# Getting my first car, advice to keep it clean when used for work commute ?



## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Just ask your coworker for a ride to work everyday. Save you that hassle of a cold car ride...


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

Wirenuting said:


> Just ask your coworker for a ride to work everyday. Save you that hassle of a cold car ride...


Lucky, one of the journey man lives not too far, and most of the jobs so far I was paired with him and the jobs happened to be that he would have to drive by my house in the morning on his way there, so I rarely had to drive myself to the job site, except when I was paired with the boss (I would drive to his house then get in his truck) or when I was paired with the other journey man who unfortunately lost his license due to bad luck after a drink, or when there's no room for me in the truck (only one passenger seat) or when it's easier for everyone to drive myself to the job site. Of course when I can save myself from using my own car, I happily do so.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Keep a pair of driving shoes in the back.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

wtf is a yaris?


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Young'uns don't drive beat up old, barely legal pick up trucks with no heater anymore?


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

3xdad said:


> Young'uns don't drive beat up old, barely legal pick up trucks with no heater anymore?


Have you seen the price of these ? You can't afford them at my age !


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## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

Dude if you are in the trade,be the trade . Man up and buy a truck!!!!!


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

papaotis said:


> wtf is a yaris?


It's the least expensive new car you can buy.
A good friend of mine bought one to use while the pickup truck he ordered was being built.
I can't imagine a used one.
But,
If it is new to you and rolls. Ya gotta love it.
Oh yeah,
One thing.
Don't leave anything in the car when you get out of it.
Not a paper a book or anything.
Think about how the inside of a nice Car would look when a wealthy person got out, turned it over to someone and took a different car the next day.
Use it for transportation and not for storage.
No papers
No trash
No smoking
No empty commuting beer cans.

Now, if I could do that. It would be a proud day for me.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

*the list....*

Create as many hidey holes within reach as possible, a fake speaker cover is great for stashing a roach or brew....

Figure out how many bodies your trunk can hold & find a drive-in....

Find a nice quilt for the backseat & stash the trojans out of sight....

Install a rear /brake light cutout switch....

Get a musk air freshener....

~C:devil2:S~


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## derit (Jul 26, 2015)

If a pickup were out of the question, a minivan would be my next choice. Front wheel drive in snow and better gas mileage are worth it. Continually reconfiguring tools, boots, and other gear to fit inside of a coupe or sedan soon becomes a hassle. The aftermarket offers a wide selection of liners if you want to throw mud-crusted items in back of a minivan. Many used models already have tinted rear glass to not bring attention to what's in back. And it would be nice to say, "sorry, I cannot help you move your refrigerator, couch, etc.--and ignore that trailer hitch receiver in back."


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

Purchase a box of contractor grade trash bags. Take off your dirty boots and clothing, stick them in the bag. Take your dirty tool box. Wipe off excess dirt. Stick it in another bag. Put bags in hatch back. Repeat each day. Problem solved. Or just buy a pickup truck with tool box or cap.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

David C said:


> Have you seen the price of these ? You can't afford them at my age !


How many people think like you do? You buy what you can easily afford. People I worked with, used to get on my case about my inexpensive, but practical ride.
The same people had, what they considered, a better vehicle with a large note and lived in a rented home or apartment. Brilliant, hey!


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

chicken steve said:


> Create as many hidey holes within reach as possible, a fake speaker cover is great for stashing a roach or brew....
> 
> Figure out how many bodies your trunk can hold & find a drive-in....
> 
> ...


Now that brings back some memories :thumbsup: .. oh, the good ol days !


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## TheApprentice_ (Apr 11, 2015)

a yaris?!!:laughing: be a man!! get a truck and throw a tool box on it and there you go! plus it doesnt look like a grocery getter like a yaris:no::laughing:


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

Haha, I love you guys, especially chicken man, I wasn't expecting any less of you all 

Yeah like I said in my first post, that's not the car I wanted, but I was short on time since the previous car I was using (rented from a friend who was in vacations) had to be returned to him today, which wasn't leaving me with enough time to find the Vibe I wanted, but I'm still looking for the Vibe and trading cars as soon as I find the one. I live downtown, so a big car isn't ideal to park even more during winter time, as we also have a GMC Acadia that isn't used much (my father's car). Plus gas here isn't cheap and since I'm just an apprentice, I don't have to carry stuff around, just myself and my toolbox/work gear. I'm also planing on a 10 000km roadtrip this summer, so I didn't wanted to buy a car that could have reliability issues, because I've seen many Vibe so far and all those in my price range were not in top shape, I will probably have better luck in the spring. I too call it a lady car, but hey, better than nothing and cleaner than most for a first car.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

David C said:


> Haha, I love you guys, especially chicken man, I wasn't expecting any less of you all
> 
> Yeah like I said in my first post, that's not the car I wanted, but I was short on time since the previous car I was using (rented from a friend who was in vacations) had to be returned to him today, which wasn't leaving me with enough time to find the Vibe I wanted, but I'm still looking for the Vibe and trading cars as soon as I find the one. I live downtown, so a big car isn't ideal to park even more during winter time, as we also have a GMC Acadia that isn't used much (my father's car). Plus gas here isn't cheap and since I'm just an apprentice, I don't have to carry stuff around, just myself and my toolbox/work gear. I'm also planing on a 10 000km roadtrip this summer, so I didn't wanted to buy a car that could have reliability issues, because I've seen many Vibe so far and all those in my price range were not in top shape, I will probably have better luck in the spring. I too call it a lady car, but hey, better than nothing and cleaner than most for a first car.


