2005 EquinoxLS

Nothing wrong with a carb if it is set up and working properly. I have 2 such granny cars though niether one is for sale. Too bad. Good luck in your search.

Hey I got it. I will use the Sears Craftsman whenever possible. There we go!!!!! I could gear it to go about 35-40 mph. Can you do that?

Thats why it wouldnt bother me to drive an Impala when the lease on the Equinox is up. Even Moms Aveo doesnt bother me other than the pedal placement and the lack of a good right armrest. I would drive the other 2 only every so often.

I havent changed too much. Both my old ones get about 15-17 mpg in town. The Equinox about 17-18 in town. So not a huge difference between the 3. Actually the old 2 get slightly better highway mileage than the Equinox. About 23-24 for both though sometimes the Bonneville can get into 25 with a light foot. The Equinox manages 22-23 on the highway. Though I should point out I use mid-grade in the old ones compared to regular in the Equinox. If Mom and I need to make a longer run we use her Aveo. She is currently getting 26 mpg in her normal driving. When the lease on the Equinoc is up I may get an Impala or Aveo or a HHR. Or I may just get nothing at all and go through the summer with the 2 old ones and get a new one in time for winter 2009-2010. I am not bothered by FWD and actually like it better in winter. I am into a mix of the old and the new.

Kids must have not hit puberty yet. What kids wont do if geven the chance.

True that is Sixty8. I am glad though that they have went to stainless steel for exhaust on new cars. One less maintnence item to need attention. I think if I was one to do my own work when the Bonneville needed new exhaust last summer I would have tried it with a straight pipe. But I am kind of lazy in that respect. I dont do a huge amount of work on my cars. Need to get the A/C working on them really soon.

Exhaust is a maintenence item. I have replaced it on all of the old cars I owned except the 1985 Caprice. Thought of the straight pipes thing on the Bonneville but no mechanic will do that.

Also do you notice that the car wants to roll a lot more in the corners than normal? Thats another sign that one of the sway bar links is busted. It sounds a lot more horrible than it really is.

Thats a common part to go on these old cars, especially if they are subjected to winter weather most or all of their lives. It costs about $20.00 to put them on.

Thanks guys. I still have to get used to the idea of being able to just get in and go. I never touched it before unless Dad said I could. Nobody did. He was very protective of it. I washed it today and put the temperary plates until the regular ones come in the mail. Got the high speed blower relay replaced so I now have high now on the climate control. I will get the A/C fixed really soon. The radio is alright for now but it is slowly dying. I wonder though how an aftermarket one can be installed without destroying the dash since the climate control/radio are one piece? Someday. The Bonneville needs a headliner first.

People think it never gets hot in the great white north. I have news for everybody. It does get quite warm here but more importantly it seems to get humud when it does get warm. Plus if it has rained and the windsheild is foggy and temp about 50 on up degrees without A/C to dry the air it makes it harder to defog the windsheild.

Dont fret Knightfan. The paint on the Bonneville is far from perfect. Its getting pretty dull bit it still looks reasonably good from a distance or in pictures. The paint on the Caprice is VERY good, alsmost like new other than a few little nicks that were there when Mom and Dad bought it in 1990. And Guess what!!!!!!! As of 5-2-08 the Caprice is MINE!!!!!!!!!. As in I own it!!!!!!. Mom and I did the deal today and got it switched to me. Our salesman at the dealership we go to handled it for us.

Mu sister has a 1998 Venture that has served her very well. It has nver left her at the side of the road and the few things it has needed were minor. Cant say that about the so called #1 Dodge Grand Caravan she had before it. My only complaint about the Venture is that it rides a little softly.

Turns out it wasnt the fan switch but the high speed blower relay. And I ahould have said get the A/C fixed on both the old ones.

The 1979 is the gas engine. The 1982 is the diesel.

Just a point of wondering, what shape is the paint in on the 1976? Dont really know why I am asking. Just wondering I guess.

It should get the A/C fixed on the 1985 and the fan switch fixed on that as well. Get the trunk leaks fixed on the 1981.

I never would have thought that but ok. The salsa red on the Equinox shows the dirt pretty well but it cleans up nicely. I wouldnt get a white car here. First to show the rust and they blend in the snow in the winter so they are harder to see. Black is beautiful but show damn near everything. I alsmost bought a black Monte Carlo but most people convinced me that the silver one I did get was better. They were right. My Dad was the big proponent of that theory.

Sounds not too bad. Steering columns for these things should be all over the place. I would get new transmission fluid in there fast. My 1985 has had the transmission rebuilt at about 105,000 miles. So they dont last forever. But hopefully you can catch it in time.

How is it running? They didnt try to mangle it under the hood or damage something else other than what you described? Hopefully this kind of thing doesnt happen again.

Do it and use the '79 in less good condition for a winter beater. Unless you would rather save the '79s and use the '87 for a winter beater. I think using the '87 for a winter beater is what I would do in your case. You know it will work in the winter weather where you dont know that so well with the '79.

So far 2008 is going better than 2007. But it is only April. 2007 was still going ok at this point in the year. So we will have to wait and see. I am not going to say any more and jinx it.