A new car wash opened in Sacramento and they were giving away a “free”, “Deluxe Wash”. I recently spent hundreds of dollars on car wash supplies so I wouldn’t have to go to the car wash but greed and laziness got the better of me. I figured it wouldn’t be much more than a rinse but maybe it would take care of a week’s worth of dirt. What could go wrong?
I was pleasantly surprised to see an even 249 on the odometer that morning. That good mood sure didn’t last long.
I forgot my new stereo doesn’t lower the antenna when I’m using BT or listening to CDs. Completely my fault.
I suppose going through the car wash when the adhesive was of an unknown age could be my fault as well.
So I bought a replacement antenna mast and a new set of AVS VentShades.
In my haste, I cut the white cord that moves the antenna. I didn’t want it stressing the motor when it tried to retract the broken antenna. What I should have done was remove the nut, shut off the engine and quickly turn the key back on so I could simple pull the entire white cord out as it was trying to extend the antenna. Because of this I had to pull the antenna motor to remove the leftover cord. 10 minutes in and out but still…
I used some fishing line to slide behind the old VentShades and pull them from the adhesive. I bought an eraser wheel for the drill to remove all the old adhesive. A little more cleanup and a quick wash later, the new VentShades went on with ease and looked great.
So the “free” car wash cost me an antenna, a set of VentShades, and an expensive switch that I’ll wire up when it arrives to give me control over the antenna ( plus a roll of 18g wire and an assortment of connectors ). All told, $135.
Tundra Brake Upgrade
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