Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tjc78

@qbrozen said:

@henryn said:
Do you need to be outdoors to charge an EV? I really don't know, and I don't recall reading anything about that.

Garage fires from Bolts and Teslas may not be exactly commonplace, but why take the unnecessary risk?

I follow an electrician from out west on TikTok and he just did a video of having to replace the charger outlet for a Tesla from excessive heat. He said he has done several. The fix is a special heavy duty outlet made for chargers.

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

My hood strut seems to have failed in the Golf, guess I should've had the mechanic fix it when he had it in for it's oil/filter change a couple weeks back. Completely forgot about that & surprised he didn't mention it as he had to prop it open when he poured the fresh oil into the engine. I get help now when I add more fluid to the windshield washer reservoir but I hate to ask for help. Not a big deal but would like it to work. My co-worker is a whiz with vehicles, he just got his '94 Civic coupe back on the road after rebuilding the engine & other stuff. Maybe I should get with him to fix it. Probably not a hard repair but one must have the right part & tools to do it plus the know-how also.

For most cars I’ve seen that’s a simple pop out-pop in job. 50 bucks depending on the car. Even I did it on the old Chrysler and I call the guy for most everything these days.

tjc78

Hood struts are usually pretty easy. One side sometimes is a fastener and the other just pops into a socket.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dGlPZA5m-rA

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,2015,golf,2.0l+l4+turbocharged,3308952,body+&+lamp+assembly,lift+support,1404

explorerx4

@corvette,
Maybe there is an inside hatch release? You would still have to crawl back there to open if it exists.

Sandman6472

Looks to be pretty simple, just one strut holds up the hood. If no one is around, use a broom handle like was suggested earlier.
Well, off to another work day. Worked last Sunday & needed a warm body today so said sure. Might have to do a repeat tomorrow but will find out later. My next check outta be nice!

mjfloyd1

Sandman6472 said:

Looks to be pretty simple, just one strut holds up the hood. If no one is around, use a broom handle like was suggested earlier.
Well, off to another work day. Worked last Sunday & needed a warm body today so said sure. Might have to do a repeat tomorrow but will find out later. My next check outta be nice!

Looks like you need to be careful not to scratch the paint on the fender as you remove the old strut

xwesx

corvette said:

Once fully charged, I plan to reconnect everything and test how it does when not started for a week or so, then decide whether or not to replace the battery. Looks like it's about $300 with tax for another Optima Yellow Top, so I'd rather be a little more convinced that it's needed before dropping that much money. Bonus: Despite my best efforts, the hatch latched itself shut with the battery disconnected, so installation will not be the reverse of removal. I'll have to crawl in the back seat and reinstall it that way.

Yellow top? Why the need for a deep cycle battery? Those cost nearly 3x a typical starting battery (Red Top, in the Optima line) for a car.

I still can't get over the idea of a battery that's only four years old being "old." The Red Top in my Forester turned ten years old in February. It's on its second Forester at this point.

corvette

The 12V batteries on the Prius are fairly small. Looks like the Duralast isn’t much cheaper than the Optima. It was almost completely charged this morning. I’ll probably put it back in the car tomorrow when I get back home.

henryn

jmonroe1 said:

@Sandman6472 said:

My hood strut seems to have failed in the Golf, guess I should've had the mechanic fix it when he had it in for it's oil/filter change a couple weeks back. Completely forgot about that & surprised he didn't mention it as he had to prop it open when he poured the fresh oil into the engine. I get help now when I add more fluid to the windshield washer reservoir but I hate to ask for help. Not a big deal but would like it to work. My co-worker is a whiz with vehicles, he just got his '94 Civic coupe back on the road after rebuilding the engine & other stuff. Maybe I should get with him to fix it. Probably not a hard repair but one must have the right part & tools to do it plus the know-how also.

