The Miata disaster continues

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 01/12/2016 at 13:28 • Filed to: None

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Yesterday I test drove a C6 Corvette to lunch and a salvage yard and bought $100 of salvage suspension parts for the Miata to replace what I thought was bent, with the intention of paying one of the techs under the table to replace them and align it for me if that was enough to make it alignable. I went seeking my bosses permission, and was told that since I was no longer a technician (after a promotion to full-time dealer photographer) it was totally off the table for insurance reasons. Well, there goes the cheap option. Text a friend of a relative who owns an indie shop about it and am told it will be 8 days at the soonest before the Miata can even be looked at, and he can’t/won’t use my $100 in salvage parts, meaning I’ll be looking at $400 in parts alone for this shit. I would make an attempt at it myself but I have no place to work, I lack most of the tools I would need, and I just really don’t want to dick with it myself. I’m fucking sick of cars to a ridiculous degree. Might lease a Spark. Fuck this shit.

Have a picture of what I wish my car looked like, instead of the sad crumpled mess it is now.

miadaman? yes please > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:31

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I feel you friend, I just spun my car’s bearing on the very first heavy snow day of the year coming in to work.

d15b > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:40

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I just went through this mess with my Del Sol last year. I had bald tires (my fault!), it was first rain of the season.... and I hit the front driver wheel on the curb. The wheel itself was okay, but....I bent the control arm. And the subframe.

The subframe was the worst thing about it. Get the car checked-out before you buy any more parts.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > d15b 01/12/2016 at 13:41

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Not sure who to have check it out. People love their diag fees.

d15b > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:44

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That’s part of it, I’m afraid. Replacing a subframe is no joke. Just a head’s up. Keep us updated!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:45

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1) Buy this - http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-182-…

2) Go here -

3)Buy some incidentals/bribe the cashiers with a 20$ and you have a good solid day to do the work

4) Bring friends.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/12/2016 at 13:48

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Hilarious

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:54

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It’s how you get it done. Unless you’re saying you don’t want to learn how to wrench?

I’m not joking, autozones and whatnot often let you do some work on your car in their parking lot. If you do something bigger, you might want to talk to them first but I;ve sen dozens of oil changes and tire swaps done there. Spark plug changes and really all maintenance is common.

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 13:56

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Bummer, are there any local Miata clubs/owners around in your area? There’re usually members just itching to help others work on their cars.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/12/2016 at 13:59

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Replacing suspension and possibly straightening a bent subframe is not something I can nor would want to do in an autozone parking lot, much less in the middle of a Kansas winter, nor can that light duty tool set manage the torque necessary to break free 25 year old rusty control arm bolts and pop ancient ball joints. For this you would need a lift, air tools, and a big fucking blowtorch.

I used to be a technician. I no longer am and I now leave anything more complicated than a brake job to people with infinitely more patience and better tools than I.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 01/12/2016 at 14:01

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Not that I can find. There are a couple SCCA members that own miatas but they barely have the time to work on their own car, lol. Everyone else around here is a stance nation Tokyo drifter with more camber than a broken shopping cart and an exhaust louder than the voices in my head

Meatcoma > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 14:04

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What suspension work do you have to do Jake?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Meatcoma 01/12/2016 at 14:07

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Very likely new spindle and LCA, probably an inner tie rod, hopefully not a bent subframe, and then I have to align it. All fairly heavy duty stuff that I struggled to do on my own on the Civic even when I was a tech and had access to a shop.

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 14:08

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I guess the Stancenation Miata people could still be useful in offering garage space for your fix but I’m not sure how good of an idea it is.

Meatcoma > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 14:09

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I’d offer my shop and my tools and some time, but the bent subframe and alignment(unless ghetto) would be above my toolgrade. Not to mention I’m up by kc and you’re down by wichita.

Meatcoma > Meatcoma 01/12/2016 at 14:10

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by my shop I mean my 2nd not attached 2car garage.

Eberle-Hills-Cop > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/12/2016 at 15:00

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Every one in my area has many sings stating it’s VERBOTEN to work in the parking lot.

The Stig's former college room mate > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 15:03

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If you were truly once a technician, you would fix that yourself. buy a used subframe (with the control arms attached), put that thing up on jackstands and swap it out. Never try to straighten a bent subframe.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Eberle-Hills-Cop 01/12/2016 at 15:11

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Which is why you ask first. Some have too small of a lot or are too close to too busy of a road or somethign to allow it. And in your case, it might be a local ordinance or law or something. A lot of places let you because they know you’ll run back in for “just one last thing” or “I need one socket real quick”. But again, check first.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > The Stig's former college room mate 01/12/2016 at 15:22

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You ignore lack of money and tools. And lack of availability of parts. And the fact it’s fucking freezing outside and I have no garage to do it in. Also nice one true Scotsman fallacy.

The Stig's former college room mate > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 16:18

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One of those $100 pop up garages (that are basically just big tents) and a propane heater work wonders. Have used one many times for emergency winter repairs when the vehicle won’t fit in the garage, generally due to it being full of other vehicles that are currently apart, don’t run, etc.

Jayhawk Jake > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 16:48

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>Considered buying Corvette

>Complains about $400 in parts to fix Miata

Something doesn’t add up.

Your boy, BJR > The Stig's former college room mate 01/12/2016 at 16:54

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If you ever were truly once a tech, you’d pay someone else to do it because cars are stupid and suck and fuck them don't want it being my problem.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jayhawk Jake 01/12/2016 at 17:05

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I think it’s the math. Something’s fucky.

Chasaboo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 17:08

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Get a Honda Fit dude, they rock.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 20:05

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Another one of life’s lovely lessons: cut your losses. If you don’t have the desire, the means, the time, or the income to fix it, then fuck it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/12/2016 at 20:59

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Thing is I have to have transportation so I either fix the miata or get a loan and buy something off Craigslist if the miata becomes not worth fixing.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/12/2016 at 21:04

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Well... 90's Corolla Wagons are going for like $1200 right now.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/13/2016 at 00:04

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http://wichita.craigslist.org/cto/5370822178…

I was looking for Accord wagons and found this

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/13/2016 at 00:06

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I didn’t even know those existed! Trade your miata!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/13/2016 at 00:09

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It looks cool as hell but I know nothing about reliability, handling is most likely mediocre, and it’s an old-ass automatic coming from the joyous Miata transmission. Argh.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/13/2016 at 00:14

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But look at your pain! Sacrifices must be made.

Years ago I bought an old pickup with all of my paltry savings and drove it until I was no longer a broke ass. And just look at me now! I now drive an even older and less expensive pickup! See, the economists call this social stratification.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/13/2016 at 00:33

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I’m at the point where I want to go to the bank and get a loan and buy a car tomorrow just so I can get to work and have a car again. I’m sick to hell of only having one unreliable car. I need TWO unreliable cars.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 01/13/2016 at 05:44

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Ignoring the winter part (and lack of space to do it in), swap the parts out yourself (I’d say get a scrapyard subframe, straightening a bent one isn’t really an option without a jig to make sure it’s right).

You can drive with a misaligned subframe for a while, it’ll just give you tyre scrub. Will kill tyres in the long run, but will let you drive it til you can get a ‘shop to align it properly.

Yeah it sucks, but it’s that or pay someone to do it which isn’t an option if you’re that cash-strapped so you’ve only really got the one option. Really warm (and waterproof) clothes and