Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[mlin32]

Headlights for the GTI came today, so spent the two worst hours of my life installing them. 

I'll spare you all the details, but you know what it's like: stupid, awkward little connectors and no room to work; need to use two hands, but there's no room; need to see what you're doing, but can't because your two hands are in the way. Goddamn I hate frustrating like that. 

Makes changing the lights on my E90 seem easy in comparison. And keep in mind, I do all my work in the car park next to my appartment.

[HeliDriver]

Fack. Just watched a video about removing the front bumper on the GTI: just a few screws and no big deal. Definitely should have done that. 

Funny, but I thought it was more involved than that. Pretty sure I took it off a couple years ago for front end work in the garage, but guess I forgot how easy it was.

[rrocket]

Fack. Just watched a video about removing the front bumper on the GTI: just a few screws and no big deal. Definitely should have done that. 

Funny, but I thought it was more involved than that. Pretty sure I took it off a couple years ago for front end work in the garage, but guess I forgot how easy it was.

Most bumper covers are pretty easy peasy IMO.

[rrocket]

My previous 9006 LED yellow fog/driving lights haven't turned out as I wanted.  https://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php?topic=83295.msg1196729#msg1196729

 The LEDs were white, but there was a film on the bulb end that was yellow.  That seems to have worn away, so now the lights are white.  Light is still bright, but I want yellow. So I purchased a new set.  I'm hoping for a better result this time.

If anyone wants to buy my "old" ones, please drop me a line.

These are the new ones:

[mmret]

Ordered a map update DVD for the Lexus...

Isn't yours an LS430?

Why not just use the phone? Surely must be better than 15 year old nav, even with new maps.

Unless you're going to say that Lexus is so awesome that their 15 year old electronics are superior to that $1k phone in your pocket.

[rrocket]

Ordered a map update DVD for the Lexus...

Isn't yours an LS430?

Why not just use the phone? Surely must be better than 15 year old nav, even with new maps.

Unless you're going to say that Lexus is so awesome that their 15 year old electronics are superior to that $1k phone in your pocket.

Cell phone uses data.  Also, I travel frequently in the USA.  And data costs are killer.  Though you can download off-line areas in Google maps now..and I've done so.

I didn't think spending $8 for the latest DVD was too costly to do.  So I bought it.

[mmret]

Ordered a map update DVD for the Lexus...

Isn't yours an LS430?

Why not just use the phone? Surely must be better than 15 year old nav, even with new maps.

Unless you're going to say that Lexus is so awesome that their 15 year old electronics are superior to that $1k phone in your pocket.

Cell phone uses data.  Also, I travel frequently in the USA.  And data costs are killer.  Though you can download off-line areas in Google maps now..and I've done so.

I didn't think spending $8 for the latest DVD was too costly to do.  So I bought it.

$8! That's awesome. Must be a multiple use kind?

I think Honda moved to VIN locked nav updates. So it's a hundred bucks or something stupid. And of course the nav system is so awful that I don't even bother using it today.

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[tpl]

Audi updates are very expensive...partially I'm told because the car gets to sit in a service bay for a couple of hours.  Next car will use the phone integrated with CarPlay.

[tortoise]

Had a new exhaust put in the truck.  So, so much quieter.

[rrocket]

Ordered a map update DVD for the Lexus...

Isn't yours an LS430?

Why not just use the phone? Surely must be better than 15 year old nav, even with new maps.

Unless you're going to say that Lexus is so awesome that their 15 year old electronics are superior to that $1k phone in your pocket.

Cell phone uses data.  Also, I travel frequently in the USA.  And data costs are killer.  Though you can download off-line areas in Google maps now..and I've done so.

I didn't think spending $8 for the latest DVD was too costly to do.  So I bought it.

$8! That's awesome. Must be a multiple use kind?

I think Honda moved to VIN locked nav updates. So it's a hundred bucks or something stupid. And of course the nav system is so awful that I don't even bother using it today.

