Car Enthusiast Club [Now Motorcycle friendly!] - First thread to 150k! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[AlwaysFSX]

56 minutes ago, bcredeur97 said:

I want to try those audi laser headlights that are banned here(still I think?) 

It's not worth $3k per housing, but it seemed like a great idea

 

 

But yeah, classic halogen bulbs were the best. I was totally fine with the bulbs my corolla had (and miata has). THe touareg has HID's and they are ok. Better than LED's for me. Not sure about other people. 

Ah yes, let's spend more money and technology on a problem we solved ages ago.

.........

[Bitter]

The LED Matrix headlights look downright magical honestly. They can selectively darken areas of the beam to provide the best possible forward illumination without glaring oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and even not over lighting road signs. Neat stuff! Europe has had them for a while now on higher end vehicles and it works really well according to what I've seen and read.

Of course lightning will be moot when robots are driving us around, their eyes are infallible to the failings of needing visible light.

[GoStormPlays]

What would you guys recommend for someone wanting to get started learning how to fixing cars?

[Bitter]

3 hours ago, GoStormPlays said:

What would you guys recommend for someone wanting to get started learning how to fixing cars?

Community college courses.

[Beerzerker]

If you've never seen this one before, you'll love it.
And if you have, it's still worth another look.

The Smallest Car in the World | Top Gear - YouTube

[Bitter]

Today the seat bolt fairy visited a customers Crown Vic over lunch so now they have all 4 bolts holding their seat down. I'm the seat bolt fairy. I'm getting better at welding nuts on broken bolts and studs.

[vetali]

14 hours ago, GoStormPlays said:

What would you guys recommend for someone wanting to get started learning how to fixing cars?

On your own? Youtube has some great channels.

 

As a profession? Do something else.

[E-waste]

Great discussion about headlights, I prefer halogen too, but I'm staying out of this one.

 

Has anyone posted anything from the roadster shop?

 

 

 

 

From: https://roadstershop.com/galleries/james-1967-camaro/#&gid=1&pid=216

[Bitter]

Finally got the horn done.

[Bitter]

I'm no expert but I don't think that's how speakers work.

[TVwazhere]

I'm on team "Headlights are too bright" especially those that don't properly push the low beams down into the road rather than up into the eyes of other drivers. I used to think this was just an issue with owners changing out perfectly working bulbs for cheap LED headlights that scatter light everywhere, but my friends new (2020) Toyota corolla definitely has the cutoff be basically horizontal with the hood of the car instead of tilted down at the road. 

 

When shopping for new fog lights I was scared to go LED, but I found good ones that are designed to worlk with my weirdly shaped rectangular ones (Diode Dynamics) and even have a yellow option. 

[TVwazhere]

@Real_PhillBert @NinJake don't know if you guys still have your ST's but be prepared to potentially have to replace your master clutch cylinder if you haven't already. 

 

 

In hindsight this job wasn't the absolute worst. Taking out the air box and battery box is annoying but doable. The bolts holding the pedal assembly are a little hard to get to but with the right(very long) extensions and a universal joint, they'll come out. 

(Yes I need to clean my interior) 

 

Be careful not to break the sensors (like I did) sadly the top sensor is impossible to install on the bracket before reinstalling it on the car, so you gotta put the new assembly in first, then install the top sensor with your arm elbow deep into the dash from underneath. 

 

Worst part for me was bleeding the clutch. I had no pressure in the clutch bleeding it all the "normal" ways, and even renting a vacuum bleeder pump until I ordered a power bleeder for the brake fluid resevior. 

 

All in all, worst project I've ever had to do in the car, but I knew that going into this so I made sure to take breaks from being back down with my head under the dash for extended periods of time. 

[Bitter]

So how's everyone's day going?

[NinJake]

@TVwazhere Yep... still loving the ST as my daily driver! What were the warning signs that you had to replace this? Awesome to see you still have yours running as well! I also put in some weathertech floor mats throughout the vehicle. I frequently end up out in the rain/snow/mud while disc golfing/hiking and no matter how much I try to stomp the crud out, I (and others) always manage to trace that stuff back in the vehicle. It's very handy to just pop out the mats for a thorough cleaning.

 

Spoiler

 

[TVwazhere]

1 hour ago, NinJake said:

 What were the warning signs that you had to replace this?

Brake fluid in the foot well and/or squeaky clutch. Pedal feel is fine, but it just slowly leak into the cabin. Admittedly I let mine go for too Long (December - March) but at least it's not a "change it or you'll literally blow your engine in 0.37 seconds"

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, TVwazhere said:

Brake fluid in the foot well and/or squeaky clutch. Pedal feel is fine, but it just slowly leak into the cabin. Admittedly I let mine go for too Long (December - March) but at least it's not a "change it or you'll literally blow your engine in 0.37 seconds"

Did the fluid soaked into the carpet and eat the paint under it?

[TVwazhere]

5 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Did the fluid soaked into the carpet and eat the paint under it?

