If it weren't for the bungee cords, it would be dragging on the ground. It seems fairly non-essential, so my plan is to just remove it entirely for the time. But do I need to replace it? Since it's just plastic held on with hex nuts, I figure I could replace it myself rather than paying whatever absurb cost a repair shop would charge. I've browsed a couple of car parts websites, but I can't figure out what this thing is called.
Give me your ideas, oh wise ones.
6 comments:
I think that plastic thing is standard on Toyotas. Our very old (late 80s?) Toyota a couple of cars back had the same problem. I noticed the plastic thing on the bottom was dragging on the ground, but was also sort of bolted to the car. So I ended up just cutting bits of it off until it didn't touch the ground any more. Then again, you have a nice new car, not an old crappy car... somehow doing that seems less appropriate.
Eh, it's not so nice and new. In fact, this is not the first part of my car to fall off in recent history. The entire front bumper piece detached itself from the rest of the vehicle a couple of months ago, apparently because it was held in place largely by plastic parts that couldn't hold up to the many angular driveways the rather low Echo scraped upon.
The mechanics ended up charging me $80 to reattach it with - get this - zip ties. I didn't find that to be a great value, though it does seem to have worked. Anywho, while I may not cut off the plastic thingy, I think a few minutes of effort should get the damn thing unscrewed and off my car.
But really, why would I detach it and end the classy bungee cord 'X' look I've got going on now?
Yeah, I think you could have done the zip-tie thing yourself.
I used to drive a really crappy old Audi, and I found that a junk yar is a great resource for randome stuff like this--you can just go in and say to the guys "Hey, I need this thingie" and they'll point you to a car that has one. You have to take it off the car yourself, but the guys will sometimes help--if it's a piece like this is sounds like it would be pretty easy to do yourself.
Yes, that zip-tie thing sounds like shameless cozenage to me. I like the bungees though. You could also carry things on the front of your car, like rolled-up newspapers and packs of cling-wrap.
oh, and groceries! it will be like i'm biking, except still burning fossil fuels!
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