Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[zamler]

Don't have a shop suggestion but doesn't need to be a specialist. 4Runner=easy to work on.

[JagrBombs68]

Anyone have any experience with South Trail Exports? I am looking to sell a vehicle still under financing but don't want to deal with the hassle of going private, if i can get a decent deal.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by JagrBombs68

Anyone have any experience with South Trail Exports? I am looking to sell a vehicle still under financing but don't want to deal with the hassle of going private, if i can get a decent deal.

Their process is straightforward. As far as getting a decent deal, it's definitely worth getting their offer... Don't forget to factor in time/effort/brain damage of selling private when calculating the cost/benefit.

If it's a domestic truck, you could also just post on Kijiji... There are dozens of exporters that combs the ads and will make you offers; they all operate in the same vein as South Trail.

[CarlLester]

The process at South Trail was fine. Their offer was about 20% lower than I was able to get from two local dealerships, so I went that route instead.

[Calgary14]

Rented a Tesla (base Model 3) for the weekend and it's unreal to drive. I have never driven an electric car before but am blown away by how futuristic is it. The acceleration is unlike anything I've driven and it's so intuitive to drive in general. I can see why they're so popular

[edslunch]

My son is hot to buy any early 90's Honda CRX and fix it up. He doesn't have much experience but time on his hands and wants to learn. I'm ok if that's what he wants to do but I don't want it hanging around my garage forever, so hopefully something he can get into running shape in a reasonable amount of time.

Any suggestions - not necessarily about a specific car but doing this in general? Is this a bad idea? Is this a starter fixer-upper?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by edslunch

My son is hot to buy any early 90's Honda CRX and fix it up. He doesn't have much experience but time on his hands and wants to learn. I'm ok if that's what he wants to do but I don't want it hanging around my garage forever, so hopefully something he can get into running shape in a reasonable amount of time.

Any suggestions - not necessarily about a specific car but doing this in general? Is this a bad idea? Is this a starter fixer-upper?

Experience is useful but not really the most critical thing because information is so readily available. The most important thing besides time is tools. If you don't have the right tools to do a job it is very discouraging. I like to wrench on my vehicles and do a lot of the work myself when possible but not having a lift in the garage or other specialty tools holds me back from doing things.

[81MC]

Originally Posted by edslunch

My son is hot to buy any early 90's Honda CRX and fix it up. He doesn't have much experience but time on his hands and wants to learn. I'm ok if that's what he wants to do but I don't want it hanging around my garage forever, so hopefully something he can get into running shape in a reasonable amount of time.

Any suggestions - not necessarily about a specific car but doing this in general? Is this a bad idea? Is this a starter fixer-upper?

Make sure it’s not enough of a basket case that it’ll be all for naught. There’s no sense throwing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours at a car that’ll still need inner and outer rockers, quarters, door skins etc.

That is, unless that’s the plan going into it. But I can’t stress just how much bodywork is something that is will the be the opposite of reasonable time. It’s also exceptionally messy, very loud, and takes up a lot of space. A full body job is not something you want your teenage kid to try in your garage.

The body doesnt need to be great. But good enough where it’s not going to fail inspection or be unsafe. Rockers and quarters are structural on those cars.

Other than that, parts are cheap. The aftermarket is insane. The community is vast, and knowledgeable. A basic set of hand tools, cheapies from PA for anything specialized (though on a CRX that’s like...nothing I can think of) and free rentals for things like ball joint presses, bearing pullers etc. You can now get a pretty comprehensive set of hand tools for a few hundred dollars. They’re fine, trust me.

Your kid will learn a skill, appreciate his car more, spend his time productivity (well, as productive as a silly old car is), and quickly become a member of another community. If my child wanted to do that, I’d support it 100%.

But old cars are financially consuming, and time consuming. If it’s done right, he’ll keep it road worthy most of Rhine. But there will be plenty of times when something doesn’t go as planned and it’s unmovable for a few days. Been there, done that, it will happen. They should be prepared to take the bus when needed and you should be prepared to not have the garage when you were expecting to.

The pros far outweigh the cons. It’s good for a kid to learn that output requires input, and learning the basics of a car is a prime illustrator of that.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by edslunch

My son is hot to buy any early 90's Honda CRX and fix it up. He doesn't have much experience but time on his hands and wants to learn. I'm ok if that's what he wants to do but I don't want it hanging around my garage forever, so hopefully something he can get into running shape in a reasonable amount of time.

Any suggestions - not necessarily about a specific car but doing this in general? Is this a bad idea? Is this a starter fixer-upper?

Most of these were rusting out a decade ago or more. Make sure the frame/chassis is worth putting any money into. A SW US desert car, may be worth a look.

[HockeyIlliterate]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Any suggestions - not necessarily about a specific car but doing this in general? Is this a bad idea? Is this a starter fixer-upper?

I think that it is a fantastic idea, mostly for the reasons that 81MC stated above.

As for the car, consider a 1994-ish Honda Civic, two door. EX model for the moonroof and body colored mirrors, if desired.

Many CRXs were made into rice burners and have been trashed by this point. Many mid 90s Civics were too, but you might be able to find one that hasn’t been and that model has some of the best engineering that Honda did at the time. Dead reliable, mechanically simple, and without a ton of electronics to complicate things. And surprisingly roomy.

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by JagrBombs68

Anyone have any experience with South Trail Exports? I am looking to sell a vehicle still under financing but don't want to deal with the hassle of going private, if i can get a decent deal.

It really depends what you are selling, if the vehicle is worth exporting or even eligible to be exported. The offers vary as the US market dropped off mid August but has come back a bit. They will also buy vehicles for their lots if exporting it isn’t an option but those vehicles get you a much lower offer.

[Sliver]

Anybody store their summer car outside during the winter under a car cover? I usually leave mine in my heated garage, but I'm thinking of putting it beside my garage this year (in the yard; not worried about vandals or thieves).

I'd put a battery maintainer on it, fuel stabilizer in the tank and steel wool in the tail pipes, etc.

Wouldn't want a fabric garage...I'm thinking of just like an outdoor cover from Amazon or Canadian Tire that slides right onto the car.

Anything super dumb about this?

[Fuzz]

You are probably better just to pull the battery and keep it in your garage.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

You are probably better just to pull the battery and keep it in your garage.

Maybe, but I would want to fire it up every five or six weeks (unless that's dumb, too).

[Sliver]

Your garage is pretty big...maybe I'll slide it in there?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Your garage is pretty big...maybe I'll slide it in there?

It would have to be OK with being used as a sawhorse, spark deflector, and possibly hazardous chemical storage facility. I may pee in the gas tank ,too, if I really need to go. Beats heading into the house in -30.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It would have to be OK with being used as a sawhorse, spark deflector, and possibly hazardous chemical storage facility. I may pee in the gas tank ,too, if I really need to go. Beats heading into the house in -30.

You're garaging all wrong. Garages are for looking pretty; not getting them all dirty. Bet you don't even have a disco ball.

[burn_this_city]

I wouldn't fire it up every month or so, unless you drive it you aren't burning off the condensation and it forms acids with the crap in the crankcase.

Car covers are great until the 100km/h wind day and it starts flopping around.

[Sliver]

Another thought...anybody know where I could buy a cheap vehicle lift? I could put it in my shop at work.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Another thought...anybody know where I could buy a cheap vehicle lift? I could put it in my shop at work.

FB marketplace has them occasionally. There's one for sale in Kamloops for $700 if you want to get the hydraulic ram fixed.