[896] Random Car Thoughts

I'd rather not think about stuff happening in the real world so I'll just ramble about a daily driver. Let's talk about the 2001 Toyota Rav4 I've been using all these years.

It's still pretty reliable. It does need work done and it does consume gas at a relatively alarming rate but it still gets the job done. Given the opportunity to have it fixed at a good, reliable, and honest service center I would have the following done.

1. Engine overhaul. It's nearing 150,000 kilometers. I'm not sure if what I read online was that it would need an overhaul at 150k kilometers or miles so just to play it safe might as well have the engine checked. Seal any leaks, clean any carbon deposits, replace any worn out parts that need replacing. I did also read that the timing chain is a pretty crucial piece of the engine.
2. Repaint the car. At best the whole car, at worst just the hood. Full disclosure that a tree fell on the car and smashed the hood during one storm, and we had it fixed at a body shop. Sadly the paint has faded and it's pretty obvious the hood needs work done. At the least. It also has its fair share of dings and dents from over twenty years of being driven around Luzon. Yes, Luzon. Our loyal Rav4 has been as far south as Naga in Camarines Sur and as far north as Aparri in Cagayan.
3. Replace the headlights. And fog lamps. They're really yellow and no amount of headlight restoration kits I use will bring it back to its original look.
4. Replace small electrical/mechanical stuff that needs replacing. Auto door lock doesn't work for the driver side door, you need to lock it manually. The side mirror switches don't work so I have to push the mirrors on my own. The air circulator button needs to have paper jammed on the side so it'll stay in re-circulate mode. The latch that covers the extra power outlet near the handbrake doesn't auto-close anymore. Replace the driver side seatbelt because the thing is frayed already. Small stuff like that.
5. Clean the interior. Freshen up the seats with whatever deep clean service can do. Vacuum the nooks and crannies. Maybe get the steering wheel wrapped in leather, because that leather wrap I got may work now but having a pro do it will make it look 100 times better.
6. A new head unit. With bluetooth, Android Auto/Apple Car Play or whatever they're called. Maybe a rear camera. Still have CD and cassette capabilities if possible.
7. Dash cam. Yeah I still haven't gotten one.
8. LED light bulbs for turn signals, brake lights, and interior lights. I'm keeping the headlights and fog lamps halogen because I don't know if replacing them with LEDs will just blind incoming traffic.
9. Roof mounts for the roof rails. This is so I can put bike racks and car top carriers on the roof. Maybe Thule WingBar Evo for the mounts, a Thule ProRide for the bike carrier, and a Thule Force XT Sport for the top carrier. That setup looks like it can all be mounted on the roof at the same time.

While I'd love to write more I'd rather keep it at that. I'd be spending so much for just the overhaul and I honestly don't know where I could have that done. That is priority number 1 and once that's done then I can probably worry about the other stuff. I'd like to try to make the Rav4 last way longer and considering all the things it's done for us I'd like to take care of the car as well.

Out.