I called Seattle Powder Coat and talked to Sharon.
She said that sandblasting the frame (and fork) and powder coating them would cost between 125-165 dollars, not including taxes, with the variation being if the frame was previously painted (lower cost, blasting) or powder coated (higher cost needing a chemical strip as part of the process).

Having the finish removed only would be $40 for blasting, and $65 if they had to remove a powder coat finish. Certainly an easier step than renting equipment and going through the hassle yourself. Seems like it might be worth considering.

She says they do a lot of bicycle frames. You could always ask for some satisfied customer reports or bike shops they have dealt with for references.

Any errors in the above should be blamed on my reporting accurately what I was told and not the actual information I got from Sharon.

http://www.seattlepowdercoat.com/

Seattle Powder Coat
4025 Leary Way NW
Seattle, WA 98107
ph: (206) 297-1029

info@seattlepowdercoat.com

Bike Works Annual Warehouse Sale
January 29th, 12-4pm
3709 S. Ferdinand St.
Just east of Rainier in Colombia City
Bring cash.
I haven't been to the sale, but I've seen the warehouse and it is chock full of used bikes and salvaged bike parts.

You probably already know this but there is not a single standard width for bike chain, it is wider for rear cogs with less gears and narrower for more gears. Make sure what you get is all the same width or it probably won't work. Bike chains (of the same width) can be linked together using a simple, cheap chain breaker tool, you can probably get that at BikeWorks too. I got mine at 20/20 Cycle and the nice guy there showed me how to use it.

As far as grease...I can't imagine a chain lasting very long without lube, but you can clean it well and put a light coat of fresh lube on it; I find when I do this my bike leaves no chain dirt on my pants for at least a couple of weeks.

Congrats to your Hubby on his new job, reduced commute, and resolve to join the dashing, intrepid, healthy, eco-conscious, and yes, occasionally smug ranks of Seattle cyclists. I have been commuting to work exclusively by bicycle starting this past summer and have been dealing with the question of what bike is right for me and where do I get it from since then.

One thing I have discovered, both through experience and an obsessive reading of bike blogs, is that people often buy a bike and then figure out that it’s not quite right for them, therefore, buying a used bike is a good idea even if saving money isn’t a primary consideration. Basically, you buy a used bike that should be right for you, you ride it a while, you figure out where it doesn’t work for you after a couple of months riding, and you make a much more informed decision when you go to buy the perfect bike .

Craigslist is full of good deals; it is also full of people who don’t know how to measure their bike, or how to properly describe it, so what you save in money you can often lose in time and just general fussing. A store that sells used bikes on consignment is often a good idea, though I would question the motivations of any used bike store that has more new bikes than used, or that devotes as much floor space to spandex clothing as they do to their spare parts section. Certain bike shops in town seem to have a condescending attitude towards anyone who has a pussy, luckily this should not be a problem for your husband. Bikeworks is a non-profit in Columbia City that sells refurbished donated bikes, I 110% support their mission but unfortunately haven’t been able to find the “just right bike” there (but my needs are very specific at this point.)

An important consideration is fit, here is a chart http://bicycling.about.com/od/howtoride/a/bike_sizing.htm
You will note that inseam is a key measurement, as leg length can vary greatly among individuals of the same height. Here is an article about bike fit with good instructions for measuring inseam (they call it PBH or Pubic Bone Height) somewhere about the middle of the page. http://www.rivbike.com/Articles.asp?ID=247. I have a long torso for my height and I have found the bigger bikes keep me from having that “my knees will bump into my chin” sensation. Here is a good video on basic bike sizing, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6pUGA1mtTo. I have found bikes designed to be touring bikes tend to have a long wheelbase and long rear stays which leaves a lot of room in back so your heels don’t bump into your panniers, which drives me nuts.

