cars

Spendy little critters, on a good day, but important to our life out here I the rugged west.

Today I get Miriam’s little car. It has been in the shop all week. The repair price is about half the “book” value of the car, but that number is skewed, I fear. My back up account will take a hit on that one.

I like to buy as nice a car as I can afford and then drive it the rest of it’s reliable life. At 17 this car is still an acceptable ride. Miriam gave her good care. Mile wise, it is about at it’s half life now.

GM never made the best cars I the world, and this is not an example of their best work, but it is a solid little buzzer. It is noisy and it rides hard. But in the years we have owned it, we have put remarkably small amounts of money into maintenance. Not a great car for sure, but a pretty solid one.

Maintenance is crucial for a long term keeper car. I am not a mechanic, so when there was a problem I found a good mechanic and paid them to repair it. I have used the same shop for a decade. They know me by my name or by my cars! “This is Dave with the Blue Cavalier” and they know exactly who they are talking to!

Once again the guys with the chrome plated tools have done their magic. The shop foreman, a man named “Sparky,” tells me that it is solid now, that this model has a weakness with the head gasket and that yes, they have replaced a good number of them.

This little blue critter is not overly afflicted with creature comforts, but it has a good AC, that is wonderful in summer, and in winter the heater works well.

Compared to my father’s brand new 1940 Ford, this car is pure luxury!