"The continued quest to find a decent $4k Camry whose odometer hasn't been spun...a novel idea"
So? my '93 gave up the ghost, 'mechanic said "Bob, not worth fixin'"..I donated it to a charity.
(Breast Cancer Research) and began looking all over the planet for a decent 4k or less.. ride.
After days and nights fryin'' my eyeballs and typing my digits off.. checking Craig's...and a lot of other places..
I thought I found clean '95 with only 98000 on it, 'called the guy, he said "Yea, 'my sisters car, then my Moms, she doesn't drive any more ... she's 69" (I thought shit, I'm 62, that doesn't sound right", but I had already taken the 1.5 hour drive so...).
Got to the place (and to tell you the truth..without a gps I'd probably still be driving around out in 'east je-sus' somewhere.)
Anyway, the car was real clean from the initial observation, BUT, when I opened the hood, the lip of the hood from one headlight to the other was filthy and oil soaked (engine was not.. but looked real tired)...the air vents were clogged with leaves 2 inches deep all the way across the width of the car ...plus it looked like he cleaned the windows 'w an oily rag!
(I thought "some people are slobs.. 'never clean the engine compartment, BUT this doesn't mean it's a bad ride, it's still a Toyota fer crissakes".)
As I looked closer, I saw the rear quarter panel looked a little different color and I asked about it to which this potential (lyin' sack of something..) told me "oh,it's never been in an accident, My mom tried to spray paint that."
...It was a professional (although half-assed) job, no way a Krylon "Mom" job. (krylon mom job..sounds like a kinky science fiction flick)
anyway...
I said "I'd like to take to take it for a ride" he handed me the keys..started right up, no smoke, no knocks, no leaks ("so far OK" I thought.."I can detail the hell out of it"....'sounds pretty good thus far.
Out on the highway...she went through the gears without a problem,and braked straight as an arrow..
I was already considering my pending road trip..as I got her up to about 80 with no shimmys or pulling ..even without steering...odometer did, however, click the numbers over, not roll over smoothly as they should have.
"Hmmm".
I spotted a station (mostly cows and fields out this way) 'pulled in & (after petting the giant German shepherd that trotted out to gimme a sniff.."good doggie...goooood doggie)'" 'asked if I could borrow a jack to check the front suspension...guy rolled one out and said "here ya go".
I jacked it up, tried to shake the front wheels...no movement..."good", I thought as I crawled under..."hmmm new cv boots".. but the rest of the suspension looked older than Moses (more rusted than my donated car that was 2 years older.. 'had 112, 000 more miles on it and had never seen the inside of a garage in 18 years... except to be worked on).
"Hmmmm...something stanks here" I surmised.
'offered the guy a 20 for the use of his jack, he refused to take it (3 times he refused) and told me..."hey, that's ok, we are closed today".
Slipping dough in his shirt and saying "here, at least get a hamburger or somethin': "where can I find a garage w a lift around here"?
"down the road a piece" I was told (remembering 'a piece' is maybe 10-20 miles out in the boondocks)
'found a garage that was open.. asked the guy to take a look (again offering him some dough for a 5 minute inspection)
"Give me 5 minutes"..ok cool...he came out, looked it over...said; it sounded good...no strange noises..but, he had never seen that oil slick on the inside of the front hood like that before either..."that's puzzling" was his quote.
He also agreed that the rear quarter panel looked repainted, even showed me where the clear coat was coming off.
I said "well, as a guy who makes his living on cars, you think with a 5 minute look this ride is worth 3 k?...I ain't gonna hold you to anything...just an opinion please"'.
He paused and said "well for 3 k, maybe... but I wouldn't pay more"
I offered him money also, and he refused (3 times) I said "you got kids? he said "yep", me;.."please take something for your time" he finally did.
(Man, I love rural areas, (working people have always been very straight up with me, politicians never... working people yes.)
Ok, so now my brother and I are cruising back on the highway wondering (1) where the hell the is the road we turned off of? and (2) why didn't we bring our fishing rods and a cooler?
My brother then says" hey, what's that light"..?
I looked and the Check Engine Light had come on..(We'd been driving around for 45 minutes or so)..
"Dammit anyway...THAT? is the deal killer".
So... imagining having this engine blow up up in northern Wisconsin late at night..w no cell service..and the nearest tow truck 60 miles away whatchamacallit-town..with me being crazed about it.. my cell suddenly blew up (the seller) I said "we're right down the road, 'back in a minute
"..(remembering right down the road could be 10-20 miles away...out here in no mans land.)
Check engine light never went out...'glovebox had no manuals, he had no recpts.of any kind, but the windshield had a ('looked like it was just written out this am) 'Change Oil at 101,000 mi." on it.
'told the guy "The check engine light is on, 'won't go off" and he innocently said "Oh?" that's never happened before...wonder what that is"?
I felt a tightening of the sphincter....if you catch my drift
My comment was, "thanks for your time...oh, and I put $10 worth of gas in it for you" (besides being nasty..it was on E when he handed me the keys)
My thought was.."I WAS born at night, BUT it wasn't Last night"!
So, depressed as hell, because: I had already filled up my bros car ($40) bought him lunch ($20) given the two working guys some dough, & had forgotten the damn rods and cooler...we started the long ride back to the city...
of course on the way in, I spotted at least 3 beautiful-in-perfect-garage-kept-condition.. 3rd generation Camrys drive by...all driven by teeny tiny little old ladies and great grampa looking guys...
I thought of racing over and pulling up next to them and inquiring of their health (kiddin') or wanting to sell their rides...but thought better of it...
"What if I startled them into an accident or worse..a coronary?
(the deceased's relatives would never sell me their cars then!)
So I keep on lookin' for...A-good-used-Camry~.
