Post by SEDstar on Mar 1, 2014 4:14:22 GMT -5
I dont know, but me and "vehicles" have a *thing*
if i sit my @$$ i the drivers seat for 48 hours? light start winking on and ff all over the dash like a string of christmas lights... its insidious.
i had a car that actually looked "practically new", but, the light on the dash? was only getting shut off by a repair that was more costly than the "nice car" cost... it ran fine, but, because i live on THIS side of the county line? its "junk". I had a beater work P/U in "reserve"... and magically it suddenly developed a list of problems and wouldnt run when called into service (which was what it was for, lol)
i was actually MORTIFIED at th prospect of my DAD giving me HIS car. My parents buy a car always brand new, maintain it as only older people CAN, lavishing it with low miles ad professional mechanics to handle the slightest thing.
wash and wax it? its like a new car, basicallly. (70k-ish miles... hardly broken in, really) You have to "know" where to look to find the teensy spots where rust will weaken the paint next year. (its a 2001 grand am)
===============================================================================================
i'm embarrassed at my age, for my DAD to have to give me his used car so i can continue working... ad fr not only MY car to die, but, for my backup beater to go tits-up as well. (the old one-two punch, lol)
==============================================================================================
so? i get basically a "like new" 70,000 mile car thats perfect in every way. Looks, running, gas mileage, known maintenance? its the ne-plus-ULTRA of "used cars".
well... let the games begin!!
=============================================================================================
===========================================================================================
i got it this past summer. My @$$ wasnt in the SEAT for a full 48 hours, when i saw a string of light going off on the dash, like a string of blinking xmas lights... i called my dad up
"Dad? whats THIS light mean? whats THAT light mean? whats this other light going on and of mean?"
answer? "Oh, thats nothing. The light come on for the gas cap... doesnt hurt a thing."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
i nciely argue with him, that i know it cant be that? he swears up and down the machanic says so, and he doesnt have to so much as change the oil for the emission tests... it passes with flying colors!
the more i researched the sequences of lights? the more i knew it was NOT the gas cap. No, I had sat i the seat for 2 days, and like a stalion that knows he has a rider to be taken advantage of? It knew to "act up".
it was INSIDIOUS. I got a code reader? man, its throwing so MANY codes, the machine literally cant keep up. Throwing oother codes the machine doesnt even KNOW about. Good sweet christ, here we go AGAIN....
==============================================================================================
midnight just passed, was my deadline, and i MET the deadline... but not without the obligatory 3 ring circus of me and cars.
after satisfying myself, over a couple months off-and-on internet research and talking to anyone who HAD one of these things? I deduced, that the "TRAC OFF" and "ABS" light and "service vehicle" light probably/most likely was the "hubs" that hold the bearings. The bearings are fine for being BEARINGS mchanically? But, theres a speed sensor in the HUBS, and when THAT goes? you replace the whole HUB assembly that works perfect to get it working (needed for inspection and emission rules)
anecdotal evidence? this line of cars is famous with all the kids that have them, for this.
brakes wearing funny fast i would replace after couple months, weird soft crunching/crackling noises i couldnt trace that would come and go led me to believe this was a very plausible plot line. (an entire MYTHOLOGY about this sequence of lights to the non-mechanical owners of these vehicles has sprung up, lol)
i FINALLY found a "real mechanic" who was going thru "my problem" and devoted a whole web page to his odyssey of confusion trying to get his favorite used car to shut the lights off.
NOW all i want to see? is the holy CODE READER give me CONFIRMTION before i spend precious money when money is in short supply. Working 6 and 7 days a week puts time in short supply too... sweat equity is of no help to me.
code reader? oh heck... its found so MANY codes it actually RAN OUT of memory locations for it... i felt proud? i finally made a code reader "tap out" and scream "UNCLE!" Everyone else in the world? grabs a code reader, plugs it in... 3 seconds later it tells you exactly what to do. Or, you show your mechanic ad he says "oh, thats this..."
not me, LMAO
==============================================================================================
NOW i am second guessing myself. when the low voltage "battery" light starts popping on, the plot thickened.
fortunately? that was the alternator that died, on one of the coldest nights of the year... i had to PUSH it to a repair facility, and didnt have a car to go get an alternator. The guy that replaced the alternator, his advice on the hibs/sensors?
