At the Dreaded Garage

[LGee3]

Hmmmm, that would be a good name for a bar. Anyway, my chariot has been making awful grinding noises from the front ends wheel areas while turning and I know it isn't the brakes. Could be the wheel bearing/hubs worn away. Going to get it looked at and po$$ibly repaired too while I wait. 220,000+ miles on it so the old ones went the distance. How are you all today ?

 

[Deleted User]

Impressive number of miles you clocked up there.

 

[LGee3]

Impressive number of miles you clocked up there.

Routine maintenance and lots of TLC.

 

[Deleted User]

I also like to get my money's worth from cars.

 

[mikedt]

Could be wheel bearings, or the ball joints are shot?

 

[LGee3]

Could be wheel bearings, or the ball joints are shot?

Will find out here in a few minutes.

 

[mikedt]

Will find out here in a few minutes.

Good luck. I don't want to be dealing with car ownership now, and have no need for one myself these days

 

[Deleted User]

Good luck. I don't want to be dealing with car ownership now, and have no need for one myself these days

Wish I didn't need one, but we live in a car society and they are essential. Way back when I first started work, I could walk to my place of employment. No way can I do that now.

 

[bcrichster]

I feel ya, busy doing an engine rebuild myself.. I'm so grateful it's a Honda, easier to so and fewer unnecessary parts to fight with

 

[LGee3]

I miss pre 1975 vehicles where the ONLY electronics were the lights and chimes. So easy to troubleshoot and work on without turning your hands into hamburger meat.

 

[Deleted User]

I miss pre 1975 vehicles where the ONLY electronics were the lights and chimes. So easy to troubleshoot and work on without turning your hands into hamburger meat.

Yes these days it's all software, and the first thing the mechanics do is plug in the diagnostic laptop. And of course only they can do that, because the applications are custom built for the car manufacturer.

 

[mikedt]

Wish I didn't need one, but we live in a car society and they are essential. Way back when I first started work, I could walk to my place of employment. No way can I do that now.

If I were still living in the UK, I likely would still have a car. But in China, so far no need. Public transport is excellent and quite cheap. Some of the travel I do, would be a very long drive, much easier to use the CRH bullet trains. Like today I've just come from Beijing to Jinan. about 400km, was 1h 40m by train, cost equivalent of £19. To drive would take about 6 hours at least, plus costs of petrol, tolls, etc.

 

[LGee3]

If I were still living in the UK, I likely would still have a car. But in China, so far no need. Public transport is excellent and quite cheap. Some of the travel I do, would be a very long drive, much easier to use the CRH bullet trains. Like today I've just come from Beijing to Jinan. about 400km, was 1h 40m by train, cost equivalent of £19. To drive would take about 6 hours at least, plus costs of petrol, tolls, etc.

Wow... That is very affordable. It took me 6 minutes to commute one way to my job DURING ''rush hour''.. I live in a very rural setting here in Texas and it is also very quiet.

 

[mikedt]

If I did need a car for some occasion, I could always rent one. I have a Chinese driving licence. I live on the campus where I work.

 

[Deleted User]

If I were still living in the UK, I likely would still have a car. But in China, so far no need. Public transport is excellent and quite cheap. Some of the travel I do, would be a very long drive, much easier to use the CRH bullet trains. Like today I've just come from Beijing to Jinan. about 400km, was 1h 40m by train, cost equivalent of £19. To drive would take about 6 hours at least, plus costs of petrol, tolls, etc.

I do envy you having a fast, efficient and reliable rail service.

 

[LGee3]

UPDATE !!!
The issue was the bearings AND it was still under warranty from last August 21st so NO charge at all to replace them... Got to love an honest small town Texas gargage..
Breakfast tacos on me ya'll !!!! ( well not literally ON me but you know what I mean).

Vegans eat breakfast tacos, right ?

 

[Deleted User]

UPDATE !!!
The issue was the bearings AND it was still under warranty from last August 21st so NO charge at all to replace them... Got to love an honest small town Texas gargage..
Breakfast tacos on me ya'll !!!! ( well not literally ON me but you know what I mean).

Vegans eat breakfast tacos, right ?

What a result!

 

[LGee3]

What a result!

