What have you learned in your old age that you feel should be taught to high school students?

Sometimes... Toyota used low rolling resistance tires on the Yaris (thank you CAFE). They were used up in 20,000 miles. I replaced them with coopers that handled better and have much longer tread life.

Yup. I had a Lincoln where most of the devices, including the climate control, was vacuum actuated. It worked great until it didn't.

Pittsburgh is their hand tools. Chicago is the corded stuff. Chicago is pretty close to Milwaukee, right?

Modern automotive construction has really messed things up. You used to be able to grab the firewrench and turn a sedan into a pickup real easy. That was long before they thought to make those cowboy Cadillacs.

It's lead free gasoline that has extended the oil life - a lot less acid produced by combustion - and less lead deposits.

Occaisionally they DO fail intermittent due to temperature, vibration, moisture or corrosion.

There is a sequence - rule out the simple to rule out ones first. Having a scanner that gives you real-time readings helps - and most important is knowing what each sensor does and what the effect of it failing is on other sensor readings.

Most times when something like that happens its a huge vacuum leak or a bad ground or power feed. - or a leaky pressure regulator or something fumping excess fuel. Virtually every time you will finf at least 12 of those sensors are actually telling the truth - and there is NOTHING wrong with the sensor.

A good cheap scanner is a good investment. What MOST FIY wrenchers REALLY need to learn is when they are over their head and paying an expert to replace the ONE defective part is cheaper than changing all

It's not just Chicago anymore. There's Drill Master, Bauer, Hercules, Warrior, Chief, Baxter, Central Machinery and probably a few more.

a technical Genius can be beat by a 3 or 4 year old BMW

I have put 4 vehicles over 240000km without replacing more than one or 2 sensors. My current 26 year old Forf has 376000km on it - I have replaced one vapor flow sensor and one camshaft position sensor. The cam sensor didn't affect the running of the car, or put on a CEL - but it was VERY obviously bad because it squealed like a slipping drive belt-

I have had an ignition coil fail, and an injector on previous vehicles, as well as water temp sensor and maybe 3? O2 sensors (one due to the bad ignition coil on the 02 Taurus 3.0 twin cam which also cost me a catalytic converter.

The 88 3.0 New Yorker (Mitsoshitty engine) took out a cat when the valve seals went out (for the second time). The Pontiac '95 TransSport 3.8 kept compaining about the O2 sensors

- I finally found on that it liked about 20000km before it crapped all over the 401 at about 475000Km (100000 on the rebuilt engine that went in when I aquired it)

You sound like a guy I used to work with who was very proud he never spent more than a weeks pay, after deductions, on a vehicle - - -

The local NBC news tonight was carrying a story that most online vendors are giving you your money back and saying "keep it" on lots of things because the return costs more than the product is worth. I have had that experience quite a bit on stuff that was bad.

And it IS programmable - I think it can even be done by the owner but not 100% sure

Need a set of "Corner finders" like the lucite rods that clipped to the headlight rings on my '53 coronet. At night they lit up - and you knew your bumper was almost exactly 8 inches ahead of the rod, and 8 inches outboarf.

I'd MUCH rather have an ignition key than the "steal me please" pushbutton start and keyless entry that doesn't even require you to press a button on the remote......

If I had one of the most stolen models like theCRV andRAV4 etc The first option I would install is a hidden "disarm" switch that disconnects the autostart when you park the car - or shuts off the Fuel Injectors - or SOMETHING. "Gone in 30 seconds" - like my son-in-law's Hemi 300.

It was on my last five cars. I have the doors lock when I shift out of Park, unlock back into Park.

All my brother's cars had a toggle switch out of sight. Just switch the right wire and it works. Not sure on the new cars how simple though. Many know you are coming from a few feet away.

Disabling the keyless ipening could be tricky - but the starter disable is pretty simple. I've seen it done where the car would not crank with the heater shut off - can also be with the heater turned on. Can also be set up to only start with the right (or left) turn signal on. Pretty simple logic and circuitry - could even throw in an And or Nand function rerquiring 2 switches to be in a particular position - or even a switch sequence (heater on before stepping on the brake - or after - etc)

No experience but Pittsburgh is the HF house brand for wrenches etc but Amazon also sells Pittsburgh which might complicate matters.

You have to be fast on your feet. Chicago Latrobe is part of Greenfield and has quality (expensive) drill bits and taps. Chicago Pneumatic is also a reputable company for air tools. HF sells their air tools as Central Pneumatic and they definitely aren't the same. Many of the power tools are Chicago Electric, again not the same and definitely not Milwaukee.

Deceptive? Maybe.

Amazon also sells Kobalt, which is a Lowe's brand. Personally I think Kobalt and Pittsburgh are a toss.

I think 2022 will be a shambles for the Democrats. I hope to hell somebody can come up with a candidate in 2024 that doesn't trigger my gag reflex.

I forgot about that. My Geo was a 'blink three times' deal. I have a scangauge that I used on the previous two Toyotas but now cycling through the odometer button tells me most of what I ever looked at. I don't know if it reports error codes though.

On my car the doors won't lock if the key is in the ignition. That's enough progress for me. I also like that twisting the driver side key twice unlocks the hatchback and the hatchback lock will also unlock the driver's door.

The car was a leftover 2018 so I didn't dig into it but I assume the upscale trim lines had remote entry, lane control, collision control, and other crap. Mine has vestiges of the systems but they aren't fully implemented. I do like the features that work and wouldn't want the ones that don't.

DeSantis.

He'll be worse than Trump. He likes being a little dictator.

That would mean you need the receipt which maybe they can find for you at the store if you give them your credit card or other ID information?

Thanks for explaining Kobalt is Lowe's brand as Pittsburgh is hf's brand.

Now that Sears is gone, I visit Lowes and Home Depot for tools when I need them. In fact a year or two ago I bought a set of Lowes Kobalt hand nut drivers with big fat blue/gray soft handles, and I love them as they seem to be decent quality (for example the engraving of the size, while small and hard to see, won't rub off).

I don't save the receipts, as I don't trust "lifetime warranties" all that much other than Sears' (and look at what happened to them).

Given you said Pittsburgh is sold on Amazon I would think it's hard to make due on that harbor freight "lifetime warranty" if they make you prove that you bought it from them.

Can you give them an email address or phone number or can they look up your purchases by the credit card you used like they do at Costco or Home Depot?

Keeping a toolkit in the car for emergencies is a good idea. You'll only need them once or twice in their lifetime overall.

What I like to keep in my spare kit is a big large though.

Flashlight (batteries kept separate) Reflective vest & plastic bag (to lay on if the ground is muddy)

Jumpers (long and thick - which makes them big unfortunately) Tire repair kit (package of external plugs, handle, and glue) DMM/VOM (cheap - it doesn't even need Amps - just Volts & Ohms)

Flathead & Phillips screwdrivers & a pair of pliers Open end wrench pack (short, clipped together, no box wrenches) Socket set (metal box containing sockets, handle, extension) Vice grips (for when all else fails situations)