The Driveway: COBbies talk cars

Maddie: oooo, nice.

Anyhow...anyone know how hard it is to change the oxygen sensor on a '00 Golf? Mine's gone south, and because of all the other repairs it needs (ones I'd rather leave to professionals) I'm trying to cut costs. A co-worker said that oxygen sensors are easy to replace. How correct is he?

According to this site, it's fiddly but not difficult as long as you're comfortable working under a car that's up on jackstands or ramps.

This one points out that there are 2 oxy sensors on a 2000 Golf and gives the codes for the rear one.

And here's a pdf of all the codes so you can tell if it's the front or rear.

edited 3rd Nov '11 7:49:48 PM by Madrugada

Thanks, Maddie. It looks like something I can do. Hopefully I am right and can save some bucks.

Just promise that you'll do it while the Girlfriend is home and that she knows you're going to do it. Please?

Don't worry, dear. I am an atypical man, and I A: read instruction manuals, B: listen to them and C: pay attention when my significant other says "you might not want to do that" because they're usually right.

I also ask for directions when I'm lost. Try not to faint.

Good man.

Instruction Manuals are written in the blood of men who didn't read them.

edited 3rd Nov '11 8:21:08 PM by drunkscriblerian

Wise man, too.

I need a car. I'm working part-time now and my mom just got a ton of commitments dumped on her by having the misfortune to be the PTA vice president when the PTA president quit.

I have a tall head and torso, so I need a lot of headroom. My legs are relatively short, but I tend to need a lot of room for my knees too. I fit very well in a Honda Odyssey (my mom's van), but that's three times the amount of car I need.

Know any extremely roomy coupes or sedans with good mileage that I could find used or lease cheaply? That sure sounds to me like an impossible wishlist.

Small truck? You might pick up a four-banger Chevy S-10 or Ford Ranger for a song. Maybe even a Mazda B2000. Trucks tend to have a bit more headroom.

If it's not enough room, you could go with an older Chevy Blazer or something like that. They're too small to be considered an SUV, but they give you enough seating for a few friends.

I keep getting small trucks (or crew cab trucks, or a Jeep) recommended to me, but aren't those built for hauling power that I don't need?

Well, take one of these for example. Get a stick-shift version with the 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, and you should see okay mileage.

Could always get a wagon, though.

Perhaps a Chrysler 300 or Sebring or 200 would suffice? Looked for a VW Passat or Ford Fusion? Maybe a Hyundai?

Left turn in five feet; BETTER SIGNAL NOW.

asdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdf what is with those people?

-Sigh-

So, one of the brand new tires I just put on my car is flat. This sucks, I haven't even finished paying for them yet. Gonna change it for the spare and go back to Les Schwab, they'll patch it for free (or replace it if its un-fixable, yay warranty). So at least it won't cost me any more money.

Changing a tire in 28 degree weather is not how I wanted to start my weekend though.

Yeah, I had a tire go flat on Friday night too. These tires, at 40k miles, are done, and I'm going to need two new ones.

I'd recommend Discount Tire. They've never led me wrong yet.

My brakes went intermittently mushy last night. Fortunately, by bank account got a transfusion this morning, so I can afford to take care of it.

Check fluid. I've ran low on fluid, and that means a squishy air bubble got into the lines. Needed a flush after that...

Taking it in first thing tomorrow morning, i.e. 8:00 am. Magic mechanic men will conduct their laying-on of hands and make it all better. They're going to see if they can figure out why my heater blower won't come on, as well.

edited 21st Nov '11 5:42:51 PM by Madrugada

Fuckityfuckityfuckityfuck.

Damn, even.

The whole brake system is basically coming apart. The master cylinder has a leak. I need pads and rotors all the way around. There's a broken leaf spring. The power steering pump is leaking. The water pump is leaking. The oil pan is rusting. I need new tie rod ends. The wheel bearings should be replaced (or at the very least repacked.) They hadn't even got to trying to figure out what's wrong with the heater.

The manager of the shop stopped adding up the estimate when she hit 900+ in parts for the brakes alone, and called to say "Are you sure you want to fix this car? Because it's going to be closer to $3000 than $2000 by the time it's all done, and we can't get all the parts til next Monday because we need to special order some of them, and it is a '94. ..."

It's drivable. Just barely. It will not make it through the winter.

Car shopping. Oh joy oh rapture.

Car shopping with a deadline. Even frick-frackin' better.

Car shopping with a deadline and a budget. Just shoot me now...

edited 22nd Nov '11 2:42:38 PM by Madrugada

By the way, I really need to be talked out of buying the Jaguar XJS sedan that I found listed for $6000. That is so not the car I need right now.

Convince someone else to buy it and then envy them for the rest of their life?

Also, shit, I guess your options are to hold on to the car and borrow someone else's ride until you can afford the repairs, sell it, chop it up and sell the working parts or look for alternative income sources fast.

@Maddie: Here's the convincing...buy that, and then buy the car you'll actually drive while the Jag's forever being worked on. Or, skip the Jag and buy a car that, you know, runs more than 20% of the time.

And as an aside; my condolences. Cars are such a bitch like this. :(

1) I want to get a used car.

2) I know nothing about cars, let alone cars which have been used by other people.

3) I am a college student, currently unemployed, who will use my financial aid money to get it (likely a shade below $2000). Possibly my sister will pitch in as she will share it with me.