As far as equipment: I have read that two front white lights are safer than one because it allows the viewer better comparative information on the bike’s speed and direction; a rear red light is required by law after dark but I put one on each pannier, too, to indicate the width of the whole package when riding at night; he will NEED fenders unless he just loves getting wet; for 2 1/2 miles no special clothing should be necessary, although jeans get uncomfortable because of the mega-seam at the crotch; any old breathable waterproof jacket is good enough, many people favor the safety colors; he will need a rack for panniers, which are more useful and flexible than baskets. Ortlieb Back Rollers are the king of panniers, waterproof, adjustable sized, adjustable connections, durable and they tend to stay upright, which is great when you are loading them. Pricey, though.

Some good local bike blogs: Seattle Bike Blog http://seattlebikeblog.com/ Kent’s Bike Blog
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/ Velo Bus Driver
http://velobusdriver.com/And of course, if you ride in this town, sooner or later you will need something Cascade Bicycle Club offers, they have all sorts of classes and all sorts of rides.
http://www.cbcef.org/classes-bike.html

Totally fine. Most 73 fords are be burning that much oil anyway wether you put in the tank or not. Your valves may even like it as it's probably been a while since they saw the softening affect of the lead that was once in gasoline.

Is it this one? http://www.amazon.com/Dave-Matthews-Band-Dancer-Stickers/dp/B001QTMEP8

Looks like it has something to do with the Dave Matthews Band. I found a few discussions about what it's supposed to mean; there doesn't seem to be a consensus. It started as a doodle drawn by Dave.

People seem to be referring to it as the "fire dancer."

Yup. And the day after also (Monday, December 26, 2011).

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/holiday-service.html

Try Pull-A-Part in Lynnwood. We just got 295.00 for a Honda Civic and 250.00 for an old Volvo. I think it recently changed its name, but the number is the same.

Your clutch may need some adjustment, which is normal over the life of unit and as the clutch wears over time. Be sure to check the fluid reservoir of your clutch master cylinder under the hood to be sure you are in the optimal level range. Check your owner's manual for the details.

There is no 'normal' on clutch wear, but I had to laugh about needing a clutch replacement. I am approaching 20 years and 200,000 miles on my Toyota and am still on the original clutch. Still, if it has been driven hard or abused I suppose that might be true, but needing an adjustment is more likely.

You won't "burn out" your hand/parking brake using it on a hill to start without slipping backwards. The parking brake just manually actuates your rear brakes and if you have any problem it is probably just needing a cable adjustment. If the brake is "burned out" then you have major problems with your brakes to begin with. Your brakes are under way more wear during normal usage, not when you are using them to help to arrest backward motion at slow speed in hill starts. Use away, just remember to fully release it when you finally do get going.

Driving a manual transmission will become a natural process with some more experience. You will probably come to realize that you have much more control of the vehicle than using an automatic transmission, like many of us. However with the steep hills and soon to come inclement weather likely, you are right to get more experience and learn how best to deal with those hill situations.

I would be happy to meet with you and give you some in-person instruction on your practice hill or elsewhere, if you wanted. You can reach me through the society phone number on the 'contact us' page (http://www.nwexoticbirdsociety.org/).

The best thing would be to take a day when you have a lot of extra time to get to/from work/school/important daily thing and experiment with back roads. You never know when you need a plan B, C, D or E to get to where you want to go. A lot of Seattle neighborhoods weren't built for the population size we have now, so smaller neighborhood streets can be overrun during the commute. Have backup plans, plural.

I check http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/ before I leave work, since I work in Bothell and live in the U District. The updates are usually in real time, so it can help to know that you can fly across an uncrowded bridge that day or not. (The most awesome days are when you realize that there are accidents on I-5, 405, 520, and I-90, and that there's a Sounders game. I work late on those days.)

Oh, and put your phone away. Too many people are shitty enough drivers without that giant distraction added to the mix.

Specific tips include:

1) The Cat's Whiskers shortcut that Sacrelicious mentioned is rad - I take it to work every day up to 228th. However, you will be driving through Brier, a speed trap masquerading as a neighborhood. Drive the speed limit or face nitpicky ticketing.

