Car Trouble Update

I talked with the Mechanic that we use here at the office and he told me that it would be $400 to look at it. Basically since my transmission is transversely mounted and underneath the engine block he'll have to remove it to find the problem. He then gave another few breakdowns of price. If it is the linkage, there's no extra cost; it's all right there and he can just re-attach it. If I need a new transmission, it's another $1,150 on top of the $400 and there might more labor cost as well.

I haven't taken it in yet because of Rebecca's car. I'm using it right now which is all wonderful, but it needs it's 60,000 mile tune up. This is not a cheap tune up. The intake plenum is covering the Spark Plugs so that entire assembly needs to be removed to get at those plugs. The dealer said it's an $830 job, but I found another mechanic that specializes in Japanese cars and he quoted me $593.95. So, before I get my car looked at, we're going to get Rebecca's car tuned up so it doesn't break. Then I'm going to save up and get my car looked at. Then either start driving my car, or start saving up for a new transmission and clutch.

I think my next car is going to be easy to work on. I was thinking that my next car was going to be a VW Golf GTi, but I'm not so sure any more. I'm thinking Small Block Chevy... 'sept gas prices suck so hard... *sigh* just can't win can ya'?

P.S. No one got my quote from last post. It was from "Snatch"

New Quote:
"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought."

Go ahead Dad,

You get to tell me "I told you so."

My car broke yesterday. Not entirely sure what's wrong with it, but I'm sure taking my car to the track did not help. What really sucked is that it was 11:30 at night at Florin Rd. @ 99. Not exactly the best place to be at the side of the road in the middle of the night.

So basically, I pull away from a light (not at any great speed, just like normal) then I reach for 2nd gear and it wasn't there. So I decided to reach for 3rd gear, it liked 3rd gear just fine so I thought to myself: "huh, must be a linkage problem if I can grab 1st, 3rd, and 5th, but not 2nd, and 4th. So I pull over into a parking lot to see if the linkage problem was just in the area right around the shift nob, but it wasn't. At this point I think, "no big deal, I'll limp it home and take Rebecca's car tomorrow." However, I tried to pull away and now it wont engage any gear. It wont even slot into any gear... I mean, it'll go to where it's always been, but I can just make big ol' circles with the shift nob without having to slot from 1st to neutral to 3rd or anything like that. I told that to the mechanic that our office does a lot of work with, and he agreed with me that it was probably just the linkage, but it also could have been something else and much more expensive... We'll just have to see when I save up enough money to get it looked at. Shan't take too long. And at least the engine is still strong. AND at least I have alternate transportation. This could have sucked a whole lot more.

Oh well... that's life.

"Why do they call him 'Bullet Dodger'?"
"Because he dodges bullets."

Greetings Everyone

I'm in a bit of a better mood because I accidentally lied in my last post. I was going to come into the office on Saturday, but I was able to finish everything up on Friday night (it was late on Friday, but Friday none the less). I'm also in a good mood because Ferrari just unveiled a new car. And it's actually a new car rather than a replacement for an existing car. It's called the California and it has more than a little resemblance to the 250 GT California Spyder (made famous in Ferris Bueller's Day Off) doesn't it? It's going to be a new Gran Tourer with a 4.3 liter V8 in the front that produces some 460 bHp or so. The main thing about it that I don't really like is that it's a hard top convertible. I've never been a fan of these. They add far too much weight to the car. Convertibles are inherently heaver than hard tops because since you remove the rigid structure of the roof, you need to add strengthening beams to the undercarriage and side panels so the car doesn't break in half. So a hard top convertible has all those strengthening beams, and also the hard folding roof. Not to mention that it also takes up an enormous amount of room so the back end has to be huge! I mean, look at the side view of the car, it's rear end is a good 6" taller than the back of the hood. But hey, this car isn't supposed to be a super hard core racer like the F430 Sculderia, or the Enzo. It's supposed to be a cruiser that can also perform decently at a track. That's what a GT is supposed to do. So, not the Ferrari for me, but still something to get excited about! What are your thoughts?

Why do I let this happen to me?

I am a glutton for punishment. I just don't get it. I make my mind up that I'm simply not going to come in on the weekends any more. There is just too much stress for not enough reimbursement. But lo and behold, here I go again. I think I'm to loyal for my own good. The moment a boss says "I need this by Monday when I come in" to which I reply, "I can't finish it by tonight."
He'll respond with "But then I won't have the pipe ready for when my guys get to the job site," and that's all it takes to get me into the office on my weekends. I even have to break (well bend) plans that I had with a friend of mine.
I don't know why that line works on me so well, but it does. Every god damn time we get behind I have to put in extra hours so the guys in the field don't have to wait for a half of a day and I don't even fight it! I'm not right in the head. *sigh* I bet I'd be like this even if I won the Lotto but still wanted to work so I don't go insane.

That's it, I'm done, I'm not going to complain any more. Good night all.

Hey everyone.

I haven't posted much lately because I have not been staying at work 1 second longer than necessary because of this!



Far too much fun. Far too little sleep.

On other news though, I'm going to Las Vegas this weekend. A friend from high school (who, in a bizarre coincidence, also happens to be the brother of my brother's wife) is getting married, so he is throwing a bachelor party in Vegas and I'm goin' down there tomorrow after work. That'll be fun.

That's about it. I'll be sure to not tell you all the stories from Vegas.