"You gotta get it to a dealer, they have a SPECIAL code reader, and its a little over a hundred bucks... BUT, their special machine will identify the exact WIRE to replace when it might not even BE the hubs themselves."
the alternator replaced turned out to be a god send, as that shut the low voltage light off. THAT chronicaly low voltage was what was making my computer throw every code i the book at me. But, i did not know that till i was all done.
there IS NOT a dealer open on a sunday, and i really had no ride there and back even if i wated to lose 3 days of work doing this anyways. I decided?? Whats the POINT of paying over a hundred dollars to know WHICH hub to replace? when i found out the HUB only costs 70 to 80 each anyways. its cheaper to replace both hubs than to have one hub replaced and pay more than the ther hub COSTS for diagnosis.
working 6 and 7 days a week, and the weather being what it is, and i dont have a garage? i am not staying up all night learning to replace hubs, in 3 degree temperatures, with snow falling on me... i hav to pay a mechanic to do work i KNWO i can easily do.
my regular tire-inspection place? i trust them to do th ork, but, thy are too busy. This is a rush job... i ran to the next shop, and handed him my hubs... asked for a price to install just the hubs... and asked if he had any problem putting MY specificatio of torque on the main axle bolts (manual will say 253 or something, 173 is now recommended, technical service bulletin, to fix this "known issue" with this line of cars)
120 bux for both? whee!
with 24 hours to GO to th deadline, and no days off to do it? the BRAKES were too low, and this place is expensive for brake work... i had to tell him "okay" because its a rush job. So i have fancy schmancy ceramic carbon whatever brakes that cst me 99 dollars, LMAO (i am a 15 to 18 dollar brake pad man, myself, lol, i alrady DID the brakes twice)
============================
happy as a CLAM, i get my car back 2 hours later? he notes the mechanic said the lights went out... EXCEPT for the "service vehicle" light.
GRRRRRRR!
the internet saved me... i knew had a bured out headlight, and it turned out a simple blown head light can activate the service VEHICLE light... the service ENGINE light is the sensors and emissions exhaust light you dont want to see.
i have NEVER failed to change a headlight myself? i was about to break stuff trying... eded up costing me 13 dollars to get another shop by my work t do the headlights.
=============================================================================================
and FINALLY??
ALL lights went off... and stayed off.
============================================================================================
so... the LAST DAY on my stickers? i am happy to get up early one more time, tired but happy... to go get a set of snow tires for the front, and get my stickers on.
now, it cant be THAT easy, can it?
naw...
i wasn thinking of getting the spiked recaps, even though its late i the season? so i could comfortable deliver thru "titan" storm, and whatever else mother bature could hit me with before spring arrives. I had been putting spiked tires off only 'cos dads expensive all season tires had good tread, ad money was short...
but, i had to let the air out of the tires to get OFF a small mountain working in an ice storm and almost got killed, and this underinflation several times t get around in the snow killed the tires... i got tread wear idicators, not passable for inepection.
i dedided, i spent s much money on these lights going off?? might as well treat myself to spiked tires. i ca tae them off in a month and have them for next winter.
=======================================================================================
no spiked tires! mother nature had everyone buy them all OUT.
Grrr... but, i pleaded with the tire worker to get me recape that had "deep tread" i needed... he got me a set of DEEP treaded recaps, best thing short of spiked tires on a front wheel drive.
broke, and credit card ran up? but finally HAPPY... my car got the holy tires... then went ver to the testing garage... and i unexplainable SAT THERE reading magazines and newspapers for HOURS. What the &^%$... i gotta get to WORK, this is ridiculous.
i watched my car IDLING for over an hour and a half !!! walked over? THERES the computer sittign on my front seat, testing. jesus h christ on a popsicle stick. THEN an ambulance showed up? some wrker passed out dizzyy, and we had to play "ambulance" for 45 minutes... with a young employee not even hurt...
