Automobile maintainance...

[Shaka]

Battery on my truck went bad. I'm curious what folks view are on battery replacement. The regular replacement is around $100 but there are other supposedly better offerings for twice the money. Is it worth spending the extra scratch or are these batteries just another way to part suckers from their cash?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I get my car's oil changed at the dealership. If you show routine maintenance at a dealership, then you're more likely to get a break from the manufacturer if there's some kind of common defect in the car you purchased new when it's out of warranty. The additional cost is fairly minimal. If I ever had an actual repair, I probably wouldn't go to the dealership. But I've never had to repair any of the cars I've bought new. So, maintenance -- yes take it to the dealership; repairs -- don't take it to the dealership unless you know it's a common defect in your car.

If you have a used car, there's little reason to go to the dealership for any reason unless there's a part you can't buy anywhere else.

[Surfah]

Battery on my truck went bad. I'm curious what folks view are on battery replacement. The regular replacement is around $100 but there are other supposedly better offerings for twice the money. Is it worth spending the extra scratch or are these batteries just another way to part suckers from their cash?

It depends. I'd just make sure it has enough CCA for the winter in Utah. Typically in your group size you'll have a couple offerings as far as cold cranking amps and reserve capacity goes. I likely wouldn't go with the lowest, but the highest may be overkill. You don't need a sealed Optima battery for example even though they are bad ass. Something with a 2 year free replacement and pro-rated warranty for 6+ years should be fine.

[old_gregg]

I get my car's oil changed at the dealership. If you show routine maintenance at a dealership, then you're more likely to get a break from the manufacturer if there's some kind of common defect in the car you purchased new when it's out of warranty. The additional cost is fairly minimal. If I ever had an actual repair, I probably wouldn't go to the dealership. But I've never had to repair any of the cars I've bought new. So, maintenance -- yes take it to the dealership; repairs -- don't take it to the dealership unless you know it's a common defect in your car.

If you have a used car, there's little reason to go to the dealership for any reason unless there's a part you can't buy anywhere else.

on my current car, all maintenance was done at a dealership and showed up on the carfax. i paid like $300 more than a similar car because i knew it had been well taken care of.

[il Padrino Ute]

Anybody have an idea where to find an undercover/engine splash shield or whatever it's called for an '09 Subaru Tribeca? I've been trying to find one online at various auto part sites, but not having any luck. I'm hoping to not have to go to a dealer for it.

[Uncle Ted]

Anybody have an idea where to find an undercover/engine splash shield or whatever it's called for an '09 Subaru Tribeca? I've been trying to find one online at various auto part sites, but not having any luck. I'm hoping to not have to go to a dealer for it.

7540025.jpg

#11 (The under cover) or #12 (Under cover plate)?

http://www.subarupartsdepot.com/part...=Under%20cover

Have you checked ebay?

You been doing some off-roading?

[il Padrino Ute]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2266[/ATTACH]

#11 (The under cover) or #12 (Under cover plate)?

http://www.subarupartsdepot.com/part...=Under%20cover

Have you checked ebay?

You been doing some off-roading?

Thanks, Uncle Ted!

It's my wife's vehicle. She only lets me drive it if I go see a movie of her choosing.

[creekster]

So our old minivan (Honda Odyssey) needed new headlight assemblies. The dealer wanted an outrageous amount to replace them. I found some aftermarket ones on amazon for a reasonable price and and spent a couple of hours today putting them on. A fairly easy job. If any one is interested I took some photos and would be happy to share, although there are more than a few youtube videos that show it clearly. The new clear lenses look soooo much better than the old clouded ones. Makes the car look newer and the thrown light is obviously much brighter.

[mtnbiker]

So our old minivan (Honda Odyssey) needed new headlight assemblies. The dealer wanted an outrageous amount to replace them. I found some aftermarket ones on amazon for a reasonable price and and spent a couple of hours today putting them on. A fairly easy job. If any one is interested I took some photos and would be happy to share, although there are more than a few youtube videos that show it clearly. The new clear lenses look soooo much better than the old clouded ones. Makes the car look newer and the thrown light is obviously much brighter.

I bought a headlight lens polishing kit from Auto Zone and freshened up the the headlights with a corded drill. Took about 1/2 hour.

[creekster]

I bought a headlight lens polishing kit from Auto Zone and freshened up the the headlights with a corded drill. Took about 1/2 hour.

I had done that once before on this one, but they had clouded up again and, to be honest, looked awful. Your solution, if it works, is clearly a better (and cheaper) one.

[mtnbiker]

I had done that once before on this one, but they had clouded up again and, to be honest, looked awful. Your solution, if it works, is clearly a better (and cheaper) one.

Ha ha, yeah, I'd done it before with a cordless drill, but it didn't have the rpms or battery life to do it right. So I re-did it with the corded drill, and they've lasted much longer.

[Walter Sobchak]

So our old minivan (Honda Odyssey) needed new headlight assemblies. The dealer wanted an outrageous amount to replace them. I found some aftermarket ones on amazon for a reasonable price and and spent a couple of hours today putting them on. A fairly easy job. If any one is interested I took some photos and would be happy to share, although there are more than a few youtube videos that show it clearly. The new clear lenses look soooo much better than the old clouded ones. Makes the car look newer and the thrown light is obviously much brighter.

Thanks for sharing monkey man; had never considered checking amazon for auto parts. Found a headlamp for my car also.

[Clark Addison]

Thanks for sharing monkey man; had never considered checking amazon for auto parts. Bought my last batch of crap from mercedespartscenter.com; all original and all kind of spendy. Had a look at amazon just now and ordered this. The wife hit a mailbox a couple years ago and smashed up the RHS headlamp. It was replaced with a nice new shiny one by the body shop. The other one on the LHS is clouded up and looks quite crappy by comparison.

Yes. Likewise, I have a lot of problems with this. Ferrariparts.co.uk will often not ship to US addresses, and lamborghinioem.com is spotty on what it has in inventory. I'll have to give Amazon a try.

[clackamascoug]

Ha ha, yeah, I'd done it before with a cordless drill, but it didn't have the rpms or battery life to do it right. So I re-did it with the corded drill, and they've lasted much longer.

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

A couple of years ago I spouted on the benefits of corded drills over cordless drills, and "certain" associates took pot shots at gasoline truths from the tree lined cover.

[smokymountainrain]

Yes. Likewise, I have a lot of problems with this. Ferrariparts.co.uk will often not ship to US addresses, and lamborghinioem.com is spotty on what it has in inventory. I'll have to give Amazon a try.

CA delivers once again.