by "RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
Published 06/26/2017 at 20:16
by "RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
Published 06/26/2017 at 20:16
Tags: jankmeter
STARS: 2
Well, gents, I think I’ve finally passed it. The point at which my Galaxie is a less suspect vehicle than my Benz. I wasn’t sure, so I developed a totally scientific table to prove it. An overall index of janky-ness, or the Jankmeter .
Each category is assigned up to 1 point, with an automatic 1 granted for “shit so broke I ain’t driving that”. Actual disabling flaws. Otherwise, a 1 is *extremely extreme*. Bonus points added for “I don’t know, but I got the heebie jeebies” if applicable. Below, the scores for my two potential DDs:
...and there you have it. The Benz is currently halfway to maximum jank, the Ford, less so. Now, to give you a framework on just how extreme each score would have to be to get a “1" other than through total failure.
Scores breakdown,
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The Benz has a rotor issue up front causing vibration every time I stop, and the calipers have never been replaced, at hundreds of thousands of miles. Add to this that the rotors are soft chinesium O’Reilly house brand and the pads are a little over half gone. On the other hand, the Ford has drums on a single line system (though mostly refreshed), and has linings of unknown age. Tie at 4: somewhat janky.
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Benz has recently begun popping either in steering box or linkage, power steering feels weak. Needs a look, badly. High jank. Galaxie: apart from very stupid suspension design effects on steering and current iffy camber setting possibly due to an accident, pretty straight.
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Benz is pretty fresh in terms of parts. On the other hand, swaybar bracket has been broken once, swaybar bushings making some noise, possible creaks. I don’t like it. Galaxie: designed by madmen, parts fresh, a brace installed to remove insanity which is homemade.
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Benz has new “steering”links, but unknown condition of rear CVs, unknown LCA bushing condition, and BROKEN SWAY BAR LINK. Galaxie has Ford 9" on solid leaf springs and really fresh-looking blocks o’ rubber. I think we know which one wins this one.
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Recently rebuilt Ford cockroach small block, mechanically simple, no more than 100k miles on any part... vs. Benz (diesel!) 400,000 miles + and suspect turbo, injection pump, vacuum pump... Ford does need new exhaust, though.
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Benz has phantom very slow coolant leak, and water pump is a Brazilian years old. Radiator has been replaced recently, but rest of hoses, etc.... Ford has all new rubber and radiator - was recently a “1" due to rad failure. Only gets a “.4" because it got kind of hot in the process.
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Benz with intermittent leak and one prior rebuild with initial *very bad* settings vs. Ford auto from before the dawn of time with some leaks and 100,000 miles. Not much good here, but no horror either.
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Benz has some things broke. A/C needs work, sunroof tracks are busted, and alarm doesn’t even disarm if you unlock the driver’s door. Ford: most accessories work, but compounded with horrifying lack of accessories in general and the big one: no working wipers, yet.
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Benz has tires down to and passing the wear bars. Not good. Some trim damage, shredded paint, but very little *risk* outside the tires. Galaxie on fresh but quite old tires, floor repair needed in two spots.
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See above “wipers not working”, but neither car is *bad*, here. Galaxie fuel pump and tank may not be great, Benz likes to have small fuel leaks.
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It will be less visually janky as well once I get the new carpet and headliner and apply touch-up to a few spots.
What is your vehicle’s score?
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 20:26, STARS: 0
Keep in mind also that these scores are conditional/subjective. If an area has a minor but *very troubling* issue that could go nuclear on a long trip but not a short one, or if (say) the car’s heater doesn’t work and winter is coming, you can earn an instant 1 or near-1 *for that circumstance* but not in general. Worth considering.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
06/26/2017 at 20:43, STARS: 0
So, is the take home that an old (okay, ancient) Ford is more reliable than an old Mercedes, or simply that you own unreliable cars?
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 20:45, STARS: 1
“Yes.”
But seriously, the Benz has so much more absolute wear and tear and expensive deferred maintenance in what might be termed the House of the Unknown, that the sheep-simple lump of old American iron can win simply be being only sort of awful.
"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw)
06/26/2017 at 20:47, STARS: 0
Hmm, let’s see... that’s 3.8 times 31... divide by 6... carry the 11, uhhh... 47?
Considering I really only have one currently registered vehicle, the F150, and it’s got new tires and a fresh trans, I’d guess somewhere around 4.0 because it works fine but lots of little stuff needs attention. I’ll have to add it up properly later. We shall ignore my other broken cars.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
06/26/2017 at 20:47, STARS: 1
“Buy Ford. Only so much can go wrong.”
