The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread

[Bang]

1997 toyota corrolla is really getting up there.. near 200k miles now.

My son drives it, and it runs fine, starts right up.. if i had any complaint it's that it seems like you really have to give it gas to get it up to speed.
It doesn't cough or spit, it just seems like you have to really floor it to get it going at a decent rate of increase. If you don't, it takes it sweet time getting up. The transmission doesn't stick in a low gear.. it changes on cue. just cues take a while in  coming.

Particularly noticeable when you have to merge from a slow speed onto a high speed road.

Once up to speed it runs great, very smooth.

 

It gets driven plenty, and we keep it tuned, .. filters and fluids always kept up. hasn't ever had any major repairs.. alternator needed replacing about ten years ago..  starter once.

 

Any tips on how to keep an older motor running well? 

 

 

~J

Edited July 28, 2015 by Bang

[zoony]

Been hearing a lot of general comentary on modern Diesel engines... That because of epa restrictions the collective reliability has suffered tremendously. Is this true?

I've heard horror stories about the ford 6.0 and other brands too. Any gear heads want to weigh in?

[Springfield]

Spring, how do i approach this situation at the dealer? I go to the Toyota dealer for my oil change. Should i ask them to rotate my tires and have them check my brakes? They usually charge just to check the breaks.

Just tell them that you think you need brakes. As them if they can look at the brakes at no cost when the wheels are off for the rotation. If they want to make any money they'll do that for you.

If not, tell them that's ok and you'll take you car somewhere else to have the brakes checked. Follow through on that. If you actually need brakes then they'll notice when the wheels are off anyhow.

[zoony]

1997 toyota corrolla is really getting up there.. near 200k miles now.

My son drives it, and it runs fine, starts right up.. if i had any complaint it's that it seems like you really have to give it gas to get it up to speed.

It doesn't cough or spit, it just seems like you have to really floor it to get it going at a decent rate of increase. If you don't, it takes it sweet time getting up. The transmission doesn't stick in a low gear.. it changes on cue. just cues take a while in  coming.

Particularly noticeable when you have to merge from a slow speed onto a high speed road.

Once up to speed it runs great, very smooth.

 

It gets driven plenty, and we keep it tuned, .. filters and fluids always kept up. hasn't ever had any major repairs.. alternator needed replacing about ten years ago..  starter once.

 

Any tips on how to keep an older motor running well? 

 

 

~J

I would hit it hard with the sea foam... You might even pay for the injector service. Also keep that air filter clean

[Springfield]

Been hearing a lot of general comentary on modern Diesel engines... That because of epa restrictions the collective reliability has suffered tremendously. Is this true?

I've heard horror stories about the ford 6.0 and other brands too. Any gear heads want to weigh in?

One of the most knowledgeable people I know recently bought a Silverado diesel.

Me, you couldn't get me far enough away from a diesel.

I would hit it hard with the sea foam... You might even pay for the injector service. Also keep that air filter clean

That's all is real have for you Bang.

Possibly cleaning the MAF sensor. Common issue on those that can cause a lack of power.

$590 to fix my AC. Plus $40 wasted dollars on a refrigerant kit. Air compressor failed.

$590 to fix my AC. Plus $40 wasted dollars on a refrigerant kit. Air compressor failed.

Ain't too bad if you ask me.

[zoony]

Brake wear is highly subjective. Some people are easier on the brakes than others are. 45k is pretty good, especially for this area.

The brakes should be replace when hey are at or below 2/32nds of an inch. That's the legal limit in VA (below that and they fail inspection). It's possible, if not likely, that the rotors will need to be replaced with the pads.

Pro tip: Use factory (Toyota) pads and rotors . It'll cost more but those cheap pads are junk. Cheap brake parts are inexpensive for a reason.

My wife's oddyssey needed pads and new rotors at 40k on all four wheels. I spent the $100 to buy the Bosch rotor and boy am I glad I did.

However, I bought generic pads (though they are ceramic)

Anywho, a few weekends ago I bled the brakes and just assumed I would need to change the pads too... But when I got the wheel off the pads looked brand new.. 100k miles. Guess advance auto wasn't bull****ting about the lifetime warranty. Honda factory pads are warm turds. Their rotors are worse. Very disappointing for a maker such as Honda.

Also general maintenance tip... Keep your brake fluid clean. Bleed every 3 years. That **** gets FILTHY... Nobody I know ever touches their brake fluid. Very dangerous that's how failures happen. Like my dad always said there are only two ways to stop...y

Why no diesels Springfield?

Nissan Titan is getting a cummins in 2016. 555 ft-lbs, wow

[chipwhich]

Also general maintenance tip... Keep your brake fluid clean. Bleed every 3 years. That **** gets FILTHY... Nobody I know ever touches their brake fluid. Very dangerous that's how failures happen. Like my dad always said there are only two ways to stop...y

 

Funny, the last time I bled brakes on a car was probably 30 years ago.

