Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Installed new battery in truck, from Costco  , $140 and less  1/2 hour to install
Only pain is taking back the core
The dealer want $250 for battery and $66 to install

Every time I've bought a new battery, I bring my tools and just change the battery in the parking lot, lol.  I bring the core in when I go to buy the new battery.  Did it on the Altima once when it was -25C.  The Civic I pulled that trick but it was springtime, so nicer weather.

You might be a redneck if   
https://youtu.be/JOMxWMlf8Es

Bahaha, the Altima was in a Costco parking lot, too.  So good.

[TheHire]

Sent the seats for the Porsche off to be redone, as well as the targa top.

Head unit came in (Continental TR-7412UB), as did the shift knob and a few other doodads.

Are you just getting them restitched?  Sport seats?

With regards to hooking up the  head unit,  there should be a small amp in the passenger footwell IIRC.  Old paper cones in speakers are probably gone too if original,  I think rear are 4x6".

Nah, the car came with some horrible "NOS" brand yellow seats right out of the 90s. I found a mint set of sport seats for the correct year on Kijiji for peanuts, but they need to be dyed black (they're light grey) and touched up a bit.

The head unit is not original - there are some Blaupunkt speakers in the doors, and sub in the "frunk". The factory amp has been bypassed and there's a JL Audio one by the sub in the frunk.

[Fobroader]

washed and detailed the Jag last evening, wow it shines up nice 

now it is dirty and covered in salt again 

So, time well spent, then?

absolutely, for the evening it looked so pretty and I got a layer of salt off of it

For me the detailed washes don't start until spring and the roads have been cleaned up.  For winter it's just a run through the touchless wash, or $10 at the wand wash.

This is my routine, just blow the salt off till the weather is nice. Zero point in going all out with the salt and gravel on the roads.

Yup.  But then again, neither you nor I drive Jaaaags.

That is true....

[ChaosphereIX]

washed and detailed the Jag last evening, wow it shines up nice 

now it is dirty and covered in salt again 

So, time well spent, then?

absolutely, for the evening it looked so pretty and I got a layer of salt off of it

For me the detailed washes don't start until spring and the roads have been cleaned up.  For winter it's just a run through the touchless wash, or $10 at the wand wash.

This is my routine, just blow the salt off till the weather is nice. Zero point in going all out with the salt and gravel on the roads.

Yup.  But then again, neither you nor I drive Jaaaags.

That is true....

lmao love it.

[Blueprint]

The A3 e-tron had dropped to half a tank on what has been a slow year for putting mileage on it - probably no more than 1,000 km. So I filled it up with fresh premium - previous fill-up was in March 2020 before the pandemic was declared. The 8.8 kWh battery does just fine on short errands!

[Bubba]

Science!

Strong winds out of the south today.  On the Perimeter, I drove into, and away from, the 37 km/h headwind at 100 km/h.

I still have the Sonata's grill completely closed.  Ambient temp: -11°C.

Headwind:
L/100km: 7.8
Coolant temp: 195°F
Engine Oil temp: 201°F

Tailwind:
L/100km: 6.5 (+16.7%)
Coolant temp: 193°F
Engine Oil temp: 201°F

[TheHire]

So this is an interesting one... I came home and heard a faint squealing in my garage. Sounded like a siren. Traced it to the Vantage's alarm in the garage... it's been under its cover and plugged into a trickle charger (plugged into a cig port in the trunk) since like, early November.

Tried to unlock it with the remote, no dice. I keep the trunk "half closed", and the button on the decklid to release it fully doesn't work... won't do anything.

The CTEK trickle charger indicates it's charging, but obviously she's dead.

Somehow the alarm shut itself off as I was hitting buttons on the remote aimlessly... but got in and tried to get the accessory on, no dice.

I discovered a jump point under the hood, which obviously released, so I connected the M5's trickle to that jump point and going to let it sit a bit and see if I can get the doors to unlock/etc.

Grumble.

[ChaosphereIX]

Interesting, seen this on the odd Jag in our shop. Some module might be draining the battery.

[Gurgie]

How much charge can it get thru the 12V outlet in the trunk though? Not sure that would be enough to keep it juiced up over the winter with all the electronics that still draw current while it hibernates.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[TheHire]

How much charge can it get thru the 12V outlet in the trunk though? Not sure that would be enough to keep it juiced up over the winter with all the electronics that still draw current while it hibernates.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

Fair, but it’s been staying sufficiently juiced up every winter thus far. And the guys on the Aston boards say these things are notorious for parasitic drains, so the recommendation is to keep a trickle plugged in if you’re not driving the car for any more than a few days.

