Auto Repair Weekend

This weekend was an interesting experience in the auto repair department. And I have to say my loyalty to auto part stores and auto services is newly restored. I am not ashamed to admit that I am not a car guy. I appreciate a well built car. I like to drive. But when it comes to fixing them I'd rather someone else do it. I am sure that I have spent hundres if not thousands of dollars for repairs that would have cost me $10 to do myself, but seeing that I don't know the difference between a transfer case and an oil pan.. well yeah.

So the battery in my truck (Which is for sale BTW, $3500 O.B.O) kept dying. I've gotten really good at using jumper cables. But having a battery that is dead when someone comes to look at purchasing your vehicle isn't a good thing. So I was going to purchase a new battery and pulled into the local AutoZone because they had a big sign FREE BATTERY TEST, FREE BATTERY CHARGE, FREE ALTERNATOR TESTING. I figured all those things were related and it was free, so in I drove, and 45 minutes later I had a fully chrged battery that tested GOOD. AND I had fixed the positive cable and post connector that pulled apart when removing the battery. Total cost $0!

Then there's my sister-in-law's car which has been idling really rough this week, then last night started revving up to 3000 RPM when in neutral. I mentioned this to the Jiffy lube guys, who popped the hood, shoved their hand in the engine and made the car run beautifully, until they pulled their hands out. It was a finger sized hole in a vacuum tube. So off to Shuck's, where the guy through the scrap hose box in front of me and said to take what I need. Back to J-Lube and an oilchange later, my hose was magically repaired. Total cost $40... for an oil change.


All in all not a bad weekend in care repair.