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1. The oil light blinking on the dashboard is not like the gas gauge. It's not a friendly reminder: Hey there, you might want to think about checking the oil in the next week or so.
2. Not all guys know about cars. They will do their best to help you because they are nice. But a surprisingly high percentage of them are just fumbling through, and are barely acquainted with their own cars beyond checking the oil and pouring stuff in the radiator.
3. If the car engine starts heating up, roll down the windows and blast the heater. Even if it's 88 degrees outside.
4. Glance down at the gauges now and then.
5. Have a little savings account for your monthly car issues.
6. Keep an extra jacket in the car for those unexpected excursions to the side of the road when you were happily on the way home with a load of groceries. You may be waiting for a while.
7. When it feels like gremlins invaded your engine because every lighted item on the dash is gradually doused, starting with the radio, followed by a dying gas pedal, it's probably the alternator. Not terribly serious, but you'll be glad for that savings account.
8. If your heater fan suddenly stops working and won't resume, even when you've slapped the dash, go over a good bump. It will come back on.
9. Ignore onlookers in the Target parking lot when you're slapping your dashboard all over. It works for some car maladies, such as the alarming thwacking sound that starts up intermittently. It doesn't do anything for your heater fan, though.
10. There's nothing like having offspring who make your problem their own and make the trip to sit with you in your cold, dark car in a stranger's driveway.
11. USAA will not be able to locate a tow truck in your area. Ever. To save time sitting in the cold, just skip to the step where you call in a local tow, pay the bill, and get reimbursed.
12. The insurance agents you eventually get in touch with, after you've jumped through the hoops in their online system (let us hope you broke down where there's a good signal!), are kind and more empathetic than your dog, but can't make things move any faster.
13. If you hear deafening screeches as if you're towing a chain link fence behind you, don't automatically call a tow truck. Scary, yes, but put the car in reverse and back up a ways. The little rock in the brake might fall out, and you can continue on home.
14. You can have the towed car deposited at the dealer's even when it's shut down for the weekend, no one is there, and it's dark and still.
15. If there's a trail of smoke behind you, you probably need a fresh tire.
16. Get those struts replaced when you can. Until then, the bouncing ride will take you back to your childhood. Whee!
Discussion (72)
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We had a VW Rabbit, probably an '85, that by about '92 or so got pretty finicky. If you did not let it rest at least 20 minutes between trips (like you just ran in for a gallon of milk), you could forget about it starting.
My daughter, who eventually inherited the thing, figured out that if it didn't start, which by the time she got it was on a regular basis, she would open the hood, turn on the windshield wipers, walk around the car once and then turn on her cell phone. It would then start right up. Her boyfriend thought she was nuts, but hey, you can't argue with results.
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By the way, AAA is a must. I don't know how many times they saved us from the side of the road.
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Great post.
You definitely have had Yer share of older auto problems.
The battery starts the car, the alternator charges the the battery while yer driving it. So, generally speaking, if it doesn't start, it's the battery. If it starts, but won't stay started, then it's the alternator.
If You have Yer car towed to the dealership after hours, make sure the tow driver fills out a night drop envelope with Yer contact info, so You can be reached when the dealership opens. Or call immediately in morning to make sure someone has Yer key.
General rule of thumb, tow drivers do not care one whit about Yer auto. Take pictures before the tow arrives. And the driver will drop it it off on any piece of the dealership's property line.
Again, great post.
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I’ve driven 2 early (from the late 70s) VW Rabbits. Worst clutches ever.
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I had one in the 70's. Besides a Ford Escort, the worst car I ever owned.
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