Update; I got a booster pack from Firm’s place down the street, connected it to the jump point under the hood. Got enough juice to unlock the trunk and pull the 12V out. Let it sit for a bit, then connected a more powerful charger under the hood and covered the car back up. Left the doors all unlocked this time around.

Still, the battery is of unknown age and may very well be original from 2007 (the car only has like 16,000 miles) so it’s worth a change out in the spring when I can get the car out, just to be safe.

[ChaosphereIX]

Yeah, that battery may be pooched. Glad you got it sorted enough to make the car move when you need it.

[Blueprint]

A British car do what a British car does 

The TR6's battery is out of the car and on a trickle charger for all of winter. The car is hibernating without any juice in it, don't think I'll mess up its electronics 

[Gurgie]

A British car do what a British car does 

The TR6's battery is out of the car and on a trickle charger for all of winter. The car is hibernating without any juice in it, don't think I'll mess up its electronics 

That will be even better for it's electronics with no juice... less chance of that old Lucas stuff catching on fire...   

[draghon]

Filled up the gas tank for the first time in 2021 last night.

[Bjorg]

I bought a new set wheels and tires from some website for my car. Need to replace it today due to climate here in Texas.

[Davep]

After 7 years, my battery finally called it quits. It was holding its own until I moved in Dec and my driving habits changed. The car was sitting for days on end, and it really struggled during the -20 weather we had a few weeks ago. I hadn't driven the car since Friday, and even though it was a mild wknd, today it couldn't cope. (Cue the lilies. )

I took it to the local Chev dealer, mainly to start a local history for the car. I might have saved a few bucks going to a local jobber, but I couldn't be bothered.

So now I guess I will have to keep the car for another 7 years to get my monies worth! 

[UnknownJinX]

I got my Camaro out of the storage. Have to say, I missed driving an NA V8 with manual pretty badly.

Won't drive it that much this week, though. I am getting a wheel repaired, then an alignment tomorrow, then I will install the intake over the weekend and get the dealer to flash the intake tune on Monday.

Will also see if I can wash my friend's car better before it goes into the storage. He decided to park it in a garage so it's worth the effort to see what I can do.

[JohnnyMac]

I got my Camaro out of the storage. Have to say, I missed driving an NA V8 with manual pretty badly.

Won't drive it that much this week, though. I am getting a wheel repaired, then an alignment tomorrow, then I will install the intake over the weekend and get the dealer to flash the intake tune on Monday.

Will also see if I can wash my friend's car better before it goes into the storage. He decided to park it in a garage so it's worth the effort to see what I can do.

Hot damn that is a great looking car.  I can see why you missed it.

[Seafoam]

Ordered some exhaust parts for my truck at Rockauto today. Say it will arrive on Friday. The shop I go to could have repaired the truck today at a cost  of $740 but they did not have bolt on parts. They would have to fab something up. They suggested Rockauto . It will end up being 300 bucks cheaper just have to wait for the parts. Last year I had to source a muffler for it through Wrench Monkey.
Getting a bit harder to find parts for it.
One of the reasons why I am searching for something a bit newer.

Still waiting for my parts. Stuck in the Bronx.   Have the exhaust held together with baling wire.

Wish this was closer and no Covid. Close to what I have now and 15 years newer. https://www.kijijiautos.ca/cars/toyota/tacoma/?utm_content=web_ResultsSearch&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=kijiji#vip=18999608&utm_campaign=xpromo_srplisting

[blur911]

Ordered some exhaust parts for my truck at Rockauto today. Say it will arrive on Friday. The shop I go to could have repaired the truck today at a cost  of $740 but they did not have bolt on parts. They would have to fab something up. They suggested Rockauto . It will end up being 300 bucks cheaper just have to wait for the parts. Last year I had to source a muffler for it through Wrench Monkey.
Getting a bit harder to find parts for it.
One of the reasons why I am searching for something a bit newer.

Still waiting for my parts. Stuck in the Bronx.   Have the exhaust held together with baling wire.

I bought a cat-back system for mine last year, think it was Bosal, for about $230.   Got if from my local guy who runs a one-man parts business (Mike at Import Auto Supply if near Kingston). 
 I find the shipping cost of large parts like that often rule out Rockauto and I go local.