Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[Ex-airbalancer]

It's not like license plate bulbs are my top priority
Can't the give you a ticket if it is out 

[johngenx]

Sienna Limited AWD is awesome.  Those second row chairs are FIRST CLASS!!  We often fight about who gets to ride in the back.  (A friend of mine has one and we sometimes take it on ski trips)

That the trim with the ottoman on the seats?  Thought those were cool too.  Till I realized, kids don't really use them...

Yeah, those second row seats are like lazy-boy chairs - amazing.

[Solstice2006]

Sienna Limited AWD is awesome.  Those second row chairs are FIRST CLASS!!  We often fight about who gets to ride in the back.  (A friend of mine has one and we sometimes take it on ski trips)

That the trim with the ottoman on the seats?  Thought those were cool too.  Till I realized, kids don't really use them...

Yeah, those second row seats are like lazy-boy chairs - amazing.

Wish some bigger SUV's had them. 

[HeliDriver]

It's not like license plate bulbs are my top priority
Can't the give you a ticket if it is out 

Yeah, they probably can if they notice. But there are two bulbs, and only one actually burnt out.

Another thing I thought was interesting is that people apparently “upgrade” their license plate bulbs to LED. Who the hell cares? Especially since you need to buy a $50 kit, or else the display will show a permanent “bulb out” warning.

[OliverD]

The obsession people will have with LED lights is hilarious.

People on VWvortex were up in arms when the R came here without LED tails when they were offered in Europe. 

[Angry Chicken]

The obsession people will have with LED lights is hilarious.

People on VWvortex were up in arms when the R came here without LED tails when they were offered in Europe. 

And now people are discovering that LEDs won’t melt the snow like incandescent bulbs do.   That is, of course, if they even notice.... i’ve seen a lot of snow covered cars the last couple of days here in Ottawa.

[dkaz]

The only problem with the Sienna Limited ottoman seats is that the second row seats have to go all the way back, making the third row useless. But you have the most comfortable thing that can carry four adults and everything they would want to bring.

[johngenx]

That's how we've used it on trips.  Four people with a ton of gear.  We've been able to bring two pairs of skis each (one for front side and one for touring) two pairs of boots each, bags of climbing gear, bags of clothing for each person, and on and on.  And still have room left over.  AWD means few worries about snow covered roads (the full time AWD from the Highlander, no less!) and pretty decent highway fuel economy considering how much we can carry while doing it.  I seriously considered a Sienna, but I just like to go a few extra places that the HL has just enough clearance for.  Anyone's that's been into the area around Radium/Invermere and points south knows that a Taco is really the weapon of choice, but I've got the Highlander into some pretty amazing places - just.

[Solstice2006]

It would be pretty cool if those seats could be taken out of the Sienna and into the Highlander.  Maybe some DIY on Youtube or a Toyota forum.  The 5000 lbs towing capacity of the Highlander! 

[tenpenny]

Watched it get loaded on a flatbed, LOL.  Took my daughter's 2007 Corolla today, and after dropping younger daughter off at school, I though, jeez, not much heat coming out of this thing, and as I was going down the highway, I noticed the temp gauge was climbing.  I nursed it to the office (3 km) by coasting down hills and being gentle.  When I got to the office, the battery charging light came on.  I shut it down, obviously, and popped the hood.  Lots of antifreeze pooling in there.  I'm assuming one of the hoses blew (it's got 276,000 km on it), and that's why no heat and hot engine.  Temp gauge never quite hit the red zone, so I'm hoping no damage, and we'll see. 

At work, I suddenly remembered my CAA membership, so the trip to the garage didn't even cost me anything (5km is free, but it's 8km to the garage, and the driver said he wouldn't bother charging me the extra).

I'm very glad that it was me driving, because I doubt that anyone else in the family would have clued in until things got very ugly.  Now I'll keep my fingers crossed for the afternoon, hoping it will be simple and easy.

[johngenx]

If you stayed out of the max section of the gauge, odds are it's fine.  Kinda nice having a gauge, huh?

[tortoise]

Yeah, I once drove 4 hours in my P5 that was overheating.  Foolish but no issues as a result.  I'm sure you'll be fine.

If the battery light was on I am guessing a failed serpentine belt.

