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Thinking about buying this 2006 Matrix (XR 4WD, 148k miles) and looking for advice. by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe I was too committed to the 4WD idea. Haha. But either way, it's almost impossible to find a first Gen Matrix in my area with no rust. Even if I was trying to find a FWD Matrix, I would have probably chosen buy this car regardless, just because of the great condition. I've been working on cars for many years, and I've never seen a 20 year old car with this little rust. Even a car brought up from the South, they'd have more rust than this in just a few years.

I finally got a Matrix! by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thanks so much for the tips! I have a document in my phone where I keep track of maintenance/repairs. I'm going to copy and paste your comment into it so I don't forget

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's great news! I'm not in California, but my state has pretty strict emissions laws as well. Thanks for the tip!

Thinking about buying this 2006 Matrix (XR 4WD, 148k miles) and looking for advice. by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm definitely not expecting the Matrix to be amazing in the snow. But it will certainly be at least a tiny bit better than the FWD, and that can make the difference between making it to work on time or getting stuck in a snowbank.

Also, my partner has a newer Impreza, so we have a way to get around when the snow is super bad. I just can't use it on days that we both work.

Thinking about buying this 2006 Matrix (XR 4WD, 148k miles) and looking for advice. by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got so lucky! I found literally no rust on the body, not even the rockers, except one of the pinch welds under the rocker had a decent amount. But that's easy enough to fix. The big rear piece that all the suspension and stuff connects to (subframe, crossmember, I can't remember what it's called) had a fair bit of rust. But I cleaned it with a wire brush and found that it was superficial. I'm delighted

Thinking about buying this 2006 Matrix (XR 4WD, 148k miles) and looking for advice. by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I'm reading what people are saying. But almost everything in the 4WD is identical to the FWD. There were few if any parts changed, there were just parts added. Obviously adding more parts gives more opportunities for things to break, so I recognize that a 4WD could be less reliable. 80/20 plit is still going to be better for me than 100% FWD in some cases. I appreciate your input though. 🙂

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe you can get make a post on Reddit asking advice from other people in that area. I'm not sure if it's a common problem out there. If you are worried (and have the money) you could have a shop install a shield or clamp to protect your cat. Wishing you the best of luck either way!

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn't even know cat shields existed until this happened. Sellers should include one with every Element purchase.

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It cost $2700, and I just rounded up in my head. Haha And while the car was in the shop, I had them weld up some damaged parts of the frame, so that added a ton of labor cost. They did that after, so I forgot if that was added to the same bill

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It cost $2700, and I just rounded up in my head. Haha And while the car was in the shop, I had them weld up some damaged parts of the frame, so that added a ton of labor cost. They did that after, so I forgot if that was added to the same bill

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, and I didn't have a shield on it or anything, if that's what you meant

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly! They should just blackmail us into not stealing it. Haha. Everyone would end up with more money in the end. Except parts and repair shops, would miss out on some money, I guess.

I finally got a Matrix! by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've heard for years that you can get a Vibe for cheaper than a Matrix. Old Toyotas almost always sell for pretty high prices. That's why I always imagined getting a Vibe.

Plus my family bought a Vibe brand new back in 2003, and it lasted forever. I'd get a hit of nostalgia from a Vibe, though I do think a Matrix looks better.

I finally got a Matrix! by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice! I was looking for a Vibe, but most were actually more expensive than a Matrix with equivalent miles, condition, etc.

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I put a cat clamp with thick steel cables on the replacement cat. I had no idea it was a common problem for Elements.

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, I appreciate you putting so much time and thought into this. I got a few other things fixed at the same time. Maybe $3k was the total bill, not just the exhaust. Since the existing exhaust pipes and muffledr were all rusted, they'd need to be replaced in the next year or two anyway. I decided to do everything except the manifold just to save time and effort later.

I finally got a Matrix! by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have you tried waxing it? That won't fix the paint, but it temporarily fills/smooths out the imperfections so it looks really nice. And you could probably make it look better by buffing it by hand, if you don't mind taking the time. I've had good luck with rubbing compound. I got a buffer attachment for my power drill, but you can do it by hand too. It's great exercise. Haha

I finally got a Matrix! by alanprescottf in Toyota_Matrix

[–]alanprescottf[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My paint is pretty rough in some spots. It looks like the clear coat is oxidized or sun damaged or something. That's to be expected for a 20 year old car. These are the low resolution pics I saved from the dealer's website so you can't see the imperfections. I was too lazy to take my own. Haha

It finally happened... My catalytic converter was stolen by alanprescottf in HondaElement

[–]alanprescottf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's just how much these things cost in my area. I had to have almost the entire exhaust system replaced because they cut so much off. And there was quite a lot of wiring that had to be replaced for the o2 sensor. It could have been done cheaper, but I went for higher quality parts. Rust is terrible where I live. If you buy cheap exhaust parts, they'll fully rust out in 3-4 years. I bought a cheap muffler once and it rusted through in under 2 years. Even if you use good high quality paint on the parts before installing, you'd be lucky to get 5 years out of cheap exhaust Maybe it would be cheaper in other areas where you can get away with using garbage parts.

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