engine and drivetrain Commuting in the 2002 - and terrified

[Kidasters]

So - last weekend, I'm doing pads and rotors on the wife's R50 Mini Cooper. While working on the right rear caliper, I accidentally ripped the dust boot on the caliper piston. You would think the mini dealer would keep that in stock, right? Wrong. So - it sits in the garage on jackstands.

Normally - this wouldn't be a problem. Mama and I could carpool. This week, however, I have a training class across town. So - here are the choices:

Mama drives the Porsche. The 915 gearbox is not the easiest - so I don't think she could handle it. Plus - if she shifts at too low RPM's, she'll trash the transmission. So - that's not a good option.

Mama drives the 2002. Probably an easier option - but still not a car she's ever driven. Plus - my wife is small, and with the small steering wheel I put in the car (the Nardi Classic), she would struggle parking.

Mama drives the 330 - she's driven this car a bunch, and is comfortable with it.

So - We settled on that - Mama drives the 330 this week, and I pick from the two remaining cars. Two caveats - it is supposed to rain most of this week. And I have to go about 30 miles to a training course on the north side of town.

Car # 1 - 1984 Porsche 911 Targa. Pros - car runs great, after I eliminated all of the leaks.

Cons - I don't think my targa top is water tight, and I see lots of gaps around the rear window due to old window seals. So - my car is hydrophobic. And - the A/C doesn't work.

Car# 2 - 1973 BMW 2002. Pros - Car has A/C. Car is mostly water tight (I drove it home the first day in a driving rain, and it only leaked water through the cable for the hood hold down). I've done tons of work on this car - and all critical systems should be ok (brakes, ignition, fuel delivery). Finally - car has a toll tag - so going on the toll road is way easy (Porsche has no toll tag).

Cons - The car is really old. I've re-built a lot of systems, but not all, so I'm obsessing about what's going to break. Houston drivers are bad - I got passed by an Excursion and an F350, both with drivers on the freaking phone! And they were going 80! Finally - I can't use the A/C because I'm still freaking out about the whole charging system bit (see other posts).

Well - because of the rain, I picked the 2002. Driving up this morning wasn't too bad. I was driving against traffic, and it wasn't raining, so I had the window down. There was a weird burning smell, like I have an oil leak, but I couldn't find the oil leak, so I don't know.

Driving home was another story. There was traffic everywhere. Crazy people. It was raining, so I had the windows up (I had the wing window cracked, but it was still really hot and stuffy). But the 2002 did great. 4000 rpms at 65 - 70 mph the whole way. Very happy. Just tense.

You'd think driving my pride and joy would be fun. It's not as fun as I thought it would be. Maybe this will change this week. We'll see.

Ken

[bluedevils]

The only problem I see is that you have too many nice cars! Hence the dilemma.

[pkbinplano]

shave your head and drive the 02 with a "make my day, punk" expression on your face. LOL

[M3M3]

take the mini. seriously. a torn caliper piston boot is not a big deal at all. just don't go offroading.

[Scott Sislane]

I feel for you Ken. Funny when the project car suddenly becomes the commuter car, you get a nervous & weird feeling as soon as you get behind the wheel, and the car feels foreign.

If I'm on the highway, I try to stick to the far right lane, but then you have the on/off rampers just diving right at you! There's no winning there.

[ArdenK]

The only problem I see is that you have too many nice cars! Hence the dilemma.

I second that, go get a old Volvo wagon they mare great beaters and you can get A LOT of stuff in the back!

[Kidasters]

Thanks guys -

Bluedevils - hah! Thanks.

pbk - it wouldn't work. I would look like a terrified bald guy.

Marshall - I can't. The anal retentive engineer in me says it has to be perfect.

Scott - I tried that. Like you said - the merging traffic scared me. So I moved to the middle lane (it's 3 lanes on the toll road, 6 on the interstate). Next thing you know, I'm in the far left doing 75! Fun but scary.

Arden - I would love to do the Volvo. This one though: http://bringatrailer.com/2010/07/23/swede-utility-1966-volvo-p210-duett/

Thanks "Support Group". I appreciate the comments on my vent/rant. Keep 'em coming.

Ken

[KFunk]

Unless you work as an ice road trucker, and your only vehicle to use for work is the 02..... I don't see a problem...

Shit happens, and you coast off to the side of the road and either fix it, or call AAA and get somewhere safer to work on it. I've done it many times, sometimes thousands of miles from home, and in some of the worst neighborhoods.

[Retrogroucher]

Ken,

"I've been through some terrible things in my life-- some of which actually happened." --Mark Twain

One reason we drive these cool old cars is because of the excitement of impending drama. The potential for stuff breaking can be high or low, depending on your level of car prep, the whims of electrons, leaving home without your St. Christopher medallion, moods of the car gods, etc.

Marshall is correct: driving with a torn piston boot will do no harm in your situation. However, if you spent the next 6 months off roading, intall corrosive pads like Hawk Blues with 1mm braking surface remaining (thus causing the piston to be more exposed), and drive through salt water, you could cause corrosion on the piston during that time. Maybe.

Loud pipes save lives: can you remove your muffler to be better heard?

Have fun.

Mike

P.S. Shot in the dark regarding oil smell: make sure your exhaust manifold studs are tight and not leaking oil.

[Amos]

I often get a knot in my stomach whenever I smell any kind of foreign odor (hot oil, coolant, clutch, burnt rubber) or hear any sort of unnatural sounds while I'm driving.

The best feeling in the world is the relief felt after you figure out that those smells/sounds are coming from the piece of junk driving three cars ahead of you in traffic.

I've been driving my '73 every day since the day I drove it home in January, never a dull moment.

[Dr2002]

EVERY car needs air conditioning!

Then you don't care.

30mph, 90% humidity, lots of arse drivers- turn the dial to Kewl and listen to 80's lite rock.

Rainy, foggy windows, no other cars in sight- turn the dial to defrost, downshift, and listen to the exhaust rooster tail the water 100ft behind you.

EVERY car needs air conditioning!

[Napes]

Amos-

Are you sure those smells aren't coming from the Barkmunchers pig farms and cow pastures?

Bob Napier

GO DUCKS

[flyingfool]

Ken,

"I've been through some terrible things in my life-- some of which actually happened." --Mark Twain

One reason we drive these cool old cars is because of the excitement of impending drama. The potential for stuff breaking can be high or low, depending on your level of car prep, the whims of electrons, leaving home without your St. Christopher medallion, moods of the car gods, etc.Marshall is correct: driving with a torn piston boot will do no harm in your situation. However, if you spent the next 6 months off roading, intall corrosive pads like Hawk Blues with 1mm braking surface remaining (thus causing the piston to be more exposed), and drive through salt water, you could cause corrosion on the piston during that time. Maybe.

I completely agree with this! i own few old cars, (mustang, 02, and falcon shell) and being a student, have had to depend on them as my way of transit . eventually, they are kinda comforting.!

[Pierre]

EVERY car needs air conditioning!

Then you don't care.

30mph, 90% humidity, lots of arse drivers- turn the dial to Kewl and listen to 80's lite rock.

Rainy, foggy windows, no other cars in sight- turn the dial to defrost, downshift, and listen to the exhaust rooster tail the water 100ft behind you.

EVERY car needs air conditioning!

Depends on where you live.

Here in Southern California's Central Coast, we hardly ever use it.

[FutureMan]

every guy is afraid to drive their babied cars until they just start doing it, out of necessity or whatever, but I think by the end of the week you'll feel a lot better about it