This morning I let my pup out to use the bathroom before I left work, there was a skunk on the back porch and he (unfortunately) got a hold of it and it sprayed him. I don’t think he hurt the skunk, nor did the skunk hurt him.

The areas around the back door inside the house (kitchen and back hallway) have the odor. I’ve tried mopping and wiping surfaces with a baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and Dawn Dish soap mixture. While it did help a lot, it’s still present. The next rooms over don’t have the smell at all.

The skunk didn’t go under the house or anything. My dog ran inside right after being sprayed but I got him back out immediately. The smell is ironically stronger inside than it is out.

What next steps can I take to remove the odor?

A few weeks ago I bought my new to me 2017 Passat 1.8T SEL with the tech package. Up until a few days ago all was good.

I noticed when I got inside the car and immediately started it up, it would crank once or twice, pause, then continue cranking and start fine. My EPC light would come on when this happened, but upon scanning it was just a FST00000 code (essentially my obd eleven couldn’t read whatever code it was throwing).

If I put the cars ignition into the ON position for like 2-3 seconds before starting, then start it up, it doesn’t skip or anything and starts right up fine. No EPC light.

I’ve been starting it as I explained the 2nd paragraph. No new issues since. Dealer assumed it was a relay, but I wasn’t sure because my scanner wouldn’t tell me.

Fast forward today, I plug in my OBD Eleven to code my comfort turn signal (irrelevant to issue) and it scanned the car and FINALLY come up with a code.

P305300: Starter activation, return message terminal 50: Open/short to Ground (GND)

This time no light was on the dash, I just scanned it unintentionally basically.

So now where do I start? Dealer sent me a starter relay in the mail (not here yet), both relays physically look fine (unsure about internally). Haven’t had a chance to actually look at the starter. Again it starts every time, just skips if I don’t put it in the on position.

I assumed it was a fuel problem and fuel was draining back into the tank or into a cylinder because it was like I was having to “prime” the fuel pump, but I guess not.

What would cause this and why would it start fine if I let the car wake up by waiting to start it? Any tips? Googles AI is all over the place telling me the starter bendix is stuck, it is a relay, it’s the starter cables, and random fuses I don’t even have.

Both are under 15k and have around 70k miles.

Option A is a 2018 Passat 2.0T SE, its already had the PCV, water pump and timing cover replaced. No fog lights and all halogen lighting, for $13k. Power leather seats, 4 speaker, that’s about it. 77k miles

Option B is a 2017 Passat 1.8T SE, this one has a ton more options than the 2018. Fog lights, chrome, led lighting, power folding mirrors, 8 speaker audio, larger wheels, random interior bits (footwell lights, power seats, etc etc). The only issue I’m having with this one is the timing cover nor water pump have ever been touched. The PCV has been replaced though. This one also has sketchy oil changes, 10k miles and there’s 2 oil cycles that went to 12k miles. This one’s listed for $12.7k at 70k miles

I’m obviously looking for something reliable but also the 2017 is tempting because it’s loaded, I do my own work to my current vehicle so if something were to dramatically fail I could always fix it if necessary (doesn’t mean I want to lol). Which is the better buy or should I keep looking? There’s a few jettas I’ve seen, though they are smaller.

As of now I drive a 2009 trailblazer. While I have no issues major out of it, I’m getting sorta tired on having to fix stuff that’s been neglected etc. and second guessing roadtrips constantly.

I’m interested in an auto loan through my credit union, probably on another truck around $20k or so (used obv). Is it viable for me to open another auto loan? I have good credit, but very short history. My auto loan rate was around 8% and I have no other loans/credit cards on my credit report except CareCredit from my dog’s vet bill which I paid off within 6 months, and little stuff like my actual credit card (which I pay off every time). I make around $45k a year. Outside of that I don’t have any bills other than my phone and our internet.

I’m just looking for a vehicle I can depend on everyday and can take on longer trips without second guessing, but also don’t want to put myself in financial stress. I know both vehicles would need tires and oil changes, etc but the trailblazer would not be driven as often as a new vehicle.

Ok I wasn’t sure where else to post this LOL but I’m getting a new set of wheels from marketplace for my 2009 trailblazer tomorrow. While I could take the trailblazer, driving 2 hours in it I’d prefer to take the Malibu due to reliability and comfort reasons.

Do you think I’d be able to fit all 4 of these wheels and tires in it? It’s out of pocket and a stupid question I know, but I don’t wanna drive all the way just for them not to fit. It has a lot of room with the seats folded down but

I don’t make every purchase with it but I currently have a very small $100 purchase on there and I was wanting to do a $500 purchase on there as-well. I have the funds to pay off the $100 in full today and I also have the funds to buy the other purchase outright, I was using it as I thought it would help credit (and didn’t think and research before hand) but i just discovered affirm harms credit (especially auto Fico score for auto loans, in which that is my main goal in the near future is to get a new vehicle). Does it affect credit, mainly auto Fico scores? Google claims it does, while several people on Reddit say otherwise.

I don’t make every purchase with it but I currently have a very small $100 purchase on there and I was wanting to do a $500 purchase on there as-well. I have the funds to pay off the $100 in full today and I also have the funds to buy the other purchase outright, I was using it as I thought it would help credit (and didn’t think and research before hand) but i just discovered affirm harms credit (especially auto Fico score for auto loans, in which that is my main goal in the near future is to get a new vehicle). Does it affect credit, mainly auto Fico scores? Google says it does while several people on here say it doesn’t.

Seems to do it more often during phone calls or when CarPlay is connected on Apple Maps for a few hours. Outside of that it still happens, sometimes freezes right after plugging my phone in and sometimes 5 mins. Sometimes it won’t do it at all.

Tried a replacement cable to no avail, the radio was installed by Best Buy by my vehicles previous owner. I’ve taken the dash apart multiple times for other reasons and although CarPlay is a software issue, every wire seems in par.

I’m using the usb that comes out of the back of the radio

The title pretty much. Hard downshifts from 4-3 I know and occasional hard ones from 3-2. No check engine lights, trans fluid isn’t burnt or even dirty. 170k miles. The feeling is basically like really harsh engine braking or if somebody tied the back of my truck to something for a second before letting go. It’s a 2008 Trailblazer w 4x4

Outside of that zero issues shifting (up shift), no stuttering or anything of that matter.