The "What Do you drive?" thread.... - Page 22 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

MadMan · #**316** 12-11-2019, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgadow

Will I really pull the trigger on one of these beasts?

I'd at least want to buy something immediately driveable... having a car repaired being the reason you're looking to buy in the first place. In what shape was that Buick? My friend has a '78 or so Lesabre and it's the rustiest pile of junk hoopdie you'll ever see scraping along the road.

Electronic M · #**317** 12-11-2019, 09:34 AM

Having a 4X4 is nice when the municipalities near you are cheap and don't plow enough to keep up with the snow at important times like work commute... and you end up having to drive through 2-5" of slush for miles on end... having a vehicle sure footed to pass in those conditions is WONDERFUL.

bgadow · #**318** 12-11-2019, 09:30 PM

Agreed, I sure don't need another project. I'm not sure that I want to tackle anything worse right now than a battery or some burnt out bulbs. At least, if I bought something it wouldn't have to go far-maybe 25-50 miles a week, and hardly ever see the highway. Well-I say that. I've said that about other old stuff I've owned, then went on to drive it all over.

The Buick didn't look too shabby in the photos; the seller called it a "9 out of 10" which is way generous! Somebody put custom wheels on it; it's apparently spent the last few years parked in a field with a few other pre-downsizing Buicks so it probably needs the fuel cleaned out, a tune up, the brakes gone through. About the time I had it ready to roll Spring will be here and the Ford will be long since back on the road.

MadMan · #**319** 12-12-2019, 03:37 AM

I would buy a crappy Ford escort or corolla or something that runs and drives but not good enough to get attached to... lol

Sandy G · #**320** 12-12-2019, 09:22 AM

Having a '67 Clincoln Pervertable w/a non functioning top, quite honestly, ain't much fun THIS time of year.... Altho, several yrs back, we had a 24" blizzard in mid April, I got it out, Top down, of course-and spent a nice afternoon cruisin' around, everybody pointin' & laughin' at me... Careened into several snow banks in parkin' lots, the snow/sludge flew over the tops of cars... Hey, Fun is where you make it...

Electronic M · #**321** 12-12-2019, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Having a '67 Clincoln Pervertable w/a non functioning top, quite honestly, ain't much fun THIS time of year.... Altho, several yrs back, we had a 24" blizzard in mid April, I got it out, Top down, of course-and spent a nice afternoon cruisin' around, everybody pointin' & laughin' at me... Careened into several snow banks in parkin' lots, the snow/sludge flew over the tops of cars... Hey, Fun is where you make it...

Your reminding me of a couple winters ago when we got a big snow that wasn't plowed especially in an empty lot of a mostly vacant stripper mall (given the neighborhood/customers that name ain't far off the mark) on the way home from work. I got to do 4WD doughnuts and skids on snow taller than my running boards....A solid 10 minutes of fun till I decided leave before you get stuck, find a light post, or the police have enough time to have more than no change in hell of showing up.

MadMan · #**322** 12-12-2019, 09:00 PM

I used to drive my 93 LeBaron in the winter. Drove it down Lake Shore Drive every day to college. Parked on residential streets because parking permits were expensive. The only thing crappy about driving a convertible in the winter is when you have one without heat. Well, for some reason, many 90s Chryslers have piss poor heat. Most of the time, it wouldn't blow warm air until I got off of Lake Shore Drive, and of course by that time, I was about one minute from school. I eventually rectified the heat situation by installing an auxiliary water pump from a Mercedes inline with the heater hose. I tell you, that works wonders. It's still not great, but getting even a bit of heat after maybe 5-10 minutes of driving is a hell of a lot better than not having even a whisper of warm air for 40 minutes in below freezing temps.

Still, it was my car and I knew it well, and I'm a very competent driver. One time, in probably about 2 or 3 feet of snow, I plowed straight into a parallel parking spot, and this guy was standing outside of his house and he was yelling at me about how crazy I was (I'll take this time to remind you of my user name), and that I'd never be able to get out of that snow. I told him to come back at 3pm and watch me. He didn't, but I had no trouble getting out.

