Yeah, there was a "pressure threshold/regulator valve" in the tiny plastic tube that carried the air pressure from the spare tire to the washer reservoir (supposedly at 5 PSI by design intent). The valve was supposed to stop air flow out of the tire if the tire pressure dropped to 15 PSI. The "fluid valve" was built into the windshield wiper switch on the steering column. I got in the car one day (car was 6 years old by then) and noticed "water" on the aftermarket floor mat on the driver's side. In the investigation that followed, I found that the threshold/regulator valve had failed, allowing full air pressure from the spare tire to be applied to the washer bottle and plumbing. The hot summer day may have helped the rubber supply hose to slip off the washer valve and so the contents of the washer reservoir emptied out into the floor (also the spare tire went "flat"). I decided that I no longer agreed with VW and their "unique" method of putting fluid onto glass. So I set out to revamp the system. A trip to an auto salvage yard provided a suitable washer reservoir and pump assembly (from a Ford). I tore open a leaky safety switch (from a truck air conditioner system) and salvaged the "micro switch". I attached the micro switch to the stem (wash/wipe control handle) so that pulling the stem closed the switch. I powered the switch from a fused circuit (remember the fuses were on the cowl bulkhead in the "trunk"?). I completely disconnected the delivery hoses from the OEM fluid valve (on the steer column) and spliced the "new" pump delivery hose to the hose that fed the spray nozzles. It worked like a champ and never wet the floor or flattened my spare.

Can I join the club? I hope all of you have had success in removing your odor from your vehicles. When I bought my new car, the second month of ownership, I was running late to work and decided to take some milk in a spill-proof mug with me and have cereal at work. Well, as I got into the garage at work to park my car, the stupid mug got knocked over and the lid came undone, unleashing lots of fresh low-fat milk!!! all over the front passenger side. Can I tell you how tortured I was at knowing that I did this in my new car??? And have no one else to blame???? Anyway, after a week or so of trying pet-odor removers, carpet cleaners, and simply just soaking the area up with damp clothes, I learnt of applying baking soda on the area - just make sure the area is slightly damped before applying. I left the baking soda sit for about 1 week and then vacuumed feverishly. Odor gone! It was that easy. Now forward 3 years.....I was washing my car and I happened to clean my floor mats with some carpet upholstery cleaner. Well, I didn't notice that I left the passenger floor mat too damp. For the rest of the week, I didn't drive my car. But on the weekend, when I went to get groceries - I jumped in the car to only be greeted by the smell of dead animal!!! After making sure there was no dead animal in the trunk, engine compartment, below the car, underneath the seats, I came across a heavy dead animal odor beneath the passenger side floor mat! And noticed that it was still damp!!! Instantly, I knew this had to have been the return of the milk I spilled three years ago!!! This time around, I tried to treat it with carpet upholstery cleaner with no luck. I also tried using the baking soda. Despite having the baking soda in there overnight, the odor was still active the next morning. However, not as intense as dead animal, but more like a musty, dirty socks smell. I left the baking soda in a bit longer and went to Target and got a specific car upholstrey foam cleaner from Prestige for $4. I vacuumed the baking soda - really vacuumed it and the whole passenger front side. I simply sprayed the foam cleaner and left it in for 2 minutes to soak in. After that, you use the scrubber on the cap to scrub in the foam. And then lift the foam off with a damp clothe. I repeated it one more time. And then let it dry overnight. The next day what an improvement. By day 2, the odor was contained and I hope the milk residue from 3 years ago is gone. Plus, I have a good looking interior passenger carpet! I totally recommend this product.

I am totally and irrationally attached to my old car. We just got a "new" one - a 2008 hyundai santa fe, but I am already thinking about what to get next when we sell this one. We got a killer deal on a low mileage used one and could probably even make money if we sold it today (and would make money if we totaled it). I love having a bigger car with a toddler and I love AWD in bad weather but I do not really love the crappy gas mileage so hoping in a couple of years our options are better for a CUV with better fuel economy (some of the models coming out this year look good so we'll see how good they really are and then look for a good deal in a couple of years). But we just put a lot of money (where a "lot" is relative to the value of the car) our 2001 Honda Accord. NOTHING special about it at all but I just love that car. It needed a new CV joint, 4 new tires, an expensive 100k mile service and new brakes. Somewhat recently it had the timing belt done and a new clutch. It runs like new now and even though it's nothing luxurious or sporty and never was, if I am going somewhere by myself and the weather is OK I will always take the old car. To me it's like that perfectly faded, broken in pair of jeans that are just starting to get good after 10 years. yeah there are a couple of frayed edges but oooh so comfortable. DH wanted to sell it when we got the "new" car and go back down to one car again (we have shared a car for the last 10 years or so that he has been working from home) but it's really much harder to do that with a child... and I just could not bear to give up the old car.

Thanks for your suggestions and I agree that I want comfortable, easy floors. I'd considered painted fir but thought the sand would take off the paint in no time. But perhaps I could just touch up the paint? I could try honey color wood floors that are already dented (can't remember what this treatment is called), but dark wood or grey is "in" right now, makes me feel not with it. You can't tell from these photos that the living/dining room ceilings are also redwood and fairly low. I will be vaulting the living room ceiling so will get a lot of white or similar color and space from that. I am trying to be less cottage/beach style since this is now my permanent residence, no longer our second home. I will have good size rugs, but no more wall to wall carpet except in bedrooms. I tried the white slipcover over sofa but it is such a hassle to wash that big thing, my upholstered sand color sofa holds up a lot better than the white slipcover. The views are definitely the focal point and I'm thinking a lighter wood color could make the view stand out more, like you said trailrunner, undressed. I'm thinking everything should be clean lines and simple. Maybe a lot of sand or sand/grey colors. I think I'll just plaster over the fireplace, don't know what color, nothing to make it a focal point. There will be much less furniture in the living room. There is another view into the patio that is nice (mostly seen from kitchen and guest house). Although unplanted this year, it's quite nice and patio will be redone in stone, probably tan/grey/off white quartzite...steps too. Ideas appreciated!