Random As Rhyme

I wrote a few days ago about how I felt that auto shop should be a mandatory course in high school as I see basic automotive skills as knowledge that everyone should have. As fate would have it I ended up going to a vehicle orientation with my mom for her new 2009 Honda Accord. The whole shebang was put on by the dealership and offered free dinner (why I went) and I thought it was a pretty interesting concept.

Once I arrived I was stoked on the fact that the free dinner wasn’t even half bad, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and m&m meat shop-esque Chinese finger food platter. After polishing that off we were split into groups based on sex (which they explained was due to the fact women have different questions than men) and taken to 6 different stations. The stations included:

Exterior/Interior Maintenance
Under the hood/Boosting a dead battery
Tire changing
Under body
Collision
Warranty explanation

For me all of the stations were fairly straight forward and I didn’t learn anything new about vehicles in general however for someone who knew nothing, like my mom, it was probably a real eye opener. Judging by the fact that some people have no idea how a locking lug nut works or how to change a spare safely (ie don’t put your hand under the tire to see if its of the ground) more dealerships should be offering this kind of service.

The collision station was the one I liked the most because it explained that you don’t have to go with the shop your insurance chooses to repair your vehicle (and I never have) and warned against signing anything from a tow truck driver at the scene of an accident. The signing often makes it hard to get your vehicle to the shop you want it at and just lines the drivers pockets.

I think free orientation sessions like these should be offered with every new vehicle (and maybe it does I have never bought one) since it gives those who have enough knowledge the option to skip it and those who want to learn a little more a controlled, safe, friendly environment to do so.

So kudos ideal Honda for setting this up. Next time though more chicken skewers I took the last one and it was not nearly enough.

On the weekend my girlfriend got a flat on her new car, I won’t say how, but she got one. She has road side assistance so someone could have come to change it but it was much easier for me to just do it rather than waiting around for someone to come help. This got me thinking should Auto shop be a mandatory course in high school?

I know there are probably quite a few people driving out there who have no idea how to put their spare tire on, change or even check their own oil, change or check their own brake pads, or even change their own wiper blades. To me these are all basic necessities of owning and operating a vehicle. Driving a car without at least having some of an idea how these things are done can not only leave you stranded on the side of the road but also leave you at the mercy of mechanics everywhere.

In high school I took as much Auto shop (Transportation Technologies) as possible. Not only because I love cars and loved the class (shout outs to Mr Dinner for making it great) but also because I saw the skills I learned as important to my future. I have used the skills I learned in this class much more than I have my french or geometry. Some of it is due to the fact that I like to modify my cars and some of them just due to the fact that shit likes to happen to me and my vehicles. Knowing these skills has saved me a considerable amount of money in both modification and maintenance bills.

If you think of all the things that you learned in high school that you have not used at all in your adult life would sneaking in a month or even two weeks of basic automotive knowledge really have been that bad? It could mean the difference between talking 15 minutes to do it yourself on snowy day and waiting in the ditch for someone to slide into it and hit you. Just saying…

Girls who can work on their own car are also hotter, again, just saying.

I know for a fact I could have used a few wood shop classes as I am not very good with a saw. Not terrible but not great. I have an upcoming project though that should change all that.

When I started Random As Rhyme I always knew it would lead to another side project (well right now my only project) and I am proud  to announce that I have a second blog now focused on the automotive lifestyle. It’s called Stance Is Everything and it’s all about vehicles with the perfect stance. However this doesn’t  mean that Random is going anywhere. Quite the opposite, it just means that the content will be more diverse as oppose to every Wordless Wed containing a few pictures of cars.

I hope  some of you will hop over there every once and awhile and check  it out. As for the rest of you here is something completely random.

My friend, Patty, sent me these photos today of a guy who is riding this Hello Kitty Scooter across Canada for Charity. I can’t seem to find any other information about it on the web thought so I think he was lying and this is his daily mod of transport.

I  made reference to this at the Eibach Headquarters meet in my post about Hondas I can get down with and now there is video showing more of the turnout.

I am normally  not a big Honda fan, since a lot of them are riced out something fierce but when  I saw these ones from the 2009 meet at Eibach headquarters I had to step back and say damn!

Props donut on Honda Tech for taking some great shots.

It’s been a while since I have written about a car trend, or a particular car, I did not like but while on my trip to whistler I noticed a few cars rolling around on reasonable sized rims which got me thinking that those cars look 1000 times better than a Donk Box or Bubble ever could or ever will. Sure Donks have been around for at least two years now, but I didn’t have this virtual soap box to blast off from the first time I saw them.

A Donk by definition is an American sedan (Caddillacs, Malibus, Chevelles, etc) with large aftermarket wheels, elaborate paint and sound systems, and modified suspension. Normally these (and some motor mods) are the ingredients for a decent enough looking whip however with Donks the cook has no idea what he is doing and cooks up something worthy of thisiswhyyourfat.

In an attempt to portray the drivers swagger the front end of a Donk is raised higher than the rear (ie head held high) and since excess = respect/riches/big dick the wheels are often comically large. The end result is something that leaves something that is grossly mis-proportioned and painful to the eyes.

