Disqus - Latest Comments for salguod

Re: Hooniverse Asks: Are you taking on a new project car in 2021?

salguod — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 12:57:16 -0000

I'm planning on selling the E46 in the spring and we'll see what takes its place. My coworker still has his E38 750iL with a few issues for under $4K. How bad could it be? 😂

Re: What Was Your Automotive News for 2020?

salguod — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:55:47 -0000

2020 saw me pretty much get the E46 sorted with most of the major things dealt with. The only remaining issues are the oil consumption and some modest rust patches, mostly in the rockers. I'm not likely dealing with either. Now that it's sorted, I'm kind of bored with it and I'll likely be selling it in the spring.

I also moved up from my 2WD 1995 Ranger to a 4WD 2001 Tundra. The Ranger is still in the stable as my daughter's driver until, hopefully soon, she buys the first car of her own. The Tundra is a fairly clean TRD spec truck with 290K miles and non-working 4WD. Hopefully that'll get fixed soon. I put a timing belt on it and I've been using it as my snow runner this winter.

2020 saw me say goodbye to the only new car I've ever bought, my 2005 Mazda3 hatch. It was a great car, mechanically, running for 14 years and 215K miles with no major mechanical issues and few minor ones. It still had it's original clutch when I sold it. Cosmetically, however, was another story. Serious rust had ravaged it's outer skin, although the structural bits were still sound. It has had a few minor mishaps under my daughter's care as well, so the nose was a bit bent. Still, a young kit bought it and was thrilled to start the tasks of returning it to some sense of its former glory. More power to him.

I also picked up my first ever lease, a 2021 Accord Hybrid EX-L for my wife just a couple of weeks ago. The deal was quite attractive and will mean that her car will always be under warranty and I'll never pay for or worry about maintenance again. (and if anyone wants to buy a 2015 Accord Hybrid with about 101K on it, hit me up. :-D)

And lastly, I just this week put a deposit down for getting my pole barn built. Construction won't start until May, which is fine as I've got a few trees to clear and a gate to get built. I'm pretty excited about this as I've always dreamt of having a dedicated place to store and work on my projects. It also feels like an expensive and extravagant purchase, even though we've thoroughly reviewed our finances and it's within our means.

Re: Off-Road Corvette is the best Corvette

salguod — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 09:28:56 -0000

I kinda like the Corvette, but I'm also sad that what seems like a clean 6 speed Corvette in a good color was cut up to make it. Surely there are plenty of beater Corvettes out there, right?

That Scout look like fun, but it seems the flow through ventilation is not confined to the missing tailgate seals. Also, it says automatic but I see a floor shift. Did these have a floor shifted automatic?

Add all terrains to that Prius and you'll kill that 400 mile range quickly. Also, these have aggressive traction control that can't be turned off which will kill the fun.

Re: The Honda Odyssey is an excellent mobile ski lodge

salguod — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 21:59:11 -0000

I towed a trailer that was about 2,000 pounds empty plus 4 bikes on the roof, our family of 5 and all our gear for a week with our old 210 HP (on premium, 205 HP on regular) 1999 Odyssey. That felt adequate. Nearly 300 would have been great.

(There's an encyclopedia Hoonatica idea (is that still a thing?) - vehicles with different published HP ratings based on fuel type / octane.)

Re: Alpha Motor Corporation reveals ACE electric coupe

salguod — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 17:35:40 -0000

I want to like this, but I quite get there. There's a cute, playful character that I like, but too many details are just not quite thought through.

The flares feel like an afterthought, not well integrated. They feel too aggressive for the generally playful aesthetic and the modest performance. And even with the big flares, the wheels still are proud. The gas door is cut into the body with no relationship to the rest of the lines of the car. The body shape and greenhouse feel like separate forms simply placed on top of each other, not intended to be together. It feels like a child's toy rather than a full blown automobile.