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 20:56, STARS: 3
We shall ignore my other broken cars.
Probably wise. After all, I did stick in that “SHIT’S BROKE” caveat. A horribly janky running car is still usually one up on corpsedom.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 20:58, STARS: 1
I mean, I overheated it but good a little over a week ago. Hot enough for some oil smoke. Fucks given, once the radiator was replaced and refilled? Apparently zero. Advanced Lump-of-Iron technology.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/26/2017 at 21:31, STARS: 1
Progress! Gotta fix dem wipers on the Ford.
To be fair, though, if you get the wipers to function as good as new, they’ll still be about a 0.4. Wipers suck on old cars.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 21:34, STARS: 1
On the other hand, the windshield doesn’t hoard water droplets too badly, and it’s new enough that it has electric instead of vacuum.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/26/2017 at 21:42, STARS: 0
If they were vacuum, they’d be a 0.6 if working perfectly.
The lack of aerodynamics is probably helping clear the windshield here-
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/26/2017 at 21:47, STARS: 2
IT HAS SEVERAL AERODYNAMICS. SEVERAL.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
06/26/2017 at 23:35, STARS: 1
i tried to hook up the jankmeter to the daily........ it started screaming and shaking, uncontrolably, it caught fire, and burnt itself to the ground(the jankmeter).......just about everything would be considered a 1 by most peoples’ sane standards.....
brakes, manual brakes, they stop, just not in a hurry. one of the back wheel cylinders leaks out the fluid in the back reservoir over about two weeks. it self bleeds when you fill it up. .9
steering, it steers, but makes occasional steering “sounds”, and there is about a 1/3 turn worth of slack....... .8
front suspension. its factory original......the top shock mounts are broken, but have captured the bolts. they were with the truck when i bought it. it makes sounds on rough roads, so i go slower....... .9
rear suspension....... still there..... tired original to me shocks, sagging coil springs that are have the overloads tagged almost all the time. .5
engine. runs strong...... dead simple small block chevy 350. has a monster size hydraulic roller cam that makes a SWEET sound, and some straight piped 3 inch exhaust with glasspacks that are there for looks more than anything else. the shake from the engine keeps killing headers...... .01
cooling.... it doesnt even try. it has always run a bit on the warm side. going down the road, the truck runs at 3500-ish rpm. and that is good enough to keep the temperature pegged at a solid 190-200 degrees, and it doesnt come of of that. doing around 60,65 mph. its running a washer for a thermostat, that i put in. i need to make another one, with a smaller hole to slow down the flow of water through the radiator....the last mile of slow dirt road to the house the temp climbs to about 225 ..... .9
transmission.... manual 4 speed truck transmission. can yank the gears. can start it IN first and go. getting a bit of natural wear in it, but has been kept mostly full its life with me...... .5
accessories.... there are NONE....... 1
tires..... none of them match, all the way around. the fronts are the same size, 225 70 15, and so are the ones in back 295 50 15. they all have decent tread, but i HATE to deal with the tire shops in my area. they are a real pain..... .50
body. mostly straight. has rough spots, still need to swap out passenger door. it got a dent in an incident a couple years ago when the roads froze over....... paint is on its way out. patina for DAYS........ .50
fuel/ electrics...... just finally found where the short was that was eating my marker light/stop light fuses. its about sorted. the high beam switch gives it up every so often, and the lights.....stop working, until you kick the switch. the headlights give off a dull glow to drive by. fuel tank is at the moment a pair of 5 gallon jugs that i swap out on trips into town. truck is thirsty, gets 8.25 miles a gallon.finally got the fuel starvation issue ironed out, it would start surging and starving for fuel when you would put your foot in it for and extended time and keep the rpms above 4800-ish. turns out the pick up tube had gotten some trash wedged in it at a minor bend. and the rubber hose attatched had started to collapse .... .95
its THE most exciting daily that i have had. have owned it for a solid 17, coming up on 18 years now. is an absolute adventure to take anywhere..... it has character in spades.
jankmeter didnt stand a chance........
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
06/27/2017 at 09:11, STARS: 1
I particularly like your engine rating, weighed against some of the others.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
06/27/2017 at 09:40, STARS: 0
the non-jankiest part of the truck.
the truck has always been an almost run stand, to test out engines. this one that is in it is number 5 or 6 already. i have gotten a bit better at keeping them together. this one gets out and runs. if i were to put it in a lightweight car, it would absolutely fly.......