Electronic M · #**323** 12-13-2019, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMan

I used to drive my 93 LeBaron in the winter. Drove it down Lake Shore Drive every day to college. Parked on residential streets because parking permits were expensive. The only thing crappy about driving a convertible in the winter is when you have one without heat. Well, for some reason, many 90s Chryslers have piss poor heat. Most of the time, it wouldn't blow warm air until I got off of Lake Shore Drive, and of course by that time, I was about one minute from school. I eventually rectified the heat situation by installing an auxiliary water pump from a Mercedes inline with the heater hose. I tell you, that works wonders. It's still not great, but getting even a bit of heat after maybe 5-10 minutes of driving is a hell of a lot better than not having even a whisper of warm air for 40 minutes in below freezing temps.

Still, it was my car and I knew it well, and I'm a very competent driver. One time, in probably about 2 or 3 feet of snow, I plowed straight into a parallel parking spot, and this guy was standing outside of his house and he was yelling at me about how crazy I was (I'll take this time to remind you of my user name), and that I'd never be able to get out of that snow. I told him to come back at 3pm and watch me. He didn't, but I had no trouble getting out.

My old envoy had shit heat the first winter I got it. The engine wasn't really getting up to temp in winter either so I replaced the thermostat (I lucked upon a freak 50s weekend in winter) I learned the one oriley stocked was just as open in closed state as the one I pulled out. After confirming the one they gave me wasn't an anomaly I grabbed one from IIRC advanced and that one was actually closed in it's closed state (instead of ever so slightly restrictive like the one the thing came with).

bgadow · #**324** 12-25-2019, 09:55 PM

I had a '96 Dakota that, after a number of years, got so it just would not warm up in the winter. The oil would get full of water since it never heated up enough to boil off the condensation. Tried a couple thermostats, no change. A sheet of cardboard in front of he radiator sorta helped, a little. Then one day I decided to try flushing the heater core. Bad looking stuff came out...and that was it. After that the engine came up to temperature just like it should and I had no problems with heat. I just thought it strange that a blockage there could throw the whole system off.

Sandy G · #**325** 12-26-2019, 08:20 AM

I think they did a better job designing cars back when my Lincoln was built-I remember the day I was trundling around in that big snow, I had the windows up, heater on full blast, & it really wasn't bad at all Now I wasn't in the back seat, but up front it was pretty comfortable. Beautiful sunny day, too. And the snow was goin' "Bye-Bye" pretty quickly, too, but it was still BIG fun..

MadMan · #**326** 12-27-2019, 01:30 AM

Some cars require flow through the heater core for proper engine cooling... Not sure why it would cool the engine TOO well...

bgadow · #**327** 01-13-2020, 09:52 PM

I did go a kick tires on a "beater" a couple weeks back, an '88 Dodge D-100. Yes, they still made the 100, the el Cheapo package, my Dad had one. This one ran but with a high idle (likely either a vacuum leak or an idle motor issue) and was just your typical, well, beater. Rusty in the usual places, torn seat, peeling paint, plenty of big dents. I think $800 cash would have brought it home, maybe a little less. But...dear Mrs. made it very clear...NO. I was not parking that piece of JUNK in her driveway! Well. She did say that if I bought her a new(er) vehicle I could use our "old" pickup as a beater. I think, sometimes, that she understands men about as well as I understand women

quaddriver · #**328** 02-21-2020, 08:59 AM

My daily:

shoulda had it 10 years ago tho...getting too old to go tear-assing around. I find more value in the wifes new highlander right now

mr_rye89 · #**329** 04-10-2020, 12:23 AM

Up to 5 cars now:

2010 Subaru Forester XT (EJ257/4EAT)
1990 Dodge W250 (318/NP435)
1985 Peugeot 505 (XN6/BA7/5)
2001 Mazda Miata 5mt base
1959 Ford Custom 300 (223/3 speed manual)

The Subaru I got in March to replace the ailing Miata, it's also a much more comfortable DD. And the Ford was free so I couldn't resist. It's pretty rusty (for a New Mexico car) first gear doesn't work, and the interior is shot, but the engine runs well and it drives ok.....manual drum brakes are manual drum brakes so don't skip leg day!

The Miata and Peugeot are for sale because I don't need 5 cars!

MadMan · #**330** 04-10-2020, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_rye89

manual drum brakes are manual drum brakes so don't skip leg day!

Manual drum brakes on a 2010 car? Maybe your booster is busted.