A week or so ago my husband came home to tell me that the brakes had failed on his mother's (his,now) old car, and he would have to fix them. But the deeper he dug, the worse it looked.
The car is 15 years old, and well past the due date as far as something called the timing belt, which, it turns out, is rubber and whether you drive it or not, after 7 years it needs to be replaced, rubber being one of those things that goes pearshaped with no help from humans.
So...
The last new car we had was mine, in Y2K, and that died a year ago.
So...
Go, Honda. In order to escape the dreaded "black silver grey white" syndrome we had to get the next model up, and Im not disappointed. Innit shiny?
And as we were leaving to pick up the car, this happened: thousands of starlings, all taking flight at once, with the most wonderful flapping of wings and calling to one another. I call that a good omen.
Yes, the dreaded timing belt. No advance warning when it might go. I sighed deeply and hit mine replaced, about five years late, and my 99 Civic is still on the go.
ReplyDeleteHowever that nice new one of yours is giving me a few pangs of newHonda envy. Is it a hatchback? Can I come over and test it for you?
I miss my old Honda, it took me to craft shows, to Iowa City to Poetry Conferences, all over the place. When I let it go last year I mourned. And then this year my husband's car (also a Civic, but his mother's) died, we realized that he was way way overdue for a timing belt, and it was obvious It Was Time.
DeleteI actually drove this thing today once we got it home, and I think Im gonna love it. It's wider than the hatchback, and when youre inside you feel like you're inside a truck, it's roomy. it's not a hatchback as such, although that's what it does. it's called a CRV (whatever that means), the rear seats fold up and down, damn you could keep horses in the back of it, and the rear doors actually open.
Yes, you may come visit and test drive it. This will probably be the last car we have, so we have to love it LOTS.
Car problems are #3 or #4 on the anxiety chart. I have a Suburu and my husband has replaced his VW three times since I bought mine 15 years ago. A timing belt usually lasts 100,000 miles and although expensive, it was the first thing I had to replace. If nothing else is wrong, it is cheaper than a new car. I figured that mine will last 200,000 miles or until death (mine or the car’s).
ReplyDeleteapparently timing belts vary wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer, as well as from model to model. The one on my old car was 20 years old and still worked. The one on my husband's car was 15 years old and was supposed to have been replaced 8 years ago. A lot depends on what it's made from. These are made from rubber, which doesn't age well.
DeleteAnd when it goes, it takes the engine with it. Not pretty.
We have never taken out a warranty thing on it, but the one they offered covers an entire plethora of stuff, all of it to do with things we can't deal with ourselves. And it's good for ten years.
Computers have taken over the car industry, and I said to my husband today, there's an entire generation of kids coming up who have no idea what a timing light is, or a wrench, or how to change a spark plug. Never mind rebuilding an engine...
there's an entire generation of kids coming up who have no idea what a timing light is, or a wrench, or how to change a spark plug
ReplyDeleteSomeone probably said something similar when the last horse drawn buggy left the factory.(using terms such as whips, horseshoes and tackle)
:)
Agreed. We're always a generation behind, and a generation ahead, at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBut this stuff ages you. It makes you feel worthless in your own workshop. I am married to a man who can rebuild a truck engine, who rebuilt his dad's 1943 tractor, who built an engine jack, and now he needs the manual that doesn't even exist offline, to find where the headlight dimmer switch is, and the parking brake.
Well, whips still get used, but probably not on cars...
er. never mind.
We are on our second CRV and might still be on the first (16 years) had misfortune not intervened. This on is 10 years old (bought use) and seems to be doing quite well.
ReplyDeleteWe've been Honda people for decades; my first Honda was used, little, and was so light it would hit a puddle and pull me right into it. This last one of mine lasted 20 years and my husband's, 15. It was time.
DeleteI've talked to several people who had cars nearly the same age as my last one, and they were working on their 2nd 100.000 miles. These are amazing little cars.
My condolences for your carmisfortune. It does happen.
We are on our second CRV, and we are not disappointed.
ReplyDelete