njackson580

Finished up the LED swap. Dome light, map lights, trunk light, and transmission selector all swapped to LEDs now.

I'd post pics, but it's nothing that hasnt been seen before.

FWIW, an electronic flasher could even everything up. Autozone has them for about $10-$12 I believe.

What kind of switchbacks?

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/3157-switchback-led-bulb--dual-intensity-60-smd-led-tower,-a-type/1916/4478/

2015 has already been a hard year for my family. Daughter has had to have a couple hospital stays, including a major surgery (again). Long story short, my budget will be small for the sable this year.

So instead of doing a full projector HID setup like I originally wanted, I went with a less expensive route.

New Eagle Eye headlights, switchback LEDs from superbrightleds.com, and an eBay HID setup from Innovited, with Bixenon bulbs at 6000k. They were much higher rated than many other kits. With new headlights properly aligned, they are BRIGHT and completely controlled. No blinding other drivers.

HIDs, LEDs, and new headlights.:

These completely exceeded my expectations. As you can see, the corner amber lights now match the headlights in color, until I turn on a turn signal or hazards, and they blink amber.

Slowed the LEDs blink rate down.:

With the first setup I had, the flash rate was a little fast for my taste, so I rummaged the garage and changed it up until they blinked at a slower pace that I liked much better.

Hopefully I'll be able to do the fogs next month, and work on changing all the other bulbs out to LED in between. With the new headlights, it's very clear that puddle lamps and interior lamps are old and dated now.

Took my oldest to Monster Jam yesterday for her first time. It was a lot of fun.

But I felt I had to share this with Kevin:

You guys gotta go with air horns to get the real true locomotive horn sound where it fades out and you can hear it from miles away. Obviously not having an air supply on a car makes that difficult but that's the way to go. I love it when once in a while you get the hopped up Peterbilt on a construction site and the guy has a set of train horns, and they usually aren't afraid to use them.

They got me once this summer, I was walking along the curb while paving and right as I was walking past the dump truck the driver just let me have it, 6 horns set behind his fuel tank between the cab and box, the amount of air that they displaced was amazing.

My dad and my brother both are truck driver who at one point also had actual train horns on their trucks. 160+ dB. And they drain an air tank faster than you can say "Union pacific".

Couple times I went for a ride with my brother. Going through the Caldecott tunnel at 55mph with a belt driven compressor at 3 a.m. Meant the horns were blaring from end to end. Add the resonance of the tunnel, and it was deafening.

That.... Is one big pile of *parts*.

I put a remote starter into my car... What a royal pain in the ass it was...

Everything went smooth, except the bypass module. I went with the Bulldog Deluxe 500B, which found on ebay NIB for $49.

I had a Bulldog Remote starter in my Contour, then I moved it to my Taurus Wagon.

In the 05 Taurus I had a different brand that I did some weird stuff with and it all worked.

The Bulldog comes with an included bypass module, this module requires a key be left in the box. Thankfully, I have a ton of SecuriLock keys from junkyards, and I also had a blank/valet key from the dealer. They gave me a total of three. Programming the key took awhile since I can't just shove the spare PATS key in since it isn't cut for my car. That's the point, if someone ever finds and breaks the box open, it won't start my car. But the module itself, for whatever reason was being a royal pain. I google it, come to find out the instruction manual had the wrong pinouts. But after a ton of hours (Total about 4) I now can start my Sable up. No more suffering in cold weather with that horrid leather seats

What made you go with a key in box?

My RS bypass just programs like a key, with no key on board. Most of the ones I see nowadays are this style.

I know we've had our differences, but that sucks, man. Glad you're ok, and I'm sorry about the loss.

I love this car

And now it can start all on its own

Remote start is such a nice add on. I already deem it a necessity out here in CA on my vehicles. Viper RS/full alarm in my Sable, and an Omegalink factory integrated on my wife's escape, though I'm keeping an eye out for a good deal on a Viper system for that as well.

I can only imagine how nice it must be in those *actually* cold states you guys live in.

Found you a new sticker.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR9G6XO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ZXIBub0G7A0D8

I've got a friend that used to work for Google. He took me on a tour of the campus. It is HUGE. they actually leave bicycles around for people to ride from on building to another. They have everything you need there. Multiple restaurants, a huge gym, lap pool, showers, laundromat... The only thing they don't really have is a place to sleep overnight. There are nap pods, but no actual beds. Pretty awesome, really.

The Contour shall receive an unexpected facelift. Hit a deer on my way home this morning just before sunrise. I was traveling at the speed limit of 65mph where I'm typically flying through the curves at 85+mph. I had already dodged one deer about 10 minutes prior. It was inevitable really. We live within a high deer populated area and it's hunting season. I'm glad I hit the deer in the Contour versus the Mercedes due to the difference in repair costs.

I think I got off easy. Left headlamp is busted. Mounting tabs on the right headlamp are busted. Grille is busted (SVT specific). Lower grille is busted (SVT specific). The fog light was previously removed for brake cooling ducts. No damage to the carbon fiber hood, fender, bumper cover, or header panel. The lower grille will be difficult to find. No aftermarket replacements.

Those things are all over in my area. I can keep an eye on the junkyards. What exactly does it need to be? Years and such...

What is the difference between a regular and SHO wiper arm?

Why not just an aftermarket HID projector retrofit? Kits start around $300.

Junkyard score:

Passenger double visor and A- pillar plastics (clips were broken).

Also, I got tired of people asking, "you got a cord?"

Installed an Aux jack:

NO, I pull the web out and wax it. All my issues have been with the material not going in under the spring power.

-chart-

Awesome. I'll try that tonight.

Thanks Chart!

How hard of a project was that?

My maint on all mine are paste wax on them about every 2 months or so. Makes them work better and does no harm. Easy to do.

Very light coating with a clean rag.

-chart-

You mean take it apart and put the wax on the moving parts inside?

So after doing some work around both driver and passenger seatbelt retractors, the drivers has stopped retracting all the way. It stops about the last 6 or 8 inches. It will go back if I lightly feed it, but not on it's own. I looked at it and couldn't seem to find any type of adjustment. Is it toast? Does it need replacing?

Thats TWICE Brian.

You're awfully brave from behind a keyboard 6 states away.

While you're so busy getting hung up on vocabulary, intelligent folks are able to infer that tax dollars were used in order to save a publicly traded company.

I don't know what your problem with me is, but get bent.

Paintless Dent Repair Using a Heat Gun and a Can …:

Use a hair dryer or heat gun to warm the area to a point where its hot to touch, but before paint melts. Then, take a can of keyboard cleaner, turn it upside down, and spray the affected area. The difference in temperature will pull the metal out without ever actually touching it.

Something to think about:

When Ford, Chevy, and Dodge were in a financial bind, Ford was the only of the three to not take Obama's buyout program. This saved $30 billion American tax dollars. Due to this decision, they had to start over in order to appeal. Adding a euro style to their vehicles may possibly have saved them from bankruptcy. And no matter what you think of the cars, transmissions, and warranties, they've survived by their own means. Seeing as how Chevy took the biggest chunk of the buyout, and has since had over 30 million recalls, I'd say Ford must be doing something right.

And for the record, I love the new stylings.

New grill for the sub. Old style, so it's cast aluminum, not plastic.