Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[Firm]

Sucks. I was looking forward to someone else having the SC 5.0L around here so you can hit all the problems before I do 

[ChaosphereIX]

Sucks. I was looking forward to someone else having the SC 5.0L around here so you can hit all the problems before I do 

Maybe in the spring. Want to do it, if I do, before I have to do a timing belt / spark plug / etc. job on the Lexus. Even with my connections, big money.

And yeah, not too many problems on that sc 5.0 as long as cooling system (waterpump) and timing chain are healthy. Occasionally the sc snout needs to be replaced, but is rare.

[Golly]

Tried PlastiDip for the first time... these alloys have been my winters for 10 years. Actually look to have held up surprisingly well once I gave them a good clean, but decided I wanted a different look to go with the new, grey S4.

Pretty please with the results so far - getting the wheels clean and lots of light coats seems to be the trick, but will wait and see how well it lasts. Would like to get a few years from them, would be a pain if I need to touch up or redo every season...

Looks great! 

[Golly]

Did the seasonal tire change today on the Malibu and Enclave.  Used my trusty Walker floor jack that I bought new in 1981 to do a clutch job, IIRC it cost $325 which is equivalent to more than $850 today.  The Walker is a commercial grade jack.  Back then, there were no consumer grade floor jacks on the market.

[ChaosphereIX]

Sucks. I was looking forward to someone else having the SC 5.0L around here so you can hit all the problems before I do 

Maybe in the spring. Want to do it, if I do, before I have to do a timing belt / spark plug / etc. job on the Lexus. Even with my connections, big money.

And yeah, not too many problems on that sc 5.0 as long as cooling system (waterpump) and timing chain are healthy. Occasionally the sc snout needs to be replaced, but is rare.

Was it a Jag dealer?

No. High end used car dealer. Ad is still up, Bell Auto in TO.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Sucks. I was looking forward to someone else having the SC 5.0L around here so you can hit all the problems before I do 

Maybe in the spring. Want to do it, if I do, before I have to do a timing belt / spark plug / etc. job on the Lexus. Even with my connections, big money.

And yeah, not too many problems on that sc 5.0 as long as cooling system (waterpump) and timing chain are healthy. Occasionally the sc snout needs to be replaced, but is rare.

Was it a Jag dealer?

No. High end used car dealer. Ad is still up, Bell Auto in TO.

Beautiful car, but man, a 9-10 year old Jag with a S/C V8.  That car would be the end of you!

[PJungnitsch]

Winter rims for the Vibe were looking ugly so gave them a coat of POR and a topcoat of regular paint. Added some tire dressing and they look a lot better now. Had to paint them inside due to winter coming suddenly

[ChaosphereIX]

Sucks. I was looking forward to someone else having the SC 5.0L around here so you can hit all the problems before I do 

Maybe in the spring. Want to do it, if I do, before I have to do a timing belt / spark plug / etc. job on the Lexus. Even with my connections, big money.

And yeah, not too many problems on that sc 5.0 as long as cooling system (waterpump) and timing chain are healthy. Occasionally the sc snout needs to be replaced, but is rare.

Was it a Jag dealer?

No. High end used car dealer. Ad is still up, Bell Auto in TO.

Beautiful car, but man, a 9-10 year old Jag with a S/C V8.  That car would be the end of you!

Remember, I work in service at Jaguar. I see these engines all the time and have access to free-ish labour and cost on parts. Also, I can do the most thorough PPI here. The engine actually is pretty reliable if you mind the things I mentioned, which are easy to spot and diagnose. Can't get cost on parts and free labour for off-brands like my Lexus.

[Dante]

I put the winter tires on on the GTI this past weekend. Moved the winter tires on the 16" Golf OEM alloys I bought in the spring.
They look much better than the rusty steelies. Sold the steelies to my neighbor friend for his Passat.

When I lifted up the car to swap the tires I realized the coating on the pinch welds is broken from jacking. No time to repair now but definitely next summer. In the meantime I ordered the OEM jacking pads for Audi A3 which fit the Golf too but they don't get fitted from the factory ( VW cheap bastards).

Now in the shop to install some clear 3M StoneGuard on the rear bumper and black gloss wrap on the black  plastic trim around the sunroof.

Detailed the car two weekends ago so it's ready for winter.

Next is all-weather (Nokian) tires for Mitsu. May need to temporarily put the old winter tires on until I get the new tires installed on the 18" wheels currently on the car.

[tortoise]

Winter rims for the Vibe were looking ugly so gave them a coat of POR and a topcoat of regular paint. Added some tire dressing and they look a lot better now. Had to paint them inside due to winter coming suddenly

Nice work!  Did you have to do much sanding for the prep work?

[PJungnitsch]

I should have, but with the weather I just wire brushed the worst of it. What I really would have liked to do is sand them down and then etch the rusty areas with the acid in the POR kit, but again with the weather that wasn't possible.

It really jumped from mid September directly into mid November around here

[Triple Bob]

I put the snows on both cars. Sick of doing in in the rain and snow. Was actually enjoyable this weekend.

So glad I did this in the warm.

[ArticSteve]

Actually tomorrow.  Tackling a full coolant exchange in the Mustang tomorrow providing no rain.  Should be interesting.  Going to be tricky getting all the original coolant out of the system including the heater core.  Crappy only had 2 gallons of de-ionized water in stock  .  Probably need 4 total.  Water here is very soft but still .... Crappy you are so crappy most of the time, but I'm still faithful. 

Where are those days that every one just used the "green" stuff say @ 6 bucks a gallon?  Two US gallons of the Ford coolant totaled $81. tax in. 
 

[HeliDriver]

Put the winters on the GTI today. Looked like it was my last chance to do it in (barely) above freezing temperatures.

Kind of disappointed, because the whole reason I bought the Michelin A/S3+s instead of a proper summer tire was so I could run them a few extra weeks spring and fall. And here I am doing the changeover October 20 anyway...

[ArticSteve]

I envy all those folks that live in southern Kentucky on down to the Gulf as they don't have to deal with all this tire and extra wheel bullsh*t.  Global warming is exactly what this country needs.

[EV Dan]

Where are those days that every one just used the "green" stuff say @ 6 bucks a gallon?  Two US gallons of the Ford coolant totaled $81. tax in.

It's still there at Crappy, their 'OEM' labeled coolant  Also, what do you have against distilled water?

P.s. I know it's not $6 but cheaper still.

[tpl]

My local supermarkets with their internal pharmacies have PLENTY of distilled water. $1.49 for 4 litres

[Arthur Dent]

Yup - I always go to supermarkets for radiator water.

[ArticSteve]

My local supermarkets with their internal pharmacies have PLENTY of distilled water. $1.49 for 4 litres

NEVER use distilled water in metal cooling system.  Your assuming impurities are the issue.

During the distillation process, water is vaporized into its gaseous phase, so all its impurities are left behind. These impurities include a number of minerals, including “calcium” and “magnesium,” the two components of water “hardness.” The water is then condensed back into its liquid phase, so the resulting liquid is pure water – in fact, some of the purest water on earth. But the problem is that when water is distilled, or “stripped,” of its minerals and impurities, the resulting solution is composed of chemically imbalanced “ions.” This leaves distilled water “ionically hungry,” so it will actually strip electrons from the metals in a cooling system as it attempts to chemically re-balance itself. As it chemically removes electrons from the metals of cooling system components, distilled water eventually does extreme damage that could lead to cooling system failure.

[HeliDriver]

De-ionized water is what you want. Still have a few jugs kicking around the garage. Can’t remember where I bought it. Probably Cdn Tire?