Yay! My car is coming back to me today! It's been sort of a struggle, this alternator thing. I know... I thought I had it all figured out. Take it to the guy who fixes it for money. But those people in my life who care about me stepped in.
First it was X... who insisted that the guy wanted too much for the alternator itself. Okay. So I made phone calls and yes, they were charging about $50 more that I could get the exact same one myself. X promised to put it in for me... to save bucks. Cool beans. So I found one and told the guy that I would come for it.
Enter Mikey P. who knows a guy who rebuilds them for half the price I would have spent to get the new one. Very cool beans. So I have X take it out and give it to the Bear to take home to Mikey P. Who took it to the guy who fixes them. Then I began to wait. It was supposed to be a one day deal... turned into two days, then three days. But the Bear and Mikey P. loaned me one of their cars yesterday... so it was not so bad.
Sounds like a children's story doesn't it.
There was an old woman who had a car.
Her alternator broke... she thought she might croak!
Croak... oh no!
(That's why I don't write children's stories. Ha.)
Only the guy said the thing was so fried that all that was left to use was the case. All new parts inside. The price went up. But still less than what I would have paid for bran new. It has a guarantee too. So cool beans.
Tonight I picked it and Squeaky up from the Bear's. I wasn't planning on bringing that kid back yet... but he's going back again tomorrow when I return their car. He's so intense that one. I was so happy that got the guys pizza from Dominos. Now I recall why I don't care for their pizza. It just isn't very good.
So tomorrow I am taking X out for breakfast to repay him for his trouble. Then I will take Squeaky back to Bear and get to spend time with Mikey P. Jr. and my growly girl. Then she will drive me back and my car will be ready at long last.
Like Joni Mitchell says... don't it always seem to go that you don't what you've got til its gone?
Yeah, I'm in love with my car.
Here's wishing you all a nice, automotive repair free holiday season... and please, please be careful out there on the roads. People get crazy this time of year. I myself will be happy to be safely ensconced in my sanctuary a couple of days before New Years drinkers and three days after. I hate to be on the road at that time. Scares the crap out of me. I hope everyone stays home. Besides, that's when the government makes a good little pile of revenue off of fines and court costs. Don't let them get cha!
I think you should definitely write some children's stories.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are getting your car back AND you got a deal on getting it fixed. Score!
ReplyDeleteI got a recall notice for my car about a month ago, but I haven't taken it in to have it looked at yet. I thought maybe if a waited a few weeks there would be fewer of us waiting around for whatever is supposed to be done about it.
ReplyDeleteI guess it is time to do that now.
glad that's all sorted out. being without wheels is such a majorly inconveniencing hassle.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful holiday sweets!! so glad your car is back up, but man, your car stories make me thank my lucky stars that my car isn't angering me with such issues.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of your story kind of sounds like a mafioso talkin, all the nicknames and talk of fixin.
Hugs, bugs, and slugs,
Sebastien
Mo-- Hahaha... oh that was horrid!
ReplyDeleteActually I did write one about a dog named Roxanne who flew to Hawaii and all that a dog has to do to move from the mainland to there. A dog's view of homeland security and all that. (Okay just joking about the last part.)
secret agent woman-- Yay!
ReplyDeletelaughing-- Wow. A recall? Those are probably the cars that I buy that people sell without telling you to avoid having to go in and do all that hassle.
ReplyDeleteThat was a smart move, waiting a bit.
lime-- I know that you, more than anyone else I know, understands life without a car! Mine is such a minor gripe compared to what you went through recently. I was lucky.
ReplyDeleteSebastien-- Hahaha... My "family" is full of crazies. But that's part of what I like about them. Thanks for the hugs, bugs and slugs! Back at cha! And happy, happy holidays to you too.
ReplyDeleteHey... when does your gfriend get back? Will you get to be together for the holidays? I hope so.
There's nothing better than having a reliable car. I hope yours stays that way.
ReplyDeleteGlad your car troubles are over. It is frustrating to be without a car in this day and age. And I can certainly empathise with you about car love... I have named all the cars I have ever owned. My current auto's name is Pteri (like in pterodactyl) and she is an X-Terra.
ReplyDeleteHaving had my fair share of car troubles, and often getting help from the family on the repairs or at least rides, I relate to your story intimately.
ReplyDeleteNow it is just about done and you sound well ready to enjoy the holidays safe and sound. Yay!
Cube-- Thanks. Me too. I also name my cars. My truck is Forest (Ranger) haha and the Aspire is "A" while the Geo Prism is Little Geo after a Billy Joel song and my dad.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a blue bug-eye Sprite named Gromet... way before Wallace and Gromet.
laura b.-- Yay! Yay! Yay! I was starting to worry that I could not make it down to DH's for New Years on my own power. I did not want him to have to drive all the way here, than back again if it could be avoided.
ReplyDeleteI also like my independence very much.
Single moms have unique problems don't we? Not being able to fix our own cars, repair folk ripping us off. Sheesh!
i'm not a single mom but i still can't fix cars for sour apples.
ReplyDeleteshit, i can't even sweet talk a mechanic into giving me a good deal.
billy pilgrim-- I'm sorry. I always assumed... how wrong of me... that men did not have that problem!
ReplyDeleteI think mechanics see me and rub their hands with glee.
While I enjoy the idea of people being happy to see me, a smiling mechanic scares me.
billy pilgrim-- I guess your charm only works on females. ;-)
ReplyDeleteCar repairs suck, but it's always a little better when they don't cost as much as the maximum. Have a very Merry Christmas and stuff and be careful.
ReplyDeleteAlienCG-- Thanks and Merry Christmas to you too! Not to worry, I am always very careful. It's everyone else I worry about.
ReplyDeleteOnly the guy said the thing was so fried that all that was left to use was the case.
ReplyDeleteI find that pretty darn hard to believe, I've rebuilt hundreds of them and never seen one that bad. That would mean that the rotor windings are burnt out, the stator windings are burnt out (or grounded), the diode assembly is shot, and if it has a built in regulator it is fried.
Yup, I find that pretty hard to buy.
One thing I don't like about modern alternators is that the diode assembly's are made in such a way that if just one (of six) is burnt out or shorted you still have to replace the whole assembly.
Well, two things, many parts houses anymore don't stock much in alternator parts past brushes and bearings so I'm wondering where that monkey gets the parts from.
When I fixed the starter on my truck about a year ago I had to make the part cuz I couldn't buy one. And I wasn't paying for a new starter just because one little part in the solenoid part of it was shot.
I'm going camping in the morning to get away from the christmas insanity for a while.
The rest of you monkeys are in charge while I'm gone.
*sighs*
*rolls eyes*
*groans*
*snorts*
Oh, if the fancy alternator goes out on my truck and I can't find the parts for it so I can fix it myself I'll put a simple older alternator on it. I've got a number of them here away that I kept when I sold my parts house.
ReplyDeleteFor a while at karaoke a popular song was, "My Piece Of Shit Car", ha ha ha ha ha ha
ReplyDeleteBilly B.-- I'm in the middle of the MAACO bowl... the Beavers are losing. They aren't Ducks I guess.Anyway, things have backed up here... sorry.
ReplyDeleteWell I don't know poop from pop when it comes to parts and how to fix them. But I have no doubt that they make parts as expensive and difficult as possible now.
Good thing you have the knowledge to fix them and know what you can swap.
Funny about the song!
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ReplyDeleteAll-- Wow Oodles of Funch just freaked out and printed the same comment four times. How weird is that?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what the MAACO bowl is, and I'm thankful for that.
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