Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Subaru used prices are too high for used car value buyers.  Lexus aren't deals by any stretch, but subarus are worse.

I've noticed lately that RXs aren't priced much, if any, higher than Highlanders. If you can live without the third row and don't mind the slightly smaller cargo area, the RX would be a better used buy. Bonus is your Toyota indie can easily service it for the same costs as the Highlander.

That's the thing, I prefer no 3rd row to begin with.  The vans always have the 3rd row down.  I don't need the extra cargo space.  But the mid size SUV market with no 3rd row is smaller than that with SUV's with the 3rd row.  I would take an older higher mileage RX vs a newer lower mileage Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, or Nissan Murano.

Honda Passport is in there now.

[Solstice2006]

Subaru used prices are too high for used car value buyers.  Lexus aren't deals by any stretch, but subarus are worse.

I've noticed lately that RXs aren't priced much, if any, higher than Highlanders. If you can live without the third row and don't mind the slightly smaller cargo area, the RX would be a better used buy. Bonus is your Toyota indie can easily service it for the same costs as the Highlander.

That's the thing, I prefer no 3rd row to begin with.  The vans always have the 3rd row down.  I don't need the extra cargo space.  But the mid size SUV market with no 3rd row is smaller than that with SUV's with the 3rd row.  I would take an older higher mileage RX vs a newer lower mileage Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, or Nissan Murano.

Honda Passport is in there now.

But not at a used car. 

[Ex-airbalancer]

Subaru used prices are too high for used car value buyers.  Lexus aren't deals by any stretch, but subarus are worse.

I've noticed lately that RXs aren't priced much, if any, higher than Highlanders. If you can live without the third row and don't mind the slightly smaller cargo area, the RX would be a better used buy. Bonus is your Toyota indie can easily service it for the same costs as the Highlander.

That's the thing, I prefer no 3rd row to begin with.  The vans always have the 3rd row down.  I don't need the extra cargo space.  But the mid size SUV market with no 3rd row is smaller than that with SUV's with the 3rd row.  I would take an older higher mileage RX vs a newer lower mileage Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, or Nissan Murano.

What about a poor mans RX, a Venza ?

[rrocket]

What about a poor mans RX, a Venza ?

Highlander is poor man's RX.

[Ex-airbalancer]

What about a poor mans RX, a Venza ?

Highlander is poor man's RX.

It was the Snowman who coining that when he got the Venza .

[tooscoops]

yesterday, started the day in the jag out to grab a couple groceries... then a bike ride... then the wrangler to my moms... then I had to move a couple things in the garage, so got the pacer running and took it for a boot... then I needed to move the morgan again, so took it for a drive up and down the road... then decided to move the prowler too and got it out for a spin...

not a bad day! felt good getting all those ones running... really surprised I got the pacer up and running as easily as I did... it was smoking up something stupid.

[rrocket]

yesterday, started the day in the jag out to grab a couple groceries... then a bike ride... then the wrangler to my moms... then I had to move a couple things in the garage, so got the pacer running and took it for a boot... then I needed to move the morgan again, so took it for a drive up and down the road... then decided to move the prowler too and got it out for a spin...

not a bad day! felt good getting all those ones running... really surprised I got the pacer up and running as easily as I did... it was smoking up something stupid.

Checked all the boxes on the checklist....

[Ex-airbalancer]

yesterday, started the day in the jag out to grab a couple groceries... then a bike ride... then the wrangler to my moms... then I had to move a couple things in the garage, so got the pacer running and took it for a boot... then I needed to move the morgan again, so took it for a drive up and down the road... then decided to move the prowler too and got it out for a spin...

not a bad day! felt good getting all those ones running... really surprised I got the pacer up and running as easily as I did... it was smoking up something stupid.

Is your car insurance bill more than your mortgage? 

[rrocket]

yesterday, started the day in the jag out to grab a couple groceries... then a bike ride... then the wrangler to my moms... then I had to move a couple things in the garage, so got the pacer running and took it for a boot... then I needed to move the morgan again, so took it for a drive up and down the road... then decided to move the prowler too and got it out for a spin...

not a bad day! felt good getting all those ones running... really surprised I got the pacer up and running as easily as I did... it was smoking up something stupid.

Is your car insurance bill more than your mortgage? 

