With the rust repaired, the winter beater Echo is now at the mechanic's for its mandatory mechanical inspection and emissions test.
I had gone over it before taking it in - lights, tires, brakes (iffy - corrosion on the rotors), ball joints/tie rods, exhaust - and it looked passable to me.
It failed! For a mangled/deteriorated front control arm bushing. Oops! (I need to watch more closely for suspension bushings - last winter's beater Prius failed for the same reason.)
So yesterday I brought the car back home to fix it myself, but after eyeing the rusty control arm nuts & bolts I'd have to deal with, plus looking at the cold garage floor, I hopped back in and drove back to the shop: "You do it!"
My tolerance for DIY is getting pretty low with winter setting in.
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Change of plans: it's going on the block sooner than later
With this month's unplanned fleet addition of
Canada's cheapest, 50 mpg* Miata, I've decided to put the Echo up for sale as soon as it's licenced.
Too many vehicles! There's no more room at the inn. And I don't like to litter the manger with vehicles.
We'll see what happens.