When we bought the 2004 SAAB 9-3 convertible, I noticed that the front suspension was making noise over bumps, tracks, and potholes. It wasn’t a horrible feel but one of my mechanics told me that one of the struts was blown out. Did that keep me from enjoying the car as is? Not at all….
Category: Maintenance
Jacking up the BMW
As you can see in the picture, our 2001 5-Series sits a bit lower than normal. The previous owner did a few modifications such as cross drilled rotors and lowering springs/struts on it. Why do you think he did this? Lowered struts seem to be popular with these cars. I think it gives the car…
QOTD #61: Does idling hurt your car’s engine?
During my time as a driver manager with a fleet of 40 vehicles, I have noticed that some of our vans have developed catalytic converter problems. The most recent was a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan (with 123k miles) which developed a check engine light with a P0420 code. The local mechanic told me it was…
Head Gasket Sealer?
Just today, someone suggested that the Fiero’s overheating problem is probably the head gasket. If that is the case, there are only two options if I wish to keep the car. First, I could shell out $600 to have the head gasket replaced. Second, I could try adding a liquid sealer to the cooling system…
1984 Pontiac Fiero: overheats at stop lights
My 1984 Pontiac Fiero overheated this summer and wouldn’t restart. The diagnosis at the time was that it needed a head gasket. After towing it home, it sat in the driveway until the battery went dead. Then in an attempt to either fix or sell it, I had it towed to a mechanic who got…
2003 Land Rover Freelander : Thermostat Removal
If you are a backyard mechanic and want to know how to change the thermostat on a 2002-05 Land Rover Freelander, this 42 minute video will be very helpful. After skimming through the instructions, I think I would rather do the job on a 2003 Land Rover Discovery II. In fact, after you watch this…
2000 Mercedes-Benz ML320 stuck in Park
The owner of a 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML320 asked for help with his SUV on an the MBWorld Forum. Without warning, his vehicle stopped allowing him to shift out of Park. Ever had that happen to you? This is how he explained the problem: I need your help. My gearbox is stuck in PARK…..also BAS/ESP light…
1995 Jaguar XJ6 : Air Idle Control and Headlight Trim
As of today, our 1995 Jaguar XJ6 (X300) has accumulated a total of 135,659 miles. I took the above picture today to figure out if the trip computer’s fuel economy of 11-12 mpg was correct. To do so, I filled up this morning at 135,592 and then filled up again this afternoon after work at…
1984 Jeep DJ-5 : Rear LED Amber Flashers
A previous owner had oversprayed the rear lights (and anything else that got in his way) while painting the Jeep. So it was difficult to know how well other drivers could see my ambers flashing. That is important since I will be delivering the mail to mailboxes along the road. If people can’t see my…
QOTD #53: Why would a Jaguar XJ6 lean to one side?
What would cause one side of a Jaguar XJ6 to sit slightly lower than the other? Read this article to find out the answer.