So I love that my car runs, and I don't have to make monthly payments on it. I hate that my car seems to constantly have issues. The following is why I love Chilton and their wonderful guides.
Today, I had the car in the driveway idling for maybe half an hour. When I came out and started to back up there was a puddle of antifreeze underneath. Great!
Recap: Early March my car started leaking antifreeze. The problem? Cracked Radiator. $300 later, it still is leaking. The problem? Tech forgot to check lower hose clamp. Next day, still leaking. The problem? Tech forgot to check upper hose clamp. The solution, Autoshop probably hates me because I kept calling and taking the car in, but they finally replaced all the clamps and everything was fine as of the 9th, I believe.
I haven't had any problems with the car really. One day, the air wouldn't turn on, and the engine got hot really quick and my service {wrench} light came on, but when I turned the car off and started it back up everything was back to normal, including the engine temperature. WEIRD!
Well, today I took my car back to Autoshop. They looked at it for a good long while. Probably close to an hour. They told me they *think* it is the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. But, it could also possibly be any of the wiring, or the car's Powertrain Control Module. But don't worry! It's rarely the PCM! They tell me. Great. My luck, it'll be the PCM.
Fortunately, I own a Chilton guide. It is the best thing ever. It tells me exactly how to check the part, and how to replace it if I need to. Also, I love Checker Auto Parts. They are great. I type in the year, make, and model of my car, the part I want and PRESTO! They give me a list with prices. $18.99...not too shabby. A lot better than the $80 I was quoted at the shop. $80!! What the HECK?! They sure are charging a crap-load for labor.
Hopefully it will be this little $18.99 part and I can replace it (with my husband's help. Or is it the other way around? hehe) and be done and back on the road!
5 comments:
That stinks, I'm sorry Jo! I hope that you're able to get your car fixed. Good Luck with it!
I can understand were you are coming from. I also have a paid for car, and it seems to always have something wrong with it. Thanks for the info on Chilton. I will have to look into getting the book for my car.
I love that you are so self suffecient!! You might need just a little help with the replacement but I bet you can go to the store and buy it by yourself! Love you, MUM
WOW! You are GOOD! I will take on most any project, but when it comes to the car, I back away slowly. I'm lucky that my neighbor's son-in-law owns a car repair place, and so he takes extra good care of me (or else I will tell his father-in-law which would shame him forever!).
P.S. Even with repairs on your car, you are saving so much by not having payments. We have paid-for cars too, and it is so nice not to have those big car payments. We keep our cars pretty much "forever."
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