February 26th, 2025

In a bizarre bit of serendipity, late last week the "check engine" lights in both Tim's car and mine popped on late last week.  Dang.  We decided to tackle the issue one vehicle at a time and since Tim drives about a zillion times more than I do, obviously, his car is the one currently at the garage awaiting a repair verdict.  Sigh.

I think everyone in the known universe is well aware of how I feel about driving  (boo hiss)  but did  you know that feeling extends to cars in general?  Yup, I am not a fan.  And I wish, I so wish, I could say that it was for save the planet type altruistic reasons but it's not. It's primarily because they are a constant financial drain.

First there is the initial purchase price which is big buckerooties, then registration, taxes, insurance  and the continual updates on those things.   Oil changes, brake repair, tire rotation and eventual replacement, windshield wiper blades and batteries.  Here in Florida, probably due to the heat and humidity in summer, we have to replace batteries far more often than normal. And those are just the normal things that costcostcost but are expected.  Then there are the things you don't expect like "check engine" lights blinking on out of the blue.  And, of course,  there is no such thing as an inexpensive car repair. It just doesn't happen.  Then there is the gas to fuel the vehicle OR if you have an electric car the cost of getting the hole Plug-In set up in your garage (assuming you have one) and cost of replacement batteries which I understand is prohibitive. 

Eventually the day comes when the car must be replaced and then it all starts over again. It's like the longest con in the world. It never ends.  grrrrrrr.  No matter how careful you are, regardless of how perfectly you maintain it, somewhere along the way, something is, unexpectedly, going to go wrong and kapow, car trouble followed by a big bill.

Luckily for us, we live in a very walkable town which is unusual, in the US anyway, AND the weather is very nice right now.  If you gotta walk to the grocery store carrying home multiple heavy bags, it's nice to do it when the temps aren't screaming and the humidity is just a whisper. 

Luckier still is that we have a good repair garage where the people are really nice and good at what they do,  and that they are nearby so again, we can walk a drop off/pick up. I suppose it could be worse.  

But it could also be better.  Remember a very long time ago when most people did a lot of their own car maintenance and repairs?  Under any car hood sat an enormous engine in an even bigger space so there was room to easily work on a car. You could practically crawl inside of it.  Most of the tools required were things that people already had in their home took kit. And  the whole combustion engine thing was pretty straight forward. If this then that.  I remember not just my dad, but the entire neighborhood of dads and teenaged boys, tinkering away with their cars in the driveway on a sunny weekend.

Nowadays, cars are much smaller, more compact in design and it's tricky to even identify the various parts, let alone reach them to attempt any repair.  Additionally cars are basically giant computers on wheels now so the tools and knowledge you need to work on them is a whole different set.  It is unusual for anyone to even try to do much on their own cars these days. HOA's prohibit it even if you had the time, tools and talent.

It's a different world I suppose. For sure it's a different era but cars are just as big a pain in the arse as they were when they were first invented.  They are, and have always been, costly, sneaky, unreliable and needy. So very needy and demanding. Like Giant Metal Babies! grumpgrumpgrump.

Ok I'm over it now.  Hopefully the price tag won't be too frightening  and soon enough we will both have ready access  in the not too distant future.  Regardless, as far as my feeligns go, whenever I can, I will stick to walking, thank you very much.  Costs me nothin' and that is my favourite price.