Re: Drive free, or, what's your car payments?

From: Terrible Tom (SilverEightynine@aol.com)
Date: Wed Feb 14 2007 - 23:57:17 EST


Chris Reck wrote:
> Heh.. Is it flood free? :-)

>>Chris Reck wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In the meantime, I've been quitely shopping for a gas saver or a small 2
>>>seater convertible I can play around with in the summer.
>>
>>For Sale:
>>
>>Blue 1996 Plymouth Neon 4 door SOHC 2.0, Auto...
>>
>>low miles, well maintained, never wrecked...
>

Actually that post was meant to be sarcastic. Same as if Adam put out a
4-sale sign on his old Dakota and it said "one owner, never abused,
never offroad"

The neon is now minus a functioning IAC valve (idle air control valve).
  I unplugged it shortly before I replied to your original post. The
IAC valve stuck wide open on me one cold morning - causing the car, from
a cold start (I was late for work and didn't have time to warm up) to
redline and fly off down the road on its own until my stunned, half
asleep ass, managed to shut the engine off. I ended up unplugging the
wires to it, I can't afford to pop for $60 for a new IAC. So now I have
to keep my foot on the gas to keep it at idle when cold so it will warm
  up. I unplugged the IAC when the car was warm and at idle, so it
stayed open when unplugged. Once warmed up its ok.

it also has totally shot struts - and I'm sure the springs are shot, A/C
system was ripped out, a radiator that likes to leak, a heater core
thats seeping coolant... love the smell of maple syrup in the morning
from my vents. The instrument cluster likes to drop dead once in a
while - requiring a whack to the dash to get the needels to come back to
life. The left turn signal no longer cancles itself when returning the
wheel to center from a turn, have to do it manually. Its old habit by
now. Don't even know I turn it off anymore. The timing belt tensioner
pully squeals - should have been replaced when I had the head off. The
engine rattles when cold... trunk lock keyhole doesnt work - gotta use
the hand release by the drivers seat - the rear speakers are blown, the
framless windows rattle and when the weatherstrip is cold and not
flexable - you get nice wind noise on the highway because it won't seal.
  Theres some voltage fluctuation in the system that could be a funky
ECM getting ready to croak. Needs rear brakes, might need some brake
lines... some redneck engeneered battery cables and ground straps, chip
in the windsheild... some scrapes and dents - the hood is a little funky
to open - I never quite got the latch to align right after I had to
repalce the hood and bumper from that little encounter with the concrete
lamp post....

But.. I did just put brand new wipers on it! Got over a year out of the
set I put on when I bought the car.

Say whatever you want about that rollerskate... it netted me 33 MPG on
the 530 mile round trip to chicago to the autoshow and never gave me any
problems on the highway!

I'm seriously thinking of taking it to new york (after a couple repairs)
because its so great on fuel. But.. I wouldn't be able to bring the
motorcycle out then

-- 
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Get a freaking rose tattoo and deal with it...
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three busted-ass daks, a gas hog, and a rollerskate
http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
AIM & Yahoo: SilverEightynine
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