The Next Step

I love Pearl. Truly. But I'm having a hard time adjusting to having a vehicle that I can't really get hands-on with or even begin to diagnose if there's a problem. Decades of POS ownership have trained me to not only guess at what's wrong but occasionally to even fix it.

I guess that DIY isn't limited to the house for me. But, I'm much more skilled when it comes to the house. So, it's time to consult someone whose skills are WAY beyond mine and someone whom I can trust: a high school friend of the mother's who has worked on not only Ladybird but the last three cars I owned before Pearl. Someone who has been working on cars longer than I've been alive.

The mother told him about Pearl shortly after I got her and he was quick to admit that there would be many things his shop would not be equipped to do. But even so, there will be a lot that he can, too. So, my next course of action is to get him on the phone and get his advice.

Yeah, that. What I should have done in the first damn place ...

Thanks for all the supportive comments. And a special thanks to the MonkeyGirl who let me rant as I drove home last night. (Tried out Pearl's private line. I like it!)

The good news is that they did (supposedly) change the oil and rotate the tires -- things they OWED me -- and even did a visual inspection of fluids and other basic items during which nothing else was noted. Because I got the services that they owed me, I can officially wash my hands of them. Never again. Not even on a bet.

For now, it's all about getting to work. Both Pearl and Ladybird will stay parked today. It's in the teens with winds gusting up to 30 mph and up to four inches of snow on the ground.

Fun times.