouldn't work and decided to change it back to electric. Problem is, the adjustment... Got stuck and no way to open with the key. Finally got it open again and decided to go back to manual... Have no idea, how to open the trunk when the catch adjustment is stuck... Can't get through the back seat. Cadillac forums don't address this problem.
Can opener?

 

[imoldernu]

I think it might have been hydrogen.

How kind you were to put it that way... :

It's the steady descent into AZ...

 

[Finance Dave]

16. This one is for the mechanically inclined…and I don’t think a shop would ever do this for you. When you buy a brand new or used car…take a tiny drill bit (perhaps 1/32”), and drill a tiny “weep” hole in the lower edge of the back part of the muffler casing. Mufflers typically rust out from the inside…when you start your car and drive it, the air in the exhaust is humid, and the exhaust system is not hot enough to burn off any condensate…so the water settles out near the back of the muffler and rusts it. I have an 11-year old car with 80,000 miles on it, and the muffler is nowhere near being rusted out because I did this 11 years ago. I have a high performance car with 2 mufflers that are 16 years old each…and they are not rusted at all (to be fair, this is a very low mileage car). Over time you’ll see a small black line running down from this hole…this is the water condensation carrying soot out…and this is normal…it means the hole is working.

 

[Finance Dave]

P.S. I only have about 6 topics remaining in my "library". If there's something else you'd like me to talk about, say so and I'll address if it's a topic I know something about.

I was considering a list of trivia points about cars...sort of a list of little known facts.

 

[travelover]

P.S. I only have about 6 topics remaining in my "library". If there's something else you'd like me to talk about, say so and I'll address if it's a topic I know something about.

I was considering a list of trivia points about cars...sort of a list of little known facts.

I'd like to hear more about brakes - it is probably one of your remaining topics. Turn rotors or just replace? How to tell a good new rotor from a bad one. Ceramic vs organic pads. How to keep calipers sliding properly on pins. Change brake fluid and on what interval? Interpreting pad wear.

 

[Finance Dave]

I'd like to hear more about brakes - it is probably one of your remaining topics. Turn rotors or just replace? How to tell a good new rotor from a bad one. Ceramic vs organic pads. How to keep calipers sliding properly on pins. Change brake fluid and on what interval? Interpreting pad wear.

ok I'll add it to the list. That'll be one of the longer topics and keep in mind if you're messing with brakes, you're messing with your ability to stop a 3,500 pound vehicle.

 

[Finance Dave]

I'd like to hear more about brakes - it is probably one of your remaining topics. Turn rotors or just replace? How to tell a good new rotor from a bad one. Ceramic vs organic pads. How to keep calipers sliding properly on pins. Change brake fluid and on what interval? Interpreting pad wear.

Wow, after looking at your list a bit more...are you studying to be an auto tech? lol.

It will be difficult to describe all that without a full photo writeup. My Honda CRV will need brakes next spring if you're willing to wait.

Seriously though...I'll give you something before that...just realize there are a thousand small details difficult to explain in a forum.

 

[Finance Dave]

17. Advice for taking your car to a shop? Don’t ever tell a technician what you want fixed on your car. Their job is to diagnose and fix a symptom.

Wrong: “Please align my car…it needs it.”

Right: “My car has a vibration at 55 mph…can you fix that for me please?”

If you tell the mechanic what to do, and he/she does it, and your symptom remains, you have no one to blame but yourself. Instead of saying “I need a brake job”, say “My brakes are squealing each time I press the pedal, can you look at it and tell me what I need?” See the difference? It’s not always the case that squealing brakes mean you need a brake job…and you may end up spending money unnecessarily.

 

[travelover]

ok I'll add it to the list. That'll be one of the longer topics and keep in mind if you're messing with brakes, you're messing with your ability to stop a 3,500 pound vehicle.

Whether you do the work yourself or have it done, you still need to make informed decisions. Is the cheap repair shop giving you Chinese rotors that will warp right away? Should you agree to a brake flush or are you being ripped off? What all tasks should be included in a good brake job - are they just replacing pads and not doing the complete procedure? How do you know if you got good pads?

Saving money on repairs is also about making good choices, as all repairs and replacement parts are not of the same quality.

 

[Finance Dave]

Whether you do the work yourself or have it done, you still need to make informed decisions. Is the cheap repair shop giving you Chinese rotors that will warp right away? Should you agree to a brake flush or are you being ripped off? What all tasks should be included in a good brake job - are they just replacing pads and not doing the complete procedure? How do you know if you got good pads?

Saving money on repairs is also about making good choices, as all repairs and replacement parts are not of the same quality.

I'll be sure to include those things.

 

[MBAustin]

17. Advice for taking your car to a shop? Don’t ever tell a technician what you want fixed on your car. Their job is to diagnose and fix a symptom.

Wrong: “Please align my car…it needs it.”

Right: “My car has a vibration at 55 mph…can you fix that for me please?”

If you tell the mechanic what to do, and he/she does it, and your symptom remains, you have no one to blame but yourself. Instead of saying “I need a brake job”, say “My brakes are squealing each time I press the pedal, can you look at it and tell me what I need?” See the difference? It’s not always the case that squealing brakes mean you need a brake job…and you may end up spending money unnecessarily.

Excellent suggestion! Thanks!

 

[EllisWyatt]

Getting ready to take the 2001 Suburban on a 3,000 mi round trip, so took it to the shop and asked out trusted mechanic to make sure it's road worthy.

