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| (Illustrative Only) Isaac realizes that the shimmy the mechanic said is from the tire, then the rim, doesn't really have a clue what is wrong. However, their cluelessness costs him $$ |
The car still needs the Landau roof redone (I did a bad job trying to do it but it cost me $30 so it looks better then it did and if I spend $50 I can do a better job next time. You learn by doing.), a fresh paint job, and a few cosmetic touches, but mechanically it's getting there... one repair bill at a time.
One thing I've learned is that not all mechanics are created equal. Some charge a little more and fix exactly what needs fixing. Others charge a little less and somehow manage to repair everything except the actual problem.
I've also learned to be very specific about what I want repaired. If you simply ask them to "look it over," they'll head off on an archaeological dig, uncovering expensive "discoveries" you never knew existed.
Take my front-end shimmy, for example. The car only shakes under light acceleration at 55 mph. As soon as I let off the gas, the vibration disappears. That didn't exactly scream "bad tires" to me, but the mechanic was convinced.
"It's the tires," he said confidently.
So... four new tires later...
The shimmy was still there.
Then it became, "Well... maybe it's the rims."
Fortunately, I already had a spare set. They swapped them on and proudly announced they'd solved the problem.
Translation: "It's only shaking a little now."
In other words... still shaking.
Sometimes mechanics are absolutely right. Sometimes they're just making educated guesses with your wallet. That's why it's worth doing a little research yourself and asking questions. At the end of the day, nobody cares more about your car than you do.
Then there was the starter.
Every once in a while the Riviera refuses to start. Turn the key once... nothing. Twice... nothing. Five, six, seven, maybe ten attempts later... suddenly it fires right up like nothing ever happened.
Could it be the solenoid? The starter? A bad electrical connection? Probably.
Rather than paying someone to spend hours "diagnosing" it, I've decided to simply replace the starter. For about $350 in parts and labor, it's cheaper than paying someone to scratch their head for three hours before telling me they "think" it's the starter.
Classic car ownership teaches you an interesting lesson about money. Whatever your monthly payment would have been on a brand-new car, you'll probably end up spending something close to that keeping an old one alive. The difference is, nobody waves at your new crossover SUV at the stoplight.
The goal is simple: fix all the expensive mechanical problems first. Once those are behind you, the rest is mostly cosmetic—paint, trim, the Landau roof, and little finishing touches.
Then, when the Guppy Gangster Wagon is finally done...
You can reward yourself by buying another hunker junker and starting the whole adventure all over again.
Apparently that's how classic car owners define "fun."
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