Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[rrocket]

Alignment and LEDs in my license plate bulbs.

Yes, exciting stuff!

[mrthompson]

Brake service, alignment, new Michelin Defender tires.   

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yeah, I always used a rear mounted carrier when I used to bike a lot.  Partly for that reason, but mostly because it looks like it would be a pita getting them mounted up there.  The only thing I hate about kayaking is lifting the tandem kayak on and off the roof rack. Besides having a roof rack renders the moonroof useless because of excessive wind noise. 

If I ever got back into mountain biking again, I agree 100%, hitch rack for the win. Getting bikes on the roof of some crappy little subcompact is a PITA, on an SUV, yeah, no thanks.

This is where sliding doors come in handy.  Have a nice large opening to use as a step.  I also have a step stool that I keep in the van in order to reach the roof if the door openings don't cut it.

I tried one of my bikes today.  Unfortunately, it doesn't fit.  The disk brake caliper hangs down below the bottom of the fork and prevents the fork from going into the quick release mounting of the tray.  I'll have to buy the type that cradles the front wheel.  Or just make that bike the one that goes in the back of the van.

While I normally like hitch bike racks, in this case I don't want one, because we'll be pulling the trailer tent.  Yes, I am aware that you can buy a dual hitch receiver attachment for just this purpose, but I still have to be careful of tongue weight when pulling the trailer tent.  The Trailer tent will weigh 2000lbs when loaded, with a 200lb tongue weight.  The van is rated for a 350lb tongue weight, and that includes all the cargo behind the rear axle.  So to strap 100lbs of bike back there when I am pulling the trailer tent may not be such a good idea.

[Fobroader]

Why not get a rack for the rear of the trailer??

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Why not get a rack for the rear of the trailer??

That may be something I will look into in the future.  I picked up the roof trays for a steal, so they will do for now.

[TiffanyS]

The van is rated for a 350lb tongue weight, and that includes all the cargo behind the rear axle.  So to strap 100lbs of bike back there when I am pulling the trailer tent may not be such a good idea.

Yes, definitely don't pull any shenanigans like that. Even if it seems safe while trying it out while driving slowly. Traffic is dangerous enough already.

[aquadorhj]

it is on the S Line

that's funny,

i've seen Kia Optima with Continental tires.

so German car using Korean tire
and Korean car using German tire...   

[goodsonr]

Charged up the battery on the V60.  I've driven it so little this winter that is started giving me a low-battery-charge warning.  Slowly closing in on 20,000km after 2.5 years of ownership.

I would switch tires but there is still snow in the forecast.

[ArticSteve]

What year?   Is it sealed?

[draghon]

Why not get a rack for the rear of the trailer??

That may be something I will look into in the future.  I picked up the roof trays for a steal, so they will do for now.

I've seen people with cross bars attached to the top of their pop up trailer which would let you still use the roof trays and might be slightly easier to load than on the top of your van.

[5 Wheel Drive]

Took the S2K for the first cruise of 2017........damn it feels good to row my own gears again!!

Great picture.  Damn I love those cars!

[Great_Big_Abyss]

So this isn't so much my car, but my New to Me Pop-Up trailer.

I picked it up yesterday, plated, registered and insured it, then pulled it home.  I then unfolded it in the driveway, and toured the whole family in it (as our kids hadn't seen it yet - my daughter did her happy dance on one of the beds, she was so excited). 

Today, I'll go home at lunch and give the exterior tent vinyl a good wash with some RV soap and the hose.  This way it can dry this afternoon, allowing me to fold the Pop-up this evening after work so that I can clean the hard sides and roof (they have a layer of dirt half an inch thick).  When I'm done it will be sparkling clean. 

After Easter weekend, I'll set it all up again, and then the minor repairs will commence.  I need to patch a few small pinholes in the vinyl tent material.  A door latch needs to be replaced.  Some cupboard and seatback hinges have to be fixed.  I want to respray all the black painted metal surfaces with black spray paint, as there is surface rust starting (like the hitch, frame and support jacks).  Oh, and a good interior clean is needed. 

