BetterMost Community Blogs > Cellar Scribblings
Cellar Scribblings
CellarDweller:
Hiya Bettermost friends!
I hope everyone is doing well!
I worked from home yesterday, I had to take my car to the shop, and just got it back today.
I filled it with gas on Friday, and when I got home, it smelled like gas. I thought that maybe station attendant spilled some gas on the car when he filled it up. Saturday it POURED and my area was one of the ones that was dealing with some flooding. Anything spilled on the car would've been washed away. When I parked the car on Monday, I could still smell gas. There were no puddles around, and the fuel gauge hadn't gone down dramatically, just for what was normal use, so fumes were getting out somewhere.
Since I had no desire to drive a car that could burst into flames, I took it to the shop.
My account is now $900.00 emptier, but I did get a bit of work done on the Tracker. I had the oil changed (it was due in a few miles anyway), a new axle shaft, a new fuel line and fittings, a new fuel filter, a new air filter, and a new latch for the back door, which was only working when it wanted to.
:laugh:
My mechanic is very reliable and honest. I've been going to him since I learned out to drive, and there have been times I've asked if something needs to be done, and he'll tell me "no" flat out, so I don't worry about him finding fake things to fix to inflate the bill.
One of the reasons it took so long is that the car will be 15 years old next year, so finding new parts is becoming tricky. That's one of the reasons I'm out for a new car in 2019.
CellarDweller:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on August 12, 2018, 10:03:09 am ---Saw a good musician play last night with LauraGigs, then watched fireworks from my balcony. Today, I'm taking grandsons to the circus after church. A great weekend!
--- End quote ---
Sounds like you had a busy, but fun weekend! Nice!!!
--- Quote from: Corax on August 11, 2018, 03:43:29 pm ---Yes! Going to Las Vegas, not to gamble though. Just to drink some Margaritas and to go shopping at the outlet centre.
--- End quote ---
Hello Corax. I can understand that, I'm not a gambler at all. I live maybe 3 hours from Atlantic City, and I've been there a total of 3 times in my life. If a trip is planned with friends, I'll go, but gambling isn't really my thing.
--- Quote from: serious crayons on August 11, 2018, 07:02:33 pm ---I've only been to Las Vegas once, years ago, and also didn't gamble. My impression was that it's a great place if you're not a gambler because the gamblers subsidize your cheap food and lodging. My family of four stayed a couple of nights in Caesar's Palace for $100 a night. Granted, this was the late '90s, and we got the room that cheap because we waited until the end of the day, when they're eager to get whatever they can for rooms that would otherwise go empty.
--- End quote ---
I have to say, i've never stayed in Atlantic City overnight, so I don't know what the cost would be. If I was in Vegas, I'd have no choice. Not like I can drive home from there.
--- Quote from: BradInBlue on August 12, 2018, 01:51:54 am ---Las Vegas is ridiculously expensive these days. Gone are the cheap deals on meals and such (the heyday of that was the last time Katherine & then family visited). Steve's sister and hub live there and we stop for a week during our trek north from spending the winter on the Colorado River on the CA/AZ border. I like to gamble but, along with the disappearing cheap meals/accommodation, the casino's are tight these days. I agree with Crow. The margarita's is where it's at and those at Michoacán in LV are to die for. Chuck, you need to get on a plane...….
--- End quote ---
Hiya Brad! Good to see ya! Perhaps one day I'll get myself on a plane to LV, just to say I've been there. I don't see any trips in the foreseeable future, however. My immediate plans are to get a new 2019 car at the beginning of summer. It will be a 50th birthday gift to myself. My bday is in January, but I don't want to get a new car at that time. I'll wait for better weather, and get it in either late spring or early summer.
I also need to sit down with a financial planner. I have a 401K that I started 20 years ago, a money market, a retirement account, an account in a credit union, and some mystery account that no one in my family can remember what it is, but it's got some money it it. LOL I want to see down with the planner and make sure that everything is doing what it should, or if I should make changes.
--- Quote from: brian on August 12, 2018, 03:51:05 am ---I do not gamble, have never had a margarita (sp?) in my life and only shop when necessary so Las Vegas is nowhere on my horizon. to ever visit. I am complaining about the costs here in London. Last night I bought Fish 'n chips for £7 (NZ$13.50). The same in NZ which I buy usually once per week costs me $8 and is much nicer. I had coffee and cake in the afternoon for £7.75 (NZ$14) and would think expensive if I paid NZ$10 at home. My first night at the Proms I bought an ice cream at interval and it cost £4.50 (NZ$8) and again, while the tub is a bit smaller, it only costs NZ$5 at a concert interval at home. The $NZ is currently about US 66 cents but thankfully my travel money is $Au which is currently US 73 cents. I am buying dinner out tonight as I have 2 Prom concerts, one at 4pm and the other at 8pm. It is the only meal out of my apartment this week in London. I am hoping next week in Scotland will have cheaper prices as I am staying in hotels or B&Bs so have to buy dinner out every night. I will be back in London in a different apartment for 2 weeks starting August 22.
--- End quote ---
Yes, I've heard that London can be very pricey. The last time I was in London, I was told by friends to stay in Putney instead, as it is close and more affordable. Hope the prices are better when you get to Scotland!
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: CellarDweller on August 15, 2018, 06:07:27 pm --- I thought that maybe station attendant spilled some gas on the car when he filled it up.
--- End quote ---
The whu' ...??
Does NJ still commonly have gas stations with attendants who fill up the customers' cars? I haven't seen one of those in literally decades.
--- Quote ---My mechanic is very reliable and honest. I've been going to him since I learned out to drive, and there have been times I've asked if something needs to be done, and he'll tell me "no" flat out, so I don't worry about him finding fake things to fix to inflate the bill.
--- End quote ---
Oh, that's good! When I first saw your long list of repairs I thought maybe it was one of those places that upsell you with unnecessary "fixes." I've run into a few of those.
Funny story, not quite on topic but adjacent to it: When I lived in Oak Park, IL, I used to take my car to this one garage that was widely respected. One day I got a flat and took it there to get it changed. Drove home. The next night I'm driving in rush-hour traffic, luckily on a four-lane city street rather than a freeway. At a stoplight, the guy in the next car over beeped and said, "Your wheel is falling off!"
Yikes. I pulled over and was fine. I called that same garage and told them to come out and fix it. The problem wheel was the same one whose tire they had changed. Obviously someone at the garage had forgotten to put the lug nuts back on or whatever.
When I confronted the garage owner about this, he angrily insisted that wasn't possible. His mechanics were far too experienced and skilled ever to make such a rookie mistake. He theorized that someone had snuck into my garage at night and, with no apparent motive, loosened the lug nuts on just one wheel of my car -- coincidentally, the very same wheel that this garage had worked on the day before.
Um ... Occam's Razor, anyone? :laugh:
He grudgingly didn't charge me to put it back on right, but with an attitude like he was doing me a favor.
southendmd:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on August 16, 2018, 10:09:28 am ---The whu' ...??
Does NJ still commonly have gas stations with attendants who fill up the customers' cars? I haven't seen one of those in literally decades.
--- End quote ---
I'm sure Chuck can tell you why, but in NJ, apparently you are not allowed to pump your own gas!
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: southendmd on August 16, 2018, 11:55:21 am ---I'm sure Chuck can tell you why, but in NJ, apparently you are not allowed to pump your own gas!
--- End quote ---
It's the law, or so I've heard. Being just across the river from Jersey, I've heard the law was made to protect jobs, but I'm sure Chuck can us whether that's true or not.
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