THEN I found out the problem... the shop had run out of the stickers!!! i was waitig for the wner to run around to find another competitor that would do the inspections after he had completed th emissions tests. (no one will SAY aything to the customers? they just preted its takig along time, lol)
==============================================================================================
4 HOURS to get 2 tires on my wheels, and 2 stickers on my windshield... i gt the young ccooks calling me am i comign to work... calling me back, i have the money bag, they cant even take pick up orders... callign me back what do they do...
call the sunday driver... he wont answer his phone (typical). NOW the owner lady is calign me, and she is not a good "crisis manager"... she screeches and starts panic breathing, and saying the obvious over and over... hardly any help.
when you get there 2 hours BEFORE work for a 45 minute procedure? then your still there waiting 4 hours LATER... you take a lot of phone calls, lol. Especially when you have the money bag in your hands and your not there.
(editors note: a certain irony was that the owners car herself was in the shop, for emissions, and her sons used car isnt running, lol)
================================================================================================
heres my final tally on makig the dash lights go off, and get inspection and emssions passed (when the car runs PERFECT, i might add)
1) 170 something for 2 new hubs.
2) 60 plus taxes and fees to get them on.
3) the brakes jesus christ made, cos i was under the gun, was another 99 plus labor.
4) 100 plus labor for 2 new deep tread recaps (actually haappy abotu that, all season sucks)
5) 80 bucks for inspection and emission
6) 3 days with 5 hours sleep TOTAL worrying about micromanaging this whole fiasco.
what is that? over 500 dollars, to get a light to go off and a sticker on my windshield? I would MUCH rather have just spend 80 bux for the sticker (like everyone else, lol) and put the money into a "PEX" beginners kit so i coul run all new lines and fixtures around my house so i dot have to poop in a bucket every morning before work.
the bucket doesnt bother me really its just ungodly COLD when i first get up and have to fluff the fire and i got to GO i the arse freezing cold...
talk about shrinkage.
===========================================================================================
four and a half HOURS for a 45 minute tire and sticker job?? christ, i was waiting for the tire guys to start driving around in the little circus cars, lol, someone teach them to JUGGLE so they can be more entertaining.
if i EVER run across some guy and he says "you know, those lights that tell you whats wrong on a car? that was MY idea, guy...!"
i'm gonna put MAT BURNS on his face, i dont care where i am, and whos around, lol.....
if i sit my @$$ i the drivers seat for 48 hours? light start winking on and ff all over the dash like a string of christmas lights... its insidious.
i had a car that actually looked "practically new", but, the light on the dash? was only getting shut off by a repair that was more costly than the "nice car" cost... it ran fine, but, because i live on THIS side of the county line? its "junk". I had a beater work P/U in "reserve"... and magically it suddenly developed a list of problems and wouldnt run when called into service (which was what it was for, lol)
i was actually MORTIFIED at th prospect of my DAD giving me HIS car. My parents buy a car always brand new, maintain it as only older people CAN, lavishing it with low miles ad professional mechanics to handle the slightest thing.
wash and wax it? its like a new car, basicallly. (70k-ish miles... hardly broken in, really) You have to "know" where to look to find the teensy spots where rust will weaken the paint next year. (its a 2001 grand am)
===============================================================================================
i'm embarrassed at my age, for my DAD to have to give me his used car so i can continue working... ad fr not only MY car to die, but, for my backup beater to go tits-up as well. (the old one-two punch, lol)
==============================================================================================
so? i get basically a "like new" 70,000 mile car thats perfect in every way. Looks, running, gas mileage, known maintenance? its the ne-plus-ULTRA of "used cars".
well... let the games begin!!
=============================================================================================
===========================================================================================
i got it this past summer. My @$$ wasnt in the SEAT for a full 48 hours, when i saw a string of light going off on the dash, like a string of blinking xmas lights... i called my dad up
"Dad? whats THIS light mean? whats THAT light mean? whats this other light going on and of mean?"
answer? "Oh, thats nothing. The light come on for the gas cap... doesnt hurt a thing."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
i nciely argue with him, that i know it cant be that? he swears up and down the machanic says so, and he doesnt have to so much as change the oil for the emission tests... it passes with flying colors!
the more i researched the sequences of lights? the more i knew it was NOT the gas cap. No, I had sat i the seat for 2 days, and like a stalion that knows he has a rider to be taken advantage of? It knew to "act up".
it was INSIDIOUS. I got a code reader? man, its throwing so MANY codes, the machine literally cant keep up. Throwing oother codes the machine doesnt even KNOW about. Good sweet christ, here we go AGAIN....
