Cha-Ching

Current mood: uncomfortable

Blah, blah, blah, economics, blah, 401k, blah, blah, blah, housing futures, blah, blah, gas prices.

Let me tell you 'bout my vehicles.

Travis took the Durango to SC when he moved. He wanted to keep it so he could transport his tri-bike (his mistress) without exposing it to the elements. I wanted to keep the Durango because it was so much easier for me to take the elderly dog to the vet in it. He won.

When the kids and I went to SC in June, we took the Ford truck and towed a trailer full of our stuff, like some furniture and personal things, to store at Travis' place. When I was driving somewhere in Alabama or Georgia I heard a noise coming from the back end of the truck, but figured it had something to do with towing the trailer. I'd never towed before so I didn't know. The truck still felt like it was handling the same way so I thought I was good.

Yeah, nope! When we got there and dropped the trailer off at the U-Haul, Travis heard the noise and told me he thought it was the rear-end. He decided we would drive back to Texas in the Durango and he would keep the truck. He did Band-Aid services to the truck until September, when he came here. He dropped it at the shop when he was leaving to have the rear-end done. That was $1900. Now he thinks there is soemthing going on with the fuel system. Crap.

Tuesday, the Durango wouldn't start. I have known there was a problem with the ignition system and I had narrowed it down to the starter or the alternator. I at least knew that much. We haven't really had much liquid cash flow these days so I decided to wait and hoped it might last us longer. Nope! So, I had it towed to the shop. When they got the starter off, they saw leaks and rust in the freeze plugs, so those had to be done. $641 later, my truck was going.

Yesterday, as I was leaving to pick the kids up, the truck started very sluggishly, almost as if the starter were going out. I put it in the back of my mind and went on about my business. A short time later, I saw Kelly and stopped to talk to her. While standing outside the high school I saw a leak under my truck. I called the shop and inquired. They told me to bring it in and they would check it whenever it was convenient for me. I went home, got the kids together for football practice, went to practice and had to run an errand when I dropped Nolan off. Then, the truck wouldn't start. Seriously, just like Tuesday.

I called the shop, which was literally two minutes from closing and they sent out the shop owner and a mechanic. They checked it out, gave it a couple of good whacks on the starter, told me the new starter was bad and that they would replace it the next day, free of charge. That would be today.

The truck started just fine this morning and after I got the kids delivered, I dropped the truck off. Kelly picked me up and let me borrow her car again. I ran to WalMart for eggs and bread and came home. I got here, started laundry, made dinner and then the stupid phone rang. It was the shop and I thought they might be telling me the truck was ready. Nope! They told me the starter was on and working well but that the water pump was what was leaking and that it was bad. $297.

Mind you, all of these maladies with the Durango are things Travis is capable of fixing himself, so long as he had the correct tools. And, he does. But, he is seven freaking states away making baby Soldiers cry.

E-FREAKING-NUFF.

Currently listening : Start Me up / No Use Crying By The Rolling Stones