what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[Badger]

I still do my own, but take my DW's car into various places. One put double gaskets on the oil filter and it blew oil all over before she even got out of the lot. A different place overfilled the oil by a couple of quarts and blew out the PCV valve. Still waiting for the ever popular stripped out drain plug - zip -zip with an air gun.

There is an OilDrainValve at a dot net site that I've been considering. It would make quick work of DIY since I spend most of the time getting up and down off the ground. I like to change the oil myself since I have more control over the choice of oil and the quality of the service.

Cheers!

 

[travelover]

There is an OilDrainValve at a dot net site that I've been considering. It would make quick work of DIY since I spend most of the time getting up and down off the ground. I like to change the oil myself since I have more control over the choice of oil and the quality of the service.

Cheers!

You can change it through the dip stick hole. That's how it is done in some boats, so you don't need a scuba diver to take out the drain plug.

 

[W2R]

Ordered a 4-channel radio control helicopter with gyro stabilizer from Amazon. I can't believe how inexpensive some electronics stuff is now. So now I'll have a neat toy to play with on Christmas Day. And maybe I can get skilled enough to work up to a 6-channel one. Those are not for helo beginners like me.

Poor DW went to Toy "R" Us (by herself fortunately) to get some requested items for the grandnieces. Even on a Monday it was a madhouse there.

That helicopter sounds like a very neat toy to play with on Christmas Day! You are going to have such fun with it.

Since I have not exchanged gifts with anyone but my daughter on Christmas for many years, I, too, have a custom of buying myself a Christmas present at this time of year, so that I don't go into PLOM (Poor Little Old Me) mode during the holidays.

This year I decided to finally order a luxury item from Amazon that I have never had... a huge (gigantic!), soft, luxurious, high end terry-cloth bathrobe. When I was more in LBYM mode, I just figured that a robe wasn't a necessity. I cannot tell you how much I have been enjoying lounging about in it every day for several hours. So, that is what I am doing these days. Soooo decadent!

 

[aja8888]

You can change it through the dip stick hole. That's how it is done in some boats, so you don't need a scuba diver to take out the drain plug.

I have been doing the topside oil change for years now. This is very typical for German cars like Mercedes, BMW and VW. Just get a Pella or MityVac like this:



On many foreign cars (not Asian) the oil filter is topside.

 

[pb4uski]

You can change it through the dip stick hole. That's how it is done in some boats, so you don't need a scuba diver to take out the drain plug.

+1 I was just thinking the same thing. The will always be a bit of residual old oil, but shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[aja8888]

+1 I was just thinking the same thing. The will always be a bit of residual old oil, but shouldn't be a big deal.

Even with bottom side oil changes, there remains a bit of oil in oil passages, on top of the cylinder head in cast gulleys, in the sump of the oil cooler, in the turbo feed line, etc. You never get it all, but today's modern synthetic oils are good for 10,000+ miles (or longer).

 

[twolfy]

Shoveled snow twice

 

[Walt34]

I have been doing the topside oil change for years now. This is very typical for German cars like Mercedes, BMW and VW. Just get a Pella or MityVac like this:

Does that take significantly longer? Or do you pump a vacuum into the cylinder and let it take however long it takes? I just wonder how long it takes to get all the oil through a tube thin enough to go in the dipstick hole.

 

[travelover]

Does that take significantly longer? Or do you pump a vacuum into the cylinder and let it take however long it takes? I just wonder how long it takes to get all the oil through a tube thin enough to go in the dipstick hole.

If the oil was hot, it would flow like water.

 

[Meadbh]

what did you do today?

After a long but fascinating day exploring Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza yesterday, I arrived "home" at the resort about 9 pm, heated up and ate the leftover pasta dish I had made on Sunday, appreciated the fact that my suite has a kitchen, and crawled into bed at 10 pm. Slept late this morning, did laundry, and took the bus to Playa Del Carmen. After exploring the beachfront and the town I found a nice restaurant for lunch. Torrential rain began, and since I did not have an umbrella, I waited it out with a Modelo (Mexican beer) at a covered patio bar, which rapidly filled with soaking shoppers. When the rain died down I did some shopping for Mexican Christmas ornaments, which will make great gifts if I can bear to part with them! Then to the bus for the trip back to my resort, where I am relaxing on the balcony as I write. It has been raining very heavily for two days, which is quite unusual. People are attributing this to global warming.

