TOP 20 THINGS WRONG WITH MY CAR
10-28-2007, 05:05 PM
#1
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TOP 20 THINGS WRONG WITH MY CAR
My wife informed me yesterday that the car has been paid off and the $800 per month payment can now go to other things. Now, when I see the pink slip I will believe her, but I'll play along for now. This has got me thinking that if I could just have a couple hundred bucks a month to fix some of the things that are making me crazy about my car, she would never know, and I'd have a better car. I made a list of every new and pre-existing thing that I can see wrong on my car. If you could give me your top five things to fix and how to's I will be eternally greatful.
1. chip in headlight lense (2 weeks)
2. brake light switch on master cylinder (I know the fix)
3. carpet has 1/2 inch buckle under drivers feet
4. rear carpets are loose
5. rusted rear seat pivot bolts
6. flapper boxes still letting in heat after adjustment
7. a/c has no freon (I don't care)
8. loose speaker wire under dash for drivers door (every other drive)
9.passenger door not 100% with central locking (one week)
10. leather is gone off shift ****
11. cracked sway bar mount (two months) (steve is getting me WEVO's)
12. no interior lights when doors open
13. no shock on front deck lid
14. cat and mufler rusty
15. stitches on steering wheel redo again
16. loose change under passenger seat
17. doors swing open too wide
18. small red **** missing off dash air controls
19. dust around manual top bars that I can't reach
20. the red looking thing around the yellow thing on the engine is now missing
I know only about three thing that really have to get done the rest are just "showroom" stuff but I would like to get them returned to stock as soon as I can. Thank you so much for helping. I can take pictures of what ever you would like.
car is an '88 man cab with 64,980 miles as of last night that spent 18 1/2 years staulking co-eds in upper arlington ohio.
1. chip in headlight lense (2 weeks)
2. brake light switch on master cylinder (I know the fix)
3. carpet has 1/2 inch buckle under drivers feet
4. rear carpets are loose
5. rusted rear seat pivot bolts
6. flapper boxes still letting in heat after adjustment
7. a/c has no freon (I don't care)
8. loose speaker wire under dash for drivers door (every other drive)
9.passenger door not 100% with central locking (one week)
10. leather is gone off shift ****
11. cracked sway bar mount (two months) (steve is getting me WEVO's)
12. no interior lights when doors open
13. no shock on front deck lid
14. cat and mufler rusty
15. stitches on steering wheel redo again
16. loose change under passenger seat
17. doors swing open too wide
18. small red **** missing off dash air controls
19. dust around manual top bars that I can't reach
20. the red looking thing around the yellow thing on the engine is now missing
I know only about three thing that really have to get done the rest are just "showroom" stuff but I would like to get them returned to stock as soon as I can. Thank you so much for helping. I can take pictures of what ever you would like.
car is an '88 man cab with 64,980 miles as of last night that spent 18 1/2 years staulking co-eds in upper arlington ohio.
10-28-2007, 06:38 PM
#3
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Capt. I think Doug may be trying to compete in concours in the future. Which is why he cares about the stupid little things that most people dont care about.
10-28-2007, 07:23 PM
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And here i was thinking the only thing wrong with my car is it's not fast enough.
a word on old flapper boxes, when you take them out to check (and realize you just need new boxes) be careful not to snap the studs off the body of the car. If the nuts are seized, make sure and give them plenty of time to soak in whatever your choice of lube is.
that looks like the hardest think on your list.
a word on old flapper boxes, when you take them out to check (and realize you just need new boxes) be careful not to snap the studs off the body of the car. If the nuts are seized, make sure and give them plenty of time to soak in whatever your choice of lube is.
that looks like the hardest think on your list.
10-28-2007, 08:48 PM
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I should have done the flapper boxes when I did the CV Boots, but oh well. I'm not looking for concours, cause I don't have the paint for that. What I'm looking for is a car that doesn't have all the little flaws that come with time. this is by far the nicest car I have ever owned and I want to give it all that I can to keep it new. I'll take some pictures tonight of the stuff that really bothers me and post them when my DSL is back up.
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10-28-2007, 11:47 PM
#8
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Guys focus for me. 1st off....The car is from Ohio, not me, I've never been there. the previous owner was a prof. at Ohio State. 2nd....Wife pays all bills and chose to double and triple pay 'cause the interest was 9%. (I still think some got put into the refi on the house anyway. I cant see $20,000 getting paid off in 10 months at $800 per month)
O.K. guys can we now focus our efforts back on the car. I found 2 more issues on our drive to dinner tonight.
