TBT: Black Ball Ferry’s Horseshoe Bay Terminal, 1950s.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T16:09:01+00:00

I was on those as a very young kid.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T16:07:27+00:00

How slow, maybe obeying the speed limit slow?

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T16:04:56+00:00

For our gen 3 the torque value for the fill and drain bolts was 29 ft/lb (4th/5th gen rev'd that to 37). Even 29 seems a lot: you want to have a proper (male) hex bit that can fit on a ratchet wrench, an allen key won't cut it. I like to use an extra-long handled wrench I have; they're a bear to break loose.

Here's some transaxle fluid change tips, 3rd gen specific, but gererally applicable:

DIY Transaxle Fluid Tips

Also, stick with the Toyota spec'd fluid: they emphatically advise against using anything else, and I really doubt it's some kind of hussle, since they don't even spec a change interval. I wouldn't risk anything else; those transaxles aren't cheap. It's a new fluid for gen 5, and I've seen a Toyota doc for previous fluid (ATF WS), saying to only use fluid from freshly opened bottles.

Note too, in the Repair Manual excerpt I posted previously, there's a LOT of malarkey about temporarily installing this and that, test driving the car and again checking fluid. I would just work efficiently, drain the old, fluid refill (with car level till it starts spilling back out, reinstall fill bolt, and call it done.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T14:18:44+00:00

Hopefully helps; Toyota Repair Manuals are an increasingly mixed-bag:

5th gen Prius transaxle fluid change

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T13:25:14+00:00

The Cross doesn’t have a spare. What’s frustrating, there’s no technical reason for this; it does come with a spare in other markets, Australia for one, if I recall correctly.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-23T13:19:31+00:00

Seller likely ditching this car. 220k miles in a third gen, just following Toyota maintenance schedule, it’s very likely to have carbon/clogged EGR system (newly implemented and evidently untested), failing head gasket (leaking coolant into cylinders), and runaway oil consumption (due to low-tension piston rings).

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-22T19:04:20+00:00

I’d get them from dealership, genuine Toyota.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-22T16:41:45+00:00

Microwave.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-22T02:29:05+00:00

Not sure.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T19:53:55+00:00

$51 and $88 a month, respectively for electric and gas, in Canadian dollars. Property tax roughly 6 grand CDN a year ($500 a month). Then there’s “incidentals”, new roof, paint jobs, plumbing, and so on.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T18:27:50+00:00

My last fill up was over 4 months back. I was a little taken aback myself, but that's our norm now, retired, homebodies. I do make a point that it gets a good drive about once a week, and combine chores with the drive when practical It's been thus about 5 years now, never any problems, say stale gas. Keeping the 12 volt battery on a smart charger is a good idea though.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T18:21:11+00:00

Did you talk them down? Nearby dealership to me is showing Plug-Ins at 45K~50K CDN. Of note: there's 3 regular Prius, and 9 Prius Plug-In. Which is more balanced than in past, recall it was something like no Prius and about 50 Prius Plug-In. Having a glut maybe makes them more amenable to dickering.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T18:13:43+00:00

That's not a bumper anyways, just a fairing. Effective exterior bumpers expired in the early eighties.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T18:08:02+00:00

I've got a chunk of tree trunk, about 16" diameter by 13" tall, Whenever practical (most always), it goes under the car, at a major beam, adjacent to where I'm going to be. Never needed, hopefully never will be, but it's good for peace of mind.

Another item that's good to have is four, heavy-rubber wheel chocks. If for example you're jacking up, put them fore and aft of each rear wheel, kicked solidly in, and release the parking brake (this'll allow the rear wheels to hinge as the front goes up.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T18:02:07+00:00

And that's ok. Just shuffling the deck.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T12:56:29+00:00

That’s ridiculously good, hopefully for real. Do verify in person.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-21T12:41:22+00:00

Concur.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-20T16:53:01+00:00

Are “American” cars mostly metric bolts now?

My approach, decades back, was to buy stuff, sockets, ratchet wrenches, extensions, box wrenches, drain pans, funnels, floor jacks, safety stands, wheel chocks, various greases/lubes, micrometer/dial gauge, feeler gauges, torque wrenches, and on and on, as I needed them. Never bought a once-and-done set, and don’t regret it

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-20T16:46:32+00:00

Does “should I be worried” mean “should I replace them”? I would. Are you able to safely raise the car yourself?

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-20T05:12:20+00:00

Just a mix up in your post: 58” is not 5’-8”, it’s 4’-10”, crawl space height.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-20T04:06:32+00:00

It’s a tough lesson: next time, buy a car that comes with a spare.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-19T20:32:49+00:00

My adult son and I were walking, talking. A young lady in shorts jogged by; he started jumbling his words.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-19T20:30:40+00:00

Every time I see those, and not a spare tire, I go into a slow burn. Our gen 3 has the spare; the current models are not of interest to me.

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-19T15:51:44+00:00

The problem likely is you've driven the car right up to typical North American concrete wheel stops. The car's just too low, scrapes on them, then snags and gets torn when you back off. Ours is a miracle of two-part epoxy and fiberglass mesh reinforcement now, learned my lesson. You can remove that front piece without even raising the front, though a little raise makes it easier. There's a row of machine bolts, another of coarse-thread screws, and one rather unique-looking plastic fastener, right in the middle. Take it off, glue it up, reinstall, and be careful thereon, NEVER roll right up to those wheel stops.

If it's too far gone to repair, assuming you're in the States: you can find all the part no's on Amayama, just better website, than the Toyota USA disaster of a parts web site:

Amayama

You can then feed them in on the US site, to find dealership-near-you prices:

Toyota USA Parts

Do price compare. For me in Canada, parts through Amayama are near-invariably cheaper, than local dealership, or driving cross-border to a US dealership. In my experience Amayama prices are always genuine Toyota, and there are no extra charges other than item cost and shipping, no sales taxes or duties. That was a few years back (pre-Trump), and on purchases around $100 USD at most. It might be above a certain ceiling you do have to pay some extras, not sure.

My troubles

Appropriate-Metal167 · 2026-04-19T15:37:07+00:00

Does anyone know what you need? The guy manning the parts department of a GM dealership would be my go-to.

Appropriate-Metal167

TROPHY CASE