2)At the juncture of Ravenna Ave NE and Lake City Way, going northbound, there is no stop sign. I repeat, there is no stop sign. And yet, 50% of the time, people slam on the brakes as they approach LCW in fear that they are merging directly into oncoming traffic DESPITE THE BRAND NEW THIRD LANE THAT HAS SPRUNG FORTH JUST FOR THEM THAT NO ONE IS DRIVING IN. We need some universally accepted antithesis-of-a-stop-sign (a "go" sign that's not a light?) that beckons people forward and discourages pointless brake-riding.

3)Try not to drive in the U District on Husky game days. Stay on foot, stay home, or leave town. Traffic control for football games is the biggest pain in the ass. Warning signs go up in affected areas a few days prior to game time. Pay attention to those signs, and plan your vacations accordingly.

4) If there's a backup on 25th Ave NE during commute times, go east toward the Lake and snake through those streets to get where you were headed. If you go west, almost all of those Ravenna streets end at Ravenna Park, and there are few outlets if you get stuck there. Go through Wedgwood/View Ridge/Bryant instead.

No, you should not avoid buying a Subaru.

You should buy a Subaru because they are AWESOME. I love my Subaru. I've got 169,000 miles on my 99 Outback and it's still running like a champ.

I had to do the head gaskets a while back. I had a catastrophic failure climbing up Ryegrass Summit three years ago on the way home from the Apple Cup (thank God for AAA). Got it towed back to my mechanic in the Seattle area and it wasn't a huge deal. I don't remember what the price was, but it wasn't astronomical. I think it was in the middle to high 3 figures.

This summer I blew another gasket in Skagit County, can't remember precisely which one, but the bill WITH a new timing chain that we decided to do simultaneously was $300 and change.

I've owned this car since it had 140k on it, and it was my brother's for the preceeding 50k. Those are the two gasket incidents the vehicle has endured in the approximately 90,000 miles it's been in my family. That's not enough to discourage me.

Also, if you are able to run thicker oil, you can stave off gasket problems. I run 10w40 when I can (some shops don't stock it, and I don't always have the time to change it myself). If you are able to run thick oil in an old Subaru, you'll be better off, however that may be a luxury unavailable to you in Colorado cold weather.

Also, bear in mind that whether or not a car comes from an area where roads are salted will have a great deal to do with it's longevity as a viable used car for you. I'm no expert, but I'd venture to guess they probably salt the roads in Colorado. If you can buy a Subaru that came from Seattle or Los Angeles you'll be better off.

In short, I'd say the Suby is light and nimble, it never gets stuck in the snow, I haven't used my tire chains EVER and it even does ok pulling a small boat. Yes, I've had some gasket issues, but all cars have their foibles. My current Suby is running strong at 169k and my previous '93 Legacy ran to 245k before the engine crapped out.

For what it's worth, my last Ford Explorer ran to 118k when the transmission crapped out. I spent $2500 to drop a new tranny in that beast, and the engine quit 7,000 miles later. I swore I'd never deal with that kind of bullshit again, and switched to Subaru.

I couldn't be happier with my 99 Outback. You should buy a Subaru.

There are multiple good ways. Cascade Bicycle Club does it (in reverse) every year:

http://shop.cascade.org/content/events/rsvp-details

I think their 2nd day route (Bellingham to Vancouver) is a bit too long and convoluted, probably because they head way east to avoid overwhelming the border crossings near I-5 and the western, more heavily-used Fraser River crossings. But their route from Seattle to Bellingham is solid.

Between Bellingham and Vancouver, I'd just buy a Vancouver area bike route map and make it up as you go along (note: Vancouver area bike route maps cost money and are what you want; Vancouver city bike maps are free and don't get you to the border). Avoid heading south into Richmond, but any Fraser River crossing east of that is fine, and the route to the border should be easy to pick out from there). Use the Whatcom County bike map to get to Bellingham (https://www.whatcomsmarttrips.org/pdf/CountyBikeMap.pdf) then take the RSVP route from there.

