I just drove my old Jeep on a 500 mile trip to and from Las Vegas, home of the legendary SEMA car-parts industry trade show, and the thing drove beautifully. But that was not always the case; in fact, for the first six months that I owned this Jeep, it ran like a dog (which I’m realizing is a strange expression in the car-world given that dogs actually run…rather well?). That’s because I foolishly didn’t conduct my usual “just bought this car” wrenching routine.
I’ve been buying old junkers for a very long time now, and there are certain things that I do to all of them as soon as I get them home to my garage. The most important thing is: I change the fluids.
Automotive fluids’ job is too important to ignore. Dirty fluid can kill your engine, transmission, transfer case, and axles, plus it can corrode brake system and cooling system parts. Why take that risk? It’s not worth it.
For this reason, anytime I buy a new vehicle, I always change the oils. That means: engine, transmission, transfer case, and differentials. Even though I didn’t have time to do my full barrage of initial tinkering, and thus the Jeep drove like a dog (like a dog drove? That would make more sense), I refused to forego changing fluids even if that meant wrenching on a diff in my work clothes:
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While changing the fluids, I found that my transfer case was completely bone dry. Could you imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t done my fluid check, and instead drove 500 miles with a bone-dry T-case? That thing would be shot. As it sits, it’s working well, probably because it had been sitting a while prior to my purchase (and not driven much with the dry case).
I also changed my engine oil, transmission oil, and diff oil (I admittedly haven’t gotten around to the front diff, but that doesn’t see any torque during everyday two-wheel drive driving; still, I’ve got to get around to that), plus I checked my brake fluid, power steering fluid, and coolant (they looked good).
What I did not get around to was my usual “just-bought-this-car” tuneup job, which involves replacing the spark plugs, distributor cap, distributor rotor, and spark plug wires. These parts are cheap, and since they wear out and are critical to the vehicle running properly, I always just replace them on any vehicle I purchase.
The result of me not going through with my full just-bought-this-car strategy was that, for the first six months under my ownership, the Jeep bucked and banged under load, especially when taking off from a stop light. Honestly, it sounded like metal-on-metal contract; my initial worry was that something was wrong with my clutch/pressure plate.
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But after I put in the $50 and 45 minutes to get the plugs and wires and distributor bits swapped out, the Jeep ran beautifully, and I now regret all those times I listened to that horrible pinging/banging; I should have just followed through with my fluids + tune-up + visual inspection of tires/brake pads/etc regimen.
Alas, the Jeep sounds great now, doesn’t seem to burn oil, and makes plenty of power, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that it will continue to drive like a dream thanks to fresh fluids and a nicely-running motor.
What do you do to a car once you buy it? Whether that means maintenance-wise, or perhaps you want to talk about some routine modifications you make to cars after you buy them.
Cabin filter change, full interior detail, and ozone. I assume no one has ever done any of these in the vehicle’s history, and I don’t want to sit in anyone else’s filth or smell their scents.
I usually take Delivery, and then go through the proper break in for whatever I purchased. I don’t buy used/someone else’s problem.
My weird tradition is I get home with the car, have a snack, then I get the user manual and…. draw a bubble bath. Grab the bath salts, all of it. Go nuts. Have a hot soak, and read the manual cover to cover. Learn tons of stuff I might have taken years to realize, otherwise. Don’t judge me, it’s awesome.
Just bought a 2021 Transit. Maybe I’ll try this. I’ve avoided all the electric nannies up till now. And this thing has a lot. But the adaptive cruise is supposed to be good. I’ve never used my cruise control ever in any vehicle I’ve had.
Receive the keys from the dealer.
Vote to ban?
Drill a little hole in the spare tire well in the trunk, and maybe at wherever the lowest point is on the driver and passenger side floor as well. That’s so all the water that leaks in can leak back out again.
Open the door
I emphasize that this was unusual for me, but when I bought a 2nd hand 2004 Chevy Silverado 1500 last fall I didn’t do squat!
Technically it is a high miler with 173K miles on him, but the truck overall was immaculate. One small dent in the l/r corner of the bed, paint and clearcoat in great shape as was the interior. All the fluids were clean, clear and in the appropriate color, ie pwr/str = cherry red. Ditto with the brake fluid! Speaking of which the brakes work fantastic. No smoke from anywhere except my pipe loaded with 1Q.
I paid the gentleman $3300 for this vehicle. I feel like I stole it!
If it’s from a dealer, the first thing is to remove any dealer stickers, emblems, or license plate frames. Then I adjust the seat, steering wheel and mirrors.