See what I mean?

Looking at the car above the only thing that screams back at me louder than the power steering pump screaming at trying to turn those monster wheels, is impracticality.

I am not sure how one gets in and out of a donk while still maintaining any sort of ’swagger’ and I can’t imagine those big wheels aid in the motors ability to get this car going, or the brakes ability to get it stopped. Meaning once this slow slab gets a rollin look out because its more likely to place it’s front bumper through your rear window than it is to stop on a dime.

However the saddest part about that Donk is that it is on the tamer side of the Donk spectrum. For reasons unbeknown to me and probably to the bane of many a successful food brand Donk owners like to proudly display their love for certain types of foods or brands on their cars.

I like skittles and I think they are deserving of free promotion but you could never catch me doing this:

I have never had (or perhaps seen) a bottle of Yoo-hoo

and have sworn off McDonalds.

Call me old fashioned, or just old, but I really do not understand the appeal of these vehicles over doing them up in a more tasteful fashion.

When Donks designed strictly for show started to pop up things got downright messy.

of course not to be out done clear rims were soon popped off as well…

For now I have yet to see a Donk in person, which is a good thing since I really hope this trend just fades into the wind like 70s vans. One can only hope right?

A few days ago a pretty controversial and sneaky undercover cop car was posted on local GTA automotive forums.  Now GTA cops have been using undercover vehicles for awhile, they have/had  Dodge Intrepids, Honda civcs,  Ford Expeditions, and Nissan Altimas just to name a few, however this recent under cover vehicle might be taking things to far.

The above car looks really similar to a cab, however it is infact a Police car. Sure with the lights on it is pretty easy to spot but without the lights would you know it was there? The number on top is actually for a local Halton Region Police Station.

Now I understand the need for less conspicuous, ‘unmarked’ (they are normally subtly marked.) Police cars, and I understand that the GTA is not the first to employ a method such as this.

I also get the fact that the Police are also playing off my preconceived notions as to what a cab actually looks like, however is it really justifiable?

I am making what I believe is a logical assumption (I acknowledge that by assuming I am making an ass out of you and me) that this vehicle is most likley used mainly to enforce moving violations. The ‘cab’ sits at the side of the road, waits for speeders to go by then ‘woop woop’ suddenly it’s a Police Officer and you are getting a ticket.

I have a few issues with this new ’safety enforcement device’.

The first is that the current speed trap safety blitz methods work out pretty well. Personally I have been caught twice and have witnessed countless others get caught at traps I now have a heightened awareness of.

Statistically the current methods are also proving effective. In the most recent back to school traffic safety initiative the city issued over 20, 000 tickets with 8,857 for speeding offenses. These numbers certainly portray a successful effor, how many more are necessary?

How many more disputed traffic tickets can our court system take?

Are the rumored monthly traffic ticket quotas that hard to reach?

My second issue with this is had I not seen the image of the ‘cop cab’ I am not sure I would pull over if this vehicle was behind me.

If I was in an area I didn’t know out in Georgetown late at night would it be unreasonable for me to continue driving to a well lit area before I stopped? Would this get me into further trouble? Who knows.

Is crime prevention ‘weapon’ such as this really necessary for use on the general public? I really doubt this vehicle is used for undercover gang/drug sting operations since two people sitting side by side in the front of a cab is fairly uncommon and one police Officer going into a dangerous situation is also fairly uncommon.

Regardless of it’s intended use, or even how often it is used from this point on I am going to have to assume that any and every Crown Victoria is a Police car just for my own sake.

I think there are going to be quite a few surprised Crown Vic owners in the GTA wondering why every time they drive people are pulling off to the shoulder.

Tool.

I am the owner of a 2004 Mazda 3 and while I am mostly happy about my purchase there is one issue with the car that bothers the hell out of me and that is the fact that my 5 year old car is developing what could turn into a serious rust problem. At first I thought it was just my car, but bit by bit I noticed more owners were complaining about this problem.

When I was researched this car I put Mazda 3 rust, Mazda 3 rust problems, etc into google and I didn’t really find much information. With this post I hope to be able to be a resource potential buyers and current owners can use to tackle this issue.

Which years are affected?
04-06 Mazda3 hatch’s and Sedans have been confirmed as being susceptible to premature rusting.

The hatchbacks rust in the following places:

Near the rear doors above the side skirt (stone chips start the process)

The front facing surface of the rear arches near the side skirt.

The rear bumper seems at the fender arch’s

The sedans rust in the following places:

The rear bumper seams

Around the third brake light

The forward facing rear fender arches near the side skirt (same spot as the hatches)

Rocker panels

For more info on what spots to check and pictures of other vehicles:
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=107859.0
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=25439

I rustproofed my car do I still have to worry?
Yes.

I rust proofed my car with Krown upon taking ownership and it only slowed the rust down, how much I can’t say. I do not believe the previous owner rust proofed the vehicle however other owners have reported rust proofing their vehicle and the rust continuing anyway.

Whats the cause?
This is still up in the air but here are a few things I have read:

“The problems your having are as result of Mazda Developing the World’s First Environmentally Friendly Coating Technology back in 02.