Also, it has a blockiness that reminds me of the Saab Sonett III only in notchback form. Another car whose styling didn't quite come together for me. https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: The News for December 18th, 2020

salguod — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 23:18:35 -0000

This arrived this week. A 2021 Accord EX-L Hybrid lease for my wife to replace her base 2015. Our first lease and only the second new vehicle. I think I'm more excited about it than she is. I'm particularly happy, with the 15" height difference between us, to finally have memory seats. https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: Last Call: Older face, same joy

salguod — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 10:00:16 -0000

I'm not sure I've ever owned a car with enough power to do a proper burnout.

Re: | Hooniverse

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 11:48:13 -0000

"if you need to haul people and stuff but not tow, get a Transit or Sprinter."

Actually, an Odyssey or Sienna will haul almost as much people and stuff for less money, less fuel (although the diesel is close) and easier to drive. But who am I kidding, no one considering a Suburban is going to cross shop a minivan.

Re: The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is for the enthusiasts

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 11:20:53 -0000

I'm hoping it's just a terrible photo, but I agree, 3D printing is an odd choice for a high appearance and high touch point part. 3D printing generally requires a lot of finish work to achieve a high appearance quality. That said, machining that would be expensive too.

I'm guessing they wanted something more visible to show off their embrace of the technology that everyone has heard about. Something sexier and more visible than head ducts and wiring brackets.

Re: The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is for the enthusiasts

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 11:03:02 -0000

2/3 of my millennial / gen Z offspring can drive a manual and the third has had enough training that they could do it in a pinch. The oldest has dailied a manual since 16 and prefers one.

So I'm doing my part. :-D

Re: Hack: Rejuvenating white tire letters

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:56:27 -0000

I had white walls on my Camaro in high school, white letters on my Monza in college and white walls on my wife's Nova when we were first married in 1993 and I think I used an SOS pad or at least a strong bristle brush on all.

No white on any tires since, until recently. Both the Ranger and the Tundra have white letters and both are rather dingy. But so are both trucks, so...

Re: Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite Forward Control-style vehicle?

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:24:01 -0000

The right answer.

Re: Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite Forward Control-style vehicle?

salguod — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:22:59 -0000

That's taking "You are the crumple zone." rather literally.

Re: Last Call: Flight 199, Now Departing

salguod — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 21:23:53 -0000

That jump was awesome. Not to take anything away from Travis, but it did kind of remind me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Re: Gymkhana 2020: Ultimate Hometown Shred

salguod — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 21:13:01 -0000

Nice feature of the new BRZ. I wonder what they had to do to it to make it drift like that.

Re: Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite year for cars?

salguod — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 21:14:55 -0000

I was going to say 1967 as well. The year of my birth saw the first Camaro and Firebird, a nicely refreshed Mustang and a sleek all new Barracuda. There were some good looking GM full size coupes available too.

Re: Mitsubishi Montero: Headlight Swap

salguod — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 13:43:20 -0000

It seems that non-halogen sealed beams are hard to find and hard to find specifications on. That is what the car was designed around. A drop in halogen 5 3/4" sealed beam is 40/60W (Low / High, I assume) at 12.8V. Halogens weren't available until the 70s or 80s, but I can't find wattage on the standard sealed beams.

The H4 bulbs in my Hella kit are 60/55W (High / Low) at 12.0V. I'm guessing that if the drop in Halogen Sealed beams, about all I can find now, are OK, these Hellas should be too.

Re: The News for December 4th, 2020

salguod — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 12:51:01 -0000

Did some diagnostic work on the Tundra 4WD. Front axle actuator definitely isn't engaging and the wiring is not routed properly. Previous owner had it looked at and they mentioned a unspecified wiring issue and a bad actuator. I'm trying to figure out how to check the wiring before I throw a couple of hundred dollars at an actuator.

I also need to replace a cracked vacuum cap on the BMW that will hopefully turn of the service engine light.

Lastly, I should be putting a deposit on my pole barn before Christmas. Construction won't be until spring or summer.

