Im trying to teach my sister a lesson

[OVERKILL]

Well, if her car is really as unsafe as you say it is, a quick call to the MTO is all you'd need to do. I mean if your intention here is really to teach her a lesson, and her car is a legitimate hazard, then "ratting her out" (and yes, this will likely not be your finest moment....) to the MTO and her being raked over the coals for all that is unsafe about her vehicle should at least:

A) Prove that your concerns about the items that were unsafe on her vehicle were in fact legitimate concerns.

B) That you have more mechanical credibility than she had given you credit for.

Now mind you, she may literally hate every cell of your existence after this as well........

 

[AVB]

Originally Posted By: tightwad
I feel your pain. I have a sister, too. She's amazing. She knows everything and has never been wrong in her entire life!!!! Reminds me of a joke I heard.

"There are two kinds of men. Those who admit they don't understand women and liars."


My sister swears she remembers every second since she was born.

 

[LeakySeals]

Your sis and her Toyota are teaching you a lesson. I know a lady with a 99 dodge intrepid 2.7 with a similar story. Talking to her about it she stated it was a "trouble free reliable car". Then she went on how she never has to do anything. Turns out that meant no maintenance, no oil changes in 5 years. She could not remember the last time she added oil. That prompted me to check. The stick was dry except of a tiny bulb of sludge at the tip. I added 4+ qts of oil which was pitch black immediately. Must have been kept alive running on sludge so thick it couldn't consume it. Wasnt ticking, idle was remarkably smooth. I offered to change the fluids and her response was "I dont want to touch anything, its been running so good". I didn't argue because after thinking about it, probably better I dont touch it. Likely be a disaster just trying to get the oil filter off.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Your sis and her Toyota are teaching you a lesson. I know a lady with a 99 dodge intrepid 2.7 with a similar story. Talking to her about it she stated it was a "trouble free reliable car". Then she went on how she never has to do anything. Turns out that meant no maintenance, no oil changes in 5 years. She could not remember the last time she added oil. That prompted me to check. The stick was dry except of a tiny bulb of sludge at the tip. I added 4+ qts of oil which was pitch black immediately. Must have been kept alive running on sludge so thick it couldn't consume it. Wasnt ticking, idle was remarkably smooth. I offered to change the fluids and her response was "I dont want to touch anything, its been running so good". I didn't argue because after thinking about it, probably better I dont touch it. Likely be a disaster just trying to get the oil filter off.


But you could have done a UOA on the tar and be in competition for the worst UOA ever.

 

[Carnoobie]

Well the car still runs but it sounds like a dying cat, its horrible. You hear it run and even a deaf person can tell that the car hasnt been maintained at all. Her hyraulic system is messed, the brakes dont work properly i guess, due to her always braking and driving like shes on a F1 world race track. If you think youve seen or know anyone who is an aggressive driver, they dont compare to my sis haha. She is literally pedal to the metal 24/7, redlining at 6000, 7000rpms, hard on the brakes from stop to stop. I cant even be in the car with her, i get dizzy when I get out due to my head constantly whipping back and fourth and then left and right when she takes turns at 5000rpms. I honestly cant believe the thing even runs or even drives straight, she hits so many massive potholes and sidewalks dead on that her alignment has to be way out of whack.

She still has it but her hubby drives it for now. She wants to drive it til it falls apart, which it just about has. But still no excuse for neglecting maintenance cause its a safety risk. No way that car passes a safety inspection.

Honestly I dont even think the car has ever been to the car wash, let alone seeing any sort of TLC wax and polish

 

[01rangerxl]

There is no lesson to be taught here, let her run the car into the ground. She should go ahead and sell the old car to the "WE BUY JUNK CARS $350" guy so she can go to Outback steakhouse or something.

People who don't care about their car will never care about their car unless something significant leads to a change in their way of thinking. Having a talk with her won't do that. A breakdown or failed inspection might do it, but probably not. It will just be the car's fault.

My sister started caring a lot about her car when she bought her first new one with no payments. It's maintained very well...a far cry from the Taurus that was truly run into the ground (not really her fault) and the Saturn that survived on the bare minimum.

My roommate, though he is a guy, has no real interest in cars and definitely doesn't understand how they work. I help him out to keep him from doing something really stupid, but otherwise I just kind of let him figure it out. For example, I did get him to start adding a whole bottle of oil when the oil light comes on instead of just adding a little until the light goes off. I tried teaching him how to use the dipstick, but that's a lost cause. He does now know that if the oil light is on, he should go ahead and add a whole quart. To him maintenance doesn't make sense because his Jeep Liberty has almost 220,000 miles on it going without, but the last 100K has been pretty miserable with everything falling apart and no A/C or functioning windows.

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
She still has it but her hubby drives it for now.

Wait, this sister has a husband?! And you're still nagging her? You should be nagging the husband....

 

[hattaresguy]

Why do you care?

My sister beats up her car pretty bad. At first I tried to tell her she might want to you know do something about it, since I bought it for her with my father. She chipped in like $1,500 and we spent like another $5k+ and found it. But anyway she is always to busy to change the oil.

That's fine its her problem, if it blows its also her problem.

I figure when she blows this car up and comes crying I'm either going to make it her BF's problem, or just get her into a nice lease so it can be her's and the dealers problem going forward.

Can't help everyone. I figure once she gets a full time teaching job she can cough up $200 a month to Toyota for a lease and fight with the dealer every 3 years on trade in when the maintenance is overdue and they are trying to nail her for it.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
There is no lesson to be taught here, let her run the car into the ground. She should go ahead and sell the old car to the "WE BUY JUNK CARS $350" guy so she can go to Outback steakhouse or something.