 

In Tennessee, y'all need a weekend activity.

[zoony]

Funny, the last time I bled brakes on a car was probably 30 years ago.

 

In Tennessee, y'all need a weekend activity.

No I bleed brakes during the week. I **** your mom on weekends

[Springfield]

Meh. I think it's just a preference thing. There isn't a diesel out there that really draws my attention. No way in hell would I buy a VW diesel and I'm not a work truck type of guy.

I don't think diesels and bad per se, they just don't pique my interest.

[chipwhich]

No I bleed brakes during the week. I **** your mom on weekends

 

It's a Tenn thing most folk won't understand.  We share.

[zoony]

$590 to fix my AC. Plus $40 wasted dollars on a refrigerant kit. Air compressor failed.$590 to fix my AC. Plus $40 wasted dollars on a refrigerant kit. Air compressor failed.

When I first graduated college I bought a Mercedes 190 from a little old lady for $200. She basically told me she wanted the car to go to someone who needed it. It had 36k miles on it (this was 1999 or so)

Anyway the ac was the only thing that didn't work. I figured a few hundred bucks.. WRONG. it was a $1800 fix. One hose alone, REBUILT!!!, was over $700.

I loved that car but I had to sell it eventually. I couldn't stand not having ac, and I couldn't justify sinking that kind of cash into an old vehicle to get it fixed.

So two things. One, never buy used german cars. The parts and labor will **** you without lube. Two, $500 to fix the ac isn't so bad.

[Elessar78]

When I first graduated college I bought a Mercedes 190 from a little old lady for $200. She basically told me she wanted the car to go to someone who needed it. It had 36k miles on it (this was 1999 or so)

Anyway the ac was the only thing that didn't work. I figured a few hundred bucks.. WRONG. it was a $1800 fix. One hose alone, REBUILT!!!, was over $700.

I loved that car but I had to sell it eventually. I couldn't stand not having ac, and I couldn't justify sinking that kind of cash into an old vehicle to get it fixed.

So two things. One, never buy used german cars. The parts and labor will **** you without lube. Two, $500 to fix the ac isn't so bad.

You're right. Can't complain too much. I've toyed with the idea of just buying a totaled version of my cars from salvage and just harvesting them for parts. For some reason I knew that about German cars. I'm actually at a seminar today and one of the guys is auto industry parts supplier. He mentioned about premium prices for German engineering but they're middle of the pack (along with most American makes) in almost every other category. 

[Elessar78]

Ain't too bad if you ask me.

I'm coming down from the sticker shock. In the past two months I've just sunk over a grand into maintaining/fixing our cars. 

 

Which is really testing my resolve and my belief in my philosophy. I buy used cars, some high mileage, because after depreciation it's still cheaper to do the maintenance-type repairs than to buy it new. Our Odyssey would've been $35K brand new. I got it for $12K. Even with all the repairs, I'm still ahead. Just have to baby it and keep it running. 

 

Like Bang, I have the same question (that I think I've asked before), but how do you keep these cars running a long time? We probably put 12-15K miles on it per year. Mostly short, 7 mile drives (which isn't great). 

[Kosher Ham]

Elessar sounds like he needs a road trip.

[zoony]

I'm coming down from the sticker shock. In the past two months I've just sunk over a grand into maintaining/fixing our cars.

Which is really testing my resolve and my belief in my philosophy. I buy used cars, some high mileage, because after depreciation it's still cheaper to do the maintenance-type repairs than to buy it new. Our Odyssey would've been $35K brand new. I got it for $12K. Even with all the repairs, I'm still ahead. Just have to baby it and keep it running.

Like Bang, I have the same question (that I think I've asked before), but how do you keep these cars running a long time? We probably put 12-15K miles on it per year. Mostly short, 7 mile drives (which isn't great).

I think that is a fine strategy. I kind of do the opposite, I buy new cars and hold them for a while and take very good care of them. We bought my wife's odyssey new for $35k but that was 2009 and she still has it. Though next year we probably will sell it and buy something new. When cars get around 125k you start running into maintenance issues that are more trouble than they are worth, like cv joints and power steering pumps and on and on.

Either way you go,,. Cars are just expensive.

[Elessar78]

This true. Usually it's low mileage used cars so we can get the best of both worlds. But we weren't sure we were minivan people and didn't want to put a lot into that bet. Esp since, and kids haveBeen true to form, and trash it.

[GoSkins0721]

This true. Usually it's low mileage used cars so we can get the best of both worlds. But we weren't sure we were minivan people and didn't want to put a lot into that bet. Esp since, and kids haveBeen true to form, and trash it.