The ferry to Victoria/Olympic Peninsula route is more scenic, but much longer. I'd avoid it in favor of the land route, which is plenty scenic, particularly on Chuckanut Drive. If you were riding south from Seattle, I might advise the ferry route, as it's hard to avoid I-5 otherwise, but between Vancouver and Seattle it's easy to stay off I-5 and still see some nice backroads.

Incidentally, riding Interstate highways in Washington State *is* legal, outside large metropolitan areas (and even legal then if there is no viable alternative route, like near Ft. Lewis). So you could take I-5 much of the way (I don't know if Bellingham or Everett count as metropolitan areas). Just FYI; don't do this, as the backroads are much nicer.

This article in the Seattle PI in October, 2010 explaining the new service being instituted said that "The port hopes the service can at least break even by the end of 2011."

The daily weekday runs appear to hold the best hope for a ridership level that makes it financially feasible. Weekend runs apparently would be too much of a financial burden. This is the second recent attempt at someone trying to develop a successful service like this since an nine month experiment in 2005-2006 failed (Aqua Express, which ran weekday only service also). After that, in 2008, there was still hope for a viable foot traffic ferry. This article from then explains some of the costs, ridership and financial constraints of developing a new service.

The main thing I can think of is that bamboo is a monocot, and therefore splits very easily. A head-on crash or sudden stop...anything that puts direct pressure on the front or back of the bike...might crack those spars right in half.

On the other hand, they might be equally easy to repair or replace. Cheaply, anyway.

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parking/parkingtow.htm

did you know that recycled cycles has a whole shop fulla nice boys and girls waiting to help? you're probably not going to buy anything. that's okay. just go in when they're not busy - weekday mornings or midday - and bring a six pack or a pint of ice cream. there's a tip jar if you forget to bring a treat. a ten spot will get you tons of attention, and those folks know what they're doing.

We can institute something called neighborhood greenways, which they have in Portland and provides alternative paths all over the city for pedestrians & cyclists with minimal gas traffic. Seattle seems pre-equipped for this, since nearly every neighborhood block has an alley up the middle of some kind or another.

From my experience there's two ways you can go on this depending on your finances-

Old japanese, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, pre 1994. With about $1000+/-$500 and a lot of looking you can find a decent car that you're going to drive into the ground. Seriously though you're going to have to put some time into it to find a good one. It helps to have an 'Ideal' car. i.e; sedan, wagon, hatchback 4wd, 2wd, automtic, manual, makes, models. Close your eyes and imagine yourself driving, OK? So what were you driving? Look for that relentlessly, scour craigslist, cars.com, etc. It helps to have a patient friend who knows cars and/or isn't afraid to tell you that something you're excited about sucks. It also helps if they can drive you to meet sellers for test drives. Most of these cars if they're well maintained (mostly just a regular oil change) will go to about 300,000 miles, so keep that in mind as a cost/use function. DO NOT BUY THE FIRST ONE YOU LOOK AT!!! DO NOT SETTLE!!! To go this route right you must at least vaguely know what you want and spend enough time looking so that you have a good idea of what a good price for it is. Keep enough cash on hand (and bring about $200 to each meeting/test drive for a deposit) so that you can pounce when you find it.

If you're looking to spend $3000-6000ish I would recommend either a volkswagon or a hyundai in the 1999-2005ish range. Volkswagons have a better resale value and they are undoubtably "cooler" but they are known for electrical problems. Hyundais are less expensive comparing price to year and mileage, more reliable, and they get considerably better gas mileage but they are supposedly less comfortable and don't handle as well, and they have a lower resale value, and they're not as cool.

Don't bother spending $2000-4000 on a 1994-2000ish car, you're probably buying someone's crap that they didn't take care of, and in general that was a bad time for cars, foreign and domestic. You'll end up spending about $1000 on repairs in just the first year of having it

First figure out what you want, then figure out what a fair price is, and then take your time finding it.

Here's my condensed bike maintenance checklist. This is by no means comprehensive, but I'll try to give you a rough idea.

