Hit 400k a few days ago.

Unfortunately, I've been hit 3 times in the last 2 months. None my fault. My dashcam proved it all 3 times (2 hit and runs, all 3 lied). My car has been in the shop for a long time so far, almost a month and a half. The reason I'm bringing this up is that as I rack up miles, my car's value goes down. If one day I get hit badly enough, the damage may cost more than 70% of my car's value, therefore causing the insurance company to just declare my car a total loss and just pay me the value. If this happens, I may just end up buying another car. And it won't be a used CT. It'll probably be a 2019 PHEV Crosstrek or Forester, which means I won't be on the forums much after that.

I'm hoping this won't happen and I will keep going with my CT for a long time to come, just to see if I can get to a million miles. Would be fun to see.

Small mechanical update: after my head gasket repair, I noticed a weird vibration that sounds almost identical to when the engine vibrates when it was misfiring (as many of you have experience, especially chargerfan!). After driving the car around for a while in a parking lot with my mechanic using his microphones to narrow down and pin point the location of the sound, we found that it seems to be coming from the transmission.

Since we didn't touch the transmission on any repair, and the fact that the vibration happens almost at the engagement point where the engine starts up and takes over from the electric motor, he feels this is most likely one of the springs in one of those "clutch plate" looking discs that have 4 metal springs to absorb vibrations. This spring(s) may have worn to the point where it is loose or broken or something that causes it to stop absorbing vibrations.

You can see the spring in first shot of this video on YouTube:

 

wow 400k? what year is your CT?

 

2014. You can see it on my signature banner.

 

i dont know how i missed that ahah. Those are some crazy miles for a 4 year old car, hows the battery holding up? I've considered getting a CT for daily commute.

 

 

 

Yea, the CT is a great daily commuter if you don't mind the firm ride.

The battery is still working well. Charges all the way, no errors or faults. Should last quite a few more years.

Yea, terrible luck but partly because I stand my ground on the road. We have a lot of people here who play chicken with you, and expecting the other person to swerve out of the way or slam the brakes.

First two wrecks were not bad, both hit the same spot, dented my front passenger fender and scuffed my bumper, and 3 of my wheels. Got a new fender, 1 repaired wheel, and 2 new wheels out of it. Also had most of my protective film replaced (which replaced film that had gotten cut here and there from debris).

Third one took out the same fender, and both doors on that side. This time they can repair the fender, but I'm getting a whole front passenger door as a replacement, and the outer skin of the rear passenger door is being replaced. The center pillar will be repaired as the damage reaches all the way to it.

It's kind of funny, each time I get a wreck, I get parts of my car replaced, which were worn from scratches and dings that I got from driving so much. My car is getting newer and newer in a sense, and the other party pays for it all. Glad I have a dashcam!

 

 

Nope, just the head gasket. It was done the last day of February at 375,249 miles.

 

Congratulations on hitting 400K miles! I always enjoy seeing how far you can go with your CT.

I currently have over 263K miles and I'm getting a CEL P0117 regarding the coolant temperature sensor. I might have to change it. I'll take a look at it tomorrow.

I forward to see you hitting 500K miles!

 

Sweet--just saw your HG thread.. damn $5400 is a LOT for a HG. Like a LOT a LOT. Could've gotten a whole used Gen3 prius engine w/ low miles for about $350-$500 (in some cases i've even seen them FREE) and had any old shop (not yours) pop it in for $1,000. Now you have an OLD engine w/new HG when you could've gotten a whole used engine (with about 40k miles or so) for a tiny fraction of the price.

Just from experience and knowledge, your mechanic is WAY WAY WAAAAY overcharging you.

Glad to see you back on the road though. i've always enjoyed your journey!

 

Just to give you an idea how plentiful and DIRT cheap a used engine is: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-Toyota...AAAOSw24RbJPDF

 

Keep in mind that the $5,400 included a whole bunch of things not directly related or at all related to the head gasket.

I believe the cost just for the head gasket job would have been around $3k or so, maybe less.

I'm not sure a used Prius engine would slot right in. I also don't know how the engine was maintained if I did that, it might cost me more in the long run. Half of the cost of repairs was an investment into the future running of this engine. I'd like to see just how far it will take me.

 

This is actually the wrong engine. The 1.5 is from the Prius C. The CT uses the 1.8 2ZR-FXE engine. A quick look on eBay shows 3 for sale at $1,000 to $1,300. With labor, it's the same as a had gasket job. I replaced a bunch of things to keep the engine going long-term. When it's done, I'll probably get a used one.

Also, I'm not sure one of these from a Prius will fit perfectly as I mentioned in my previous reply. I might have to get one right out of a CT.

 

Congratulations on 400K, would be fascinating to see it go 400K more after your repairs/investments!