Felix Navidad!

 

[pb4uski]

-20F when we got up this morning and the highs for the day were low single digits so I filled up the woodstove and hunkered in for the day. Did go out about 3pm to get the mail, check the propane level and make sure the car would start. All ok.

Made our HSA contributions for 2013 and sketched out our taxes and how much of a Roth conversion I can do and still stay in the 15% bracket. Still deciding how close I want to cut it in case something unexpected comes in or I get audited and pushed over the 15% bracket. If I go over I'll pay 41% between federal and state income taxes on any overage.

 

[bbbamI]

Made four pounds of chocolate fudge and four dozen chocolate chip cookies yesterday. All were loaded with pecans.

Today I mailed half to my dad and haven't touched any of the remaining goodies.

Dang this diet anyhow.

 

[aja8888]

Does that take significantly longer? Or do you pump a vacuum into the cylinder and let it take however long it takes? I just wonder how long it takes to get all the oil through a tube thin enough to go in the dipstick hole.

With hot oil, and the MityVac pumped a few times, the oil gets sucked into the tall cylinder in a few minutes. Then you can pull the suction tube out, push a valve on the MityVac and direct the collected oil into a jug (through the tube) for eventual recycling.

 

[ls99]

So far, woke up then got up. That is always good start. Started a fire in the stove. Played string with the cat. While having breakfest watched the snow flit about in all direction in the wind, and the birds taking turns at the feeder.

Then watched DW head for her usual wednesday swim. Now fiddling with this forum and warching the snow swirl about. Soon will grab my skate bag and head of the skating rink.

Whew, and it is not even ten AM yet.

 

[MBAustin]

Did my usual morning 2-mile walk for the first time in a while, beautiful day and it felt great to be out there.

After breakfast, finished a small scrapbook album for my mother, and then finished wrapping and packing gifts. After lunch (leftover chicken curry), took them to the PO to mail. My LBYM sensibilities were disturbed since I had to ship them $$priority mail$$ (didn't get to shop and wrap last week as we were out of town with DFIL who had a stroke, so at least it wasn't just laziness).

Replaced the electronic igniter in the gas grill - many thanks to the helpful guy who posted a step-by-step video on YouTube. Made hotel reservations for Christmas visit to DH's family and plane reservations to go see my mother the following week.

Think I've done enough for the day...

 

[Ronstar]

Went to 3 post offices before I found one that was open. And I finished my third ice cream scoop - gifts to the girls at work.

 

[Al in Ohio]

Installed dishwasher and baseboards in the bedrooms for the guest cabin we're building. Nearly done and a good thing, first guests here next week!

Dishwasher install in a bedroom? Your guests must be heavy sleepers.

 

[F4mandolin]

Had a realtor come in to see about giving us a value on the house. It was like talking to a politician. We kept telling him we needed his "best" guess at what he thought the place was worth......and just like all the politicians on tv he just kept going on about you never know what someone will offer. We have another coming on Friday, same person we went through when we bought the place so we think she is relaxed enough to just give us the answers to our questions. Very iffy on whether we can get enough so we can move back to the UK. Not a hardship though....we like the house and if the numbers don't work out we will just enjoy another couple of years here before we check into it again.

 

[ls99]

Had a realtor come in to see about giving us a value on the house. It was like talking to a politician. We kept telling him we needed his "best" guess at what he thought the place was worth......and just like all the politicians on tv he just kept going on about you never know what someone will offer. We have another coming on Friday, same person we went through when we bought the place so we think she is relaxed enough to just give us the answers to our questions. Very iffy on whether we can get enough so we can move back to the UK. Not a hardship though....we like the house and if the numbers don't work out we will just enjoy another couple of years here before we check into it again.

I have bught and sold several houses which I lived in. I never ever asked a realtor to give me a value, unless I had prior information.. Always hired an independent party to assess market value.

I learned from the trial lawyers: never ask a question unless you know what the answers is, or have a good understanding of the range of answers which are valid.

Once I had the info in hand, then would interview realtors to see who I wanted to hire to sell. Always required the realtor to provide a marketing plan and as part of that plan a proposed asking price. Most were clueless about marketing plan and highballed the value to get the listing.