==============================================================================================
midnight just passed, was my deadline, and i MET the deadline... but not without the obligatory 3 ring circus of me and cars.
after satisfying myself, over a couple months off-and-on internet research and talking to anyone who HAD one of these things? I deduced, that the "TRAC OFF" and "ABS" light and "service vehicle" light probably/most likely was the "hubs" that hold the bearings. The bearings are fine for being BEARINGS mchanically? But, theres a speed sensor in the HUBS, and when THAT goes? you replace the whole HUB assembly that works perfect to get it working (needed for inspection and emission rules)
anecdotal evidence? this line of cars is famous with all the kids that have them, for this.
brakes wearing funny fast i would replace after couple months, weird soft crunching/crackling noises i couldnt trace that would come and go led me to believe this was a very plausible plot line. (an entire MYTHOLOGY about this sequence of lights to the non-mechanical owners of these vehicles has sprung up, lol)
i FINALLY found a "real mechanic" who was going thru "my problem" and devoted a whole web page to his odyssey of confusion trying to get his favorite used car to shut the lights off.
NOW all i want to see? is the holy CODE READER give me CONFIRMTION before i spend precious money when money is in short supply. Working 6 and 7 days a week puts time in short supply too... sweat equity is of no help to me.
code reader? oh heck... its found so MANY codes it actually RAN OUT of memory locations for it... i felt proud? i finally made a code reader "tap out" and scream "UNCLE!" Everyone else in the world? grabs a code reader, plugs it in... 3 seconds later it tells you exactly what to do. Or, you show your mechanic ad he says "oh, thats this..."
not me, LMAO
==============================================================================================
NOW i am second guessing myself. when the low voltage "battery" light starts popping on, the plot thickened.
fortunately? that was the alternator that died, on one of the coldest nights of the year... i had to PUSH it to a repair facility, and didnt have a car to go get an alternator. The guy that replaced the alternator, his advice on the hibs/sensors?
"You gotta get it to a dealer, they have a SPECIAL code reader, and its a little over a hundred bucks... BUT, their special machine will identify the exact WIRE to replace when it might not even BE the hubs themselves."
the alternator replaced turned out to be a god send, as that shut the low voltage light off. THAT chronicaly low voltage was what was making my computer throw every code i the book at me. But, i did not know that till i was all done.
there IS NOT a dealer open on a sunday, and i really had no ride there and back even if i wated to lose 3 days of work doing this anyways. I decided?? Whats the POINT of paying over a hundred dollars to know WHICH hub to replace? when i found out the HUB only costs 70 to 80 each anyways. its cheaper to replace both hubs than to have one hub replaced and pay more than the ther hub COSTS for diagnosis.
working 6 and 7 days a week, and the weather being what it is, and i dont have a garage? i am not staying up all night learning to replace hubs, in 3 degree temperatures, with snow falling on me... i hav to pay a mechanic to do work i KNWO i can easily do.
my regular tire-inspection place? i trust them to do th ork, but, thy are too busy. This is a rush job... i ran to the next shop, and handed him my hubs... asked for a price to install just the hubs... and asked if he had any problem putting MY specificatio of torque on the main axle bolts (manual will say 253 or something, 173 is now recommended, technical service bulletin, to fix this "known issue" with this line of cars)
120 bux for both? whee!
with 24 hours to GO to th deadline, and no days off to do it? the BRAKES were too low, and this place is expensive for brake work... i had to tell him "okay" because its a rush job. So i have fancy schmancy ceramic carbon whatever brakes that cst me 99 dollars, LMAO (i am a 15 to 18 dollar brake pad man, myself, lol, i alrady DID the brakes twice)
============================
happy as a CLAM, i get my car back 2 hours later? he notes the mechanic said the lights went out... EXCEPT for the "service vehicle" light.
GRRRRRRR!
the internet saved me... i knew had a bured out headlight, and it turned out a simple blown head light can activate the service VEHICLE light... the service ENGINE light is the sensors and emissions exhaust light you dont want to see.
i have NEVER failed to change a headlight myself? i was about to break stuff trying... eded up costing me 13 dollars to get another shop by my work t do the headlights.
