Wednesday already, friends? What are we gonna do about this whole time passing in a blink of an eye thing? Has anyone considered started a writing-your-representative campaign? Maybe a MoveOn.org petition? The time that has already passed, the beautiful weekend we just left in our rearviews, was one of the most pleasant of the summer so far in Detroit, and I got nothing important done — at least, not on my car. I would argue walking my dogs and hanging out with my friends on a boat in the Detroit river was pretty important in its own special way. Plus I saw Cyndi Lauper and she was amazing! It wasn't necessarily more fun than getting dirty in the garage, but we only have a few weeks left to get outside and have a good time, at least in my part of the country, so the cars had to wait.
I'm not the only one eyeing routine maintenance in favor of enjoying our rapidly dwindling summer days. On Monday I asked what vital car stuff you ignored for another weekend and I certainly feel less lonely in my automotive slacking. Slide through the responses and comfort yourself with your fellow sloth's stories of delayed maintenance.
Marvin Allen Costa
I tore my Moto Guzzi apart last weekend and was supposed to do a full service (all fluids, plugs, valve adjust, balance cylinders, alternator belt, etc.) this weekend. Instead I left the country and went to Tijuana and the beach with my family. Now I need to get everything back together because I was also supposed to take off and reseal the leaking oil pan on an Outlander for my wife three weeks ago. I want to do all this Monday and Tuesday because Wednesday I have to report back to school (I teach HS English) and will be too busy lesson planning and grading on the weekends for most auto maintenance.
From Marvin Allen Costa
Mazda
I was actually able to catch up on some maintenance this weekend on our 2015 Mazda 6. Oil changed, spark plugs and boots replaced, MAF cleaned, throttle body cleaned, and headlight bulbs replaced. I SHOULD have done the valve cover gasket while I already had the spark plugs out, but I just couldn't be bothered. Next is suspension work, since it's still riding on the same shocks, and the car has 160k miles on it, and it's starting to feel bumpy.
From MrMcGeeIn3D
DimaBerlin/Shutterstock
Not really maintenance per se, but my two old cars sat idle for most of July because of the vicious cycle of sauna-like humidity followed by torrential rains followed immediately by sauna-like humidity followed by torrential rains followed by...you get the idea. July in the mid-Atlantic was not a month to do without AC, and neither of the toys has it (well, one does, but it needs a charge, and it needs a leak test before that).
This weekend was terrific, with highs around 80 and humidity around 60, but Friday night was a concert, Saturday was the 300-mile round trip to Macungie for Das Awkscht Fescht (got home too late for the local cruise night) and Sunday was two car shows plus grocery shopping and mowing the lawn. So the toys sat idle.
From Paul Balze
No quite maintenance, but I bought the parts required to mount the Hardtop on my 986, and I set it on my breakfast table and said to my wife "I'll take care of this next Saturday". It's been a couple of weeks, and the parts are still inside the package. Prepping for my soon-to-arrive baby somehow took over all my time.
From Tiago Bastos
Oil changes for me, too, in two cars. Instead on Saturday I took my mom an hour away to a bank where she and my dad had accounts so that we could get their paperwork updated after dad passed away last fall. When we got there, discovered she didn't bring any ID with her.
Yesterday did a ton of yardwork before it rains today.
Now last weekend I did accomplish some car stuff. I figured out what was making noise on my SRT-4 and fixed it (loose exhaust clamp), and reinstalled my firm torque struts to keep the engine from rocking as much. Sure it adds some vibration, but I can live with it, and it just feels more responsive to throttle input this way.
From CSX321
I actually did get to some work on my car this weekend, even though it was 110 out. My car was purchased from my great-grandmother, who is not able to drive it anymore, and whoever was regularly in her passenger seat was apparently not great at keeping their coffee in the mug. I'm talking coffee stains on the side of the passenger seat, on the floor in the back, the passenger seat floor was covered in stains, as was the fabric on the BOTTOM of the passenger seat, somehow. There was also coffee in every crevice of the center console, as well as apparently under the center console.
A month or so ago, I took out the seats and used a little carpet cleaner to clean most of the carpet, but didn't finish. This weekend I did the front seats, the last fabric that needed to be . done, and I also removed and completely disassembled the center console, soaked all of the componants in soapy water, and then hosed them off. The result was a center console that looks like it just arrived from the factory, I was really proud of myself.
I do still have work that needs to be done, though. I realized recently that my heater core is leaking. To keep my interior free of any more antifreeze, I removed the two hoses that connect to the heater core and connected them to each other, since I don't need the heater core in the Arizona summer, and I'm not looking forward to replacing it, since it requires removing the entire dash and support bar, which is a 6-hour job, according to the manufacturer.
From Racer09
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Brake pads. We're not squeaking or scrapping or anything. I just know its about that time. Apparently, I have sciatica so my back isn't really in a position to be doing something like that. I feels like its getting better. Hopefully Ill be able to get it done next weekend. Having to pay someone else to change my brake pads is a hard pill to swallow.
From Marcus C
BMW
Replacing the failed seal on the windshield washer pump on my X5. I have learned it requires removing the right front fender to replace a $5 washer. As it is now, the reservoir barely holds enough to clean off a few bugs; winter will be here before I know it and that road salt won't wash off by itself.
From JB
Fox Photos/Getty Images
I have stack of maintenance and repairs I need to do but can't find the time.
My truck needs front brakes done and the fan clutch/water pump I bought like 6 months ago just to replace since they are high mileage but still have not done. One car needs timing belt water pump, one needs oil pan reseal and diagnose suspension noise, and all of them can use a wash. The cheap amp my truck came with has been working sporadically for near a year. I casually shop amps but never pull the trigger because I will need to remove the driver seat to install. If I do that I will without a doubt want to pull out the carpet, shampoo/pressure wash, wipe down the floor pans, detail the whole interior, etc...a cheap little amp will turn into a science project.
From Tex
I need to change the coolant in my 2006 motorcycle, that still has the original 2006 coolant. : At least it's a Honda.
From Psycho78