Broom stick handles never wear out.

jmonroe

Now that brings back some memories!

jmonroe1

@mjfloyd1 said:
Looks like you need to be careful not to scratch the paint on the fender as you remove the old strut

————————————————-

You can say that again. That wannabe fixer guy came pretty damn close a couple times of hitting the fender. I guess he never heard of fender protectors or an old towel.

The things you can learn from watching the internet but not too much of the detail stuff.

jmonroe

nyccarguy

@corvette said:
The 12V batteries on the Prius are fairly small. Looks like the Duralast isn’t much cheaper than the Optima. It was almost completely charged this morning. I’ll probably put it back in the car tomorrow when I get back home.

You need a battery? Interstate from Costco.

henryn

nyccarguy said:

@corvette said:

The 12V batteries on the Prius are fairly small. Looks like the Duralast isn’t much cheaper than the Optima. It was almost completely charged this morning. I’ll probably put it back in the car tomorrow when I get back home.

You need a battery? Interstate from Costco.

-------------------- end quoted material -------------------

The last time I checked, there were only 3 companies manufacturing car batteries. There are dozens of different brands, but they all come from the same 3 companies.

corvette

The Optima I have was made by Johnson Controls. Costco says they don't carry one for my Prius. Batteries Plus has a Duracell (I think) with a four year non-prorated warranty. I'm going to top it off with the Battery Tender, drive it later this week, then let it sit for a week and see whether the voltage drop is acceptable after a week of not driving it.

tifighter

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-mitsubishi-montero-2/

qbrozen

tifighter said:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-mitsubishi-montero-2/

I'd rather get a Pajero

corvette

Nice! I'm assuming you're having it shipped? I don't know a lot about those, but I think they have a lot of off road cred.

tifighter

qbrozen said:

tifighter said:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-mitsubishi-montero-2/

I'd rather get a Pajero

Good input. Thanks.

tifighter

corvette said:

Nice! I'm assuming you're having it shipped? I don't know a lot about those, but I think they have a lot of off road cred.

Yes, it will get shipped. I'd be open to picking it up, but that's a drive and then some, and we're entering my busiest time of the year at work. I've been looking for something like this for awhile, and I didn't want a RHD truck. This is probably one of the better ones out there, and when I'm seeing miled up 15-20 YO trucks listed locally for $15K+, this doesn't seem too bad. Try to find another one. And all of the factory accessories, extra set of wheels, etc are fun. I have plans for this one.

Plus, this is funny-
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39877634/2003-mitsubishi-montero-bat-auction-pick/

explorerx4

@tifighter,
It seems to be yours now. I would have liked to see some video's of it moving.

corvette

One of the YouTubers I follow said there is speculation that the 25-year import rule cars are going to be a thing of the past. Technically legal at the federal level for the time being, but he said there is a lobbying group which is encouraging states to refuse to register them for on-road use, and about four (so far) have taken the bait.

henryn

corvette said:

The Optima I have was made by Johnson Controls. Costco says they don't carry one for my Prius. Batteries Plus has a Duracell (I think) with a four year non-prorated warranty. I'm going to top it off with the Battery Tender, drive it later this week, then let it sit for a week and see whether the voltage drop is acceptable after a week of not driving it.

A voltage drop after sitting for a week connected in the car would be more likely due to an electrical drain within the car, not due to a fault within the battery. Of course, a newer stronger battery might withstand the drain better than an older weaker battery.

If you're serious about testing the battery, then you could either buy an inexpensive battery tester (which you might never use again), or just take the battery in to your local auto parts store. I believe most any auto parts store will test your battery at no cost.

Once I start to have doubts about a car battery, I just buy a new one. I would much rather spend $150-$175 unnecessarily than get stranded. Personal choice, YMMV.

corvette

I'd agree, on most vehicles. In this instance, it's well over $200 to replace, and I think it may have been caused by not driving the car for too long, so I'm willing to do a little more research. I have a 12V battery tester from either Northern Tool or Harbor Freight, and it tests good. Plus, on the Prius, the 12V is only used for accessories and not for starting the ICE. People generally report that the power locks start acting strange or similar when the 12V goes bad, not that they are left completely stranded. If I thought it could lead to that, I'd go ahead and replace it now.

oldfarmer50

tifighter said:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-mitsubishi-montero-2/

A friend at my former employment had one just like that. He picked it up years ago for about $4k. It leaked enough oil that he figured it would never rust.

tifighter

Wow. Tough crowd.


