Obit- My car

Subject: Obit: My car
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 02:07 PM

After many years of unerring service my 12 year old Nissan Micra has been condemned. Rust has taken its toll and the amount of welding required to pass the MOT would cost more than the car. Jobless and carless is not fun.

Subject: RE: Obit: My car
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 02:08 PM

Sorry this is definitely for below the line.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: fat B****rd
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 02:47 PM

The result of a broken garage?

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 02:50 PM

Oh dear Jayne, that's almost as bad as me. I own a car I can't really afford to run. I also can't afford to replace it.
Catch 22
Condolences

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: pdq
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 03:08 PM

You mean John MacKenzie can no longer drive around the Scottish Highlands in his gran turismo with a jaunty escargot around his neck?

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 03:14 PM

Susan and I had a car unexpectedly last week. The compressor died and it was worth more than the car to fix. We got an '08 Subaru Forester, which we figure should last us a good long while.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:04 PM

?

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: GUEST, RIchard Bridge
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:15 PM

If you are not a high mileage driver I seriously urge an old Volvo 7 series estate - almost impregnable (apart from the v6 engines which avoid like the plague), most tasks of repair not too dear or even DIY (some of the turbos are trickier) enjoyable to drive, comfortable, can be bought for £200, almost beyond the abilities of Clarkson to destroy. Magnificent tugs for trailers or caravans. Pretty nearly room for a double bed in the back with the seats down. Fantastic motorway cruisers so long as you get the right final drive ratio.

But 25 mpg. Some less, some a bit more.

Unless you get a turbo diesel which will do about 30 to even 35 to the gallon, but tend to be a bit dearer for exactly that reason and most have done more miles than Captain Janeway.

I am NOT selling any of mine. All of mine are over 20 years old - no welding yet.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:24 PM

Epitaph for your Micra has to be "Rust In Peace".

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Tangledwood
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:38 PM

That much rust in a 12 year old vehicle? I find that surprising when cars these days are so well primed and painted at manufacture. Do they still salt the roads over there when icey?

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:42 PM

I got my license in 1997 by simply handing over my Australian one; I've used it just once to drive a rented large sedan (packed with all I owned) from London to Manchester...once I eventually got off that ring road, i.e.!

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 04:46 PM

Shame....

As for makes, we are still on Citroen here I think as a brother worked on them for a few years. I liked the ZX diesel but we lost 2 in 10 years - 1st wast written off when someone smashed into the back of it... replacement went when the cam belt snapped (moral there is I think even if garage selling assures you - get one fitted by your own garage). I (who never had a full licence) don't drive at all now but current car is a Xsara.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 06:51 PM

I had the power steering pulley part rust off of the 4 part pulley that runs all the belts on my '92 van...the ONLY way I was able to fix it was that a good friend with tools found a replacement part from a salvage yard, we spent 3 days undoing stuff to put it back on with new belts. If I can get 2 more years from the van before other rusty parts go, I'll be happy. (I've had the van 15 years.)

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 09:13 PM

Several years ago when the British Filkcon (Filk convention, 'Filk' being a contraction/missimagining of Sci-Fi/Folk) had Julia Ecklar as a guest, I parodied her "Sword of Vengeance" with a song that started (from memory, I've not got the full text!)

I had a car as my transport mode.
Now I've been told it's just "death on the road"
My mechanic (for just a nominal fee)
Will separate my motor from me.

So find me a car with a wheel or two
Maybe three, a reliant will do

There should be two more lines for the chorus, and (at least) two more verses.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Ed T
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 10:18 PM

Phil Cooper
Keep an eye on the head gasket...the early 2.5s had that as an issue.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: GUEST, Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 04:55 AM

If worried about head gaskets run with K-Seal in the cooling system. It must be genuine K-Seal, nothing else will do.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: ragdall
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 01:31 AM

Jayne,
How sad that a car which is serving you well can no longer be driven. How will you manage without it?

We don't have routine vehicle inspections up here in the north or my car would have suffered a similar fate long ago. I was warned by my mechanic that if the police stop my 1978 Ford Fairmont wagon for any reason, I would likely be given seven days to repair everything on it. That would be impossibly expensive. Thirty-two years of driving on roads that are heavily sanded and salted in winter has taken it's toll.