I was on my phone looking at car rental fees when they told me it'll be ready in about 30 minutes.

 

[mikedt]

I do envy you having a fast, efficient and reliable rail service.

I know what rail travel can cost in the UK, when I was there a couple of weeks ago. Bath Spa to London Paddington, it was £89 single. Went by Megabus instead.

 

[Deleted User]

I know what rail travel can cost in the UK, when I was there a couple of weeks ago. Bath Spa to London Paddington, it was £89 single. Went by Megabus instead.

Mate it's just ridiculous. The state of our rail system is a national tragedy. I'd like to think things were better in the good old days of British Rail. I really can't recall rail fares being this eye-wateringly expensive!

 

[mikedt]

Mate it's just ridiculous. The state of our rail system is a national tragedy. I'd like to think things were better in the good old days of British Rail. I really can't recall rail fares being this eye-wateringly expensive!

Here you go, seems to be even more expensive this week for the same journey. No wonder why people drive cars in the UK, it makes financial sense.

 

[bcrichster]

Yes these days it's all software, and the first thing the mechanics do is plug in the diagnostic laptop. And of course only they can do that, because the applications are custom built for the car manufacturer.

$15 OBD2 reader from Amazon.com.. Saved me HUNDREDS of $$ by integrating it with my phone and car stereo via BT.. When a fault code pops up, it'll blast the code number across the phone or stereo (depending on your personal setup) AND what it means. While it kinda led to a mechanic shop being closed down, I quit having to pay for senseless and unneeded part repairs afterwards.. Spent like $700 in multiple repair visits about my transmission not shifting properly and it came down to a lousy $10 temp sensor that I easily changed myself after seeing the OBD2 data and realizing the temp sensor wasn't reading properly. So I fixed the issue and tranny shifted like new. Went to the shop I'd wasted big $$ at & explained the solution for future references. Been fixing my own stuff ever since..

 

[MoodyBlues]

Vegans eat breakfast tacos, right

We sure do! And now that major, mainstream restaurants like Del Taco offer meat substitutes, like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat, it's easier than ever.

 

[LGee3]

We sure do! And now that major,actually mainstream restaurants like Del Taco offer meat substitutes, like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat, it's easier than ever.

South Texas raised here and I am a meat eater but I will try those meatless varieties here and there and they actually good. Sometimes I will chop up veggies and mix them into either pinto or black beans and form patties and grill those up and very tasty. I tried tofu once........ONCE.

 

[MoodyBlues]

South Texas raised here and I am a meat eater but I will try those meatless varieties here and there and they actually good. Sometimes I will chop up veggies and mix them into either pinto or black beans and form patties and grill those up and very tasty.

Sounds good!

I went vegetarian while living in Texas (Dallas area), and--BELIEVE ME--it was not easy, or fun! That was in August, 1988.

Being a Southern California native, let's just say that I already felt like a fish out of water living there. Then, throwing vegetarianism into the mix, it was like we were aliens from some far-away planet.

We had been big meat eaters; my favorite thing to do was barbecue. I'd always called myself an animal lover, and always had a houseful of pets, and they were like children to me. I wouldn't dream of harming an animal.

As a pre-med student I had started learning about the atrocities inflicted on lab animals--including cats, dogs and primates. It piqued my interest and before long I was very involved in animal rights.

Along the way I learned how 'meat' animals are subjected to heinous abuse, like castration with no anesthesia or analgesia, and slaughtered inhumanely. I saw undercover photos from factory farms and slaughterhouses...

It all sank in--there's no difference physiologically between our cute 'pet' animals and those killed for food--they're all sentient beings who feel pain, sorrow, fear, grief...and some, such as pigs, are smarter than dogs.

So one day I came home from work and announced that I could not, with a clear conscience, continue participating in such cruelty, so I was going vegetarian. I made clear that my family did not have to follow suit. But they did. My daughter in particular, who'd read my animal literature and asked many questions, embraced it. When she went away to college, she lived in a vegan co-op.

I tried tofu once........ONCE.

It probably wasn't prepared properly. Or maybe it's just not for you. People swear by Daiya vegan 'cheese'--I tried its shredded cheddar ONCE, and found it so repulsive, the nearly-full bag got tossed in the trash!