Finally!

[piece-itpete]

Well worth the watch as the UKs own modern automotive three stooges tackle the electric car problem.

If you've got Netflix watch part 2, it's even funnier imo.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/bra...ithrust-part-1

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Decided the 85 needs more power. Here's the new engine being delivered:




.




.

[piece-itpete]

Driving to my buds on the West side, I realised it is costing me $7-8 round trip just to go across town, and that's in the 03. The 85 is worse

I'm seriously considering selling the 85 and buying another Metro - eek eek!

Pete

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Driving to my buds on the West side, I realised it is costing me $7-8 round trip just to go across town, and that's in the 03. The 85 is worse

I'm seriously considering selling the 85 and buying another Metro - eek eek!

Pete

I've been seriously thinking about one of those or maybe an old Mazda 323.

John

[d-ray657]

If a potential job change occurs, I'm looking at a Dodge Dart for a commuter car.

Regards,

D-Ray

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Decided the 85 needs more power. Here's the new engine being delivered:

Betcha it's CNG fueled...

[piece-itpete]

Pull a giant tank out of a tank farm and trailer it?

John it's just becoming so tiresome. I'd average around 40 in the 1.3l 5 speed Metro, cutting my gas bill more than 1/2. With the 03 MGM I'd have the best of both worlds in my little easily pleased mind

I drove my old Metro to Kalamazoo from Cleveland once, about 4 hours each way, you had to pry me out with a crowbar. Not the greatest road cruiser. But for work and around town I figure I'd save about $100 a month, perhaps more.

And it sounds funny but you can really drive those little cars. The envelope is so small you're always pushing it. They're great in snow too.

I'm talking myself into it I'd sure miss the 85 though

Still thinking Dart Don? They sure look good. I see there's already a number of forums about them. I'll keep an eye out for news.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Well I just don't think the 85's worth enough for me to do anything. It's really put a hurt on my (self proclaimed ) ability to make smart car buys

I am below $135 per month 'overall cost' for it (cost of car + major repairs divided by months owned), still more than my last 97 Grand Marquis (around $100-110) and far more than the $80-85 the Metro ended up at (and that doesn't even account for gas saving). If I sold the TC for $2k the figure would be down to $80-85 though. But that doesn't include my time!

Too bad my old 96 Metro had the LCA rust problem and tried to kill me, it only had 130k on it. Ran like a top.

Have a bone to pick with Toyota. My bro-in-law drives a 07 Camry, 38k miles or so, a high optioned model, nice car. Making noise at the front of the engine. I told him to have it diagnosed at the dealer (too nice a car to guess at).

He calls sat around 1:30 from the dealer, says it's the water pump, $650, and they can do it that afternoon.

I thought, they've got to have 4 hours labor in that quote, how could they do it that day?

God Bless the internet. The water pump is a known problem on his engine. So I did it. In 2-1/2 hours. The first time I laid eyes on it.

Seriously it was the easiest water pump I've ever replaced. My hands didn't even get dirty!

BUT - if I did it so quickly out the gate imagine how fast a Toyota tech can do it. An hour?

So, not only doesn't Toyota do the awesome thing (fix it free), they actually rip off their customers. Nice.

Also helped get a Goodwrench crate 350 running right in its' new home, a 1991 C3500. They might not be the most efficient engines ever made but man do they snort!

Pete

[JJIII]

Most of the mechan.... uhhhh "technicians" around here look in a data base online to find how long somebody says it takes to change a waterpump (or whatever the particular problem is) and charge accordingly, even if it doesn't take them that long. Smells like crap to me. I will not pay that way. If it takes an hour, two hours, fine. Don't try to get 4 hours labor for the job.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by JJIII

Most of the mechan.... uhhhh "technicians" around here look in a data base online to find how long somebody says it takes to change a waterpump (or whatever the particular problem is) and charge accordingly, even if it doesn't take them that long. Smells like crap to me. I will not pay that way. If it takes an hour, two hours, fine. Don't try to get 4 hours labor for the job.

What's worse is that many will add the hours together for jobs that are in the same neighborhood under the hood which have overlapping work (removal of the same components required to provide each service). Add two or three of these services together and they can get 8 hours compensated for 3-4 hours of work.