Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[quadzilla]

Ya, normally I leave them with my wheels but I guess I forgot last time. The struggles of living in a car and storage locker I guess.

[ArticSteve]

Really? My 944 Turbo wasn't like that. Had the master & slave done 2 months after I bought it.

The 944S had a 3 litre 16 valve motor.  Entirely different bell housing.  It's successor the 968, the one I should have bought, same block, but Porsche fixed the inaccessibility issue with a new 2 piece bell housing that could be removed easily.

I should add a game changer in reliability.

[ArticSteve]

Ya, normally I leave them with my wheels but I guess I forgot last time. The struggles of living in a car and storage locker I guess.

What's this business about living in a car   You mean in Corolla? You are a big man as I recall from pics?   How is that even possible?  What the heck!  Obviously, you got to leave Ontario very soon.  Where you going?

[quadzilla]

Ya, normally I leave them with my wheels but I guess I forgot last time. The struggles of living in a car and storage locker I guess.

What's this business about living in a car   You mean in Corolla? You are a big man as I recall from pics?   How is that even possible?  What the heck!  Obviously, you got to leave Ontario very soon.  Where you going?

Posted about it a while ago.

https://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php?topic=83295.msg1660392#msg1660392

[Great_Big_Abyss]

If you're going to continue that lifestyle, I'm wondering if vanlife would suit you better than Corolla life.  Like, what you're doing is obviously working, but man, a nice van would be a huge upgrade in the comfort and sustainability department.

[quadzilla]

A fully set up van is stupid expensive, $100K+ used. Of course, I could always buy a used Toyota/Honda and throw down a camping mat and two coolers and be very comfortable. But both options leaves other issues like where do I leave my car, trying to sell whatever van I buy at the end of next year, etc.

I'll probably do it again next year as I'm already working on 3-4 months of trips strung together. Friends are after me to come cycling in Italy so if I go over there, I'm seriously thinking about going back to Norway again. And maybe add in a coast-coast walk in England or Scotland, something like that.

Still hoping I can find a nice short term rental to take me to March and then I can take off again. I can also stay at my sister's place in NC to break up winter if need be.

[PJungnitsch]

I was a rolling stone like that for a number of years when I was young. Work for a few months, travel for a few months, rinse and repeat.

Great to travel, explore the world, see all kinds of things but great to settle in one place for a while and recharge too

How long are you planning on the nomad life?

[Bubba]

Now I have a lot of spare nuts 

The squirrels will be happy.   

[quadzilla]

I was a rolling stone like that for a number of years when I was young. Work for a few months, travel for a few months, rinse and repeat.

Great to travel, explore the world, see all kinds of things but great to settle in one place for a while and recharge too

How long are you planning on the nomad life?

Currently thinking that I'll do it through the summer of '24 and then start looking for somewhere to live in the fall of '24. Agree it is nice to have a place to settle and recharge. Then I'll probably just do smaller 2-3 week trips throughout the year. Of course, who knows what I'll be thinking by then.

Also, I'm not young anymore but wouldn't never call myself old either. Only 56 right now.

[draghon]

Michelin xice snows installed on the Sienna at Costco this evening. Nice that installation is now included in the price of the tires. If only we had some snow now lol!

[2JDM]

A fully set up van is stupid expensive, $100K+ used. Of course, I could always buy a used Toyota/Honda and throw down a camping mat and two coolers and be very comfortable. But both options leaves other issues like where do I leave my car, trying to sell whatever van I buy at the end of next year, etc.

I'll probably do it again next year as I'm already working on 3-4 months of trips strung together. Friends are after me to come cycling in Italy so if I go over there, I'm seriously thinking about going back to Norway again. And maybe add in a coast-coast walk in England or Scotland, something like that.

Still hoping I can find a nice short term rental to take me to March and then I can take off again. I can also stay at my sister's place in NC to break up winter if need be.

Kudos to you for doing this lifestyle in a Corolla hatch. Whats the mileage on her now?

[quadzilla]

A fully set up van is stupid expensive, $100K+ used. Of course, I could always buy a used Toyota/Honda and throw down a camping mat and two coolers and be very comfortable. But both options leaves other issues like where do I leave my car, trying to sell whatever van I buy at the end of next year, etc.