 

My wife says I'm cheap, I prefer frugal. I've owned 2 cars since 1981 (she has her own car): an '81 Datsun 310 that I donated to the Richmond Fire Department in 1994 & a 1990 535 BMW I bought in '94 that I still drive today. It's on it's last legs at ~155k. Most, if not all of the plastic clips that hold just about everything in the car are breaking every day. AC just went out yesterday (had it charged ~3 years ago). I only trust rolling down 2 windows because the other 2 are near death - I've had the other 2 replaced at ~$550/door. It sucks because the engine & tran still purr like a lion. No problems cruising on I95 at 85mph. My son just drove it 500 miles to/from the beach 2 weeks ago. But, this could be the final nail in the coffin. I'll take to my mechanic who has worked on it since I bought it to see what he says. Wife says get something new(er), but I need to see what it will be to get the AC fixed. Maybe another charge to hold me until 2016. 

 

The thought of a monthly car payment brings tears to my eyes. 

[pjfootballer]

I'm no mechanic so if my truck dies, I'm buying a new one. No used car headaches for me. I keep up with the maintenance, wash, wax and armor all the inside. I keep it in the garage. 2007 Colorado with 76k miles.

I had a short 3 mile commute to work the first 6 years I owned it. Now, I'm 24 miles one way. I put the spray on bedliner in it to keep out rust and scratches.

When I need a new truck, I go in and say here is my monthly payment budget. What can you do to keep me at that number or close to it. Plenty of dealers to go to if they don't meet my needs.

[Elessar78]

I hear ya. It's not really that much of hassle for me, no more than when I bought a car brand new. 

 

That's the convenience route and there's a price premium for convenience. GoSkins is probably at one extreme and maybe you're toward the other. The lessees are really the other end of the spectrum. So I'm somewhere in the middle. 

 

With your approach, the thing I'd be concerned about is total cost. To hit your numbers, they have to stretch out payments over more years so you could be paying a lot in financing and not actual "truck". 

[Springfield]

I buy cars new. Drive them until they are paid off and then use the value of that car as a trade in. I love a new car although I don't love the monthly payments. Perhaps once one of our two cars is paid off we will keep one for longer.

[Elessar78]

What about low-mileage used? Hefty discount and if you buy a reliable make or model, 20-30k is just a warmup for those beasts. Be out of your payments even sooner... and investing the difference on WANG in the Chinese stock market.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Elessar78

[Springfield]

What about low-mileage used? Hefty discount and if you buy a reliable make or model, 20-30k is just a warmup for those beasts. Be out of your payments even sooner... and investing the difference on WANG in the Chinese stock market.

Man, **** the Chinese stock market. But it's YANG and that ****er is craaaazy!

I like getting the exact car I want with the options that I want. I'm sure I could find that used, but getting as particular as I do, it would take a while and I may end up overpaying anyhow.

[chipwhich]

I think that is a fine strategy. I kind of do the opposite, I buy new cars and hold them for a while and take very good care of them. We bought my wife's odyssey new for $35k but that was 2009 and she still has it. Though next year we probably will sell it and buy something new. When cars get around 125k you start running into maintenance issues that are more trouble than they are worth, like cv joints and power steering pumps and on and on.

Either way you go,,. Cars are just expensive.

 

We are like twins.  My wife had her Odyssey until about 150K.  My cuz in Tenn has an Accord they bought that now has like 400K miles on it.  He does all of his own maintenance including the timing belt.

 

I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee ( the worst car I ever owned) new.  When I traded it in the dealer wondered why I kept it so long.

 

I usually have the answer to everything, but not on cars.  I keep them a long time so not sure buying used makes sense.  I also put a lot of miles on them.  I currently have a Range Rover with over 100K miles.  I was told it would be the worst car ever.  It's running circles around that Grand Cherokee.  I also hear they go to **** over 100K.  Tempted to trade it, but it feels like new.  I bought a 5 year extended warranty and 100% service plan for it.  I am running out of time.  Service plan paid for itself 2x over.  Just had my second set of free brake pads and rotors....I wonder if they bled those suckers? 

[Springfield]

No chip, the Range will not be the worst car ever.

Grand Cherokee takes that hands down.

Range Rovers are very expensive to repair when it comes time though.

[chipwhich]

No chip, the Range will not be the worst car ever.

Grand Cherokee takes that hands down.

Range Rovers are very expensive to repair when it comes time though.

 

My neighbor bought a newer Jeep Grand Cherokee than I had when I owned one.  He took it to the dealer for the 30,000 mile service.  They wanted $2,100 for all the work.  I LOL'ed.  Literally.  For a 30K service?

 

It was then I knew never to buy another Jeep.  I still have that Rubicon/Wrangler checkbox to hit.  Not sure I should ever do it.  I know I will regret it.