Step 1 is LOF, step 2 is go to the tint shop
As a motorcyclist and a cyclist, fuck your tint. Not being able to see if a driver is paying attention is deadly.
I second this without the animosity. Same goes for us car drivers as well.
#metoo
There’s another method you can use when you can’t see the driver!
Something I learned in the MSF, then later during a track course training session was that paying attention to a driver’s tires tells you way more than you think. It’s surprising how many people seemingly begin a lane change moments before they ever check a mirror or flip on a turn signal.
If I see a car slowly moving to the outside of its lane, I back off. Sure enough, the car usually ends up changing lanes. If they don’t, I’ll sometimes find them texting, eating, putting on makeup, or whatever. But, looking at their tires gave me a wealth of information without even seeing a driver. It’s really helpful with semi trucks too.
It SHOCKS me how few people realize this. I’ve never been to a training course and I don’t ride (yet!), but I’ve always been one to look at front tires. I think it started with trying to fight my way into traffic circles and I use it all the time. It’s such a good identifier for those people who aren’t paying attention, or have to muscle their way into small gaps, etc, etc.
It even helped me avoid a pretty bad accident a few years ago.. Was on the interstate in very heavy rain, I was looking at the tires of the Ford Escape beside me, I saw a slight wobble, and I think it must’ve been intuition more than anything, cause I accelerated knowing I didn’t want to be beside it. I’m not joking, the second my rear bumper cleared her front, she hydroplaned and went 90 degrees into my lane before pirouetting across the highway. I know for sure it would have totaled my car, and very likely could have ended in serious injury or death.
There’s usually so little time to do anything by the time I realize I can’t see the driver it’s too late to try to interpret the wheels.
This is a good technique and great advice.
Looking at car tires (of the vehicles in front of you), can also alert you to possible accidents…
Easy way to spot vehicles with worn shocks/struts. Out of balance wheels, wheels literally looking like they are about to fall off (usually wheel bearings), tie-rods / ball joints shot (wobbling wheels… or tire itself about to blow bc too low psi, super worn out.
Oh above goes double for trailer tires. If you think the average person gives two shots about proper vehicle maintenance foe what they are driving… they don’t even give one shit for the trailer that’s hauling stuff behind them and trailer suspension and wheel set up is often much much more basic than the suspension set up on any car.
All are potential accidents which could happen while you’re around amd invole you/your vehicle…hence each a Big warning to you to give those vehicles a wide berth and ideally get them in your rear view mirror asap
Not that I’m into tinting my windows (I just leave them stock) but I never thought about it from a motorcyclists perspective.
I like being able to see the brake lights of cars in front of the car in front of me. Brodozers, big SUVs, and tinted windows make it harder to anticipate braking. Increasing following distance helps, but it’s nice to increase your scan distance by looking through the windows.
Million times this. Million! I’m always looking 3 cars ahead. I hate tinted windows and box trucks.
Yep, it’s awful trying to peer through the windows of the SUV in front of you trying to catch an early signal from the cars ahead that there’s trouble or they’re stopping. Stupid tints prevent any hint from being seen. I like to not have surprises whether I am on 2 or 4 wheels, and if I see brake lights ahead of the car in front of me, I’m going to let off the gas and cover the brake and maybe be able to do my part to keep safe and keep traffic flowing.
I can follow more closely if I can see much further ahead. When you are doing 60-80 in bumper to bumper daily, having that extra few cars of sightline make a world of difference in safety.
Fart in it…even if it was an Enzo.
YOU CAN”T SAY THIS!!!!!
I’d raise the bridge, file down the nut, and take the buzz out of the low “E.”
Oh, wait, that is for a ’64 Fender Stratocaster in classic white with triple single coil pickups and a whammy bar.
For a car, install a 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bore it 30 over, 11 to 1 pop-up pistons. And put on some meats.
You’re supposed to install a floating Floyd Rose or Evertune bridge on that ’64.
Fresh fluids 100%. It’s a MUST, and don’t overlook coolant and brake fluid.
But in the spirit of adding to this with something not mentioned, TIRES! The family car (which is always a minivan) gets a set of all terrain tires, and a set of studless snows in the winter, in a larger size, that I deliberately run a hair low on pressure to increase footprint.
On my Jeeps, the immediately get a brand new set of Mud Terrains.
Tires are the one and only thing (well, four things) connecting my family to the road. They are the single most effective thing at altering a vehicle’s performance, for the better or the worse. I enjoy the little personal tweaks that make my car perform better for me, and i can’t wait to do it when I buy a new car.
So yeah, for me, it’s a set of tires.
