Taking That First Baby Step

I remember well the moment I became aware of my love of cars. I always enjoyed working with my hands but had never crossed that line under the hood of a car. Most of my experience with cars was watching others doing the tinkering while I ran for tools.

After an unpleasant divorce, I found myself with lots of marital debt, not a lot of money and a 2000 Chrysler Concorde. As I drove that car, I found myself getting nickeled and dimed to death with items like window motors, oil coolers, or motor mount bushings. Nickel and dime to me then meant almost a thousand dollars in shop bills.

I happened to be telling my woes to my then very good friend Marve, when he suggested trying my own car maintenance. My first baby step was an oil change which is perhaps why I was so resolute about that being the subject of our first Automissive Garage episode. Lying there under the car and doing it myself, was not only a freeing experience but it was fun to boot.

Time went by with my finances not improving so I decided to sell my Concorde and buy the “beater” of which Marve so fondly refers, for $200. That was my second baby step. My beater was a 1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT (Grand Touring). Believe me when I say there was nothing grand about this car. We lovingly dubbed the car the “Sunturd”, the “Turd” for short.

Starting another project on the "Turd"

I took the car for its first inspection only to be smacked in the face with reality. “Ginger, this is the garage. Your car failed inspection. You need rear wheel cylinders, new brake hoses, rotors, pads, rear drums, and oh yeah two motor mounts and it will only cost you $900.” Talk about putting your eggs in one basket. I had sold the only running car I owned with stars in my eyes, for a car I thought was going to kill me financially.

Marve suggested that we try to fix these things ourselves. Hmmmm, it sounds so crazy it just might work. Fix it myself. Well why not? We bought all the parts for about the same amount of money it cost for the car and we set out to begin our own car repairs.

After a few busted knuckles, some well-placed curse words, and a few gallons of tears, we fixed the car ourselves and it passed inspection. Talk about a confidence builder! I guess what I am trying to convey is that you don’t have get that deer in the headlights fear in your gut when it comes to car repairs. There are lots of resources out there; all you have to do is take that first baby step.

Ginger Harwell