10/26/10 UPDATE: Windowerks...

Well, today, out of nowhere, my back window started working.  No idea why.  Thing is, it only goes down about half way, then it starts to bind.  When I got home, I took the door panel off and sprayed grease along the track the window rides on.  This helped a lot, but if I put it down too far, it stays there.  I can grab the glass and pull up, and it will start again.  I think maybe while struggling to install the window motor, I may have messed up the regulator a bit. 

Oh, and Vic hit 118,000 today...

10/21/10 UPDATE: New Windshield

Vic got a nice, new, pit-free windshield this morning.  I just couldn't stand in any more!!  I was going to get it replaced last year, then said "EH!  I'll wait until winter is over...".  Well, the other day the sun hit the glass just right, and all I could see was pits... no road... Soooo, yesterday I made the required phone calls, and I can't wait to take a drive tomorrow and actually see where I am going!  One thing I find interesting is that for the first time, they put in the newer style that has the black dots by the rear view mirror. 

10/5/10 UPDATE

Well, Fall is officially here.  And with Fall comes thoughts of snow tires.  I need to replace two of my Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice tires.  I have been asking local tire shops when I can expect to be able to order some, and no one seems to have a real good grasp on when snows will start to ship. 

Mom's Town Car is back from the body shop.  The less said about their work, the better.  Let's just say that if it were MY car, I'd be on the phone with the insurance company demanding they do something about it.  At least I know not to go to them myself...

Vic is up to about 117,500 miles now.  Front left fender is starting to get more rust bubbles.... poor thing...

9/22/10 UPDATE: Window Pains...

I finally bought and installed a new window motor for Vic's rear-passenger door.  Thankfully, Todd (aka: Mystery Mechanic) had bought me a bunch of tools a long time ago.  The bolts holding the old motor in were those star/hexy things.  I put the right bit in a ratchet, and out the bolts came.  The hard part was getting the pump off the regulator.  After much prying, off it came.  Installing the new motor was a lot simpler.  Though there was one drawback...

The window still won't work.  That means I will most likely STILL have to take it somewhere to get it fixed.  Not happy...

Mom's Town Car is in the body shop having it's side-swipe repaired.  I wonder how it will come out...

Old & New Parts

Works better with a ratchet...

9/6/10 UPDATE: What's Next???

After a week of awful car-luck, things got worse Saturday.  Todd's parents were set to leave Maine for home after their annual stay.  But they couldn't leave... because the transmission in their '03 P71 stopped working.  Todd and I had to borrow a car trailer, bring it 80 miles to home, re-wire part of it, then drive north 3 hours.  It took a while to get the dead car onto the trailer and tied down.  We left at about 2:30AM.  Some time after 4AM, one of the 4 tires started coming apart.  I noticed the sparks in the darkness.  We found a rest stop and... well... stopped.  It just so happened there was a man on duty with a roadside assistance truck (a very small one).  Eventually, we decided to just take the bad wheel off, chain up the axle, and drove home with only 3 tires on the trailer.  Both of us were falling asleep at the wheel... Yes, I had to drive for a while.  By the time I got home, my dad was getting out of bed.  I fell asleep so fast, I barely remember putting on my jammies.  

Getting more gas... with 4 trailer tires

The bad tire...

9/3/10 UPDATE: Bad Things Happen in 3's

Holy Cow!  The moon must be perfectly aligned with some planet or another to have such bad luck!  It all started with my Mom's 1999 Town Car leaking coolant from somewhere.  We dropped it off at my old mechanic, but by the end of the day, Dad's 1995 Town Car was smelling like smoke.  So his went there that night.  Next morning, knowing things happen in 3's, I expected something to happen to my car.  It did.  While driving Dad to work, the car was running awful and the engine light went on.  Bad coil pack, which my mechanic fixed.  BUT, I was told it burned out because of COOLANT leaking onto it.  In other words, there is a very good chance I will need an intake as well. 

Fast foward a bit, and Ma's car is home.  She and Dad are on the way to a doctor appointment... and he car starts stinking of coolant.  Now it is getting a new heater core.  Half the car is ripped apart.  I think Dad's needs a new instrument panel (digital), if we can find one...

Which brings up the question:  how long do you keep a car?  All three have over 100,000 miles and are over 10 years old.  We won't even go into rust...

My parents are renting a car for a few days.  For the first time in years, a Chevy is spending the night in our driveway...

8/30/10 UPDATE

Today Vic got a new set of tires.  Since it may be the last it will get, I decided to FINALLY try out some Goodyear RS-A's.  They are the H speed rated version.  Some folks love these tires, some hate them.  My boyfriend Todd has had many sets, and feels usually they are good on dry pavement, can be OK in the rain, but are AWFUL on wet Boston roads.  I am hoping that since I don't drive in Boston, I will be OK.  Time will tell.  And I can't pass judgement until the new-tire-squidgies are worn off.  I tend to go through tires rather quickly, so the low tread-wear rating should be interesting to follow.  Todd's current V-rated set has lasted a very long time!

Still have to deal with the window motor in the back door.  Also, I realised that the same dealership that worked on that door didn't do the coolant change I got charged for.  I need to get up the nerve to talk to the service manager on that...

(yes, that is rust on the wheelwell...)