Re: The News for December 4th, 2020

salguod — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 12:44:52 -0000

Dang, I've been meaning to ask you about it. I'm getting the itch to move on from the E46 and this sounded like fun. Probably won't sell it until spring, though.

Re: The News for November 20th, 2020

salguod — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 14:55:08 -0000

I like that new Civic, but I see a fair bit of Cadillac CT5 in it, which I guess is not bad. Certainly an improvement, inside and out, from the current. Looking forward to seeing the hatch.

My daughter spun the Ranger into a wall this weekend. Rain and a 2WD unloaded truck plus inexperience. She's fine, no one else involved and only minor damage to 2 corners. It required a little redneck bodywork to keep the bumper clear of the front tire. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: The News for November 13th, 2020

salguod — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 20:41:19 -0000

No, it was the seal between the tank and the core. It was weeping all the way across. Installed the new radiator last night and all is well.

Re: The News for November 13th, 2020

salguod — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 22:50:04 -0000

Yes, but it feeds into an overflow bottle on the driver's side. The top of the radiator was wet at the joint between the plastic tank and the aluminum core on the passenger side. Plus, it was not overheated, temp guage was normal, just under the mid point. I would expect high temperatures to cause excessive pressure and the pressure cap to open.

I'll double check, but I don't think it was the cap.

Re: The News for November 13th, 2020

salguod — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 17:56:27 -0000

Well, I put new belts on the Protege and discovered two things:

1 - The plastic timing belt cover was not seated properly and the water pump / alternator belt had worn a groove in it. The good news, I guess, is that likely means that it's had a timing belt at some point. The bad news, of course, is that is what likely took out the belt. The groove is worn large enough that it probably no longer interferes with the belt, but who knows what kind of debris is inside the cover now, possibly mucking up the belt or pulleys. Thankfully, this is not an interference engine. I plan on keeping an eye on it and maybe putting on a new cover here soon.

2 - That wasn't all it needs. After a test drive, I was feeling pretty confident until I parked it in the driveway and saw the steam. It seems the seal on the top radiator tank let go, so it needs a new radiator. A job for another day.

Re: The News for November 13th, 2020

salguod — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 15:39:27 -0000

Yep, my complaint as well. Especially frustrating as you're passing on the freeway, someone behind you wanting to go around you, and the car decides that the car in the adjacent lane is actually in front of you so it slows down. I don't think the "adaptive" part can be turned off, or at least I didn't find a way. It also wanted to slow for cars ahead earlier than I wanted to change lanes to pass, so that took some adaptation to change lanes earlier as well.

In stop and go, however, it was quite nice. Set to 65 MPH, it would slow to creep along with traffic and even come to a stop, cruise still set. It takes a touch of the throttle and it starts right back up again, keeping up with traffic.

Supposedly it's improved for 2021. We have a 2021 Accord Hybrid on the way for my wife, so I guess I'll find out in a few weeks.

Re: The News for November 13th, 2020

salguod — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 23:26:11 -0000

Got to drive a 2020 Accord 2.0t for a business trip this week. EX-L trim, I believe. Fantastic car. Quick, pretty nimble and comfortable. I drove 9 hours round trip for a 3 hour meeting and it just ate up the miles. My only complaints were the lane departure warnings (which I turned off) and the adaptive cruise which I couldn't turn off. In bumper to bumper traffic the adaptive cruise was fantastic, but otherwise it left too large of a gap and was easily fooled by cars in the adjacent lane.

My daughter called me this morning stranded with an overheated Protege. My first thought, after she mentioned the pegged temp gauge and lots of steam, was a seized engine. When I got there, it started and ran fine, but the battery light was on and the LF of the engine compartment was wet. The water pump is driven by an external belt, with the alternator, and it had failed. So now I'm thinking failed belt, overheated and blown head gasket.

I nursed it home and once home I realized that the overflow bottle is on the LF and that was likely the source of the water and steam so now I'm hoping it's just a bad belt. We'll see tomorrow.