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Yea.  Multiple use.  People get the update, then they sell the disc.  Rinse, repeat.

[BWII]

I put the block heater cord back tucked under the hood. 

[Fobroader]

I put the block heater cord back tucked under the hood. 

Hahhahahaha.....the official first day of spring on the prairies....."I put the block heater extension cord back in the garage"  Small victories.

[Arthur Dent]

I am thinking of taking my winter tires off tonight - so if we get a snow storm you will know who is responsible.

[Fobroader]

I am thinking of taking my winter tires off tonight - so if we get a snow storm you will know who is responsible.

You fool, you'll kill us all!!!!!

[rrocket]

Had my tires Road Force balanced because the nitwits didn't do it..

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[mlin32]

I had an excellent session  in the 325i from valley to the Parkway. About 20km of winding road up the Blue Ridge, that gets progressively tighter and steeper after meandering along the rivière. I was cornering faster than I normally do on my bike, although that's simply because I'm timid around blind corners on 2-wheels. The 325i sport is still a fun, willing, and extremely capable car.

Just finished a MTB/DH ride in the forest, didn't plan on doing a spirited drive. "I'll just go up a few km, then U-turn." Well, the car in front of me was on a quick pace, so I tagged along. There were no other cars, and I was having a good time. Eventually I gave the other driver room, then went full out the last, steepest 8-10km where the ø grade = 7% and it climbs to 1350m.

For the entire 20km, the quick, active steering was spot on. I was deftly balancing the throttle, brake (left foot), and controls, blipping the throttle for downshifts as I entered corners at speed and tucked the car in. ContiSportContact 3s stuck like glue, suspension never left its firm set.....it was excellent. 

Then the transmission cried uncle.

I overheated the transmission. Last 3km or so till the top, smelled something burning that wasn't motor oil. At the top...."Ding!" and the gear indicator disappeared along a the gearbox warning in amber. Car went into limp mode, so I pulled it over onto one of overlooks to give it a minute. The lever wouldn't budge from Park ("Nein ! Noch nicht, lass mich noch weiter in ruhe !"). So I turned off the car, snapped some pictures, restarted the car a few min later and drove home on the Parkway with no further ill effect.  I even tunnel blasted

First time I'd ever done that to a gearbox. It's okay, the car's got 214k km and I don't think any car would be happy being driven 3500 - 7000 1/min for 20km on end at that age.

[rrocket]

If tranny got that hot, the fluid likely needs replacing. With a quality synthetic.

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[mlin32]

If tranny got that hot, the fluid likely needs replacing. With a quality synthetic.

But I just had it replaced @150k........mountains are hard on cars, but its only been 65k. The indy shop should have replaced it with the ZF-specific fluid since it's the ZF 6HP19 gearbox (as opposed to the GM one which is more flexible on oils).

[Firm]

I am with Rocket on that....If that car has a proper dipstick for the tranny (I am guessing it doesn't?) I bet that fluid looks brown and smells burnt. For what it's worth, why wouldn't you change it to be certain anyway? Especially if your going to drive the car like that. Plus, 65K isn't exactly fresh fluid...

[Firm]

As for me. It was reasonably warm and still daylight when I got home from work, so I tackled the brakes in the Escalade. Took my time since it's the first time doing it on this thing...4 hours start to finish, not bad I guess, got it done before the weekend of rain. Used Wagner coated rotors and Thermo Quiet ceramic pads, same combo I run on most of the f-bodies. No pics because it was dark, but after bedding and a shot test drive I noticed the pedal seems firmer and the initial bite is a lot more confident that the old setup. Best of all, no more shudder!

Then I jockied the parking around so I can work on the T/A in the garage tomorrow. Driving it this week I noticed that the backlights for the speedo are burnt out.....well, one has been burnt out for ages, but the other just recently went out, so now it's a problem because I can't see the speedo at night at all!