1. Drive train
First the simple stuff. Lube the chain regularly. (Like, every few days if you ride daily.) Turn the bike upside-down and oil the whole chain, then shift through all the gears so they get oiled too. Then take a rag and wipe excess oil off the outside of the chain by holding the rag on the chain while turning the crank. You want oil in the rivets in the chain; the stuff on the outside does nothing but attract dust.
Every so often, take your chain off, clean with solvent, dry, and then put back on and re-lube. This is simple and totally worth learning to do yourself. You will need a chain breaker, which you can find at your local bike co-op, or you can buy your own for <$10. While you have the chain off, you can clean the crud off your gears and rear derailleur (the thing that moves the chain from gear to gear) with a stiff brush or rag. Old socks are good for running between the gears. Ideally, if you're riding daily, this should be done every one to two weeks (note: in reality, I'm too lazy to do it that often, as are most bike commuters I know, but I'm talking theory here).
Cleaning your drive train regularly will probably solve some of the shifting issues, plus, the more often you clean it, the slower your gears will wear down - the oily, pasty crud that forms on gears acts like sandpaper and wears your gears down faster.

2. Shifters/derailleurs
Check the tension on your derailleur (shifter) cables, and check that you can shift through all the gears. There are a lot of potential reasons why your bike might not be shifting smoothly, too many to really get into here. I can virtually guarantee, though, that if you haven't maintained your bike in a while, your shifter cables need to be tightened, as they stretch out over time. Tightening the shifter cables requires only a wrench and a pair of pliers, and you can easily learn to do it yourself.

3. Brakes
Check the tension on your brakes regularly. The brake cables also tend to stretch out over time, making braking less efficient. Make sure you can stop quickly. You should be able to brake with full force without the brake levers touching the handlebars. Make sure your brake pads are aligned with the wheel rims (when you brake, they should be in full contact with the wheel rim, not hanging over the edge, or touching the tire). Make sure the brake pads don't rub on your wheels when you ride. Check your brake pads for wear, and debris. Brake pads need to be replaced once in a while, just like on a car.

4. Wheels
Check that wheels are in true. Turn the bike upside down and spin the wheels. Do an eyeball check - are there any obvious wobbles? (You might also be able to see these wobbles while you're riding.) Are there any spots where the wheel rubs on the brake pads? Feel the spoke tension by grabbing the spokes, two neighboring spokes at a time, and squeezing them together. Are any of them noticeably loose? If you notice any of the above things, your wheels need truing. (Another complicated topic that I won't get into here, but your friendly mechanic or bike co-op staff can help you.)

5. The bearings inside your wheel hubs, headset (where the handlebars attach to the frame) and bottom bracket (where the pedals turn) need to be taken out, cleaned, and re-packed every so often. I've heard a lot of different opinions on how often this should be done, but I'd say minimum once a year for the wheels and bottom bracket, ideally once every three to six months. To be honest, I almost never touch my headset, because it's much less exposed to water and dirt than other moving parts, but some people will tell you it should be cleaned regularly too. If you take your bike to a mechanic for an annual tune-up, they will sometimes re-pack your wheel hubs and bottom bracket as part of the tune-up package. Ask.

6. Tires
Change when the side walls dry out and crack, or when the treads wear out, or when you get a large puncture (e.g., from running over a screw or a big piece of glass). Keep a tube patching kit and a couple of spare inner tubes around the house for fixing flats. Ask the staff at the bike shop to help you get the correct sizes of tires and tubes - it's not always obvious.
I always say, if you own only one bike tool, it should be a pair of plastic tire levers, for taking off and putting on tires. You can get these for a buck or two at the bike store. (A lot of people use screwdrivers for changing tires, causing a lot of unnecessary flats.)

There are a lot of good bike maintenance books out there. I can recommend these:

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Blue-Book-Bicycle-Repair/dp/0976553007

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_45?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=zinn+and+the+art+of+mountain+bike+maintenance&sprefix=zinn+and+the+art+of+mountain+bike+maintenance (this is more unorthodox and personal - a great DIY book)

There is a lot of information about bike maintenance to be had on the internet.