But I still like it.

corvette

One positive response out of three ain't bad, amirite?

stickguy

I think it is sharp looking. good color combo. and seems extremely clean and rust free, which is key to something like this. Maintain it and it could run forever.

jpp75

Congrats @tifighter I really like that. Some friends who moved to New Zealand a few years back picked up two of these for their cars when they arrived there permanently. I rode in the wife's a couple of times while we were there and really liked it.

sda

tifighter said:

corvette said:

Nice! I'm assuming you're having it shipped? I don't know a lot about those, but I think they have a lot of off road cred.

Yes, it will get shipped. I'd be open to picking it up, but that's a drive and then some, and we're entering my busiest time of the year at work. I've been looking for something like this for awhile, and I didn't want a RHD truck. This is probably one of the better ones out there, and when I'm seeing miled up 15-20 YO trucks listed locally for $15K+, this doesn't seem too bad. Try to find another one. And all of the factory accessories, extra set of wheels, etc are fun. I have plans for this one.

Plus, this is funny-
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39877634/2003-mitsubishi-montero-bat-auction-pick/

Congratulations, looks really nice and wonderfully equipped. Too bad Mitsubishi lost traction in the US market. They offered some attractive and different vehicles.

breld

Congrats @tifighter!

Winning the auction and having it referenced by C&D!

That’s a fun purchase! I look forward to hearing your impressions when you get your hands on it.

Do you already have shipping lined up? I had a good experience with uShip on my recent purchase.

corvette

(never mind)

tifighter

breld said:

Congrats @tifighter!

Winning the auction and having it referenced by C&D!

That’s a fun purchase! I look forward to hearing your impressions when you get your hands on it.

Do you already have shipping lined up? I had a good experience with uShip on my recent purchase.

Thanks. I thought the link to a comparison test that C/D listed was a fun trip down memory lane.

https://caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15389472/2005-ford-explorer-vs-jeep-grand-cherokee-mitsubishi-montero-nissan-pathfinder-toyota-4runner-vw-touareg-comparison-tests/

The shipping quotes from BaT's shipping partner and uShip are about $200 apart. Since the BaT one is all integrated into their system, I'm thinking I'll probably just go that way to make the communication and tracking easier.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it. Then it will feel like a real punch.

qbrozen

@tifighter said:
Good input. Thanks.

Sorry, ti. I did not even notice you bought it. Its a cool truck. Hope it does well for you. If I wind up with a Pajero, it will be RHD and WAY slower than yours. Lol.

28firefighter

That’s an awesome truck, @tifighter! Congrats!

Michaell

Congrats, @tifighter !

Our latest installment of "As the Infiniti Turns" happened today....

My BIL has become fixated on the Infiniti QX55, so they finally made it to the dealership today, to get a test drive of the new car and a trade quote on his 2019 Q50.

The experience couldn't have gone any worse. The first quote included $7K of crap added onto the $48K MSRP, and a payment north of $900/mo. The trade in quote on the Q50 was $1000 under the lease buyout.

A second pass at a payment brought it down to somewhere around $700/mo.

They walked.

My sister and I are hoping the BIL has an epiphany about his budget, and that they start to shop something a bit less expensive.

At the moment, the plan is for him to buy out his lease next spring, then consider a Venza as the family vehicle. I'm trying to keep her grounded, given the inevitable rise in interest rates that are heading our way. The buy out payment on the Q50 is likely going to be higher than the lease payment.

Sigh.

corvette

Michaell said:

The buy out payment on the Q50 is likely going to be higher than the lease payment.

