What Did You Do With Your Kizashi Today?

krell · Fri Feb 28, 2014 11:20 pm

Will have some pic whenever they return the car

SamirD · Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:35 am

SamirD wrote:But I think I'll have time to attempt it today.

Yesterday came and went...and today didn't fare much better. (I'm still working.)

SamirD · Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:53 am

bootymac wrote:RIP Samir. Your bravery will never be forgotten

lol, won't be the first time. :O

murcod wrote:Yes, I tried the same thing once. Then realised it would have been much easier to just remove the stupid bar in the first place! (Which I ended up having to do.)

The biggest issue I found was trying to work out how to unlatch/ relatch the silly bulb retaining clip. It has to be done via Braille- while your fingers are twisted up in wiring, hand is cramping and various cuts bleeding. The clip tends to get caught on the wiring too, complicating things further.

A gynecologist could probably do it in two minutes.

Sounds exactly how it was for the Altima, and Galant, so I think I'll do fine once I get in there. Those clips are a bear! It took me DAYS to get it back on the Altimas H4 bulb.

KuroNekko wrote:So SamirD, isn't it hard to drive with these for hands? At least you got the headlights to work.

If I get one of these, I'll have to get the patch and a parrot to have a matching set.

"Arrr! Get out of me way maties! Hope ye belts are fastened...we're doing a hard turn to starboard!"

SamirD · Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:59 am

krell wrote:My car was impounded by NYCPD had a bullet in the front passenger side from a a gun battle with a hoodlum and NYCPD in Brooklyn NY ....http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/02/27/ ... ot-wounds/

Holy crap! I hope those criminials realize they're going to pay dearly replacing those parts, since they didn't care about harming an officer while they tried to cheat $2.50 bus fare.

It's people like these criminals that I would have no qualms seeing killed immediately. It's obvious they are a burden on civilization.

Sat Mar 01, 2014 1:48 am

SamirD wrote:
krell wrote:My car was impounded by NYCPD had a bullet in the front passenger side from a a gun battle with a hoodlum and NYCPD in Brooklyn NY ....http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/02/27/ ... ot-wounds/
Holy crap! I hope those criminials realize they're going to pay dearly replacing those parts, since they didn't care about harming an officer while they tried to cheat $2.50 bus fare. It's people like these criminals that I would have no qualms seeing killed immediately. It's obvious they are a burden on civilization.

"Oh, you damaged a Kizashi? Up you go. Put this around your neck."

SamirD · Sat Mar 01, 2014 3:08 am

KuroNekko wrote:"Oh, you damaged a Kizashi? Up you go. Put this around your neck."

I love this law! Can we have the same sentence for door-dingers?

I actually thought about making an entire car enthusiast 'city' where it was designed ground up for car enthusiasts. Where the pavement was smooth and well-maintained, there were minimum angles on entrances/exits for no scraping, there were designated cruise/gathering spots in every part of the city, and certain stretches of road that would be closed to regular traffic on weekends for friendly 'timed' events. A huge convention center for huge meets and regional gatherings, hotels with ample, well-lit, secure parking lots, where car theft or damage was a serious crime, and security cameras monitor the city to keep an eye on vehicular residents. A mecca for car enthusiasts that would see weekend after weekend after week of different nationwide gatherings of enthusiasts.

CLLee · Sat Mar 01, 2014 3:53 am

LOL we (at another car forum obsessed with detailing) have already thought of that.
Plus there are dedicated dust-proof garages with a full time detailer attending to our cars. And a race track at the fringe of the city.
There's also a dome over the small city to keep rain and birds out.
Someone actually came up with a drawing as well. LOL

Wonson92 · Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:39 am

CLLee wrote:LOL we (at another car forum obsessed with detailing) have already thought of that.
Plus there are dedicated dust-proof garages with a full time detailer attending to our cars. And a race track at the fringe of the city.
There's also a dome over the small city to keep rain and birds out.
Someone actually came up with a drawing as well. LOL

Does it happen to reach Sydney? Why stop there... Australias not that big.

krell wrote: My car was impounded by NYCPD had a bullet in the front passenger side from a a gun battle with a hoodlum and NYCPD in Brooklyn NY ....http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/02/27/ ... ot-wounds/

Instead of a slap on the wrist he shoots a Cop (and a Kizashi?!) nice...

SamirD · Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:11 pm

CLLee wrote:LOL we (at another car forum obsessed with detailing) have already thought of that.
Plus there are dedicated dust-proof garages with a full time detailer attending to our cars. And a race track at the fringe of the city.
There's also a dome over the small city to keep rain and birds out.
Someone actually came up with a drawing as well. LOL

Awesome! You have a link? I posted the idea on a city planning forum (go figure--there's a forum for everything), and they were receptive to the concept having merit. I know it can be built.

Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:51 am

Today, I barely did anything with the Kizashi other than drive it to Harbor Freight Tools. The Kizashi is like a loyal, stoic samurai; ever-ready to serve. In contrast, the family's 1976 VW Westfalia Camper is like an asthmatic German granny with a long list of health problems and in need of constant care.
I spend most of today working on it. I had to fix a leaking gas line and while I was under it, I replaced the manual transmission fluid with Redline MT-90 (same as in my Kizashi) and also changed the motor oil and filter. I also changed the instrument back light bulbs as the stocks were so dim, they were barely effective... even in pure darkness.

I ran over to HFT to use some coupons for getting some things. One of the things I got was a solar panel trickle-charger. The VW buses are notorious for draining out the battery over time due to their old wiring that wasn't great to begin with. One of the solutions implemented by owners was a solar powered trickle-charger that compensates for small battery drains. I decided to try it out given they were running a sale at HFT. It's a small solar panel that can be attached to the dash or windows via suction cups. I intend to have it mounted at the side rear window and clip on the clamps directly to the battery (other option is the cigarette lighter socket, but that does not even work for the VW).

Overall, the Kizashi is not much of a project car because it's my daily driver and there are not a lot of aftermarket parts for it anyways. It's also rather problem-free. I've been playing around with aftermarket headlight bulb kits, but nothing out of necessity. Oh, I fixed the USB port housing yesterday and I'll discuss it more on the thread here: http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 3&start=10

On the other hand, the VW camper needs constant attention to even keep running. In its defense however, we did take it camping last weekend (8 hour round trip) and it performed well. The leaking gas line was to counterbalance such a reliable run last weekend to return to its M.O. What can I say, the car is older than I am.

Projects for the camper soon to come include an upgraded front sway bar (you don't know body roll until you drive this car), a retractable seat belt (the current ones are archaic, non-reel types), new headlights that actually illuminate the road at night, and mounting a LED third brake light among other things. Basically, getting it up to modern standards.