A Wintery Day
Jan. 15th, 2004 11:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
podlingI'd almost gotten used to driving the oversized go-kart automatic rental car. And I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be able to listen to anything but the light 'n easy station. But then, from on high, a call to action! You can pick your car up! It wasn't easy, but it's done. A rather large charge bill later, and the podmobile is back and in action!!! (Well, at the moment it's parked at the train station, but still, you know what I mean) My baby is back! Woo! It's gone 73,000 miles with me, and will be going several more now too.
Watch out for your cylinder head cracking. The dude told me that this is happening to a lot of them. He also pointed out that if I'd kept driving it for another couple of days, I probably wouldn't have a car left to speak of (which, one might note, is distinctly different from what I was told at Saturn, direct quote here... "Oh yeah, you can drive it, it probably won't last the whole winter, but it'll go for a while") So, basically, if your temp light comes on, go have it check out, like, immediately. And I'd recommend having someone other than Saturn do it.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those poor unfortunate people who wereduped willing to help me get to and from the mechanic & rental car place.
Another event of note... I finally used my fireplace last weekend. It was very exciting for several reasons. One is that I generally don't like lighting things. Really. And I'm kind of afraid of being burned. Which is odd, for other reasons, but we'll ignore that for now. The real twilight zone moment came when I was all comfy in my papasan chair, in front of a roaring fire, sewing something, with the radio on, and it was just *SO* domestic tranquility-like, and I found myself actually feeling something odd... is this what it's like to be content? The whole thing, just weird. Also weird is how easily I can make my place look all seductive-like with the right mood lighting. I'm starting to actually like my place more and more.
I accidentally shrunk the cover for my exercise mat thing, like, literally 3 sessions after I started using it again. So it won't fit back on the foam. What should I do with it? Give me ideas! I was going to get a new mat anyway, this one is too slippery to use on a non-carpeted floor (or in other words, laminate hardwood) and I kept slipping weirdly. But so now it's more of an immediate issue. Or, well, I mean, I can do much of the cirque du soleil-style sexercises without one, but not all of them, and some of them really are painful on a hard floor.
And in other news (though this might classify as a stupid thing I've done too), it took me *forever* to get to work today. The icy crystalline snow of last night has been replaced by big fat flakes, but it was still all puffy on my car and the roads were... well, how they are in NJ when it snows. Then there was a switch problem (of course, how very unusual). Hopefully going home will be more simple.
Watch out for your cylinder head cracking. The dude told me that this is happening to a lot of them. He also pointed out that if I'd kept driving it for another couple of days, I probably wouldn't have a car left to speak of (which, one might note, is distinctly different from what I was told at Saturn, direct quote here... "Oh yeah, you can drive it, it probably won't last the whole winter, but it'll go for a while") So, basically, if your temp light comes on, go have it check out, like, immediately. And I'd recommend having someone other than Saturn do it.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those poor unfortunate people who were
Another event of note... I finally used my fireplace last weekend. It was very exciting for several reasons. One is that I generally don't like lighting things. Really. And I'm kind of afraid of being burned. Which is odd, for other reasons, but we'll ignore that for now. The real twilight zone moment came when I was all comfy in my papasan chair, in front of a roaring fire, sewing something, with the radio on, and it was just *SO* domestic tranquility-like, and I found myself actually feeling something odd... is this what it's like to be content? The whole thing, just weird. Also weird is how easily I can make my place look all seductive-like with the right mood lighting. I'm starting to actually like my place more and more.
I accidentally shrunk the cover for my exercise mat thing, like, literally 3 sessions after I started using it again. So it won't fit back on the foam. What should I do with it? Give me ideas! I was going to get a new mat anyway, this one is too slippery to use on a non-carpeted floor (or in other words, laminate hardwood) and I kept slipping weirdly. But so now it's more of an immediate issue. Or, well, I mean, I can do much of the cirque du soleil-style sexercises without one, but not all of them, and some of them really are painful on a hard floor.
And in other news (though this might classify as a stupid thing I've done too), it took me *forever* to get to work today. The icy crystalline snow of last night has been replaced by big fat flakes, but it was still all puffy on my car and the roads were... well, how they are in NJ when it snows. Then there was a switch problem (of course, how very unusual). Hopefully going home will be more simple.
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no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 09:46 am (UTC)So, one day the light came on about two minutes from school, 12 minutes from my parents' house. I had my brother in the car. Thinking that the light was no big deal, I drove it the rest of the way home. Just as I pulled into the driveway, the car went *thunkathunkathunkathunka* and all motion ceased, save the smoke rising from under the hood. Fortunately, none of the car was still hanging out in the road.
I called dad, said, "Dad, car is dead, I think."
I'd warped all the cylinders. It cost more to repair than the car was worth. But Dad had it fixed anyway because he didn't want to buy another learning-to-drive-on car for me and my brother. I went to check on the car one day (the repair place was next to my dad's office) and the mechanic said, "Kilt it pretty good, dintja?"
My brother totaled that car later by following too closely and failing to stop in time.
Now I know that the temperature light is a Very Big Deal, and if it comes on, you need to be off the road, pronto.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:03 am (UTC)But yeah, temperature lights are the Evil ones. Very much so. I think it questionable that the people at the dealership underplayed it. I mean, they said the repair was necessary and expensive, but they also said I could drive it, which was so not true it wasn't even funny. And every other mechanic I've talked to (my uncle is one, as is a guy at work) has been totally floored by that.
The repair on this one was less than the car was worth. Even still, if I'd had the money, I probably would've bought a new one (though probably not a new Saturn, unless the warranty was extended to 10 years). I mean, I love my car, I really do, but enough is enough. For now though, it's all good.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:39 am (UTC)Re: temp light
Date: 2004-01-15 11:08 am (UTC)Re: temp light
Date: 2004-01-15 12:04 pm (UTC)Good thing you had that.
I'm thinking of getting an AAA membership for exactly this reason. I mean, the car *is* getting on in years, and I'm sure this won't be the last issue...
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 11:28 am (UTC)My 1995 SC1 makes oil disappear magically!
I have to fill it up with oil every so often. They told me it would cost $2000 to take the engine apart and try to find the source. Forget that. That's worth more than the car! I manage to keep the car going, but Saturn rips you off at the dealership on parts & labor. :(
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 08:24 pm (UTC)Mine does the oil thing too... I have to hope that it'll eat slightly less now that most of the engine has been altered.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-19 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-23 09:41 am (UTC)