Then we can start stocking it with all the camping gear we think we'll need, and we'll be good to go!!!!  Quite a bit of work to do over the next few weeks, but it should be worth it.

[Firm]

So this isn't so much my car, but my New to Me Pop-Up trailer.

I picked it up yesterday, plated, registered and insured it, then pulled it home.  I then unfolded it in the driveway, and toured the whole family in it (as our kids hadn't seen it yet - my daughter did her happy dance on one of the beds, she was so excited). 

Today, I'll go home at lunch and give the exterior tent vinyl a good wash with some RV soap and the hose.  This way it can dry this afternoon, allowing me to fold the Pop-up this evening after work so that I can clean the hard sides and roof (they have a layer of dirt half an inch thick).  When I'm done it will be sparkling clean. 

After Easter weekend, I'll set it all up again, and then the minor repairs will commence.  I need to patch a few small pinholes in the vinyl tent material.  A door latch needs to be replaced.  Some cupboard and seatback hinges have to be fixed.  I want to respray all the black painted metal surfaces with black spray paint, as there is surface rust starting (like the hitch, frame and support jacks).  Oh, and a good interior clean is needed. 

Then we can start stocking it with all the camping gear we think we'll need, and we'll be good to go!!!!  Quite a bit of work to do over the next few weeks, but it should be worth it.

Sounds exciting - and I am not even a camping person!

[draghon]

Did the tire swap on my wife's car last night. Now that both cars are done I wonder if we will have one last snowstorm...

[goodsonr]

With reference to me saying I charged up the battery for the V60..

What year?   Is it sealed?

Its 2015.5 and yes it is sealed.  Is there a hidden problem/danger lurking here of which I am unaware?

[KD]

So this isn't so much my car, but my New to Me Pop-Up trailer.

I picked it up yesterday, plated, registered and insured it, then pulled it home.  I then unfolded it in the driveway, and toured the whole family in it (as our kids hadn't seen it yet - my daughter did her happy dance on one of the beds, she was so excited). 

Today, I'll go home at lunch and give the exterior tent vinyl a good wash with some RV soap and the hose.  This way it can dry this afternoon, allowing me to fold the Pop-up this evening after work so that I can clean the hard sides and roof (they have a layer of dirt half an inch thick).  When I'm done it will be sparkling clean. 

After Easter weekend, I'll set it all up again, and then the minor repairs will commence.  I need to patch a few small pinholes in the vinyl tent material.  A door latch needs to be replaced.  Some cupboard and seatback hinges have to be fixed.  I want to respray all the black painted metal surfaces with black spray paint, as there is surface rust starting (like the hitch, frame and support jacks).  Oh, and a good interior clean is needed. 

Then we can start stocking it with all the camping gear we think we'll need, and we'll be good to go!!!!  Quite a bit of work to do over the next few weeks, but it should be worth it.

   Kids do love camping!  My 7-yr old nephew is staying with us for the next few days and he wants me to set up the tent in the basement so he can sleep in there until he goes back home.  He just loves that!

Enjoy the new camper trailer! 

[ArticSteve]

With reference to me saying I charged up the battery for the V60..

What year?   Is it sealed?

Its 2015.5 and yes it is sealed.  Is there a hidden problem/danger lurking here of which I am unaware?

 Was thinking it was a lead acid battery because the levels in those cells after 2 years or less can really evaporate and cause issues.  But if this battery is a glass mat battery then it should be completely covered by warranty.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Pursuant to my last post, here are some pictures of the progress cleaning it.  The first pic shows how dirty it was, compared to how clean I got it.  The surface is this textured plastic, kinda like an alligator skin texture, and the dirt gets into all the little crevasses.  A soft brush or sponge wouldn't work.  I had to attack it with a hard bristle scrub brush to get all the dirt off.  Took me a few hours of hard scrubbing.  But totally worth it.

[Gurgie]

^ WOW, great work!!!

[Firm]

Yeah, that looks great! Is there a sealant or something you can put on it to keep it protected and help prevent the dirt from sticking to it? The painted parts you can polish/wax, not sure about that textured stuff though...