I love my old car, but last week, exactly twenty-five years since I bought it, I made the tough decision it was time to retire it and get a newer vehicle. I found a promising candidate in an online ad and decided to drive over to the dealer to have a look. The car that I'd been driving all over town two days earlier made no response when I turned the key. I didn't know whether that was a sign that the Fairmont refused to be traded for a newer car or that it was relieved to finally be allowed to rest and was not going to move again?

I'm hoping that the only problem is a battery that was severely stressed by the -28 C weather and that I'll have a hope of getting it going again with a "jump start" on a warmer day. It's still occupying the space in my carport while I've been checking possibilities for recycling it. It appears that any options which include the possibility of me getting some money for it also require that it be able to "start and move". I hope that I won't have to pay someone to take it away? The replacement vehicle took all my savings and more.

rags

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 02:12 AM

In the UK, Rags, I think all cars over 3 years old (not sure on age these days) have to go through an annual inspection (MOT). This is purely a test for road safety though.

It is not the same a having your car serviced. It just really says (assuming a pass) on the date it was tested, that car was fit to be on the road.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: olddude
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 10:43 AM

Well gee thanks, went out this morning and my old ford won't start, looks like a bad starter to me ... It is all your fault for starting this thread . It is a car virus ..LOL

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: pdq
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 11:11 AM

If I had to spend a winter in Buffalo I wouldn't start either.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 11:42 AM

Sorry Old Dude I'll get me coat!

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: gnu
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 02:15 PM

Dan, try a hammer... might be a flat spot. But, don't rely on the hammer. A new starter is the olny way to go. (I also carry a two inch crescent wrench and an 18" pipe wrench. Well, not around town.)

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: gnu
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 02:24 PM

Dan... that minds me... I was three miles in back of beyond and some buddies of mine needed to take a trailer hitch ball off the bumper of their Jimmy (GM model 4X4; true GM men.). No way. I got some Liquid Wrench and they tried again. No way. I got the two inch crescent out. No way. I got the pipe wrench out. No way. I got out a six foot long thick-wall 2" steel pipe and slid it on the pipe wrench. Way.

Buddy looks at me and asks, "WTF do you have all the tools for?" I pointed to my truck and replied, "I drive a Ford." They near s*** themselves laughing.

Subject: RE: Obit- My car
From: ragdall
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 03:21 PM

Jon,
The larger cities in BC have mandatory annual safety inspections, too. We don't have an inspection facility here or my car would be long gone. It's showing its age in many ways.

I've covered up rust holes in the doors with duct tape and spray painted the tape to match the rest of the car. The floor rusted out a few years ago and was replaced with stove pipe and roofing tar. The rear bumper got popped off its mount and is fastened on with baling wire. The gear shift indicator doesn't indicate. This creates a problem if I need to manoeuvre when facing up an incline because if I accidentally put it into "park" instead of "reverse" and roll backward, the automatic transmission locks and the back wheels must be lifted off the pavement in order to free it. The list goes on.

The most disturbing problem with the old Ford is, that in spite of replacing the gas tank and paying several hundred dollars to have holes in the filler pipe patched and the carburetor overhauled, there is a heavy gasoline (petrol) odour when I'm driving. Thankfully nobody in the family smokes. I've developed cognitive difficulties which I suspect might be related to this. I'm hoping this will improve after I've stopped being exposed to the fumes. This was what tipped the scales and convinced me it was time to give up on my car.

Hey gnu,
You use the steel pipe method too? "... a long enough lever and a solid enough place to stand..." It works every time.

I don't know whether the problem is a dead battery or a dead starter. Where do I hit the starter to make it work if that's the reason it's not starting? Oh, and which one is the starter? LOL!

If it's the battery that prevents the car from starting, I'm wondering about buying a battery charger which might be useful in future. Another possibility would be moving the battery from my newer car into the Ford, (assuming it's not too large to fit in the holder), and buying a new battery for the newer car. This would give me some peace of mind. I have no idea how good the battery is that came with the car.

Apparently, Canadian Tire will check a battery, free, if the battery is removed from the car. That, and measuring both batteries to confirm they would be interchangeable, might be a good start?

I got the approval letter this morning to junk , erm, I mean recycle, my '78 Ford. I have to be able to drive it out to the edge of town, about 10 km, to the Authorized Scrap Dealer. If I can get it there under its own power, I'll get $300, no need to pass "GO", but the car must go. I have yet to make arrangements with the scrap dealer. I want to make sure that I can get the car running, first.

Time to brave the cold. Have you ever noticed that it's freakin' cold every time a battery needs to be replaced?

rags