Two more checks; A NEW FEATURE!

Replaced the spark plug wires and aimed the 'new' headlight today. Test drove it tonight and readjusted it a hair down. We'll see if I get reactions from oncoming drivers, or if I did a good job.
There's condensation in the left headlight, so that needs to be replaced too.

Also while I was working on the car today I gave another try at fixing the dome light to turn on when the door was opened. I got it working, but it stopped once I screwed everything back in, so it stays on the list. It does mean it's a problem with the bulb fixture, and not the wiring or door sensors.
I was hot in the car so I decided to take advantage of the sun roof, and cranked it open. To my surprise, the back lifted up as a vent. I know many sunroofs do this, but I thought I had tried this with mine and it didn't. There seems to be a click between the two modes, and I think that's where it should be to be fully closed. It sucks not having a manual for it.

The hood latch still doesn't work, don't know which end the problem is at, maybe both. Found an easy way for me to get it open, my skate key. I just hook it over the cable (in front of the radiator) and pull. Works great, but not very portable. Gonna try a aluminum tent stake that I bent and see how it works.

Strut in later this week, so that's next.

Strut my stuff

Ordered a replacement rear hatch strut from Autozone for $25. Looking at the old one and hatch today, nothing is broken other than the ball stud that screws into the hatch. Hopefully the replacement will come with this ball stud. I'm also missing the two screws that attach it to the body. If the replacement doesn't come with these, I can pull one from the other side and use it as a model to buy two more from Ace.

Hopefully one replacement will work and I won't need to order the second.

turn signal fixed?

As mysteriously as the turn signal problem occurred, an unscrewing of the turn signal assembly causes it to start working again. Kept it blinking as I screwed it back on, and it's keeps working.
Don't know what I did to cause the problem, don't know how I fixed it.

Next: aim headlight and install plug wires. But not today: cool and wet.

New issue, wires and aiming

One thing fixed, another broken. I must have flubbed something on the FR turn signal, as it is no longer working. Easy fix, I hope,

The new right headlight is aimed low, so I'll need to adjust it up.

Thanks to a coupon from Ebay, I purchased a (New, old stock) NGK Spark Plug Wire Set. Again, an easy install underhood.

Home Dental Work

Finally did some work on the GTX. As I dreaded, the hood release wouldn't work, so I had to reach up from underneath and pull the cord. My arm was too short so I have marks on my arm today from pushing through the hole in the grill too hard. Got it open and was going to start polishing the left headlight. There was moisture inside, so I'm thinking a replacement might be in the cards.

On to replacing the right headlight. Upper brow removed, turn signal unscrewed, but the lower brow wouldn't come off. Back and forth I went trying to get it out, but failed (it was a center tab I couldn't push). So I just went around it and removed the lower brow along with the whole headlight assembly. Plugged in the replacement, but no light, so I swapped the bulbs. Reinstalled the assembly but dropped one of the lower brow screws into a frame hole (bought the magnet thingie today to retrieve it). Seems to be aiming low, but I'll know more after dark.

While the hood was open, I had to answer other questions I had. The underhood fuse box was all OK. Opened the airbox, and I do have a K&N filter. Took it and my Dodge K&N and cleaned them.


Next on the list? it will be one of the following:
Get and replace left headlight
Get and replace Steering wheel
Check wiring on rear defroster. Power?
Remove unused wiring (a large number of wires, mainly for the missing sub woofer)
Get and replace hood release
Get and replace hatch strut stud.

NOT the end

I went to the dealer with the idea of trading in the GTX on a better awd vehicle. There seemed to be no inexpensive awd vehicles, but they did have a used 2011 Grand Cherokee Limited, which I test drove.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited was full of features, but if I were to buy new I would either go to a lower or higher model. The 290hp V6 felt underpowered, with it needing to downshift twice and make a lot of noise just to accelerate onto the highway. Actually, it needed to do that just to keep up with traffic from a stoplight. If I build my own, I'd get the 5.7l V8.

As expected, they tried to overprice the vehicle, originally trying to ask more than MSRP of a new one as the starting point. Telling them what I expected, MSRP-$7000 (KBB) - $4500 (clunker trade)= ~$28000 was too far apart for them. So I passed.

I offered to buy the cheapest awd vehicle they had, but that garnered no interest from the dealer. So, I'll keep my vehicle(s) and pack this information in the back of my mind in case I wreck a vehicle or one wears out.

The End part 2?

Went to the dealer today. I had forgotten how new car dealers only have 'new' used cars. Some of the other 'cash for clunkers' cars weren't even drivable. Looked at a 09 Subaru Impreza (16K), and at the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited that caught my eye online.
It's a no-option Limited with 14.5K miles. MSRP on a new one is $39,680. Unlike the Ford Explorer, where the Limited is the top of the line, the Overland is the top Cherokee, with the Limited next. The Overland adds variable ride height (Quadra-Lift) (useful off road for more ground clearance), wood & leather heated steering wheel, Vented seats, and come stock with 20" wheels instead of 18". The Luxury package adds the wheel, seats, power liftgate to the Limited for $1500. The off road package costs $550 for lots of different skid plates.
It gets 16/23mpg with the V6 and still has 290hp. My charger with the 360hp hemi is listed at 16/25, but my average is close to 16mpg.

Going back tomorrow at 10am. The more I think about this, the more I'm not going to do this. The Charger does its job well, the F150 hauls stuff ok, the Mazda seems to be reliable, and once I get the rear defroster fixed will only be missing ABS from being a true winter fighter. To trade all that for one vehicle that tries to do it all is hard. Yes, getting $4500 for the Mazda is nice, but I only wanted to get a cheap vehicle to replace it, not trade all 3 in.