'keep you posted
theUB©06092012arr
So? my '93 gave up the ghost, 'mechanic said "Bob, not worth fixin'"..I donated it to a charity.
(Breast Cancer Research) and began looking all over the planet for a decent 4k or less.. ride.
After days and nights fryin'' my eyeballs and typing my digits off.. checking Craig's...and a lot of other places..
I thought I found clean '95 with only 98000 on it, 'called the guy, he said "Yea, 'my sisters car, then my Moms, she doesn't drive any more ... she's 69" (I thought shit, I'm 62, that doesn't sound right", but I had already taken the 1.5 hour drive so...).
Got to the place (and to tell you the truth..without a gps I'd probably still be driving around out in 'east je-sus' somewhere.)
Anyway, the car was real clean from the initial observation, BUT, when I opened the hood, the lip of the hood from one headlight to the other was filthy and oil soaked (engine was not.. but looked real tired)...the air vents were clogged with leaves 2 inches deep all the way across the width of the car ...plus it looked like he cleaned the windows 'w an oily rag!
(I thought "some people are slobs.. 'never clean the engine compartment, BUT this doesn't mean it's a bad ride, it's still a Toyota fer crissakes".)
As I looked closer, I saw the rear quarter panel looked a little different color and I asked about it to which this potential (lyin' sack of something..) told me "oh,it's never been in an accident, My mom tried to spray paint that."
...It was a professional (although half-assed) job, no way a Krylon "Mom" job. (krylon mom job..sounds like a kinky science fiction flick)
anyway...
I said "I'd like to take to take it for a ride" he handed me the keys..started right up, no smoke, no knocks, no leaks ("so far OK" I thought.."I can detail the hell out of it"....'sounds pretty good thus far.
Out on the highway...she went through the gears without a problem,and braked straight as an arrow..
I was already considering my pending road trip..as I got her up to about 80 with no shimmys or pulling ..even without steering...odometer did, however, click the numbers over, not roll over smoothly as they should have.
"Hmmm".
I spotted a station (mostly cows and fields out this way) 'pulled in & (after petting the giant German shepherd that trotted out to gimme a sniff.."good doggie...goooood doggie)'" 'asked if I could borrow a jack to check the front suspension...guy rolled one out and said "here ya go".
I jacked it up, tried to shake the front wheels...no movement..."good", I thought as I crawled under..."hmmm new cv boots".. but the rest of the suspension looked older than Moses (more rusted than my donated car that was 2 years older.. 'had 112, 000 more miles on it and had never seen the inside of a garage in 18 years... except to be worked on).
"Hmmmm...something stanks here" I surmised.
'offered the guy a 20 for the use of his jack, he refused to take it (3 times he refused) and told me..."hey, that's ok, we are closed today".
Slipping dough in his shirt and saying "here, at least get a hamburger or somethin': "where can I find a garage w a lift around here"?
"down the road a piece" I was told (remembering 'a piece' is maybe 10-20 miles out in the boondocks)
'found a garage that was open.. asked the guy to take a look (again offering him some dough for a 5 minute inspection)
"Give me 5 minutes"..ok cool...he came out, looked it over...said; it sounded good...no strange noises..but, he had never seen that oil slick on the inside of the front hood like that before either..."that's puzzling" was his quote.
He also agreed that the rear quarter panel looked repainted, even showed me where the clear coat was coming off.
I said "well, as a guy who makes his living on cars, you think with a 5 minute look this ride is worth 3 k?...I ain't gonna hold you to anything...just an opinion please"'.
He paused and said "well for 3 k, maybe... but I wouldn't pay more"
I offered him money also, and he refused (3 times) I said "you got kids? he said "yep", me;.."please take something for your time" he finally did.
(Man, I love rural areas, (working people have always been very straight up with me, politicians never... working people yes.)
Ok, so now my brother and I are cruising back on the highway wondering (1) where the hell the is the road we turned off of? and (2) why didn't we bring our fishing rods and a cooler?
My brother then says" hey, what's that light"..?
I looked and the Check Engine Light had come on..(We'd been driving around for 45 minutes or so)..
"Dammit anyway...THAT? is the deal killer".
So... imagining having this engine blow up up in northern Wisconsin late at night..w no cell service..and the nearest tow truck 60 miles away whatchamacallit-town..with me being crazed about it.. my cell suddenly blew up (the seller) I said "we're right down the road, 'back in a minute
"..(remembering right down the road could be 10-20 miles away...out here in no mans land.)
Check engine light never went out...'glovebox had no manuals, he had no recpts.of any kind, but the windshield had a ('looked like it was just written out this am) 'Change Oil at 101,000 mi." on it.
'told the guy "The check engine light is on, 'won't go off" and he innocently said "Oh?" that's never happened before...wonder what that is"?
I felt a tightening of the sphincter....if you catch my drift
My comment was, "thanks for your time...oh, and I put $10 worth of gas in it for you" (besides being nasty..it was on E when he handed me the keys)
My thought was.."I WAS born at night, BUT it wasn't Last night"!
So, depressed as hell, because: I had already filled up my bros car ($40) bought him lunch ($20) given the two working guys some dough, & had forgotten the damn rods and cooler...we started the long ride back to the city...
of course on the way in, I spotted at least 3 beautiful-in-perfect-garage-kept-condition.. 3rd generation Camrys drive by...all driven by teeny tiny little old ladies and great grampa looking guys...
I thought of racing over and pulling up next to them and inquiring of their health (kiddin') or wanting to sell their rides...but thought better of it...
"What if I startled them into an accident or worse..a coronary?
(the deceased's relatives would never sell me their cars then!)
So I keep on lookin' for...A-good-used-Camry~.
'keep you posted
theUB©06092012arr