If you are good with cars, you should be able to learn to do any of the things I mentioned above without too much trouble, assuming you have the time and interest. If you want to learn more about your bike, I highly recommend getting involved with your local bike co-op. They often offer help with repairs and maintenance, and courses on bike mechanics, and they have tools you can use, including a lot of bike-specific tools. Even if you don't plan on being a DIY mechanic, it's worth it to learn some bike basics and terminology. I'm unfortunately not very familiar with the local resources for cyclists in Seattle, not being from there, but here's one place I know of:`http://www.thebikery.org/

There you go. That's kind of a long-winded answer, but I hope it helps.

DON'T USE WD-40!!!!

Ok so you can use it, but ONLY to clean. WD-40 is a very light lubricant that will displace the thicker lubricant in the chain and not only encourage rust, but lead to its premature destruction. Grab an old toothbrush and scrub off the surface rust with a degreaser (if it doesn't come off easily, replace it) and then lubricate with an appropriate chain lube. Boeshield makes a good product. Next time you have to leave it outside in the rain, coat the chain with excess lubricant or bring the bike inside. Also, give the chain a lite coating once a week or more often under heavy use or wet conditions.

1) AAA Card. If you own a car, you should be a AAA member. Basic membership starts at about $50/year and will get you out of a jam, unlock, jumpstart, or tow up to 30 miles. Premium membership is about $90 and gets you towed up to 100 miles. I travel a lot so I opt for the long-range towing protection. I blew a gasket coming up Ryegrass Summit between the Columbia River and Ellensburg once, and got towed back across the mountains for free. I had an Alternator crap out in Everett, and got towed home for free. I have a dozen stories like this. One towing bill will cost more than a year's AAA membership. Get the card.

2) Football or Frisbee. Ferries are late. Mountain passes close. Bridges get stuck open. Shit happens. When you travel around here, sometimes you have to wait. I've played football in the middle of Interstate 90 on top of Snoqualmie Pass with strangers when they closed it for cleanup after a spring avalanche in April. I've played frisbee and football at the ferry dock a million times too. You know how it is with the ferries, "Leaves Seattle at half past ten, gets to the other side GOD KNOWS WHEN."

3) An "Oh Shit Kit." Mine contains the following: Fire Extinguisher, Basic first aid kit, Duct Tape, Basic tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, vise grip, pliers),Tire Pressure Guage,Tow Strap (for pulling vehicles out of snow or mud etc), Coat hanger for roadside abortions (kidding, kidding! I just put that in to see if anybody was paying attention. It's for helping friends unlock their car), Road Flares, Jumper cables. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Carrying a box with these basics can help you solve unanticipated problems. 

4) Paperwork. In Washington, you must carry the registration form SIGNED by the registered owner, as well as proof of insurance. The ticket for not having proof of insurance is a doozy. You can print this out from your insurance company's website. If you've lost your registration, you can get a replacement copy for $10. 

5) Radio with a preset button tuned to KOMO 1000 AM. They have the best traffic information, every 10 minutes on the 4's. If you don't have an AM Radio, follow @KOMOradio on twitter, but have your passenger load it on the smartphone, don't look at it while driving. 

I would probably go for the detailing, because of all the stuff that is on your car. It will make it look way way better.

I only say this, because I had mildew/mold growing on my car, because it was parked under a tree and I didn't drive it much for like a year and a half. I couldn't get the mold off just with car washing, so I had to get it detailed. It looked really fantastic when it was done! The guy who did it did a fabulous job that would have taken me weeks or months to do! I didn't get the inside detailed, because it was clean. Just the outside.

I would say if you are going to sell it, just make it as clean as possible. You could buy some cheap floor mats to put in there to spruce it up. Vacuum the interior and make sure all the dust is gone. And maybe spray the seats with Febreeze or something so it smells fresh.

Slap the hood? Sure. Give 'em the finger? Absolutely.