Are you allowed to buy a car in the US?
There's probably a lot more Pontiac Vibes in the US, than in Canada.
The Vibes were built in California in a joint venture with Toyota called NUMMI. 
That's probably their most redeeming quality, as they have a Toyota drive train.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Buy what you can afford. Don't worry about the resale value as you will use it for the next ten years. 
Treat it as the tool that it is and not like the Cadillac hope to retire with.


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

I could buy in the USA, but with the exchange rate and import taxes, for a $4000 car it's not worth it. There's plenty Vibe here, but it's all about research to find the one that fit the bill. Thanks for the info too.

Wirenuting, I don't plan on keeping the Yaris for more than a year, actually only until I find my Vibe, as it's already 9 years old but in good condition. That's why I want to take good care of the Yaris so I don't loose to much money when I sell it to buy a Vibe.

Today I installed a 1/8" thick rubber carpet in the back and a driver's seat cover, only missing some good bar tape over the steering wheel, a trash can and some bumper liner, all of which I can easily make from what I have at home.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Ah, the good old days.... I drove a Chevette to work (it came with my wife) for many years. Tough old car but I don't miss it. Life was good when I got a 4x4 Ranger!


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

Wirenuting said:


> Buy what you can afford. Don't worry about the resale value as you will use it for the next ten years.
> Treat it as the tool that it is and not like the Cadillac hope to retire with.


I mentioned that my car is a "piece of equipment" to another car owner, that was waiting for service at a car dealership. He said he never heard anyone refer to their car that way. 
I said "it's made to serve me, not me to serve it". :thumbup:


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## Tortuga (Sep 22, 2014)

retiredsparktech said:


> I mentioned that my car is a "piece of equipment" to another car owner, that was waiting for service at a car dealership. He said he never heard anyone refer to their car that way.
> I said "it's made to serve me, not me to serve it". :thumbup:


I sold my last truck for that reason. I'd had it a long time, done a bunch of work to it and realized one day that it wasn't that practical, that I'd been hanging on to it for sentimental reasons. I sold it the next week and bought a truck I didn't care about, in the process putting three grand in my savings account due to the difference in values.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

retiredsparktech said:


> I mentioned that my car is a "piece of equipment" to another car owner, that was waiting for service at a car dealership. He said he never heard anyone refer to their car that way. I said "it's made to serve me, not me to serve it". :thumbup:


That's how I look at it.. I treat my tools right, give them oil and never use it beyond its design limits.. When I can't squeeze another mile out of it, I get a new one. I've had two pick ups and a soccer mom van over the years. I don't use them as work trucks but carry what ever I needed in them. 
Of course, my jeep is a little different, it gets mileage like a brick. But it's good on the back and I can sing during rush hour and no one can hear me.. 

Our work trucks get scheduled maintenance once a year. I don't get the mileage for anything more. But I keep it clean and organized. I hate digging for items thru a pile of junk.


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

Wirenuting said:


> But I keep it clean and organized. I hate digging for items thru a pile of junk.


That's how I like it too, unfortunately that's not how my boss keep his truck... I don't think digging is even strong enough of a word to describe the task of finding an item in the truck. I would call it climbing with a pitchfork into hoarding stack of tools, supplies and trash, trying to find that 3-way decora switch in less than 15 minutes. In my journeyman's work truck, you can either find it or see that we don't have any under 15 seconds. If is was my own truck, it would be even faster.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

David C said:


> That's how I like it too, unfortunately that's not how my boss keep his truck... I don't think digging is even strong enough of a word to describe the task of finding an item in the truck. I would call it climbing with a pitchfork into hoarding stack of tools, supplies and trash, trying to find that 3-way decora switch in less than 15 minutes. In my journeyman's work truck, you can either find it or see that we don't have any under 15 seconds. If is was my own truck, it would be even faster.


Man, an apprentice should clean that truck out! What does he expect the boss to do, clean it himself?:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

Switched said:


> Man, an apprentice should clean that truck out! What does he expect the boss to do, clean it himself?:laughing::laughing::laughing:


Before the holidays we went to a storage facility and I emptied the whole truck, sorted all the trash out and packed everything back in. Worked till 7pm on that one. Next week, the truck was even worst than before I cleaned it. If he wants to spend another $160 to have me clean the truck for 4 hours again, that's up to him. I'm just the apprentice


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

David C said:


> Before the holidays we went to a storage facility and I emptied the whole truck, sorted all the trash out and packed everything back in. Worked till 7pm on that one. Next week, the truck was even worst than before I cleaned it. If he wants to spend another $160 to have me clean the truck for 4 hours again, that's up to him. I'm just the apprentice


Yeah, it was kinda meant as a joke.


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## David C (May 19, 2015)

Switched said:


> Yeah, it was kinda meant as a joke.


I know.


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