He recommended replacing the brakes as they are showing wear - 60% on the front, 70% on the back. This will be the first brake job the vehicle has had - I know, 'cuz we 've owned it since it was new.

The vehicle just passed 268,000 miles.

Told him to replace with factory originals, as we're trying to reach 500,000 miles.

So my input on how to save money is get a good vehicle, drive gently, and be VERY lucky

 

[pb4uski]

Here's a question for you. I live in New England and the road crews typically apply salt to the roads. Some people have their undercarriages coated with oil to prevent rust. I have never done this and it has never been a problem, however I recently moved and am now on a dirt road and noticed that my truck is starting to exhibit signs of undercarriage rust. I'm considering having my car (2008 Subaru) undercoated. What do you think? Good idea or waste of money (costs ~$50-70 once a year or every other year)

 

[Nords]

This one is for the mechanically inclined…and I don’t think a shop would ever do this for you. When you buy a brand new or used car…take a tiny drill bit (perhaps 1/32”), and drill a tiny “weep” hole in the lower edge of the back part of the muffler casing.
Over time you’ll see a small black line running down from this hole…this is the water condensation carrying soot out…and this is normal…it means the hole is working.

I've seen that on the original muffler on our '97 Altima. Thanks. Now I'll have to see if it's on our Priuses.

 

[kumquat]

Does electricity leak out the exhaust?

 

[kumquat]

Whether you do the work yourself or have it done, you still need to make informed decisions. Is the cheap repair shop giving you Chinese rotors that will warp right away? Should you agree to a brake flush or are you being ripped off? What all tasks should be included in a good brake job - are they just replacing pads and not doing the complete procedure? How do you know if you got good pads?

Saving money on repairs is also about making good choices, as all repairs and replacement parts are not of the same quality.

I can't agree more. I do my own repairs. However, by doing my own, I take responsibility for the quality of the parts. Quality varies. If you can't figure the quality of the parts are you sure you trust your labour?

While I think (for most people) finding a good honest shop is a geat idea, I'm not sure it will happen. Let me rephrase that, they are there but hard to find. I've always been able to do my own repairs. I've always been willing to do them if necessary. Mostly it has been necessary. YMMV

This is a bit of an opinionated post from someone who can and does do it himself. You may not have the time, skills or place to do it. If you can, do. It saves a lot. If you can't, don't try. You may end up dead.

 

[pb4uski]

I think the key to doing your own repairs is knowing when you are over your head (or the repair requires an expensive special tool that you don't have) and then turning to a pro.

+1 on the suggestion if you have an issue and take it to the shop to describe the symptoms/problem and not steer the shop as to what repairs are needed.

 

[travelover]

I think the key to doing your own repairs is knowing when you are over your head (or the repair requires an expensive special tool that you don't have) and then turning to a pro.
..........

I agree, but was recently surprised by how easy it is to borrow specialized tools. I paid $350 to have an inner tie rod replaced. When the one on the other side went bad, I bought a brand name part for $35 on Amazon and borrowed an inner tie rod tool from the auto parts store (free) and changed out the part in 45 minutes. I will still need an $80 alignment, but the savings were significant.

 

[Dancer373]

Someone told me that using "better" gas with less ethynol (Shell, BP, Citgo) would improve gas mileage. I would love to hear some opinions........

 

[pb4uski]

IIRC ethanol does produce less energy than gasoline, so an ethanol blend would get lower mileage than pure gasoline. However, the key question is whether benefit of the increase in mileage exceeds the higher cost of pure gasoline compared to an ethanol blend.

 

[bld999]

Getting ready to take the 2001 Suburban on a 3,000 mi round trip, so took it to the shop and asked out trusted mechanic to make sure it's road worthy.

He recommended replacing the brakes as they are showing wear - 60% on the front, 70% on the back. This will be the first brake job the vehicle has had - I know, 'cuz we 've owned it since it was new.

The vehicle just passed 268,000 miles.

Told him to replace with factory originals, as we're trying to reach 500,000 miles.

So my input on how to save money is get a good vehicle, drive gently, and be VERY lucky

Come on! you got to account for all the shoe leather you went thru dragging your feet instead of using your brakes!

 

[NW-Bound]

I am willing to bet that I will never need to replace the brakes in my motorhome. As it is driven mostly outside of cities and with speed maintained as constant as possible for better gas mileage, its brakes are used much less than in normal cars.

 

[ERD50]

Getting ready to take the 2001 Suburban on a 3,000 mi round trip, so took it to the shop and asked out trusted mechanic to make sure it's road worthy.

He recommended replacing the brakes as they are showing wear - 60% on the front, 70% on the back. This will be the first brake job the vehicle has had - I know, 'cuz we 've owned it since it was new.

The vehicle just passed 268,000 miles.

Told him to replace with factory originals, as we're trying to reach 500,000 miles.

So my input on how to save money is get a good vehicle, drive gently, and be VERY lucky

Come on! you got to account for all the shoe leather you went thru dragging your feet instead of using your brakes!

I've never heard of 268,000 miles on a set of brakes. Even with a high % of highway, and downshifting, that's a lot.

So why get them replaced at 60%/70% worn? Even with a 10% buffer, an added 20% wear would get you another 53,000 miles. Your 3,000 mile trip is nothing.

-ERD50