21. parking brake is out of adjustment and doesn't hold car. (using reverse for now)
22. the elastic on the rag top doesn't put the crossbar where it is supposed to be when dropping the top.
now if you will, just pick a problem and walk me thru fixing it. Please and thank you.
O.K. guys can we now focus our efforts back on the car. I found 2 more issues on our drive to dinner tonight.
21. parking brake is out of adjustment and doesn't hold car. (using reverse for now)
22. the elastic on the rag top doesn't put the crossbar where it is supposed to be when dropping the top.
now if you will, just pick a problem and walk me thru fixing it. Please and thank you.
10-29-2007, 10:05 AM
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1. chip in headlight lense (2 weeks)
new H-5's are spendy I think, switch to H-4s with replaceable glass
2. brake light switch on master cylinder (I know the fix)
you know
3. carpet has 1/2 inch buckle under drivers feet
you can do it
4. rear carpets are loose
you can do it
5. rusted rear seat pivot bolts
remove, sand down, replace, paint with a brush
6. flapper boxes still letting in heat after adjustment
get new ones and replace both, bet you have auto heat hu?
7. a/c has no freon (I don't care)
8. loose speaker wire under dash for drivers door (every other drive)
replace door speakers and run new wire to head unit, tape new wire from the door wire and pull threw door grommets to head unit.
9.passenger door not 100% with central locking (one week)
remove panel and inspect, check for good connection and ground, lube and retry, maybe a new one is needed. window side i mean
10. leather is gone off shift ****
new **** for the ****
11. cracked sway bar mount (two months) (steve is getting me WEVO's)
get your new mounts and take to a shop. Better if you do all your own grinding and old mount removal
let them weld but recoat the bare metal yourself at home
12. no interior lights when doors open
those light are on the same fuse as the radio. make sure the fuse isn't loose. over bumps it could be moving. lense toggles to three different positions. off/on. and door open on. check power and GROUND. door switch/plunger may prevent light if the lense is in the door open position.
13. no shock on front deck lid
get new
14. cat and mufler rusty
get new, cats gonna rust though
15. stitches on steering wheel redo again
16. loose change under passenger seat
17. doors swing open too wide
i'm out of time
18. small red **** missing off dash air controls
19. dust around manual top bars that I can't reach
20. the red looking thing around the yellow thing on the engine is now missing
new H-5's are spendy I think, switch to H-4s with replaceable glass
2. brake light switch on master cylinder (I know the fix)
you know
3. carpet has 1/2 inch buckle under drivers feet
you can do it
4. rear carpets are loose
you can do it
5. rusted rear seat pivot bolts
remove, sand down, replace, paint with a brush
6. flapper boxes still letting in heat after adjustment
get new ones and replace both, bet you have auto heat hu?
7. a/c has no freon (I don't care)
8. loose speaker wire under dash for drivers door (every other drive)
replace door speakers and run new wire to head unit, tape new wire from the door wire and pull threw door grommets to head unit.
9.passenger door not 100% with central locking (one week)
remove panel and inspect, check for good connection and ground, lube and retry, maybe a new one is needed. window side i mean
10. leather is gone off shift ****
new **** for the ****
11. cracked sway bar mount (two months) (steve is getting me WEVO's)
get your new mounts and take to a shop. Better if you do all your own grinding and old mount removal
let them weld but recoat the bare metal yourself at home
12. no interior lights when doors open
those light are on the same fuse as the radio. make sure the fuse isn't loose. over bumps it could be moving. lense toggles to three different positions. off/on. and door open on. check power and GROUND. door switch/plunger may prevent light if the lense is in the door open position.
13. no shock on front deck lid
get new
14. cat and mufler rusty
get new, cats gonna rust though
15. stitches on steering wheel redo again
16. loose change under passenger seat
17. doors swing open too wide
i'm out of time
18. small red **** missing off dash air controls
19. dust around manual top bars that I can't reach
20. the red looking thing around the yellow thing on the engine is now missing
10-29-2007, 05:33 PM
#10
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My 2 cents.
