She Made It

"Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness" (long-voyager-2nd-edition) 04/10/2019 at 15:57 • Filed to: wrenching, Life

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To work this morning.

1. My axle vibration has gone away, guessing things just needed to settle back into place.

2. My brand new PS pump is cracked and leaking like crazy, new pump on the way.

3. Engine runs great other than what I assume is a failing MAP sensor, which causes it to randomly stumble/lose power.

So still have bugs to work out, but at least she’s running again and can be driven if need be. I’ll park it once I get home until the new PS pump and A/C lines arrive. Change out the pump, install the new lines, have the A/C charged ( just needs a charge ), and replace the MAP sensor and I should be back on track.

As far as the “Charger” that the wife is against taking on a car payment for:

Pretty much did a “mic drop” last night. Dropped the costs of everything to fix what we currently have, added in the time not spent with the kids, and said “well, we could be enjoying time with the kids right now, but someone doesn’t want a car payment”, then crawled back under the van and went back to work.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 12:45

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I thought she made it to work by y'all buying and using  the Charger, but then I read it and nope, still RIP Long-Voyager

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 04/10/2019 at 12:48

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I doubt my van will go anywhere. I’m ok with keeping one “project” in the fleet. Figure give the car to my nephew, repaint the 92 and leave it for a driver, keep my van for the “project” when I feel like wrenching/teaching the kids, have the Charger for the reliable daily I don’t have to mess with.

vondon302 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 12:50

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Sigh keep at it Long Voyager. 

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 12:51

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Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > vondon302 04/10/2019 at 12:52

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I understand her not wanting a car payment, I just don’t think she realizes what 3 old vehicles + lack of time with the family is costing.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 12:56

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How about a CPO kia soul? They are dirt cheap and loaded with features. Plus, they keep the general silhouette of a van ;)

LOREM IPSUM > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 13:02

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Go buy an ACE bandage, wrap your wrist, and refuse to wrench on broken shit due to injury. Then, when all 3 vehicles are broken and nobody wants to take the bus, imply your wrist might just be good enough to hold a pen.

Or, h ow long would you suffer if one of em happened to break down while on your way to work, and in a moment of extreme frustration you just went an d bought a car because fuck it?

Or maybe not. The acronym SWMBO exists for a reason.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 04/10/2019 at 13:11

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I drove one a while back, I was severely unimpressed. Besides, they don’t carry 3 kids too well.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2019 at 13:12

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Ha, I did the whole buy a car without talking to her first once. Once is all I care to do it.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 13:12

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Another angle is that you don’t want to buy a car under duress because all the other cars are broken. Good deals only come along every so often.

LOREM IPSUM > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 13:18

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Lmfao, this I believe!

Good luck budz.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 13:21

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I assumed they are very meh to drive. But I always recommend them to anyone strictly looking for an appliance haha

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 13:26

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You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time. Especially with the kiddos. They’re only young once and then they’re out of the house. Enjoy them as much as possible.

My projects now last 4x as long because of limited time to do them, but I don’t mind. Much rather hang with the kids. Until I don’t want to. I had to take a vacation day off work just to be able to work on my car last week. It was nice though. I must admit.

The other option is to look at what the repairs would cost you to send to a shop. And maybe start farming some of that out to show her the value of your time.

Then again....  maybe she just doesn’t like having to spend time with you and would rather have you wrenching in the garage....  hopefully that’s not the case though. ;)

Under_Score > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 14:37

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https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/757137416/overview?aff=share_other

It’s super far from you, but this is an idea. New enough to be reliable,  old enough to be paid for at once. Minivans are too big today. A Highlander is nine inches shorter than a Sienna. 

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Under_Score 04/10/2019 at 15:50

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It still has 186k miles. It’s going to be nickel and diming to keep it on the road.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 04/10/2019 at 15:52

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Looking for “strictly an appliance” isn’t really my thing. I still want something “fun” to drive, I just don’t want to be wrenching daily.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/10/2019 at 15:55

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The Charger I’m looking at is a great price for a 2018 and it has the factory extended BtB warranty to 100k.

I get what you’re saying though, we’ve been there before, it rarely ends well.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:01

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The trick is to make it seem like it was her idea. I find that helps. 

jimz > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:11

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“well, we could be enjoying time with the kids right now, but someone doesn’t want a car payment”

gettingoldercarguy > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:13

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Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/10/2019 at 16:16

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I usually try to sell it as how much better it will make things. Like adding ATs to my van so it’s better in the winter, making it safer. Or swapping the car to a V6 because it’ll be cheaper/more reliable than keeping the 4 cyl.

Under_Score > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:19

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Yeah, my friend’s Ranger hit 300,000 miles last year and has been decomposing since.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > jimz 04/10/2019 at 16:20

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I’m a little tired of the game, so I’m being quite “nasty” with her currently.

The last time she said she didn’t want a payment right now I said, “ Fine, then you get in the garage and fix the shit after working all day”. 

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Under_Score 04/10/2019 at 16:22

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I really like the MPVs of that era though. I don’t need to replace one of my vans though, one will be daily/cruiser, the other will be project. The car however needs roughly $1k worth of parts right now and I can’t justify spending it on my $100 car.

Mercedes Streeter > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:24

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“Honey, but you can basically outrun everything on the Interstate with this...and you’ll look like a cop doing it!”

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Mercedes Streeter 04/10/2019 at 16:26

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Not sure that’ll sell her on it. I do enough dumb shit with the car........

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:52

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It’s not my thing either. Reliable and fun, got it!

shop-teacher > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 16:56

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There’s no way you’re not spending at least $200/month in parts.  Plus your labor.  You’re wrenching constantly.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 17:05

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Pretty much did a “mic drop” last night. Dropped the costs of everything to fix what we currently have, added in the time not spent with the kids, and said “well, we could be enjoying time with the kids right now, but someone doesn’t want a car payment”, then crawled back under the van and went back to work.

OHHHHHH dear

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 17:06

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I’m going to assume that said ‘18 Dodge Charger is a leftover being offered at a steal?

Otherwise, they’re not cheap cars in themselves.

Under_Score > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/10/2019 at 17:52

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That’s understandable. There are plenty of good things sub-$5,000 that shouldn’t need work for 1-2 years. Your door opens widely if you aren’t picky about makes, models, body styles. Good luck finding a reliable truck under $5,000, but cars? That’s easy.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 04/11/2019 at 07:05

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Reliable, fun, and able to carry 3 kids without issue.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > shop-teacher 04/11/2019 at 07:09

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A lot of it is stuff I have laying around, plus parts are stupid cheap. The complete suspension rebuild on the car last spring only cost me $200 in parts. Start to finish it only cost $800 including purchase price and we’ve beat the living hell out of it for 20k miles.

But as it stands right now, I’ve stuck roughly $800 in the engine on the van, I just ordered another $200 in parts to finish it, and the car needs roughly $500 in parts + another $500 in tires. So by the time all’s said and done I’ll have spent aro und $2k already this year and it’s only April...

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 04/11/2019 at 07:12

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It was owned by an insurance company as an adjuster’s car, so it has 40k miles.

But it has the extended B2B warranty to 100k.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Under_Score 04/11/2019 at 07:13

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Honestly, I have no issue buying something in the sub -$20,000 area. I want something that shouldn’t need work for a decade or so.

shop-teacher > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/11/2019 at 07:41

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Exactly. When it rains, it pours.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 04/11/2019 at 10:35

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Hey, if it has a bumper to bumper, you can always take on a side gig as a youtube personality.