Classic car insurance (with limited driving) is really cheap.

[Ex-airbalancer]

yesterday, started the day in the jag out to grab a couple groceries... then a bike ride... then the wrangler to my moms... then I had to move a couple things in the garage, so got the pacer running and took it for a boot... then I needed to move the morgan again, so took it for a drive up and down the road... then decided to move the prowler too and got it out for a spin...

not a bad day! felt good getting all those ones running... really surprised I got the pacer up and running as easily as I did... it was smoking up something stupid.

Is your car insurance bill more than your mortgage? 

Classic car insurance (with limited driving) is really cheap.

Is that classic car or classic driver  

[Dante]

I didn't do anything to the car per say but for the car.

I've been having a CEL going off and on for the past year and a half or so with code P0431 which traces back to exhaust leak, failed CAT or failed O2 sensors for Bank 2 (front of the engine). So, I decided to start with the O2 sensors replacement as the most likely cause as 3/5 potential causes listed for the event are related to O2 sensors (car is at 200K/12 yo so it might be the time for them to go).

The OEM sensors are outrageously expensive  - some $700/each + tax which I found insane so I looked aftermarket. Upon some research I figured out what the options are for these sensors - narrowed down to Denso and NGK/NTK as these are two big Japanese manufacturers and OEM suppliers. I decided to go with NGK/NTK despite being a bit more expensive after speaking with my guy at the dealership which confirmed that Mitsu uses NGK.

Ordered both O2 sensors from rockauto.com for about $180 CAD total, with tax and shipping!!!! That's a small fraction of the OEM cost - like 12% or so!!! I never came across such a big difference in price between OEM and aftermarket. I wonder why such an extreme difference....

Anyway, I hope they fit/work and solve the CEL issue. If not next is the manifold gasket and then the CAT (another very expensive OEM part - $1200 my price; normal price is $1600). For the CAT I found a Magnaflow for $523 which I'm contemplating if it comes to CAT replacement.

Labor to install the O2 sensors is estimated at 3 hrs/$360 for both (my price is $300 which also include replacement of the CAT cover which is rusted out) but still seems a bit high as the sensors seem to be relatively accessible.

[johngenx]

Mitsu seems to thing they're Subaru with OE parts pricing like that...

 

[Dante]

Mitsu seems to thing they're Subaru with OE parts pricing like that...

 

$700 is crazy but even other OEM run into hundreds while aftermarket is tens of dollars a piece and not talking about no-name, Chinese stuff.

[rrocket]

That's a small fraction of the OEM cost - like 12% or so!!! I never came across such a big difference in price between OEM and aftermarket. I wonder why such an extreme difference....

Here's something a friend posted of FB today.  His hatch struts for his SUV were shot.  Liftgate wouldn't stay up.

The top price is the dealership quote.  $886!!
Bottom price is what he got (installed) from a place called Strut Wise in Surrey. $53.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I mean, without seeing what Strutwise billed him for, it's kinda useless.  I agree the strut is cheap, but the dealer also quoted him to replace the actuator...not sure if it was needed or not.

Without replacing the actuator, the dealership was a little closer in price.

But then again, who knows what Strutwise did.  No itemized invoice.

[rrocket]

I mean, without seeing what Strutwise billed him for, it's kinda useless.  I agree the strut is cheap, but the dealer also quoted him to replace the actuator...not sure if it was needed or not.

Without replacing the actuator, the dealership was a little closer in price.

But then again, who knows what Strutwise did.  No itemized invoice.

He only needed the strut.

And no, it wouldn't have been close.  Look at the labour charge for replacing 1 strut: $256.50!!  Plus "shop charges".  So 1 strut from dealer would have been $329.04+tax.  No idea how involved the "actuator" is though and what portion of that is labour.  Even so...a strut is a 5 minute job.

Stealership indeed.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Ahh, classic dealership, then.

[johngenx]

[rrocket]

Ahh, classic dealership, then.

AC Delco part (for the actuator) $123 CDN from RockAuto. 

So they were REALLY trying to rip him off IMO.

[Bubba]

Ahh, classic dealership, then.

AC Delco part (for the actuator) $123 CDN from RockAuto. 

So they were REALLY trying to rip him off IMO.

.