flagmanruss

Remembered I need to screen the air intake against mice... I have some aluminum expander metal that will form nicely around the intake to be secured with a few self tapping screws.

I am enjoying driving my almost new car... figuring out where to put things & deciding what to put in the new car. I am very fussy about where I want my GPS. I want it high in the dash level with the guages. For now, I'm using a air vent mount but I am not liking it any more this time than last... not solid enough for my taste. I found a listing for Proclip center mount 854646 which spans the air duct after being forced under the trim but I think $29 is too much to pay for half a mount... still need a devise holder. Only available by direct sale. http://www.proclipusa.net/instruction.php?sku=854646 I am going to make copy in a thin but hard aluminum from a scrap electronics mount. I have a spare RAM ball mount that I can attach to it.

I saw a few truck mounted cranes in the outboard boat business years ago. They really needed to be supported my reinforcing under the truck bed. I have seen home made jobs rip the fender off (point of support) when lifting heavy outboard motors. All I know is: It wasn't pretty. The winch shown previously looks like a "trailer winch" and frankly, we used some ourselves to lift very heavy objects... 20 foot oak pilings on our work barge... 25' aluminum boat masts with a home made crane of 2x2 box steel.

I am stressed over this... All I can do is hope they take care of me. It IS a "Certified" preowned which carries a 90 day Warentee BUT there is $100 deductable. I believe I get the balance of the original "bumper to bumper" Warentee which ought to cover paint defects. Maybe I'm stressing for nothing... I guess I'm resigned to ride this out & see what the outcome is. It will certainly affect how I recommend this dealer going forward.

Got car home & found a couple of hard to see paint bubbles in hood edge & the plastic piece below the fender... bumper extension?? needs fastening. I went back today... salesman said they'd takecare of it. Question remains if this will cost me. Hate to be a Nervious Nellie. I got bad feeling.

A little different than I expected but certainly heavy duty. The webbing Is easily 2X the weight of better grade Home Store straps. The ratchet mechanism is beefed up as well. The handle on the 2" ratchet is 7" Center to Center All metal is yellowish plated... SS was available but I'm not hauling a show bike/car. I figured they'd rarely be exposed to weather. Wife complained they don't have the silly rubber pieces the consumer grade do... and which ussually end up on the ground on the second use. I really like the 1" with the hook ends with a retainer.

UPS showed up with a package as we were eatting dinner... wifee ran out to accept package. She says what did you order that weights 50#. Ratchet straps. 50 pounds of ratchet straps... OK, equipped now! Possibly lifetime supply.

Avenger is now in my driveway. Beginning the process of tweaking the seat position so I can drive & also get my feet out of the car. I've managed to trip the hood release trying to get out! Radar detector is going to need a spacer to see over the hood/wipers. Though for my grand-pa driving the delay in respose may be immaterial. My brother got ticketed in NY state before he got rid of out-of-state tags on his car. Speed trap with 2 steps of lowering speed. All the locals knew... he drove right through. Cops attituide was driving through the trap without trying to slow down was disrespectful. (My bro said if he'd seen the cop behind the billboard, he'd have slowed down too!) I don't believe radar detectors will save you if you drive like your pants are on fire. But if your trying to drive reasonably, a warning might avoid a meeting with the boys in blue for a minor infraction.

I did some maple top work benches that came out of Brown & Sharp... we scrubbed them with gasoline in the driveway & stayed away for a few days while they out gassed! I don't think there's any wax left on the car. Still having trouble getting all residue of but I'm finding more areas where it has come clean (after it dries). I think a better technique would have been more clean rags initially.

I don't care much for the current crop of spider web designs. I'd like something classic like S/S in alloy but my budget won't stand genuine Crager. Wonder how they'd look in 17s. I think my car has 17s, 18s on R/T. I might have to wait.

It was many years ago, I rented a 100 tank for my 5er over the winter. The facility arranged fills along with their tanks. I don't know how I would approach this. One approach would be a crane... Would you lay it down in the truck? In a cradle? How about a cradle / skid & a manual conveyor? Or a small trailer... leave the tanks in it, connect in place with a long hose?

Rubbing alcohol IS slightly diluted denatured alcohol... initially using the containers I have on hand. 90% stuff works faster than 70%... but more trouble with residual. Maybe faster evaporation? It's so cheap that I didn't bother looking for larger containers. Good point though, if I need more I'll check prices. I have run into a snag... the sap dissolves in the alcohol but you must switch to clean rags wet with alcohol to remove the residue... before it dries. My car wash soap didn't remove the residue. I just went back & rewiped with alcohol. Using paper towels for the clean wipe because need wipe to not spread & leave the residue again. I've made good progress. Need to pursue this so I get it finished & gone. Wife won't like this in the priority parking space but I must remain in my way. I have the plates off it tonight to pickup the purchase... insurance off as of tomorrow.

Successful trip. What more is there to say?

First off... I am confused if this is as "SE" or "SXT" trim model. I think in 2014 new models... one can't get the V6 in SE trim. Perhaps in 2012 you could. The car has everything I asked for... V6, automatic, power seat, color dark grey... What I didn't ask for is alloy wheels. Now that I've signed the agreement, it's beginnning to bug me. I didn't look closely at the wheels but I think they are faux mag style wheel covers... over steel wheels. I'll be sure tomorrow. The tires have been armour-all'ed but are original (32,000 on them). I'm definately "Old School" style wise. a lot of alloys don't appeal to me. Cost is a factor as well. Any suggestions about upgrading the wheels?