=============================================================================================
and FINALLY??
ALL lights went off... and stayed off.
============================================================================================
so... the LAST DAY on my stickers? i am happy to get up early one more time, tired but happy... to go get a set of snow tires for the front, and get my stickers on.
now, it cant be THAT easy, can it?
naw...
i wasn thinking of getting the spiked recaps, even though its late i the season? so i could comfortable deliver thru "titan" storm, and whatever else mother bature could hit me with before spring arrives. I had been putting spiked tires off only 'cos dads expensive all season tires had good tread, ad money was short...
but, i had to let the air out of the tires to get OFF a small mountain working in an ice storm and almost got killed, and this underinflation several times t get around in the snow killed the tires... i got tread wear idicators, not passable for inepection.
i dedided, i spent s much money on these lights going off?? might as well treat myself to spiked tires. i ca tae them off in a month and have them for next winter.
=======================================================================================
no spiked tires! mother nature had everyone buy them all OUT.
Grrr... but, i pleaded with the tire worker to get me recape that had "deep tread" i needed... he got me a set of DEEP treaded recaps, best thing short of spiked tires on a front wheel drive.
broke, and credit card ran up? but finally HAPPY... my car got the holy tires... then went ver to the testing garage... and i unexplainable SAT THERE reading magazines and newspapers for HOURS. What the &^%$... i gotta get to WORK, this is ridiculous.
i watched my car IDLING for over an hour and a half !!! walked over? THERES the computer sittign on my front seat, testing. jesus h christ on a popsicle stick. THEN an ambulance showed up? some wrker passed out dizzyy, and we had to play "ambulance" for 45 minutes... with a young employee not even hurt...
THEN I found out the problem... the shop had run out of the stickers!!! i was waitig for the wner to run around to find another competitor that would do the inspections after he had completed th emissions tests. (no one will SAY aything to the customers? they just preted its takig along time, lol)
==============================================================================================
4 HOURS to get 2 tires on my wheels, and 2 stickers on my windshield... i gt the young ccooks calling me am i comign to work... calling me back, i have the money bag, they cant even take pick up orders... callign me back what do they do...
call the sunday driver... he wont answer his phone (typical). NOW the owner lady is calign me, and she is not a good "crisis manager"... she screeches and starts panic breathing, and saying the obvious over and over... hardly any help.
when you get there 2 hours BEFORE work for a 45 minute procedure? then your still there waiting 4 hours LATER... you take a lot of phone calls, lol. Especially when you have the money bag in your hands and your not there.
(editors note: a certain irony was that the owners car herself was in the shop, for emissions, and her sons used car isnt running, lol)
================================================================================================
heres my final tally on makig the dash lights go off, and get inspection and emssions passed (when the car runs PERFECT, i might add)
1) 170 something for 2 new hubs.
2) 60 plus taxes and fees to get them on.
3) the brakes jesus christ made, cos i was under the gun, was another 99 plus labor.
4) 100 plus labor for 2 new deep tread recaps (actually haappy abotu that, all season sucks)
5) 80 bucks for inspection and emission
6) 3 days with 5 hours sleep TOTAL worrying about micromanaging this whole fiasco.
what is that? over 500 dollars, to get a light to go off and a sticker on my windshield? I would MUCH rather have just spend 80 bux for the sticker (like everyone else, lol) and put the money into a "PEX" beginners kit so i coul run all new lines and fixtures around my house so i dot have to poop in a bucket every morning before work.
the bucket doesnt bother me really its just ungodly COLD when i first get up and have to fluff the fire and i got to GO i the arse freezing cold...
talk about shrinkage.
===========================================================================================
four and a half HOURS for a 45 minute tire and sticker job?? christ, i was waiting for the tire guys to start driving around in the little circus cars, lol, someone teach them to JUGGLE so they can be more entertaining.
if i EVER run across some guy and he says "you know, those lights that tell you whats wrong on a car? that was MY idea, guy...!"
i'm gonna put MAT BURNS on his face, i dont care where i am, and whos around, lol.....