Car Fever
I think I’ve come down with Car Fever. Searching for a new car for Jolene has brought on a severe case of it. As much as I hate the search part of it, I’ve still got Car Fever.
Each time I roll down my crank windows, I long for a new car. I’m sure that the people watching me roll down my window, the ones that aren’t aware that there is such a thing as crank windows, think “That sure must be a groovy song, to get that kind of bobbing out of her.” My dream is to be able to roll down the rear passenger window from my seat, while driving. If I ever get a new car, I think I’ll just ride around with that back passenger window open, roll it up and down several times each trek…just because I can.
Three weeks ago, the odometer on my car turned over to 170,000 on my way home from church. Another large digit closer to The Big Breakdown. My ’96 Dodge Stratus has been fairly reliable for the five years and ten months that I’ve had it. I have fixed three or four oil leaks and a transmission leak and a cracked head (or something like that, it sounded painful, whatever it was) but other than that, it’s only been regular maintenance. I try to ignore the fact that the odometer and tachometer come and go at will.
On Thursday, I stopped at the house for a few minutes on my way to school and, as I left the house, my car refused to shift out of first gear. It has happened a few other times but it’s been a long time. Usually, a half-mile down the road it will grudgingly shift and after that everything is fine. This time, there was no shifting to be had and I couldn’t go above 40 mph without blowing the engine up. I called home and asked mom if I could take her van and she said I could. I raced back home (as much as you can race in first gear at 40 mph) and put all of my necessary junk in her van and took off for school.
Martin checked the car out that afternoon and declared it an electrical problem due to the lack of odometer and tachometer. I informed him that that particular problem has been occurring for quite a while. I would just rather keep my $300-400 than to be able to see my mileage at all times. As long as it keeps up with the mileage and checks in every once in a while, I’m happy. The car still wouldn’t shift when Martin drove it, so that night I took the car to the Ford/Dodge dealership and dropped it off. And don’t you know, on my way to the dealership, the car shifted just fine. I took it anyway since I can’t have that happening at random. When I need to get somewhere, I need to get there in the time that I’ve allotted, not 30 minutes later.
The dealership checked things out and said they couldn’t find a thing wrong with it. Go figure!! I was really annoyed at myself when, after I had the car back, I thought about the fact that I’ve got a safety recall notice on my car that I should have gotten taken care of while I was there anyway. But, no, I mustn’t make life too easy for myself, getting that done at the same time would have just been too easy.
I was recently discussing my car with Alvin and telling him of my need for it to last another four or more years, at least ‘til I drop out of/flunk out of/finish with college. His prediction: It won’t happen. I’m hoping he’s wrong but things aren’t boding too well at this point.
Each time I roll down my crank windows, I long for a new car. I’m sure that the people watching me roll down my window, the ones that aren’t aware that there is such a thing as crank windows, think “That sure must be a groovy song, to get that kind of bobbing out of her.” My dream is to be able to roll down the rear passenger window from my seat, while driving. If I ever get a new car, I think I’ll just ride around with that back passenger window open, roll it up and down several times each trek…just because I can.
Three weeks ago, the odometer on my car turned over to 170,000 on my way home from church. Another large digit closer to The Big Breakdown. My ’96 Dodge Stratus has been fairly reliable for the five years and ten months that I’ve had it. I have fixed three or four oil leaks and a transmission leak and a cracked head (or something like that, it sounded painful, whatever it was) but other than that, it’s only been regular maintenance. I try to ignore the fact that the odometer and tachometer come and go at will.
On Thursday, I stopped at the house for a few minutes on my way to school and, as I left the house, my car refused to shift out of first gear. It has happened a few other times but it’s been a long time. Usually, a half-mile down the road it will grudgingly shift and after that everything is fine. This time, there was no shifting to be had and I couldn’t go above 40 mph without blowing the engine up. I called home and asked mom if I could take her van and she said I could. I raced back home (as much as you can race in first gear at 40 mph) and put all of my necessary junk in her van and took off for school.
Martin checked the car out that afternoon and declared it an electrical problem due to the lack of odometer and tachometer. I informed him that that particular problem has been occurring for quite a while. I would just rather keep my $300-400 than to be able to see my mileage at all times. As long as it keeps up with the mileage and checks in every once in a while, I’m happy. The car still wouldn’t shift when Martin drove it, so that night I took the car to the Ford/Dodge dealership and dropped it off. And don’t you know, on my way to the dealership, the car shifted just fine. I took it anyway since I can’t have that happening at random. When I need to get somewhere, I need to get there in the time that I’ve allotted, not 30 minutes later.
The dealership checked things out and said they couldn’t find a thing wrong with it. Go figure!! I was really annoyed at myself when, after I had the car back, I thought about the fact that I’ve got a safety recall notice on my car that I should have gotten taken care of while I was there anyway. But, no, I mustn’t make life too easy for myself, getting that done at the same time would have just been too easy.
I was recently discussing my car with Alvin and telling him of my need for it to last another four or more years, at least ‘til I drop out of/flunk out of/finish with college. His prediction: It won’t happen. I’m hoping he’s wrong but things aren’t boding too well at this point.
I must learn “…in whatsoever car I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11.
posted by Sharon @ 9:19 AM
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