People who don't care about their car will never care about their car unless something significant leads to a change in their way of thinking. Having a talk with her won't do that. A breakdown or failed inspection might do it, but probably not. It will just be the car's fault.

My sister started caring a lot about her car when she bought her first new one with no payments. It's maintained very well...a far cry from the Taurus that was truly run into the ground (not really her fault) and the Saturn that survived on the bare minimum.

My roommate, though he is a guy, has no real interest in cars and definitely doesn't understand how they work. I help him out to keep him from doing something really stupid, but otherwise I just kind of let him figure it out. For example, I did get him to start adding a whole bottle of oil when the oil light comes on instead of just adding a little until the light goes off. I tried teaching him how to use the dipstick, but that's a lost cause. He does now know that if the oil light is on, he should go ahead and add a whole quart. To him maintenance doesn't make sense because his Jeep Liberty has almost 220,000 miles on it going without, but the last 100K has been pretty miserable with everything falling apart and no A/C or functioning windows.


The oil pressure light comes on when there is less than about 5 lbs of pressure. Or around that. I assume damage is being done even before the light comes on.


What is the guy going to do if he finds a GF who expects guys know all about cars. (I know stereotype!!).

Even if you never set foot in a NAPA store or pick up a wrench, knowing what you are talking about helps to have the shop maybe not take advantage of you.

When I tell a indy shop owner that the Interstate batteries are made by JCI and I can tell because of the cut off corners on the cap covers they are usually impressed. Although there are times I have to tell people "I read a lot".

 

[jigen]

I could say similar things about my dads S10 (though not quite as neglected, he changes the oil filter after all) but his car is 12 years old, 300k miles deep, and has had no real failures.... So maybe I'm the crazy one.

 

[bdcardinal]

Personally I wouldn't care anymore. Just let her destroy her cars over and over and maybe she will swear off every manufacturer when each car dies a long painful death.

Working in the automotive industry there is a lot of ignorance out there and it cannot be fixed. I have trained myself that when people come to front counter and ask what is wrong with their car, giving the most vague descriptions possible, I just answer "go to service and they can diagnose it for you."

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
There is no lesson to be taught here, let her run the car into the ground. She should go ahead and sell the old car to the "WE BUY JUNK CARS $350" guy so she can go to Outback steakhouse or something.

People who don't care about their car will never care about their car unless something significant leads to a change in their way of thinking. Having a talk with her won't do that. A breakdown or failed inspection might do it, but probably not. It will just be the car's fault.

My sister started caring a lot about her car when she bought her first new one with no payments. It's maintained very well...a far cry from the Taurus that was truly run into the ground (not really her fault) and the Saturn that survived on the bare minimum.

My roommate, though he is a guy, has no real interest in cars and definitely doesn't understand how they work. I help him out to keep him from doing something really stupid, but otherwise I just kind of let him figure it out. For example, I did get him to start adding a whole bottle of oil when the oil light comes on instead of just adding a little until the light goes off. I tried teaching him how to use the dipstick, but that's a lost cause. He does now know that if the oil light is on, he should go ahead and add a whole quart. To him maintenance doesn't make sense because his Jeep Liberty has almost 220,000 miles on it going without, but the last 100K has been pretty miserable with everything falling apart and no A/C or functioning windows.


The oil pressure light comes on when there is less than about 5 lbs of pressure. Or around that. I assume damage is being done even before the light comes on.


What is the guy going to do if he finds a GF who expects guys know all about cars. (I know stereotype!!).

He doesn't care, total lost cause.

I just rode in the Heep today...bottles and cans all over the floor, I couldn't even see or put my feet on carpet.

He did replace one of the tires with a used one this week though when I pointed out that the belts were clearly showing.

 

[Rick in PA]

The humorous element here is that Carnoobie has the (admirable) mindset of wishing to change his sister's mindset. Everyone is telling him "you can't change other peoples mindset". I.E. everyone is trying to change Carnoobie's mindset. Think about it.

I use to be "helpful" like this. At some point, I realized that people have to desire change, or no change will occur. It's just human nature. I still try to be "helpful" but only to people who appreciate it, or at least have an open mind...

 

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Know anyone like this?

My sister destroyed her previous car. She had a Toyota for 9 years, and still has it as backup, cant sell cause she damaged the hydraulic braking system thanks to her running it through the ground, but it still runs even though it sounds like absolute garbage. Sounds like a bunch of marbles in a tin can and a dying cat, its horrible. Its so bad, if you heard it, i guarantee you will be shocked.

Only thing shes ever done was oil change every year, brakes and rotors done once and tires changed once. She drove it everyday like a F1 race car, pedal to the medal, slam on the brakes, constantly cruising over speed bumps and curbs like they're nothing.


Honestly, if you feel so bad for the car, buy it from her for $500, or something as equally low, and fix the car up, replacing all the worn out parts, and then sell it for a profit.

Then when her current "new" car is on its last legs, do the same for it. Buy it for cheap, replace some worn out parts, and then make a profit.

Make sure she knows you fixed up her car and sold it for a profit, too. Tell her that all her car really needed was some maintenance, and it would be worthwhile owning, which the new owners felt was worthwhile.

But, stop trying to change other people.
All you are going to do is upset them, and frustrate yourself.

BC.

 

[johnsmellsalot]

I think if you just focused on your own car, she will be jealous of how well it runs after so many years and then maybe she'll see the importance of preventative maintenance.