No, thankfully. The rubber mats caught it all I believe (the carpet wasn't wet at any point)

 

I've been careful to try not to let any break fluid linger on any surface or touch the paint ever. Dont need holes behind the gas pedal lol

[Bitter]

13 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

No, thankfully. The rubber mats caught it all I believe (the carpet wasn't wet at any point)

 

I've been careful to try not to let any break fluid linger on any surface or touch the paint ever. Dont need holes behind the gas pedal lol

Lucky lucky! If you pre-wet the area or lay soaked wet rags down it helps a lot.

[vetali]

23 hours ago, Bitter said:

So how's everyone's day going?

Mark cabin filter inspection green, close glovebox.

[Bitter]

42 minutes ago, vetali said:

Mark cabin filter inspection green, close glovebox.

I wish.

Nissan SUV just suddenly appeared overnight with an absolutely shredded R/R tire. Just a key. No note, not call, no information at all in the vehicle. They called at noon "is it done?" Is what done? "my car" Which car? "the nissan?" Which Nissan? "the one with the tire!" ...No it's not done, who are you? "I'm the owner, it's supposed to be done this morning!" We open at 9, you called at noon "No you're 24 hours!" No no we are not open 24 hours "The tow was taking it to a 24 hours for my tire" Even if we were open 24 hours we would have had no way to get a hold of you to approve repairs or tell you if the wheel is bent. "My wheel is bent?!?" We haven't looked at it yet. "why not! It's been there all night!" We weren't open, we had no contact information, we don't touch anything without owner permission. "so I gotta pay another hunded n fifty to tow it somewhere 24 hours!" We can look at it but we need your information and we do charge a diag fee to look at it. "look at what? it's just a tire you can see that" Sir the tire is shredded and bare wheel is touching the ground, you drove on it flat we don't know if you damaged the wheel, tire pressure sensor, suspension, etc. "I DID NOT DROVE ON IT FLAT"

 

On and on like that. As she's wrapping up the call like 15 minutes later "so how much the warranty pay for it?" Excuse me? "my warranty, I got warranty on it" Ok which company, what's your contract number, and what's the claim dept number? "I don't know just tell me how much they gonna pay" *she explains how a warranty claim works* "so its gonna be done before you close?"

At this point she's getting a little red in the face with this guy. Told him that it would take up to 48 hours for the claims process with the warranty company to go through and we couldn't start until we had the needed information. Guy hangs up but we had permission to at least look at the car.

 

So onto fuck up #2. Tell newbie to pull it in, take the wheel off, spin it on the balancer by hand to check for bends and make sure all 4 TPMS work. New guy dismounts the shredded tire. We need that rack for an alignment. I ask him if anyone told him to take the tire off the rim and after a long pause "uhhhh....no?" We have exactly ONE 18" tire, it's a low profile with a VERY hard sidewall we use to set engines and transmissions on. I help newbie mount it on the wheel so we can clear the rack. Car looks like when you put the tiniest wheels on in Mario Kart.

 

It's now several hours later after lunch. Owner calls in with warranty info, call claims, claims needs tread depth on the shredded tire, depth is acceptable, they pay for one tire. Won't pay for the two bald tires up front at I shit you now 2/32nds. Told front desk if they want to be a dick call the cops to ticket him for bald tires, that's illegal in our state. Front desk says they'll see how the guy is when he picks up. Guy of course only gets the single tire that warranty pays for. Fuck it, Nissan AWD can handle 3 tires with different tread depths, not my problem.

[wONKEyeYEs]

I'm a cyclist, don't care much about cars.

But I thought this was funny, I have been pulled over for speeding in the past.

 

[vetali]

3 hours ago, Bitter said:

I wish.

Nissan SUV

All I needed to know it was a meth mobile.

 

Warranty companies and tires/wheel issues are a nightmare.

[BiG StroOnZ]

Who wins in a V.S. match, top or bottom?

[HM-2]

Managed to put a bulge in one of my rear sidewalls so new rear tyres.

 

 

Annoying as I'm planning on replacing the wheels pretty soon, but I should at least be able to run the current rear 255/35 R19s on the front with 275/30 out back. 

 

Likely going for Japan Racing SL01 flow-formed in 8.5x19 ET33 front and 9.5x19 ET42 rear. 9kg and 9.6kg a corner respectively instead of 16 for the OEM wheels. 

 

So far its stock other than:

• M Performance slotted and grooved disks
• M Performance pads
• M Performance LSD
• xHP Stage 2 gearbox map
• "Hot climate" intake mod
• OEM M3 shift paddles
• Koni Active Red shocks on OE springs 

I've got a painted M Performance style spoiler in the garage to go on but not fitted it yet. Will probably go Stage 2 (map + high flow cat) at some point for ~460bhp. Would also quite like the M Performance splitter, diffuser and side skirts in carbon fibre. 

[vf1000ride]

The joy of being a single guy.  Doing a major service on my motorcycle in my Dinning room. 

The 18K mile service is due on my Multistrada.  $900 in parts so far and only half way done.  Chain, sprockets, air/fuel/oil filters, new spark plugs and some gaskets.  Took the rear axle out and checked/re-greased the rear bearings.  Have the valve covers off and the valves need adjusting, that will be tomorrows project to pull the cams and re-shim everything.