JoshMcMadMac
Dedicated LVC Member
Well, yesterday I said goodbye to my first car. It is quite a story, so spare a few minutes to listen to my rambling.
December 1985 - My parents purchase a brand new Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for Christmas. I had just turned 2. This was the first, and to this day only new car they have ever owned.
Summer 1999 - My mother gets a "new" car, 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. The Jepp gets placed on reserve duty.
Septmeber 1999 - I get my Permit and, with a little cash, take control of the Jeep.
January 2000 - Driver's License and freedom with my Jeep!
January 2002 - The Cherokee had developed an oil leak that was not extreme, but was running onto the exhaust manifold and causing quite a bit of smoke. So, I took it to a local shop to fix it, as I did not have the time to do it before heading back to college.
January 24th, 2002 - 150 miles from home, on my way to school, the car dies. I get a friend to trailer the car home and have my father drive me to school, 210 miles from home.
February 2002 - The shop finally admits that an abrasive wheel was used to clean the mating surface and filing got into the engine, causing catastrophic failure. Offer it install a donor engine at no charge.
Mid-April 2002 - The car is finally finished! I am excited to get my car back. The donor engine required an electric fuel pump, and things did not seem right from the start.
Easter 2002 - 100 miles from home, the Jeep is dead yet again. The oil looks like 90W-80 gear oil. The shop tows the Jeep home again.
June 2002 - The shop refuses to fix the car after yanking me around for months. Lawyer gets involved. I find my MarkVII for $1100 down the road.
February 2003 - Settle in arbitration for a mear $1500. Some lawyer he turned out to be.
Here is where things get tricky!
July 2003 - My fathers 1986 Jeep Comanche pickup truck dies. The engine was a reman unit that was less than 2 years old. The truck was in horrible condition in every non-mechanical sense. Took the truck to the place where the engine had been replaced, and had engine sent back to reman business for investigation.
August 2003 - New engine is sent to the shop to replace the faulty engine in the truck. We choose to have the new engine put in the Cherokee, as it is worth much more than the truck.
February 2004 - The Cherokee lives! Despite the mechanic becoming injured and an overall meloncholy approach to the install, all is well!
May 2004 - Take the Cherokee for inspection, and fail several minor things.
June 11, 2004 - Inspection passed!
June 18, 2004 - Post classified ad, asking $3000 for the Cherokee.
June 28, 2004 - $2500 richer, the Cherokee departs my driveway one last time. My first car.
The Cherokee left me with 134,463 miles on the clock, and 8 miles on the new engine. She ran like a champ until the day she left, and every last part was in working order. Every reciept EVER for the car was kept, including the original window sticker and bill of sale. Every time gas was put in the car: mileage, amount of gas, total cost, and date was recorded in a small manual. Every time a part was replaced or serviced it was recorded, including part names and numbers.
This car ran with a hole the size of a quarter in the fuel pump. This car ran straight through a stop sign without a mark. This car ran like a champ with the air intake stuck shut. It truly wouldn't die. It still ran with the bad engine, just not in a happy way. I truly miss my Jeep, and will remember it fondly. I got into a lot with that car, and she got me out of a lot.
Thanks for listening.
December 1985 - My parents purchase a brand new Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for Christmas. I had just turned 2. This was the first, and to this day only new car they have ever owned.
Summer 1999 - My mother gets a "new" car, 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. The Jepp gets placed on reserve duty.
Septmeber 1999 - I get my Permit and, with a little cash, take control of the Jeep.
January 2000 - Driver's License and freedom with my Jeep!
January 2002 - The Cherokee had developed an oil leak that was not extreme, but was running onto the exhaust manifold and causing quite a bit of smoke. So, I took it to a local shop to fix it, as I did not have the time to do it before heading back to college.
January 24th, 2002 - 150 miles from home, on my way to school, the car dies. I get a friend to trailer the car home and have my father drive me to school, 210 miles from home.
February 2002 - The shop finally admits that an abrasive wheel was used to clean the mating surface and filing got into the engine, causing catastrophic failure. Offer it install a donor engine at no charge.
Mid-April 2002 - The car is finally finished! I am excited to get my car back. The donor engine required an electric fuel pump, and things did not seem right from the start.
Easter 2002 - 100 miles from home, the Jeep is dead yet again. The oil looks like 90W-80 gear oil. The shop tows the Jeep home again.
June 2002 - The shop refuses to fix the car after yanking me around for months. Lawyer gets involved. I find my MarkVII for $1100 down the road.
February 2003 - Settle in arbitration for a mear $1500. Some lawyer he turned out to be.
Here is where things get tricky!
July 2003 - My fathers 1986 Jeep Comanche pickup truck dies. The engine was a reman unit that was less than 2 years old. The truck was in horrible condition in every non-mechanical sense. Took the truck to the place where the engine had been replaced, and had engine sent back to reman business for investigation.
August 2003 - New engine is sent to the shop to replace the faulty engine in the truck. We choose to have the new engine put in the Cherokee, as it is worth much more than the truck.
February 2004 - The Cherokee lives! Despite the mechanic becoming injured and an overall meloncholy approach to the install, all is well!
May 2004 - Take the Cherokee for inspection, and fail several minor things.
June 11, 2004 - Inspection passed!
June 18, 2004 - Post classified ad, asking $3000 for the Cherokee.
June 28, 2004 - $2500 richer, the Cherokee departs my driveway one last time. My first car.
The Cherokee left me with 134,463 miles on the clock, and 8 miles on the new engine. She ran like a champ until the day she left, and every last part was in working order. Every reciept EVER for the car was kept, including the original window sticker and bill of sale. Every time gas was put in the car: mileage, amount of gas, total cost, and date was recorded in a small manual. Every time a part was replaced or serviced it was recorded, including part names and numbers.
This car ran with a hole the size of a quarter in the fuel pump. This car ran straight through a stop sign without a mark. This car ran like a champ with the air intake stuck shut. It truly wouldn't die. It still ran with the bad engine, just not in a happy way. I truly miss my Jeep, and will remember it fondly. I got into a lot with that car, and she got me out of a lot.
Thanks for listening.