 

[Theseus]

Been off work recuperating from a minor surgery, aka "practicing retirement". Getting along well enough now to do some minor tasks around the house that I just didn’t seem to find the time for before. Spent the morning setting up my decades old, but still magnificent Bose Series III speakers to my “new” receiver that was purchased specifically because it has the capability of utilizing the Bose equalizer.

Awesome – first music played was a CD with some old Christmas music, Bing Crosby, etc. Second – Janis Joplin hits. What really struck me, and me realize how time sneaks by us at an amazing rate of speed – the last time those speakers had been powered up, the Internet wasn’t anywhere near mainstream yet. No emails, online shopping, or need for computer security software…

Ahhh – time to crank up the volume and sit back in my comfy chair!

 

[F4mandolin]

ls99- Kind of agree. I was "hoping" that the guy would give me something better than he did. I do plan on the lady coming tomorrow to give me a good decent answer. We had used her when we bought this house and she was very upfront with us on her opinions of things. More "laid-back" if you will. Seems like the realtors are one or the other.....either laid-back or very pushy...nothing in the middle. Probably like car salesmen as well. One technique works better on some people and not the other. If she can give us a decent answer tomorrow I will call the other guy and tell him not to bother coming back on Saturday. Anybody I can't get a straight answer from isn't going to do us any good for the decision we have to make before then end of the year.

 

[aja8888]

ls99- Kind of agree. I was "hoping" that the guy would give me something better than he did. I do plan on the lady coming tomorrow to give me a good decent answer. We had used her when we bought this house and she was very upfront with us on her opinions of things. More "laid-back" if you will. Seems like the realtors are one or the other.....either laid-back or very pushy...nothing in the middle. Probably like car salesmen as well. One technique works better on some people and not the other. If she can give us a decent answer tomorrow I will call the other guy and tell him not to bother coming back on Saturday. Anybody I can't get a straight answer from isn't going to do us any good for the decision we have to make before then end of the year.

House pricing is generally dependent on comparable sales in your area. A good realtor should provide you with a summary of sold and active listings and price per square foot data. Then you can add or subtract upgrades, problems, deficiencies, etc. to come up with a ballpark price.

On thing we do (I have bought and sold 10 houses in my life) is make a written list of pluses and minues about your house and look at that when working on an opening price. Always be prepared to knock off a few % from the asking price.

Realtors are in this game to make sales as that's how they get paid. Title companies handle the real stuff. You are really on your own when it comes to making a deal as the realtor just wants the deal to happen.

 

[pb4uski]

DW found a good deal on one-day ski tickets at one of the local ski areas and today was the best weather day between now and when they expired so we took our first ski day of the season. Conditions were ok. Real good where they had made snow but a little bony on the intermediate and expert trails that only had natural snow. Forecast is for snow or rain over the next couple days - I hope they get snow - they could use it to improve conditions before the Christmas holiday rush.

 

[Hermit]

DW found a good deal on one-day ski tickets at one of the local ski areas and today was the best weather day between now and when they expired so we took our first ski day of the season. Conditions were ok. Real good where they had made snow but a little bony on the intermediate and expert trails that only had natural snow. Forecast is for sone or rain over the next couple days - I hope they get snow - they could use it to improve conditions before the Christmas holiday rush.

It must have been fun, even if not the best conditions. I got to ski in Colorado just before Thanksgiving. First time out west in over 10 years. Not much of the mountain was open, but the conditions were just wonderful. I'm hooked again. I'll be getting a season pass when I get moved out there for next winter.

 

[F4mandolin]

House pricing is generally dependent on comparable sales in your area. A good realtor should provide you with a summary of sold and active listings and price per square foot data. Then you can add or subtract upgrades, problems, deficiencies, etc. to come up with a ballpark price.

On thing we do (I have bought and sold 10 houses in my life) is make a written list of pluses and minues about your house and look at that when working on an opening price. Always be prepared to knock off a few % from the asking price.

Realtors are in this game to make sales as that's how they get paid. Title companies handle the real stuff. You are really on your own when it comes to making a deal as the realtor just wants the deal to happen.

Problem for us is we have a wild card issue.....we have a great view.... what's that worth? No idea.