Thinking of getting Nokian Happkalallittippis or what ever they are called the AWD Transit that I just bought. Walmart only place I could find my size. I want a ski machine and I think that is the right combo.
I ran those once, I liked them!
It used to be set the radio to the stations I liked, now its pair my phone to the radio. I need my podcasts.
It doesn’t matter if it’s new or used, the first thing I do is take pics of it and send them to friends and family to inform them of my latest acquisition, as I am swelling with pride and happiness.
haha! Call me a show off, but I do the same! Call up my friends who are car nerds like me and swing past so they can check it out and take it for a spin too!
Used to be when you bought a car family and friends would come by and throw some dollars in it for good luck.
I had childhood friends that were Greek and that is what they did!
Everything. Full baseline.
Engine oil/filter, trans fluid/filter, any differential oil, coolant if necessary, air filter, the works.
In the case of my recent acquisition of a grossly-neglected ’88 Volvo 245 that was abandoned at a local mechanic’s shop over a mere $60 diagnostic charge, I’m doing much more (that was an interesting story). So far, in addition to the above, I’ve put in new motor mounts, a transmission mount, rebuilt the alternator, pulled off the oil trap to clean it and the flame trap, and other miscellaneous fixes like a non-functional tailgate.
I’ve got a box of parts on the way containing, front struts, bellows and mounts, rear shocks, both taillight housings, hatch lift supports (one of the ball studs has to be welded back on to the d-pillar), and of course, the fabled blower motor.
Thank goodness for seasonal week-on, week-off scheduling.
Jeez no wonder your jeep is reliable with that kind of work ethic
I’m sure it’s a factor. 😉
WOT 0-60+
Shakedown to know what I’m dealing with. (If I wasn’t able to do it during the test drive)
Fluids-including coolant (usually flush the radiator & replace needed hoses), brake fluid, ps fluid if applicable. I normally buy each vehicle its own fire extinguisher the first day I drive it on my own tags. Oh, and toss a jump-starter pack under the seat. Check the spare & jack. If it’s intended for fire roads, toss a couple straps in the trunk & hide 2$50 & 5$20 bills in it so I can entice a Good Ol’ Boy to pull my dumb ass out of whatever hedge I back over at speed.
In the WRX a few years back, I bought & installed a modest boost gauge the same day I got the fire extinguisher. Who drives a WRX without a boost gauge??
(ok: the PO. But not me)
edit to add that I don’t recall ever having bought a car with under 150k miles, and the great majority were under $500
I take pictures of it.
Like most folks a new,to me car gets a full fluid and filter service and anything else needed at that mileage. Then clean out leftovers, sort out floor mats and put the tools, tie downs etc. in the trunk.
With my pickup the first move was cutting off the steering wheel cover because I hated it, and tossing the Pina Colada scented pine tree, which along with the hair tie under the seat proved the last owner was a high school girl.
Put the plates on.
I check all the fluid for level and visible condition. Do an oil change with the lowest viscosity cheap oil that’s still safe for the engine. Drive around for a week and note all the funny things. Then another oil change to regular oil.
Well I fill up allfluids before moving it. Then park it in the garage warm and toasty over 2 4×8 sheets of cardboard for at least 24 hours. Then look at the cardboard for leaks. It is vital new fluids qont matter if you have leaks. Then if no leaks replace all fluids and brake pads and lines with new fluids.
I give the car the best interior and exterior detail I can manage (which still isn’t great) to understand how the car has been treated, then slowly start working through things that need addressing, consumables first of course, in the case of my Civic it snowballed rather quickly into a summer spent on jack stands with lots of long days fighting rusted fasteners, but my time under the car since has been minimal, which reminds me, the exhaust is rattling, need to adjust that again, and probably throw some new engine mounts in it. The originals are older than both of my children and probably very tired.
Usually fluids, tires, minor repairs, then eventually a decent detailing.
This probably doesn’t count, but the first thing I do when I buy a new or used vehicle is drive it the shortest route home and park it overnight. I started doing this after dropping a new Harley the first day I owned it. After I picked up the bike I took it on a lengthy ride. I stopped to take a picture of the bike in a parking lot and didn’t realize the unpaved lot was not sturdy enough to keep the bike upright on its side stand. Fortunately, the drop didn’t cause any significant damage, but it made me very paranoid about damaging newly purchased vehicles. Obviously, I wouldn’t be a much happier wrecking my new purchase on day 2 of ownership, but at least my park-it-overnight policy (almost) guarantees I will get to have at least one full day with a vehicle before I damage it.
I’ve had door dings the first weeks of ownership and then rear-ended and written off before the month was out. I think the car might have been cursed.