Unfortunately not a sweet spot on price, but nothing even compares to the performance of PIAA wiper blades. They are probably the priciest on the market, however they are made of silicone. The silicone outlasts and out performs any rubber. Once the investment is made the refill replacements are extremely cheap. The blades even come with a cloth that has a liquid the treats the windshield. PIAA's are extremely durable, long lasting, and absolutely silent. After the windshield is treated you run the blades dry on the windshield for 5 minutes and this forms a barrier on the glass. (can you imagine running any other blade dry?)

I can't recommend them highly enough. You can go to ipdusa.com and see they have been recommending them for NW Volvo folks for many years with great success. I purchased ours on Amazon and prefer the Super Sporza for the front windshield. They have a spoiler to create a stronger contact on the glass while driving at high speeds.

I do not recommend OEM as they usually cost too much. Most other brands do not last more than one season and require replacing the whole assembly which is a waste of money and resources.

There's a shop up in Lynnwood that specializes in old Chrysler products: http://www.jcauto.com/whoarewe.html

I did the same, and enjoyed it. Route & notes here: http://dsz123.net/PortlandBikeTrip/

I'd recommend skipping the first part of the STP route and going over to Vashon, then over to Tacoma (by ferries) instead. Meet up with the STP route south of Tacoma and you're golden.

I did the trip in 3 days, and stayed at the McMinnamin's Olympic Club in Centralia the first night, and then at a motel in Longview.

Good luck!

Give yourself a little extra distance, especially on wet pavement.

Also, I would HIGHLY recommend that you go find an empty parking lot and practice "doing it wrong." Slam on the brakes and let them lock up, so you know what it feels like. Then repeat the exercise, but this time take it to lockup but then pump, pump, pump to get out of trouble. Knowing your old car's limits, and what it feels like in a problem situation is a good thing.

That way, if it ever happens in real life you won't panic because you'll know what to do.

KBB values are easy to make screwy. They have an assigned value for trim levels, but then they also assign values for those equipment boxes you can check and uncheck. Even if any given piece of equipment is required or unavailable for any given trim level. So you can have an artificially high or low price depending on how much the standard equipment is being stacked on by those you-choose-it equipment toggles - that's part of it.

KBB also sells products for dealers to put on their own web sites, so their non-private values are inherently skewed in the dealer's favor. Edmunds doesn't sell any kind of on-site widgety things like KBB does (if they do I've never seen it here in my work), so their pricing is probably more realistic.

Either way, your best bet for actual used car values is the final selling price for similar cars on eBay. Look at completed listings for cars at a similar mileage and equipment level. This is a solid number to stand on - it's what real people have actually paid for that given car.

If I recall correctly, in "Who Killed The Electric Car?," the filmmakers interviewed an EV-1 mechanic who talked about how easy maintenance was. No more oil changes, no more dirty air filters, no more gross toxic engine coolant requiring regular changes. And if I'm not mistaken, no multi-gear transmissions or clutches to lubricate, wear out, replace, etc.

So what all-electric vehicles will do, in all likelihood, is eliminate, decimate, or force the metamorphosis of traditional auto industry clusters--parts manufacturers and supply chains, repair shops, emissions testing and certification, the whole nine. The Li-ion batteries are estimated (if not warranteed) to keep at least 80% of their charge for 7 to 8 years. There might be some new work around replacing and recycling batteries, but otherwise I'd think mechanics would have to busy themselves doing traditional body/hardware/electronics repair.

I believe most of the "rubber" seals in car engines are in fact chemically closer to Neoprene, and far more resilient than natural rubber.

The layer of oil you spread on the new gasket keeps it from stretching or bunching up when you tighten the filter, thus improving the seal.

And anyway, there's 60 psi of hot motor oil inside of that gasket most of the time. The thin film you spread on with your finger is a drop in the bucket.

I've been using zip car for about two months now and I really like it. I've been able to reserve a car about 2 hours before I needed it. So far I haven't had any issues with them.
Granted I don't really rely on them, all the trips I use them for I can generally wait on do by bus (although a car makes trips much easier).