The Protege5’s were the first to get it, thus resulting in thinner paint and rusting issues. Obviously Mazda 3’s are suffering as well.

Mazda has successfully developed a new environmentally friendly coating technology. It reduces the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to the same level of VOC regulation in Europe where waterborne paints are mainly used, while achieving reduction of CO2 discharge and better coating quality. This significant technology has been launched at its Hofu Plant 1 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new technology is called “Three Layer Wet Paint System.” Primer coating process is combined into the top coating process aiming to reduce environmental impact comprehensively.
”
“I sent pictures to the dealership, to Mazda Canada, to Mazda HQ in Japan with no results. They will not respond.
The best body shop in our area figures its likely recycled steel and poor paint/rust inhibitor application. They don’t want to touch it as they can’t guarantee the job.
His advice was ‘pretty it up and unload it’.”

“According to the TSB, “Some vehicles may exhibit a bubbling or blistering under the paint on aluminum body parts. This is due to iron contamination of the aluminum panel. . . . Ford’s Scientific Research Laboratory has performed a number of tests on vehicle body parts returned for corrosion related concerns. Testing has revealed that the aluminum corrosion was caused by iron particles working their way into the aluminum body part, prior to it being painted.”

CAS Executive Director Clarence Ditlow said:
“This is a very expensive defect to remedy. The TSB requires “extreme care to be taken” including special tools and segregated work areas to remove the corrosion by blasting, re-priming and repainting. This repair is so difficult that CAS recommends the best fix is to replace the corroded part with a primed steel part and paint it. Ford cannot guarantee this repair will eliminate all the iron corrosion or prevent other areas from bubbling or blistering in the future.””

I have rust what can I do?
First of all, if you live in Canada tell them that you are on a list submitted by Lynne M. Witty and have been contacted by Mazda about having your rust repaired under warranty.

Do NOT let them turn you away and say that there is no such warranty or you are ineligible for service. This is flat out wrong my 04 with 138 xxx km was approved by Mazda Canada and cars with higher mileage than mine have also been approved. Early on Mazda was turning people away now however they know it is a problem and do not want it getting out of hand however there is an open ticket with the Automobile Protection Agency regarding this issue.

Be kind and courteous but also firm, you have a problem you know it’s not just your problem and they need to fix it.

Here are some links to success stories in getting the rust fixed via the dealer:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,61821.0.html
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=26095&page=2
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=31905
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=392234&postcount=87

How did you handle your car?

I went in to Erin Mills Mazda 3 weeks ago to see if I could have my rear fender arch rust repaired under warranty from Mazda Canada.

I never purchased a warranty through Mazda and had no paper work to show, and my car is a 2004 with 134 xxx km.

I went in and spoke with service adviser Ignatius Xavier and he made an appointment for me to meet with the body shop representative take pictures and have my claim submitted to Mazda of Canada.

My estimate was about 1300 worth of work and was approved withing 3 days of submission by John Riexinger the district parts and service Manager.

I dropped my car off last Thursday and drove it home complete today. The work was done by Oakville Honda and looks great.

The hardest thing I had to deal with was driving my girlfriends Civic. This was the most painless warranty claim I have ever done.

I recommend anyone who is having issues getting their rust repair authorized try this dealership.

Should I still consider a Mazda 3?

That is up to you. Rust aside I am very happy with my car, it’s been the most reliable car I have owned, however I do not think I could own it as long as I owned my first car (7 years) and expect the body to hold up as well as it did, which is a shame. This problem may have been remedied in later models or it might just not be present yet. In the end the choice is yours.

Last night I watched this video about street racing and it got me thinking that I am DAMN lucky I never witnessed or was in a street racing crash or ever got booked.

I have not been in or around a lot of street racing but it only takes one time to ruin your life or the life of someone else. With this in mind I decided to compile a list of great you tube racer/ricer crashes.

Similar to my last list I left out the ones where someone could have died.

Keep it on the track kids…

10. We will start this shebang off with a good old engine failure. No crash but the repair bill probably was not cheap.

9. Residential areas are perfect places to try out the motor swap you can’t handle! Thank god there were not any kids around that could have easily been killed.

8. This one is kind of hard to see but, a typical situation. Person A passes Person B then person B passes Person A, this goes back and forth until they actually race or this happens.

7. Mis shifted himself right into the ditch.

6. Flipping a car off a race track is normally a hard task. Unless you lack the common sense that tells you not to do a burn out on a slant. Dad’s pissed.

5. This type of thing happens often, since a lot of the spectators at street races are paying attention to a lot of things other than the race that’s going on. This guy probably got a call from his mom to come home and forgot where he was.

4. Oversteer can be a bitch when you are not ready for it. I feel bad for the people in the other lane.

3. Could it be that the above happened to two Mustang owners on the same day on the same corner?

Nah… right?

2. This one is really, really old, but still to this day I am not really sure how he managed to ball up a burn out so bad that he had enough forward momentum to carry him uphill into the Jetta and do so much damage to it. That takes some sort of skill.

1. Number one is the longest one but by far the funniests. The way these two geniuses try and deal with the problem by staging an accident at the end is just too much.