[tenpenny]

I figure the belt may have been slipping due to the large quantity of antifreeze spraying around, and that's the reason for the charging light.  But that's a guess.

[johngenx]

The Corolla uses a single belt that drives the AC, water pump and alternator.  The charging light was a sure sign that the belt had either failed or something was amiss - my bet is as above - the coolant caused the belt to slip.  I'm not sure about the water pumps on the 1ZZ-FE 1.8L - the later 2ZR-FE started life with a plastic-impeller pump that wasn't particularly robust and was replaced with a metal impeller model.  Pump failures are characterized usually by small coolant leaks and a whining noise, but would on rare occasions fail quite spectacularly.

My bet is a coolant hose, a rad, or failing those two things, a water pump.  None of those three are very expensive on a Corolla.

[dkaz]

That's how we've used it on trips.  Four people with a ton of gear.  We've been able to bring two pairs of skis each (one for front side and one for touring) two pairs of boots each, bags of climbing gear, bags of clothing for each person, and on and on.  And still have room left over.  AWD means few worries about snow covered roads (the full time AWD from the Highlander, no less!) and pretty decent highway fuel economy considering how much we can carry while doing it.  I seriously considered a Sienna, but I just like to go a few extra places that the HL has just enough clearance for.  Anyone's that's been into the area around Radium/Invermere and points south knows that a Taco is really the weapon of choice, but I've got the Highlander into some pretty amazing places - just.

Journey's Offroad which made a lift kit for 2nd gen Siennas is looking for a test vehicle for 3rd gen. They're all the way down in Prescott AZ though. A lifted AWD Sienna would just make the ultimate all round vehicle.

http://www.siennachat.com/forum/69-mods-projects/44930-test-vehicle-3rd-gen-lift-kit-needed-prescott-az.html

[micha]

The obsession people will have with LED lights is hilarious.

People on VWvortex were up in arms when the R came here without LED tails when they were offered in Europe. 

I guess I've been caught by the obsession as well.. I changed my tails to OEM LED tails.. Cost me over $1k for the tails, wiring harness and VagCom (to program them properly).. I think they look so much better though and don't regret it at all.

[tenpenny]

The Corolla uses a single belt that drives the AC, water pump and alternator.  The charging light was a sure sign that the belt had either failed or something was amiss - my bet is as above - the coolant caused the belt to slip.  I'm not sure about the water pumps on the 1ZZ-FE 1.8L - the later 2ZR-FE started life with a plastic-impeller pump that wasn't particularly robust and was replaced with a metal impeller model.  Pump failures are characterized usually by small coolant leaks and a whining noise, but would on rare occasions fail quite spectacularly.

My bet is a coolant hose, a rad, or failing those two things, a water pump.  None of those three are very expensive on a Corolla.

Water pump it is, for the win.  Pizzing out, in the words of the mechanic.  Serpentine belt is shot, too, , and the tensioner is just about toast, so might as well do it all, and a thermostat to boot, since we bought it used and don't know that age of that. 

Oh well, the credit card bills were almost paid off, LOL.

[84im]

With a bit of planning I was able to get almost everything in the shop yesterday.  I dislike having my vehicles sit outside during the winter months.  My wife's Tracker is parked in the garage attached to the house.

[valuator]

Was impressed with the 2015 Odyssey today, I've driven a 2016 Pilot and 2015 Accord frequently, and this drove as one would expect based on experience with those vehicles.  Interior materials on the EX felt nice and seemed to be of good quality.  Test drove a new Sienna LE, wasn't impressed with the plasticky feel of everything....I know the mechanical are top notch, but boy the interior felt cheaper than the Honda.  Toyota sales guy really pushing the new vans rather than used, which was annoying. 

I know the value proposition of a used 2-3 year old Honda/Toyota used to never be great, but in the Honda's case the vehicle has 70,000km and is priced at 54% of a new one according to my Car Cost Canada report. Seems like a good deal to me, since I should easily get 8-10 years out of the vehicle either way given my low annual mileage.

[Firm]

84im, I am so freakin jealous of that shop. I'd still prolly fill it with cars and end up working outside, but I want it!!

I took the afternoon off to take care of some errands, which got done early so I took advantage of the +1 weather and washed the Escalade....in the rain, lol. At least I got the salt off it.