Ok, so the mini is STILL in the shop. I don't anticipate it being done until after I get back from Family Camp at the end of August. Actually, I expect it will be done the Monday of Family Camp and they'll want me to come pick it up right away, that's what I expect. :^)
The insurance company only covers a rental car for a month, so I drove a PT Cruiser for a month. It was less than impressive. After taking the PT Cruiser back, I took the 68 Chevy Impala to get its fluids replaced. Nothing exciting there except that the battery died at the oil changers. Again, not especially shocking considering that the battery is at least a decade old, and has been run entirely flat at least three times in the last two years, with no regular driving in between. The guy at the oil changer place was nice enough to pull his own car around and we jump the car to get it started. Of course I have a set of cables. When you drive a car that's almost 40 years old, you have cables. I took the car home and took the battery out. I took the battery along with three other batteries to Costco to recycle, and buy a new one. Put the battery in, all is good.
I decide that I've had it with how the truck is running. I figure it needs a new carburetor. I got a recommendation from Lyle to take it to Rich's Auto Service in Walnut Creek to get Louie to look at it. Louie determines that it's the distributor that needs to be replaced, so we order a new one.
As I'm driving the Chevy, I'm reminded that sometimes the starter doesn't turn over right. I turn the key, and sometimes it only lugs a little and stops. Generally I can get it started, but sometimes it's not easy. I think to myself, "Gotta replace that starter soon"
Saturday, I'm running late for Shaevee's wedding, and I need gas. I pull into the ridiculously priced local pump, and my credit card is declined. Strange. Well, it happens occasionally when their computer thinks something is fishy with my spending patterns. How they can determine "patterns" to my spending is beyond me, but that's a different story. I pay with a different card and proceed on with my lateness.
Monday I get a call from Louie telling me that the truck is running a lot better, but I still might need carb work.
Tuesday, I call my credit card company. Apparently someone has had a field day with my number. They charged $147 of transactions that went through, and $14,000 of transactions that are still on hold. Upside? I'm not responsible for any of those charges. Downside? Now I have to arrange a different card number with all of my recurring billing (and I have to figure out who some of them are for that matter.) This sound familiar? It should. The same thing happened with my card in August just before my trip to Europe. So now I'm a card short.
Today. dum-dum-dummmmmmmm...
I drive the Chevy (the only running car I have at this point) out to Rich's to drive the truck to the muffler shop, get a taxi ride or walk back to Rich's and go home. It turns out that Rich's doesn't take credit cards. um... Time for the emergency check in the wallet. Phew.
I drive the truck to the shop, it stalls on the way. It's definitely a lot better than it was, but it stalls. I talk to Bob at Broadway Muffler, and he tells me that the exhaust leak is coming from the headers (Cast iron part of the exhaust system that bolts to the engine.) There is a 95% chance that the headers haven't been touched since the engine was put together, and that one of the 8 bolts holding it to the heads is going to shear or be entirely stuck and then shear. Then he's going to have to call the bolt removal specialist to come out and long story short it's going to cost at least $400, and maybe as much as $700. Even, then, most likely the headers and heads are etched from the exhaust leak, and new gaskets aren't going to fit tightly. To REALLY REALLY seal the leak you want to machine the headers and heads and that'll run you a bunch more AND you have to take the engine apart to do it. So.... 1) Spend $700 and still have an exhaust leak, or 2) spend a bunch more and get it fixed right or.. behind door #3 we have DO NOTHING and DEAL WITH IT. I chose door #3. It's not THAT loud, and I don't drive it often enough to do that kind of work.
On my way back to Rich's the truck stalls AGAIN. Still, better than it was, but not good enough. I get there, and tell Louie that I want to get a rebuilt carb put on, or have this carb rebuilt. He gives me the name and number of the place that does it, and I call them from the car. (Another $200 or so, not that bad compared the exhaust leak) I go back in, and ask Louie to keep the truck and take the carb off when he gets a chance. Done deal, he'll call me when it's ready to be taken to the carb shop.
I go hop in the Chevy to head home turn the key and ... nothing. Not even trying to start. I can't decide if I'm blessed or cursed. On the downside, car #3 is down. On the upside, it DIED AT THE SHOP, so that's ok. I look up the nearest rental car agency on google maps on the iPhone and get them on the way with a car. I then go back inside and tell Louie I have more work for him. He bangs on the starter with a hammer (A trick I've seen others do, most notibly a petite Asian woman driving a big ugly 70's station wagon - surreal) and it turns right over. If I had another car in the driveway I'd drive the Chevy home and do the work myself. Since that's not an option, I give Louie the keys and wait for the rental car to come.
The woman who picked me up was quite cute. :^) She rented me 2007 Chevrolet Impala. It's a pretty nice car. Much better than the PT Cruiser.
That's my story for today.
Cheers,
Duaneo
