wheels
Phoenix the Intrigue is sick… She spent the day today up and the transmission shop. It looks as if sensor has gone bad inside the transmission, causing the computer to think that shifts are taking longer than they are. As a result, the computer upped the hydraulic pressure, which caused the tranny to shift super-hard and damage a bunch of components with long, obscure, scary names.
So now comes the big choice – do I spend $2000 outright to repair the transmission problem? Do I keep running it to the point of non-drivability? Or do I bite my lip, say a tearful goodbye to my faithful friend of four years, and trade her in for a newer vechile and three years of payments?
Since a truly new replacement vehicle is darn near out of my financial picture, the best option for now might be to run Phoenix with her current transmission, and start searching for just the right pre-owned car to take the reins in her stead.
Why do I feel it necessary to personify and wax poetic about about my car?
Of course, then comes the even tougher question: what to search for! I’ve developed quite an affinity lately for the small-to-midsize SUV market; Honda CR-Vs are nice, as are Hyundai Tuscons, and of course there’s always the Toyota 4Runner. Any of them would be a great vehicle to have available as Kelly and I venture into the maze of home ownership – all are ideal for Home Depot runs and canine carting alike.
But there’s something I’d miss. There’s something – more like a lot of things – about slipping into a sedan’s torso-hugging leather seat and feeling the exhileration of a twisty road. It’s the feeling you get when you drop the windows on a crisp, bright fall day and listen to the engine climb through the gears as you whip along a country road – you’re there for a moment, then the leaves settle and you disappear…
So you might say I’m still up in the air – looks like there are tough decisions ahead!
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