After work yesterday, I trotted out to my car, turned the key, and it didn't start. Oh great. I've been worried about this ever since I decided to use most of my savings on Jimmy-dog's surgery. My 2 vehicles haven't given me any trouble recently. What if something happens? It happened and I called AAA and waited, hoping there was a problem with the battery because that's easy to fix and it would have been free since my last battery was through AAA and still under warranty. After an hour, the battery guy comes out and checks the battery. The battery is good. Darn. Checks the starter. Bad. He says he can get it started once but I decline because by now it is after 6pm and every auto shop is closed and I don't want a dead car in my driveway. I decided to wait to call a tow truck the next day and a co-worker was nice enough to take me home.
The next day, my nephew and I have to share his truck. I drop him off at school and head in to work late. But wait, this is also the day for my third attempt at the final inspection of my barn-shed (for allowing it to exist on my property). I called the inspector at 7am like she told me to do. It went to voicemail so I left all of the directions in the message. She called me back and said that she was not going to be the one to do the inspection today but she would pass on my phone number to the fellow who was chosen. I was worried because he did not have the directions and what if he couldn't contact me by phone like the first inspector? 30 minutes later, I get a text from the inspector telling me he will be at my address between 2-3. So nice to have contact with an inspector! I sent back a text with the directions.
Then school, work, ok, now time to deal with the dead car in the parking lot. I called the auto shop. They say they can look at it. I called AAA again for a tow truck. The tow truck driver comes out in 45 minutes and says "try to turn it on when I tell you". He has a hammer in his hand. I am curious. He looks around and says to try to start it while banging on something with the hammer. The car starts and I am thrilled. I asked him to show my the trick and he shows me where the starter is but I would need 2 people, one to bang on the starter while the other one turns the key. I have learned something new!
I drive the car to the auto shop which looks really busy and another co-worked gives me a ride back to work. Time goes by and I eat lunch and then send a text to the inspector asking if I need to be present. He says no, just look for an update online. For the next hour I nervously refresh the building permit website until... PASSED!
I am so relieved. I can finally stop worrying about that permit expiring and having to do this all over again and pay all the fees again.
After that it was work as usual until my nephew called and needed a ride home. I was hoping the car would be finished but it wasn't so I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out the bill. I hope it isn't a lot. My reserves are very low.
8 comments:
Woohoo. You passed and you learnt about sticky starter motors. A pretty good day I think!
Good to hear your property finally passed inspection. That's a big load off your mind, for sure. I hope the car issue is only the starter. I once had a bigger problem with the whole electrical system which extended beyond its starter. (This was my prior car which I soon got rid of.) Hitting the starter with a hammer to make it work, at least temporarily? Sounds like a variation of smacking the side of an old TV (not today's flat-screen, they got no "sides!") to make it work right.
Turned out well but way more hectic than I had planned!
That is the first permitting process that I went through and I was so worried! Next time I will be a pro. Lol. The car is working perfectly for the mechanic. He can't find anything wrong. I'm going to carry a hammer now just in case the car gets out of line again.
Yeah! for your inspection issue Uh,Oh on the car. Hope it was just a one-off
So glad to hear the inspection worked out!
Starters aren't THAT expensive, so I suppose it could be worse. But any car repair is kind of a pain.
Thanks! That inspection was taking up some much needed brain space, Lol.
And it's so inconvenient when they break. Waiting for AAA, dealing with mechanics, my Friday was a blur.
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