I guess that "normally", such a topic would be more fitting on social media. But I'm not on social media and so I'm documenting it here.
Now, why possible? I don't know yet what the outcome is going to be. And why quotes: well, I'm not taking care of some fancy old-timer, but of my late dad's vehicle, which isn't too fancy - it's just old.
So it came to be that I inherited this Seat Toledo II sedan in dark blue color. I've never had a car before despite having a license since like forever, nor was I particularly interested. This feels like a challenge now, to be honest. But an interesting one.
It needs saying, my dad was awful at taking care of machines and devices. The car was just filthy inside, with cigarette ash in random places, spilled glue, a lot of sawdust (!) and cluttered with random stuff. It took me & my wife 2 afternoons to clean the interior. And it badly needs a visit at a car wash, gotta get around to it eventually - but since I never had a car, I feel a bit at loss regarding how does one wash it exactly!... Yeah, stupid thing to say, but that's how it is being me. :p
On the exterior, I'd say the paint has held really well, keeps being shiny and all - if not for plenty of scratches on the sides. In one location it's so bad that some rust started appearing. No idea what caused this, but dad was known for really sloppy parking, that's the likely answer. Also the left side mirror housing (not the mirror itself) must have been smashed at some point, and then glued together rather crudely. A prime candidate for exchange.
I can't say I have a knowledge how to wrench car-specific things, but otherwise, I consider myself rather handy with tools, and here's what I've done so far. The inner lining/cover of the trunk lid was coming off, now it doesn't. The drink holder in the central console was not opening, now it does (oddly satisfying). The ash/garbage tray below it was not closing, now it does. The CD player (yes, it has CD player) was wrongly connected, now it works. A small start but it is a start nonetheless.
I managed to find a mention that there was some sort of engine and possibly drivetrain overhaul done last year, but without any documented details. In any case, all working fluids seem to have correct levels. I drove the car around a little, and everything seems to work fine enough. The engine starts immediately, the gears shift as they should, the clutch is far less worn than what I anticipated based on dad's previous shitboxes, no strange noises or other symptoms. Overall, I'd say it drives better than it looks.
The immediate next step is to drive some more, to get acquainted with it better. Probably it wouldn't be anything noticeable in America, but for the local car standards and annoyingly narrow roads, it is pretty huge! So much that I keep checking the side mirrors to make sure I'm within a lane - normally I am with a safe margin, but it constantly feels I'm not. And I have trouble telling where exactly the front ends - so at the stop signs, I possibly stop bit too early, just to be on the safe side and not poke my front bumper into the road. Its size came in handy already though - a local supermarket had a massive discount on a type of garden hammock/swing thing we wanted to have, and a smaller vehicle (such as my sister's) wouldn't be able to transport the sizable box to my mom's property.
I'm planning to get the car to a shop, most likely the same which did that internal overhaul. For whatever they did, it clearly works. I'd like to have them check it thoroughly now and give me a verdict: is it headed to the junkyard soon, or can it serve for some more years? In the latter case, I'm willing to pay some for getting it to a nicer level. I've been taught driving on modern, well-kept cars; also it's not my style to keep a rusting shitbox. Sure, some might say it doesn't pay off investing anything into it - but since it came to me essentially free (except some tax), if it's salvageable, I won't resist the urge to make it properly mine - and that means, much better kept than so far.
Now, why possible? I don't know yet what the outcome is going to be. And why quotes: well, I'm not taking care of some fancy old-timer, but of my late dad's vehicle, which isn't too fancy - it's just old.
So it came to be that I inherited this Seat Toledo II sedan in dark blue color. I've never had a car before despite having a license since like forever, nor was I particularly interested. This feels like a challenge now, to be honest. But an interesting one.
It needs saying, my dad was awful at taking care of machines and devices. The car was just filthy inside, with cigarette ash in random places, spilled glue, a lot of sawdust (!) and cluttered with random stuff. It took me & my wife 2 afternoons to clean the interior. And it badly needs a visit at a car wash, gotta get around to it eventually - but since I never had a car, I feel a bit at loss regarding how does one wash it exactly!... Yeah, stupid thing to say, but that's how it is being me. :p
On the exterior, I'd say the paint has held really well, keeps being shiny and all - if not for plenty of scratches on the sides. In one location it's so bad that some rust started appearing. No idea what caused this, but dad was known for really sloppy parking, that's the likely answer. Also the left side mirror housing (not the mirror itself) must have been smashed at some point, and then glued together rather crudely. A prime candidate for exchange.
I can't say I have a knowledge how to wrench car-specific things, but otherwise, I consider myself rather handy with tools, and here's what I've done so far. The inner lining/cover of the trunk lid was coming off, now it doesn't. The drink holder in the central console was not opening, now it does (oddly satisfying). The ash/garbage tray below it was not closing, now it does. The CD player (yes, it has CD player) was wrongly connected, now it works. A small start but it is a start nonetheless.
I managed to find a mention that there was some sort of engine and possibly drivetrain overhaul done last year, but without any documented details. In any case, all working fluids seem to have correct levels. I drove the car around a little, and everything seems to work fine enough. The engine starts immediately, the gears shift as they should, the clutch is far less worn than what I anticipated based on dad's previous shitboxes, no strange noises or other symptoms. Overall, I'd say it drives better than it looks.
The immediate next step is to drive some more, to get acquainted with it better. Probably it wouldn't be anything noticeable in America, but for the local car standards and annoyingly narrow roads, it is pretty huge! So much that I keep checking the side mirrors to make sure I'm within a lane - normally I am with a safe margin, but it constantly feels I'm not. And I have trouble telling where exactly the front ends - so at the stop signs, I possibly stop bit too early, just to be on the safe side and not poke my front bumper into the road. Its size came in handy already though - a local supermarket had a massive discount on a type of garden hammock/swing thing we wanted to have, and a smaller vehicle (such as my sister's) wouldn't be able to transport the sizable box to my mom's property.
I'm planning to get the car to a shop, most likely the same which did that internal overhaul. For whatever they did, it clearly works. I'd like to have them check it thoroughly now and give me a verdict: is it headed to the junkyard soon, or can it serve for some more years? In the latter case, I'm willing to pay some for getting it to a nicer level. I've been taught driving on modern, well-kept cars; also it's not my style to keep a rusting shitbox. Sure, some might say it doesn't pay off investing anything into it - but since it came to me essentially free (except some tax), if it's salvageable, I won't resist the urge to make it properly mine - and that means, much better kept than so far.
