Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[johngenx]

Toyota really seems to stand behind their products. My Highlander was well past the end of the warranty and they picked up a big part of the bill for a new transfer case when mine failed at what they considered a premature mileage.   No official campaign or anything. Just amazing customer service.

[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 ?

Thats an idea, would have to test drive the top trim V6 though.  But when looking at Autotrader, for vehicles around 70k to 95k, they are only $2000-$3000 cheaper than the RX, similar age, and mileage. 

When you selling your RX?  Hows that been?  I mean the Mark Levinson is worth it!  What's the mileage?

I would not pay more to get a Levinson
Besides oil changes , we haven't done anything to it , besides new tires
The only bad thing is the cost to upgrade the nav, and traffic on NAV runs off XM radio
I do like that mouse to operate the info centre
No plans on selling it anything time soon

[BWII]

With all the money he saved he can buy a nail clipper! 

Why bother with CEL at this point?
You could always use the spark plug defouler trick.

Yeah I know, I could drive it as is but I'm kind of anal when it comes to maintenance even though sometimes doesn't make much economical sense (but within reason).

Anyway, lately I started to use more aftermarket parts to compensate a little.

My friend works at a parts store...he buys all his stuff online.  Even he can't match RockAuto with his employee pricing.  Which is even better than jobber prices.

On my old Taurus, my favorite aftermarket repair part was a small piece of electrical tape.  Covers up any red warning lights...keep on driving.  Wasn't worth the parts needed to fix it, and couldn't tell anyway, ran fine with whatever was supposedly ailing it.

[rrocket]

With all the money he saved he can buy a nail clipper! 

He's a guitarist...needs that nail for his flamenco and finger picking stuff.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

With all the money he saved he can buy a nail clipper! 

He's a guitarist...needs that nail for his flamenco stuff.

There's another use for a long pinky nail such as that.

Or, so I'm told.

[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.

What about a poor mans RX, a Venza ?

Thats an idea, would have to test drive the top trim V6 though.  But when looking at Autotrader, for vehicles around 70k to 95k, they are only $2000-$3000 cheaper than the RX, similar age, and mileage. 

When you selling your RX?  Hows that been?  I mean the Mark Levinson is worth it!  What's the mileage?

I would not pay more to get a Levinson
Besides oil changes , we haven't done anything to it , besides new tires
The only bad thing is the cost to upgrade the nav, and traffic on NAV runs off XM radio
I do like that mouse to operate the info centre
No plans on selling it anything time soon

Thanks for the feedback.  Interesting to hear that about that Levinson.  I heard it was one of the better factory systems.  Do you know how many km?

[UnknownJinX]

Had a set of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 installed in my RX-8. They feel amazing, though I will truly test their limit at Autocross.

[johngenx]

Got the Highlander back from the tech.  New timing belt, pulleys, tensioner, front main seal, accessory drive belts, transfer case oil, rear diff oil and <gasp> spark plugs.  (The plugs are such a giant PITA to do...)

I hate service work like this.  Nothing feels different.  Fresh brakes have a new firm pedal.  New tires feel different.  But, a new timing belt makes no difference to how it feels.   

[Solstice2006]

Got the Highlander back from the tech.  New timing belt, pulleys, tensioner, front main seal, accessory drive belts, transfer case oil, rear diff oil and <gasp> spark plugs.  (The plugs are such a giant PITA to do...)

I hate service work like this.  Nothing feels different.  Fresh brakes have a new firm pedal.  New tires feel different.  But, a new timing belt makes no difference to how it feels.   

It's equivalent to getting a new furnace, shingles, or windows for a house.  Still need plugs on my Entourage, at 189km...

[rrocket]

It's equivalent to getting a new furnace, shingles, or windows for a house. 

Well, a house looks nicer with new windows or shingles.  And a new furnace (if the other was broken) actually gives some warmth.

You don't see or feel jack with a new timing belt.   

[johngenx]

It's equivalent to getting a new furnace, shingles, or windows for a house.  Still need plugs on my Entourage, at 189km...

What's the plug interval?  The Corolla's irridium plugs call for 192K replacement.  They were in serviceable condition at that mileage.

Plugs on the four banger are SO easy, omg.  Those rear plugs on the Highlander are awful.

[johngenx]

You don't see or feel jack with a new timing belt.   

But your pistons and valves love you!

[rrocket]

You don't see or feel jack with a new timing belt.   

But your pistons and valves love you!

I had a sweet blue Kevlar belt to show off though....almost got the HKS which was pink...

[Solstice2006]

It's equivalent to getting a new furnace, shingles, or windows for a house.  Still need plugs on my Entourage, at 189km...

What's the plug interval?  The Corolla's irridium plugs call for 192K replacement.  They were in serviceable condition at that mileage.

Plugs on the four banger are SO easy, omg.  Those rear plugs on the Highlander are awful.

I am sure the Entourage are quite similar.  Rear plugs...

[bridgecity]

^May not be that bad. Did them on our Pilot when we had it. One of them required a knuckle on the socket. Rest were straight forward.

[rrocket]

^May not be that bad. Did them on our Pilot when we had it. One of them required a knuckle on the socket. Rest were straight forward.

Had to remove engine mounts and rotate engine just so for my Stealth TT.  Sucked.  A lot.   

[Brig]

Had my personal mechanic (boyfriend) listen to an odd sound coming from the front driver's side tire on Sunday.  Sounds like he needs to pull the tire off and have a look at the rotor, because the sound (a tok-tok-tok-tok once the rotors are warm and the car decelerates) makes him think something's going on there.  We're doing that on Saturday.

Miss Peanut only has 25,000 km on the odo.  And the sound only started recently, after the shop I use for tire storage and changeover did the swap about a month ago.  Their included "inspection" trumpeted a dire warning about calipers and slider pins, blah blah blah.  My boyfriend disagreed based on the images they provided, and his own visual inspection at the time.  Sometimes I think they lightly sabotage things to make money by making people come back.

I started using a shop for tire swaps to save his back, but he seems to think that he does a better job, and I'm inclined to agree.  Never had this problem before.  Then again, Mazda's OEM rotors are known to be shite, so who knows.  It's just too coincidental for my taste, though.

[johngenx]

Lots of Mazda owners of all models gripe about premature brake issues.  I know lots of 3 owners on their second or third set of pads and discs by 100K.

[johngenx]

^May not be that bad. Did them on our Pilot when we had it. One of them required a knuckle on the socket. Rest were straight forward.

Had to remove engine mounts and rotate engine just so for my Stealth TT.  Sucked.  A lot.   

Damn, that's awful.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Had my personal mechanic (boyfriend) listen to an odd sound coming from the front driver's side tire on Sunday.  Sounds like he needs to pull the tire off and have a look at the rotor, because the sound (a tok-tok-tok-tok once the rotors are warm and the car decelerates) makes him think something's going on there.  We're doing that on Saturday.

Miss Peanut only has 25,000 km on the odo.  And the sound only started recently, after the shop I use for tire storage and changeover did the swap about a month ago.  Their included "inspection" trumpeted a dire warning about calipers and slider pins, blah blah blah.  My boyfriend disagreed based on the images they provided, and his own visual inspection at the time.  Sometimes I think they lightly sabotage things to make money by making people come back.

I started using a shop for tire swaps to save his back, but he seems to think that he does a better job, and I'm inclined to agree.  Never had this problem before.  Then again, Mazda's OEM rotors are known to be shite, so who knows.  It's just too coincidental for my taste, though.

That shops sounds like a  pharmaceutical company , if their lips are moving , they must be lying