I'll probably do it again next year as I'm already working on 3-4 months of trips strung together. Friends are after me to come cycling in Italy so if I go over there, I'm seriously thinking about going back to Norway again. And maybe add in a coast-coast walk in England or Scotland, something like that.

Still hoping I can find a nice short term rental to take me to March and then I can take off again. I can also stay at my sister's place in NC to break up winter if need be.

Kudos to you for doing this lifestyle in a Corolla hatch. Whats the mileage on her now?

Thanks!

Sedan not hatch. The hatch is super tiny. Really wish they brought over the wagon.  Up around 56K now and the car is two years old.

[PJungnitsch]

Delivered the Vibe to the buyer today, kind of an odd feeling. Had it since spring of 2010, served me well

Never did end up advertising, let friends and relatives know and it went to a friend of a friend, a Ukrainian couple just here a month

They don't really speak English yet, but they could talk to my wife who gets by in Ukrainian. She ended up getting them set up with insurance too.

All the cleaning and polishing I did when the weather was warm paid off, the wife really liked the car and that apparently was it. They paid the full $3500 asking, but when I was changing the oil yesterday I saw a front strut was leaking so I knocked $500 off

So, bought in 2010 with 140,000km for $6000 all in, sold in 2022 with 220,000km for $3000

Over the years the only major thing I did was changed the cat and O2 sensors to get rid of a code and the OEM alloys when they started to leak air, the rest was all just oil changes, tires, brake pads, etc. Pretty cheap motoring, I guess as expected for a Corolla drivetrain

2010



2022



That being said, while I'll miss the 5 speed in the Vibe, the Crosstrek is like the same car upgraded in every possible way. Unlikely to be as cheap an ownership experience though

Got an update yesterday from the guy who bought it, apparently serving well getting them around and to work and back. He even took it all the way to White Rock, BC on a vacation

[Seafoam]

^^^Hard to beat the Corolla DNA.

[Bubba]

^^^Hard to beat the Corolla DNA.

 

[ktm525]

I took my Ridgeline in for its alignment this morning (only a 2 week wait for appointment  ). My ears are shot as it was $175 not the $75 I thought I heard on the phone.  $75 did sound cheap . 

[bridgecity]

^ Figured $75 was too cheap.  I've had two done in the last year and both were around the $130 IIRC.  Good to hear you got it done though.  How far out was it?

[EV Dan]

Winter wheels are on. It rains today of course 

Did a DIY brake fluid flush at 48k. Couldn't get the car in "invalid" mode for whatever reason, but with the ignition OFF and keys inside the car, gently pressing on the brake pedal activates a pump, so the rear brakes can be bled no problem, only it takes two people and patience. Toyota schedule for brakes bleeding is every 48k.

I have no idea how often spark plugs need to be changed on a Venza hybrid though, I found no mention of it in any schedule. TCCN youtube guy says either 60k miles to 120k miles, depending on the model, for the same engine... 

[ktm525]

^ Figured $75 was too cheap.  I've had two done in the last year and both were around the $130 IIRC.  Good to hear you got it done though.  How far out was it?

Don't know yet. I bet you I was very close.

As for plugs on the Venza. I would say go 160k kms.

[Dante]

Winter wheels are on. It rains today of course 

Did a DIY brake fluid flush at 48k. Couldn't get the car in "invalid" mode for whatever reason, but with the ignition OFF and keys inside the car, gently pressing on the brake pedal activates a pump, so the rear brakes can be bled no problem, only it takes two people and patience. Toyota schedule for brakes bleeding is every 48k.

I have no idea how often spark plugs need to be changed on a Venza hybrid though, I found no mention of it in any schedule. TCCN youtube guy says either 60k miles to 120k miles, depending on the model, for the same engine... 

Brake fluid is typically by time not mileage 2 -3 years.is Toyota different?
For plugs, I guess it depends on what you have. The Iridium ones in the Mitsubishi are due 168K km by the manual (did them at around 160K km).
The ones in the BMW and GTI are due 90K km...
If I was to guess, your would be 160K km....but just a guess.