You drive the car. After the safety isssues (I'd do the sway bar mounts, but it sounds like you're ahead of me), first fixes on your list should be whatever annoys you most when you're behind the wheel. Note that can mean things like "small red ****."
Me...I replaced a perfectly working in-dash radio/CD player because the interface annoyed me...even though most people would say "Radio...who listens to the radio?"
You drive the car. After the safety isssues (I'd do the sway bar mounts, but it sounds like you're ahead of me), first fixes on your list should be whatever annoys you most when you're behind the wheel. Note that can mean things like "small red ****."
Me...I replaced a perfectly working in-dash radio/CD player because the interface annoyed me...even though most people would say "Radio...who listens to the radio?"
10-29-2007, 07:32 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
Your numbers...
Safety first:
11. Sway bars can affect handling just like low air pressure in tires, etc. Have the mounts installed ASAP, just make sure that the shop understands that they must fit on an angle (if in doubt, remove/install one side prior to removal of other side), and that the shop will use correct welding procedure.
2. Do ASAP, you don't want to get rear ended either by (1) slamming on the brakes hard enough to activate the brake lights, or (2) slow normally and not activate the lights.
6. Heat will be necessary during the winter months, so put this off, unless you want to consider replacing the thin, white plastic, bowden tube to each box. Frequently these get gummed up and will prevent the box valves from returning to the full open position.
15. Call Pete's Auto Top (8635 W. Pico, L.A. 90035) at (310) 271-5550 and see if he still does steering wheels (I've never seen them done better). He can look over your top and carpet problems while you're there.
12. Remove the "party hats," aka switch covers, from your door switches. Check the lights again by moving the lenses as necessary. If this fixes it, you will have to get two new covers at the dealer. If the interior light(s) still don't work, and the bulbs are good, you will have to unscrew the switches (try to push them in and then remove your thumb quickly so they can snap back, do this a few times). Sometimes you can use a piece of sandpaper to polish the switch contact ends, sometimes you have to replace the switches. When you're at the dealer buy #18 and #10.
17. When the body shop, or Porsche shop, fixes your sway bar mounts, get a quote to have both door check straps replaced while you're there.
Cheers!
Safety first:
11. Sway bars can affect handling just like low air pressure in tires, etc. Have the mounts installed ASAP, just make sure that the shop understands that they must fit on an angle (if in doubt, remove/install one side prior to removal of other side), and that the shop will use correct welding procedure.
2. Do ASAP, you don't want to get rear ended either by (1) slamming on the brakes hard enough to activate the brake lights, or (2) slow normally and not activate the lights.
6. Heat will be necessary during the winter months, so put this off, unless you want to consider replacing the thin, white plastic, bowden tube to each box. Frequently these get gummed up and will prevent the box valves from returning to the full open position.
15. Call Pete's Auto Top (8635 W. Pico, L.A. 90035) at (310) 271-5550 and see if he still does steering wheels (I've never seen them done better). He can look over your top and carpet problems while you're there.
12. Remove the "party hats," aka switch covers, from your door switches. Check the lights again by moving the lenses as necessary. If this fixes it, you will have to get two new covers at the dealer. If the interior light(s) still don't work, and the bulbs are good, you will have to unscrew the switches (try to push them in and then remove your thumb quickly so they can snap back, do this a few times). Sometimes you can use a piece of sandpaper to polish the switch contact ends, sometimes you have to replace the switches. When you're at the dealer buy #18 and #10.
17. When the body shop, or Porsche shop, fixes your sway bar mounts, get a quote to have both door check straps replaced while you're there.
Cheers!
Last edited by Peter Zimmermann; 10-29-2007 at 08:03 PM.
10-29-2007, 08:25 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Thank you guys, I'm sure this will keep me busy for months. I did the top loop of the steering wheel shortly after I got the car and it still looks great. I will do the botom half with two threads at the same time this time. before I went around once then doubled back and the second pass was a pain. this time I'll run them together. A trip out to "SAVE A BUG" in Riverside is in the plans for tuesday or wednesday for the brake switch.
That giant screw thing that is the pivot for the rear seats....does it come out? Can I use spray paint on it after I sand off the rust? what color was it 20 years ago? Is semi-gloss black o.k.?
again, thanks guys
That giant screw thing that is the pivot for the rear seats....does it come out? Can I use spray paint on it after I sand off the rust? what color was it 20 years ago? Is semi-gloss black o.k.?
again, thanks guys
