Finally got around to doing some maintenance on Gia the last couple days. Picked up oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, and cabin air filter. Swapped the two air filters when I got home Tuesday after work. Had my winter tires taken off yesterday morning and the guys at the shop were telling me I need to get some new summer rubber in the near future. My all-seasons are from when I bought the car and have seen a lot of kilometers. I want to find some 16″ OEM alloys first though, then I’ll buy new non-winter tires.
Last night I rolled Gia up on the ramps at my parents place and did the oil change. Things I should get: Pela Oil Extractor, Filter Wrench. Oh well. Rolled her back down, then attempted a fuel filter change for the first time. Took a bit of wiggling to get the hoses off the filter, but after that it went pretty damn smooth. Primed the new filter with half a bottle of Power Service White, and we were off to the races. Drained the water separator /filter and it was completely water free, so I poured what came out into the Power Service bottle and back into the tank it went. Tonight I should grab the engine degreaser and give her a good clean at the Husky.
The simple stuff is done, time to start calling around for the larger service that she needs. Somedays I really do wish I had my own garage to work in. And a backup car…
Apparently I can’t frame a shot with my phone to save my life, but at least I’ve got something. Had a douchebag crawl up Gia’s ass just off whyte ave last night. Brad had opted to not park behind me as he would have been past the sign; too close to the intersection and thusly, illegal. Didn’t stop this cunt-rag from parking 10 inches off my bumper. Only upside was I got to use one of the tickets I printed off of youparklikeanasshole. What did we learn from this? 1) Bring the good camera more often 2) It’s a good thing dave doesn’t own a big, metal vehicle 3) It’s time to make up some custom tickets to leave on windsheilds 4) People is bitches, and bitches must die. (Thankyou, ninjastan)
I’m trying not to gloat. I really am. But the oil companies are making it really, really hard. I fueled up this morning, and I payed this: 630 $0.798/L * 58L / 1000km per tank average = $0.0463/km. With the amount I’m driving the last while, I’m filling up once every two weeks. So we’re talking just under $100 for 2000km of travel a month.
I took a look at the other side of the pump, and saw this: 634 636
Please don’t hate me because I’m paying almost 40 cents a litre less than you. Hate me because I’ll still be smiling when I’m paying $1.50/L @ 50mpg. $1.50/L * 58L / 1000km per tank = $0.087/km. It works out to $175/month for 2000km of travel. Nothing to really write home about, until I remember that’s what it’ll cost some people to fill their tank. Once. For 500km if they’re lucky.
It’s been way too long since I’ve run my stats and posted.
Let’s start with the 5-tank average. These past 5 tanks were mainly highway, 2 of them were out to Victoria and back, the 2 after that both had 400km highway trips for work, and the last tank was all in city for a total of 4700.3km. Still running my winter-rubber, and most likely on winter diesel, we averaged 5.51L/100km, 18.15km/L, 42.68 US MPG or 51.26 IMP MPG, depending how you want to look at it, for a per-km fuel cost of $0.0501.
This brings the lifetime average to: 5.91L/100km over 66391km. 16.93KM/L, 39.83US MPG or 47.84 IMP MPG, with a per-km fuel cost of $0.0485.
The day I got back from the trip to the coast, I started on some maintenance that needed doing. Did the oil change (I was 400km over) and FINALLY FIXED THE FUCKING HEADLIGHTS.
I still need to:
Replace the three filters (air, cabin, fuel)
Drain the water seperator
Replace the skid-plate and side skirts
Switch off my winter rubber (I keep telling myself I want to buy a set of 16″ alloys, but I really can’t justify the cost. I need throw my OEM 15″ rubber back on)
Clean like a moter fucker
After that, I’ve still got some non-maintenance stuff on the list, but still needs doing
Replace the broken pull tabs on the rear seats as I’ve snapped the second one this past winter
Clean like a mother fucker
Re-run the wiring for my iPod adapter
Setup the relay in the hatch to clarify my rear-fog vs the 5 brake light mod
Steal a few LEDs from my third eye for turn signals
Install a lighted compass
That’s about all I can think of when at the moment. Needed something to do while killing time before heading out again this morning. I guess we’ll see how much of this I can hammer out in the next couple weeks, first list specifically.
You have now convinced me that upgrading to the 118dB Twin Supertone kit from Hella is worth my money.
I would very much have liked to see the reaction on your face after you tried to change lanes into me without shoulderchecking because you were too busy talking on your cell phone when you mistook the noise produced by my little hatchback for the end of all things. Perhaps I shall get you next time.
That immediately follows the mucking about phase which came after the taking things apart phase never really gets the attention it’s due.
Right after putting everything back together I’d noticed I hadn’t hooked up my door-pull properly so I had to extend it much further than before. So that went on my list of shit to fix “later”.
While out last weekend in Rocky Mountain/Rimbey I finally noticed that I hadn’t hooked up my mirror control. This obviously needed to be fixed.
10 freaking minutes. I can’t believe it didn’t take longer. 10 minutes to take apart my door, not lose any screws, reconnect things properly and put everything back.
And to top it off, the door-pull works properly now and everything! I guess now that that’s done properly, I can move on to planning the next mod… if only I could pick what to do next…
