I Hate Cars

[W3WN]

There's something to be said for that, but if you look at the sales literature for an ATF pumping machine, it'll tell you to park a bucket under the machine to catch all the money you'll make from it. It's a high profit biz.

One of the aforementioned quick-change joints pulled that on my wife a few years back. The car she was driving at the time was starting to have some acceleration problems. I told her it was most likely a clogged fuel filter. She thought it just needed an oil change, which it did but that wasn't the problem. So she asked them to look at it when she took the van down for me for the oil change. They convinced her it was the transmission fluid, and charged her an extra $70 to flush and replace it.

Lo & behold, no change in peformance. So they wanted to do more repair work. That's when I got involved.

And sure enough, the problem was... a clogged fuel filter.

Fast forward to last December, her Olds (now my Olds) starts doing the same thing, about the time for the oil change. She panics. She's ready to sign off on gahd knows what (from the other place). I take it for a test drive... and go straight to our mechanic. Want to take a guess as to what it was?

[suddenseer]

One of the aforementioned quick-change joints pulled that on my wife a few years back. The car she was driving at the time was starting to have some acceleration problems. I told her it was most likely a clogged fuel filter. She thought it just needed an oil change, which it did but that wasn't the problem. So she asked them to look at it when she took the van down for me for the oil change. They convinced her it was the transmission fluid, and charged her an extra $70 to flush and replace it.

Lo & behold, no change in peformance. So they wanted to do more repair work. That's when I got involved.

And sure enough, the problem was... a clogged fuel filter.

Fast forward to last December, her Olds (now my Olds) starts doing the same thing, about the time for the oil change. She panics. She's ready to sign off on gahd knows what (from the other place). I take it for a test drive... and go straight to our mechanic. Want to take a guess as to what it was?

ATF swap is PM it won't fix anything. Let me guess....a clogged fuel filter?

[suddenseer]

I hate working on cars because when I was younger the car repair was usually performed on the side of the road, or a parking lot. Getting to class or work was fully dependent on my repairing success. It always seemed to be in the rain, or snow. I could never work on vehicles for a hobby.

[KG4CGC]

LOL! Gotta love a vehicle that changes its own oil at the rate of a quart a week!

[N2CHX]

LOL! Gotta love a vehicle that changes its own oil at the rate of a quart a week!

I've owned more than one car with the "Continuous Oil Change" feature.

[kb2crk]

LOL! Gotta love a vehicle that changes its own oil at the rate of a quart a week!

i have owned a few of those. change the filter once every 4000 miles. lol
rule of thumb. dont ever buy a mechanics daily driver.
i dont do just my own oil changes, i do all of my own work except for tire changes. i do not have the equipment to change tires when they wear out.
it has saved me a small fortune over the years. it also helps that i was a ASE certified mechanic for 10 years.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

I am very good at automobile repair and can easily rebuild an engine.
I can also avoid a garage like the plague!
As a heavy equipment operator/truck driver I have to understand how my equipment works and how to maintain it, that is my job.
Tires? go to a junk yard and find a nice donor with 4 tires already on the rims and be sure to take the lug nuts and jack while you are at it.
A junk yard may charge $30 per wheel and another $10 for the tire tool and jack, under $150 total cash.
If you select good tires you can run for a year or 2 on your replacement wheels and have can always have a fresh spare or 2 on hand in your trunk.
Junkyards are also a good source for used tires and they go for under $20 but you will need to have them mounted and having tires balanced and mounted with a new valve stem can run $20 easy per tire.
Walmart will mount their tires for free and the minor extra charges are thus offset.
By having at least 2 good spares on hand you avert disaster.
By having a complete set, 2 at the house you can swap out at a moments notice, you buy time to go to the junk yard for that next visit. ;)
Oil changes are very important and walmart is as cheap as any.
Other things like fan belts you can change but should make it a point to carry a spare even if you will never change it.
An emergency fan belt is a nylon stocking but they do sell instant emergency belts, like the donut spare, just enough to get you home.
By carrying a minimal set of repair parts you can be better prepared.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...view/index.htm
You may dislike cars but will find that it sure beats walking! ;)

[N2CHX]

You may dislike cars but will find that it sure beats walking! ;)

Actually I like walking and riding my bike. I do both as often as possible.

[KA5PIU]

Actually I like walking and riding my bike. I do both as often as possible.

Hello.

I have a bike with an original whizzer engine.
http://www.whizzermotorbike.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whizzer_(motorcycles)
I have since added a hub drive electric motor and battery pack.
I fire up the engine when I am on the road, fully bored out so top end is around 25-30 MPH.
When I start out in the residence and in neighborhoods I run under electric power.
To start the gasoline engine I simply get the thing up to speed and engage the clutch, electric starter. ;)
I have 2 battery packs and take them inside to charge, wherever that may be.
5 miles on one battery and that can take me to my destination most of the time.

[NQ6U]

Hello.

I have a bike with an original whizzer engine.
http://www.whizzermotorbike.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whizzer_(motorcycles)
I have since added a hub drive electric motor and battery pack.
I fire up the engine when I am on the road, fully bored out so top end is around 25-30 MPH.
When I start out in the residence and in neighborhoods I run under electric power.
To start the gasoline engine I simply get the thing up to speed and engage the clutch, electric starter. ;)
I have 2 battery packs and take them inside to charge, wherever that may be.
5 miles on one battery and that can take me to my destination most of the time.

Did you put playing cards in the spokes so you get that cool motorcycle noise, Rudy?