Mel had a picture of my car up a little bit ago, so I thought I'd tell y'all about it since I just got the call from Morrie's Nissan.
1) I got a recall notice. I like recalls, 'cause that means they're going to fix something for free! Wheee I like free. The issue was some engine behavior could trick the temp sensor into reporting an engine fault and the engine computer would shut the car off. So the recall involves reprogramming the computer. Cool enough.
While they had the car I asked them to check on some stuff:
b) A metal screech 'hoot' type noise when starting to move. It happens in forward and reverse. It happens only when disengaging the clutch - rolling around in neutral does not elicit the noise. Once moving it doesn't happen between gears. It is over with by the time the clutch is completely out. It seems more likely to happen if the wheels are turned. It seems more likely to happen if the car is trying to get up a hill.
Have you guessed what it is? No, guess! Seriously! Okay... Mmm hmmm, yeah that could be... Sounds reasonable... Well the Techs at Morries figure it's the flywheel - something about springs by it. Interestingly, I've been wishing I had a lightened flywheel to take some stress off my synchros. Think I should call 'em back and tell them to put in a racing flywheel when they pull it Monday? I'm thinking purely of mechanical longevity, here. BONUS POINTS - Is this covered by either the warantee or the extended warantee? A. YES IT IS! @$&! YEAH! They're gonna have to pull the whole transmission under warantee hahahahahahahah!
iii) Sometimes the car takes an obnoxiously long time to get itself started. Scenes like this can be so irritating:
Adam: Hey, check my rad new car!
Friend: Sweet!
Adam: Wanna go for a ride innit?
Friend: Totally!
*both get in car*
*key in ignition*
*twist*
*rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr-brrooommbababa!*
Friend: So, uh, about that startup...
Adam: Shut up I don't want to hear a word about it everything is perfect you got me?
Friend: ... Sweet, a sunroof!
The tech on the phone told me this seems to be the fuel rail pressure regulator. Is this part covered under the warantee? IT SURE IS! *fist pumping and air guitar solo* HELL YES FIX IT YOU AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN MADMEN! FIX IT FOR THE LOVE OF WHOLE, UNHINDERED MECHANICAL BEAUTY AND FOR NO OTHER REASON, BECAUSE I SURE DON'T HAVE TO PAY! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
So I got the call today because I dropped the car off yesterday. Since they've got my car (which in the most formal occations may be referred to as "The Dream of Flying" as a concession to those who name their cars), I've got a loaner. It's a Hyundai Sonata. It looks like either a 2006 or 2007. It's badging says it's got a V6. It's an automatic, with the + and - shiftgates. It's pretty nice to be in, but it's pretty clearly balanced for comfort rather than sport. I've gotten used to the nice booty-hugging security of my SE-R's sport seating. The big flat slab of a driver's seat in the Sonata elicited a "Crap, if I don't get my seatbelt on I'm gonna fall right off of this highchair in the first turn I take!" But you know, that's much less of an issue if you're driving the Sonata the way it likes to be driven. The lack of sportiness shouldn't be confused with a lack of power, it is quite confident at highway speeds. The shift gates are a little confusing to me - instead of rowing through the gears with "fwd, back, fwd, back" motions, gear plus is always forward, gear minus is always back. It sounds simple, but my years of ingrained driving reflex don't like it. It also leaves a beat of time in between your signal and the corresponding action. I've only tried it a little bit. Anyway, I've got it 'till Monday at least.
In other news, since I haven't written anything on here in forever:
- I've got a new job. It's at Welsh commercial real estate, in the IT dept. It's totally sweet and it pays way better. I'm very happy with it.
- I've been building stereo stuff from info on the web. I've got a pair of speakers which have been making sound since maybe Feb. I'm hoping to get finished painting and finishing them maybe this weekend or next. Also there's a small amp I've modified. It's been a lot of fun and sounds quite good.
- We're going to hoodwink Sara Ochs while she is in town from S. Korea and keep her for our personal amusement and that of our friends this weekend. Shhh, don't tell!
1 comment:
I don't think I can adequately describe the feeling of satisfaction coursing through my veins at the thought of not paying for car repairs. Go ahead! Pull the clutch out! We don't care, we bought the extended warrenty, and it just payed for itself! HA!
No. No. You can't possibly feel the satisfaction I am feeling. Because that money we would have spent fixing the car? That can now go into my belly in the form of dinners at restaurants. HA!
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