Actually dry sap is easily removed from the glass with a razor blade scraper... which I've been doing. I've been lobbying to remove this tree but wifee has resisted. Supposedly now, she'll give in. I wanted this tree gone 20 years ago when a frozen pine cone dropped from altitude took out the side window on the Escort I was driving... before I got sick! The rubbing alcohol removes the spots with individual scrubbing followed by residue wiping & washing. Slow process but making progress an hour at a time (all my back can take). Would be better in less heat to slow evaporation off hot car. I opened the windows to release the inside heat. I haven't figured out how I'm going to reach the center of the roof... standing on something is dangerous for me. R

I can't get the insurance on it until after the holiday... can't pick it up without insurance. (I called my agent Saturday but only got the receptionist... waiting on the call back.) Photos to follow.

A lot of ideas off the Internet... (Being generous) Maybe they'd work for road tar but not for Pine Sap.

No, advantage of being retired although I'd rather be healthy & able to work (and play) is I don't have to go out in the snow. I've got the truck if I really need to go out. When wife worked at the hospital she HAD to be at work... Subaru & would overnight at her Aunt's who was out in the civilized world. Car was as requested, so I signed the agreement of sale... I think it will be a good car.

OK, I'm officially in the slow group.

Got confirmation my order for tie downs has shipped. Hope I'm not disappointed. Fingers crossed.

Contemplating selling off the Cirrus... biggest issue is Pine Sap... huge tree 3 stories up, hangs over my parking space. I've been cleaning the drips off the glass practically daily... let them dry & use a razor blade scraper, come right off. On the paint, I've tried commerical products, WD40, paint thinnner & others with no luck. Finally success! I've been using rubbing alcohol on small pieces of rag. Focus on small areas & one by one the drips dissolve with no damage to the paint. Areas need washing after they are pine free. It's a long process to do the whole car.

I decided on a (former lease) 2012 Avenger 3.6 V6 / 6 speed auto with SXT package includes the power seat I need. I decided I didn't want either bright white or gloss black... that I test drove... because I can't keep any vehicle perfectly clean & think those colors will look bad dirty. I said I wanted Silver or Grey thinking they didn't have one. They got back to me & claim to have the car in Silver. I haven't seen it yet, need to verify that it is what I want. If it is, I'm going to buy a car today.

Back to the dealers I liked the best. I test drove the Hundai Sonata... wife swears by her Ascent... nice car but I had a lot of trouble getting my impared legs into it. I think I have a really good offer from them. I test drove a 2014 Dart GT. Impressed, nice car. Peppy when asked. 2.4 (4 cylinder) Automatic (I must have). Trouble getting my legs in / out Test drove a 2012 Avenger SXT... several to choose from 2.4 or 3.6 V6 with autos... returned lease cars ~30,000 miles for 13,900. And I did better getting in / out. I think we have a winner!

I'm just getting my bearings, testing my ability to get in/out, my gear (cane, walker, Travelscoot). I've decided a full adjustable power seat is a requirement. After a test sit, I've been going over the equipment list & packages for different makes to see what is needed to get the power seat. Avenger is on my short list! But I have to get off the lot with a longer test drive. I'm not sold on the current crop of tiny engines... but I've had good & powerful cars with 2.4 & 2.5L both 4 & 6 cylinders. I'm not hung up on cylinder count. It's been entertaining. The Cirrus (1997) is running ok, has no current repairs needed. Gets 27mpg. I'm seeing a KBB of $1000-1500. The car needs some serious time, cleaning the tree sap off the passengers side paint. (A razer blade takes dried sap off the glass easily.) One dealer generously offered to take the Cirrus & give me 1000 off the price... I found the same car on line for 1000 less than he told me & wrote down on his card! I guess I'll not be trading the Cirrus. Craigslist!

I ended up making a sizable order at https://www.ratchetstraps.com/home/ I bought (4) 2" x 15 on a closeout @ $7.99 with a ring end & a closed snap. I'll use a steel carbiner or an anchor 'screw shackle' on the ring when needed. I only have the one 2" x 20' ratchet strap in about new condition... I used on the refridgerator... so these will be additional. I ordered (4) 1" x 15 ratchet straps with ordinary S hook ends on close out @ $4.99... just couldn't pass up a great bargain. I special ordered (8) 1" x 15 with safety latch S hook ends @ $6.95. I am very tired of tie downs unhooking themselves while i'm working (alone) on the other end. Straps with a catch or safety latch are seemingly hard to find. All straps seem to have decent strength ratings, far in excess of my needs.. The place has a high (I thought) initial shipping charge with very small increases for additional items. I really HATE that! Total shipping was $21.81. I made the purchase because I wanted the straps with the safety catch ends. They also offer replacement parts if you have damaged ratchet straps. Only replace the part which is broke, they say! Might be true of HD straps but not cheap ones. I'm planning all new straps on the truck... I still have use for some flimsy straps inside the toyhauler where things can't fall overboard! Surprised no one commented on my ballast... Hot day today did NOT agree with my MS... I went back out later, situated the trailer & unhooked.