The lease payment on my $50k+ MSRP Tundra is $359 a month with taxes... Buying it out at the end of the lease would roughly double the payment if I took a 60 month loan.

stickguy

next month I am getting drafted to do some car looking with the princess up in MA. That should be "fun".

au1994

Congrats! I love the Mitsubishi. Indeed too bad about what happened to them in the US market. They produced some great stuff…Montero, Montero Sport, original Galant and the 3000GT.

Michaell

A little help from the Seattle contingent....

The son of a HS classmate of mine is in need of a new, not-too-expensive car. Budget is around $10K and they aren't particular on the particulars.

If you know of any good deals out there, I'd appreciate it.

qbrozen

Michaell said:

A little help from the Seattle contingent....

The son of a HS classmate of mine is in need of a new, not-too-expensive car. Budget is around $10K and they aren't particular on the particulars.

If you know of any good deals out there, I'd appreciate it.

? I guess you mean new-to-him, not actually NEW, right?

Oh, wait, I'm not in Seattle. I'll leave now.

28firefighter

I may know of an Infiniti G35 that might fit the bill. Kidding…kind of.

au1994

28firefighter said:

I may know of an Infiniti G35 that might fit the bill. Kidding…kind of.

Did you get a diagnosis on it?

stickguy

Can the Boston area crowd find one for my princess too?

laurasdada

Stick: Not sure that there are any "good deals" around here!

I've only bought one used car (Jag XK, from Western MA) since my first car purchase in '82 so I can't even recommend dealers. But, a friend, years ago, bought a 3 series from this dealer, gave them thumbs up. Although they are no-haggle:

https://www.bournes.com/

Herb Chambers is the big kahuna of dealerships here.
Advance scout with the usual suspects, Edmunds, Cargurus, etc.

Michaell

qbrozen said:

Michaell said:

A little help from the Seattle contingent....

The son of a HS classmate of mine is in need of a new, not-too-expensive car. Budget is around $10K and they aren't particular on the particulars.

If you know of any good deals out there, I'd appreciate it.

? I guess you mean new-to-him, not actually NEW, right?

Oh, wait, I'm not in Seattle. I'll leave now.

Yeah, I suppose I could have worded that better.

But, I will take your advice from the other thread you posted in to the Canadian member.

qbrozen

laurasdada said:

Stick: Not sure that there are any "good deals" around here!

I've only bought one used car (Jag XK, from Western MA) since my first car purchase in '82 so I can't even recommend dealers. But, a friend, years ago, bought a 3 series from this dealer, gave them thumbs up. Although they are no-haggle:

https://www.bournes.com/

Herb Chambers is the big kahuna of dealerships here.
Advance scout with the usual suspects, Edmunds, Cargurus, etc.

that's where wife's s90 came from.

tifighter

28firefighter said:

That’s an awesome truck, @tifighter! Congrats!

I had to. It's the same color as all our other cars.

28firefighter

@tifighter said:
I had to. It's the same color as all our other cars.

That’s more reason than I usually have.

Michaell

tifighter said:

28firefighter said:

That’s an awesome truck, @tifighter! Congrats!

I had to. It's the same color as all our other cars.

Update the signature block when it shows up?

tifighter

Michaell said:

tifighter said:

28firefighter said:

That’s an awesome truck, @tifighter! Congrats!

I had to. It's the same color as all our other cars.

Update the signature block when it shows up?

Sure.

xwesx

tifighter said:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-mitsubishi-montero-2/

I always like these (from a distance). I suspect this is probably one of the nicest examples still out there!

I recall seeing a Mitsu something.... Outlander, maybe?... of this era while I was in Ohio last year. It was parked at Lowe's directly across from another Outlander that was probably a couple generations newer. The older one was more holes than car, while the newer one looked pristine. It was somewhat of a sad juxtaposition.

Edit: As I read through further, and actually read the details on the BaT link, I see that there is more to it than just a random link! Congrats on the buy!