23rd Oct 2018, 08:59
It’s a very affordable solution to know of if you have a home with a slightly higher standard ceiling. A very popular add on kit today. You can go on the Internet and read up. Guys often spend more on a nice rolling toolbox. And yes for homes. How do you make your car perfectly level to check your trans fluid while the car is running? Having it on jack stands while underneath it running isn’t safe in my opinion. A new trans will cost you more. Just giving all readers another affordable solution; if it’s not for you or even if you don’t own a garage, that’s your choice. All I know is it’s the best money I spent raising my home value, and it gives years of car savings overall. I think the monster garage is a bit extreme over a low cost option. A lot of us enjoy hanging out in a guy cave as a better description of a garage at home. Another low cost option we added in ours was a dart board. Didn’t break the bank on either. Good luck!
23rd Oct 2018, 19:32
All you're doing now is just repeating the same comment that's going around in circles.
My simple point was the procedure of checking fluids on modern cars shouldn't involve a lift, and that your average homemaker is not going to purchase a lift, and has no interest in doing so.
23rd Oct 2018, 19:32
Another simple solution is to find another new vehicle that offers a manual transmission. More fun anyway.
24th Oct 2018, 13:18
Yeah, but you would probably need a lift to check the gear oil in those too. Therefore that would also involve purchasing an affordable lift.
24th Oct 2018, 13:43
Are we only addressing average homeowners or many others that also love cars and affordable solutions. There is a tremendous aftermarket online and in catalogs. I say make comments that are applicable to 100% of readers. If you look on the CarSurvey home page it runs the complete gamut of automotive history. Every car imaginable. And I know owners that perform different levels of their own maintenance. You could have the guy that simply wipes off the brake of dust off his wheels to ones that rebuild engines. This is an “all” site. If not for you, skip over. The easiest solution on this topic is just drop your car off and pay. And go on your way. It’s topped off. Good luck.
24th Oct 2018, 19:03
Yes! You finally realize, if you go back to where this all started, you will see that this was referring to the ordinary, everyday, non mechanically inclined individual who wants nothing more than to be able to check fluids in their car. You obviously have a lift at home and I use a friend's shop. Not everyone goes to that extent. Either they don't know how or they don't care. Also not every last gearhead has a lift at home. Take a drive through your or another neighborhood and take a look in somebody's garage. If the door is open, I can tell you right now you won't see many equipped with a lift. Lots of communities won't even allow it. Hopefully now you understand. Moving on.
25th Oct 2018, 18:33
My community civic association is very stringent. You need sign offs to proceed. However... Since the lift is completely inside the property, there was no civic approval required. I checked. Your community may differ, but absolutely no issue here. We are not allowed to have trailers of any kind, recycle cans visible from the street, 140 sf max wooden sheds only, fences have restrictions too, no vehicles with commercial lettering etc. They don’t want unregistered or jacked up vehicles in the community. You can do it inside a garage though. So tough rules. Wasn’t an issue. We covered ourselves with a written proposal that votes on approval. Was a green light as soon as they heard “indoors”. That doesn’t mean carport, it means enclosed. You have to store boats trailers etc elsewhere. These kits are all typically bolt together and packaged as a free standing kit. I would check first, but this is not any amazing exotic purchase anymore. Again my point was there are people that are from all walks of life on here. People with high end to people that don’t even own a car but like them or are simply passengers. If it does not apply to you, simply skip the comment. Takes seconds. Others however might love an idea and see how inexpensive this is. I also do not advertise what’s in my garage; the doors are only up when I push the openers. Why prompt thieves? You are right move on now. It’s nice that all readers can consider various alternatives. Average consumer or otherwise. You see no value and that’s totally cool. Do not consider one. This commenter also by the way drives a daily driver Edge SEL AWD. My last recent major air conditioner failure and Ford dealer repair cost exceeded the value of the lift. Interesting observation.
26th Oct 2018, 02:45
Make up your mind. Is it easier to drop it off or buy an inexpensive lift on an internet catalog?
26th Oct 2018, 17:01
It is pretty ridiculous that some newer cars lack the ease of checking basic stuff like oil and transmission fluids. I can only guess it's because most Americans today don't bother to raise the hoods of their cars and would rather take them to the dealer or some oil changing place. The manufacturers probably did the math and took the course for the most common denominator and simply shaved a few bucks off the cost of building the vehicle by deleting the dipsticks.
OTOH many of the fluids in today's cars last forever. As in radiator fluid with 150,000 mile change intervals. That's bordering the average mileage people tend to keep cars these days, so the attitude might be so long as the original owner doesn't have to do anything, why bother? My Mom, who knows nothing about cars, at one time owned a 1998 Toyota Avalon. As I live across the country and would visit maybe once a year, I would on occasion check out her car. I found out that even though the car had 250,000 miles on it she had NEVER changed the radiator or transmission fluid. I did it for her and was amazed to find that the coolant actually still looked brand new and the transmission fluid was still bright red and clean.
27th Oct 2018, 01:17
(Owner here) On the 1st gen they actually had a tube that went up right around the air box which made it easier to check. On the 1.5 gen it now sits right under the air box. It still has a dipstick for the trans. It's just a PITA when it's hot to check because of the coolant pipe that runs right by it. Another great design by Ford LOL.
22nd Oct 2018, 18:47
My goodness, for the last time, not talking about how easy and affordable it is. So spare me the novel size comment. This all started with the average person being able to check fluids. Not turning your house into "Monster Garage".