Fireworks and Cars

I was up just after 6:00 this morning, even after staying up well beyond 1:00 am last night. Surprise, surprise.

We heard the massive explosions of the Kaboom Town fireworks extravaganza last night and even saw a few, but our choice (along with several others) of a viewing spot by the side of the road was not good. A large clump of trees blocked our view. I think next year we'll simply have to make a point of spending several hours ensnarled in traffic so we can get a good vantage point. It's only a 30-minute show, but worth the inconvenience every few years.

Thanks to my habit of listening to Cartalk, it finally occurred to me that I should look on Click & Clack's website to try to find a mechanic for my Avalon, someone I might be able to really trust to give me the straight scoop: is the vehicle worth investing in, or should I bit the bullet and replace? I found what I believe is just such a mechanic. There are many, many reviews, all of which give glowing reports of the guy and all of which suggest he is absolutely honest and exceptionally knowledgeable about Toyotas.

I called and spoke to the guy and he impressed me. So, I made an appointment to take my car in next week. When I told him the Toyota dealership's paperwork said I had a broken 'dog born mount,' he said it was actually the 'dog bone mount' and he said there is usually a reason for that mount to break. He said it's pointless to have it repaired without first knowing why the mount broke, suggesting that if we found the reason, that reason may or may not argue against spending any more on it.

If repairing the motor mount and the EGR and VSV valves will give me reasonable assurance that the car will last, reliably, at least until the end of this year, it's probably worth getting them repaired. Of course, I will need new tires all the way around just to pass state inspection this month, so that adds a chunk of money to the equation.

As it stands now, the horrific vibration at idle almost certainly will reduce the resale or trade-in value of the car dramatically. But, if I spend the money on it, I'll have to keep the vehicle for a good while to recoup the cost.

I'd rather be spending the money on retirement.