SAWMILL

     Well, it has been very busy! But I must report that the sawmill was a success. We went to our property for 10 days and I was able to use the saw to cut planks out of black oak, pine, and cedar. I did decide that I need a larger engine so that I can cut faster. Speed is always good, right? So here are a few pictures.
     My wife took some of the cedar that I had cut and planed, and she surprised me for Christmas.  This is the mantel she made.

2001 VW Passat Maintenance

I put 400 miles a week on my commuter car. I am sure there are many of you that put more miles on your cars and trucks. In the last 10 months I have put 19,000 miles on my car. On my chevy 3500, I have put 44,000 on it in the last 2.5 years. Either way, the best way to keep your vehicle in tip top shape is to maintain them.

First, I try to follow the maintenance instructions in the owners manual.
Second, I use the same fluids when I change them. I change the oil every 5,000 miles. I know lots of people say you must go 3,000 miles, but I have never had any issues with it.
It has a big effect on performance when maintained properly. Changing the air filter, oil filter,and oil regularly will keep your car getting the best mileage out of your engine. A service at any quick lube usually runs about $40. You can buy the oil and filter for $10-$20 unless you use synthetic oils(these do have benefits).

The items needed to change your oil can be picked up rather cheaply. This jack was only $10 after rebate. A must to get under a low car.(I would NEVER get under a jacked up vehicle without using jack stands)Then, most parts stores have adds for filters and oils together. They are usually advertised as 1 filter and 5 quarts of oil for $10 -$15. Some like the Peak in this picture were free after rebate. The only other thing needed is a drain pan, the correct wrench for the drain plug and a filter wrench. Always get rid of oil properly after you are done. All parts stores will take your used oil.
I know in the beginning it is a little more expensive to buy the tools needed, but these tools only get purchased once. Then they start to pay themselves off each time you use them. I cannot even imagine how much money I save doing my maintenance and repair on my own.

BARTER

Who out there has a needed skill? Most of us have a skill or a trade that we make a living doing. One of my biggest money savers is "NETWORKING." I deal with people through work that have skills. My friends and neighbors all have skills. My family and extended family all have skills. So one of the best tools out there is to BARTER!! I trade out work on my computer when it has problems to a friend, and when their van breaks I fix it. I have traded out mechanic work to a friend who is a chiropractor. I have a local shop that has cut me numerous deals on stuff because of the amount of people I have sent to him by word of mouth over the years. Many people think of networking as only a job finding tool. It deals so well with the rest of our daily lives that I use it daily. I keep in touch with most the people I use it with. In fact my last job was because I ran into an old friend who told me to call his boss for a job. So needless to say it works in all directions!

Volkswagon Passat Engine Light Repaired

So it has been a few days since I went and checked the engine codes and repaired the vacuum lines that were making my service engine light illuminate. So far, so good. My mileage has gone up a little, since your engine light does goof up the emissions system when it is on. An easy inexpensive repair that would have cost me an easy couple hundred dollars.

How many cars you have owned

How many cars and trucks have I owned in the last 16 years? Well lets see.......20! I know I am a sick individual. But most of the time I get bored and end up selling one and buying another. Sad part is, is that I know the price I bought each of them for, the price that I sold them for, and the starting and ending mileage! For a grand total of 367,060 miles on those 20 vehicles! So is this a low number or a high number. I generally keep them for a year and get rid of them. Mind you,I have never bought a "NEW" vehicle. The lowest mileage on any of my cars was the last truck I bought that I currently still have, A 2005 Chevy that had 61K miles on it when I bought it. Oh there was a 1998 Honda Civic with 38K miles on it that I only had for 6 months. I hated that car it was too small.

They all have been used. I don't even know how much money I have saved by being able to work on them myself. I do everything from changing the fluids to major engine and front end work. I know a lot of people say that they don't have the tools or know how, but you can do the majority yourself. Most parts stores will rent you the tools you need to do a job for free. You pay them, then when you are done with the tools you return them and get your money back. Believe me I did not get all my tools over night. It has taken quite a number of years.

Repair Manuals

The best way to get a start in finding out more about the cars and trucks you own is to buy a Haynes Manual. I like them better than any other books offered. With the exception of the dealer repair manual. But these are a lot cheaper than a dealer book. This manual is based off of a complete tear down of the vehicle. I buy one of these for each brand of car that I own. If I sell it, I keep the book. You end up with a library of repair books, and who knows....you might buy another one of the same vehicles down the road. Parts stores sell these for $14-$25 depending on the brand of car. My Passat book cost more than my Chevy and Ford books. I feel like a Fleet Manager. I maintain all of my families cars and trucks. They have a problem they call me and we trouble shoot over the phone discussing the way that the vehicle is acting. I have gotten each of them to buy repair manuals so that they can help me find the problem. It has also made it to where each of them are more confident and can often fix it themselves.

Volkswagon Passat Engine Light Continued.....

So, I checked the engine light and the code read Cylinder lean(fuel to air ratio low). With the mileage on the Passat at 98,000 miles my first change was the fuel filter. When I pulled it out I discovered that it was the original! The first filter I found was $38 way too much for my blood. I opted for the $9.00 version of the same filter. I followed the steps in the code reader and erased the codes. I thought good, problem solved. Then 2 days later the light came back on. I opened the hood with the engine running to listen for any air leaks.(Sucking Noise in the Intake)I heard a lot. So I undue the cover over the engine and follow the noise using my ears and fingers. I found the problem.....it was some vacuum lines at the rear of the motor that had gotten baked by the heat off the motor. A few feet of the right size vacuum hose for $4.50 and the problem was solved. Minor problems like this are spendy if you take your vehicle to a shop. If you are patient and trouble shoot yourself or even enlist a friend or even check the internet you can do a lot yourself and keep money in your pocket.