Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Finding the actual problem is half of the solution

Going to a mechanic is like going to a doctor. You hope it’s something minor, you have reasons to believe it’s minor, but you also have reasons to believe it’s not so minor, which is why you’re going to a professional.

I’m talking about the Rolling Steel Tent’s clunking noises (again), which more than one mechanic had assured me weren’t because of worn steering components. The real cause is something that has been on my list of things that could be wrong but that I hoped wasn’t, because the repair is labor intensive and therefore expensive.

“The motor mounts are completely shot,” said the highly recommended mechanic.

“Y-e-e-e-e-e-a-h. I thought that was a possibility. It fits the symptoms.”

So this might be a good time to remind my readers of the yellow button on the right.

Two of these with everything please, to go

6 comments:

  1. Not too surprising of a repair with all that exploring of rough roads in a vehicle that was constructed specifically to handle that kind of stress.

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    1. Yup, and rubber tends to weaken after a quarter million miles. But, you know, the van is essentially a pickup truck with a boxy body, so it's tougher than, say, a minivan.

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  2. Will you be able to afford to replace your vehicle when it eventually dies? That is my greatest concern if I adopt the van lifestyle upon retirement with very little in the bank.

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    Replies
    1. That's a concern—one I'm taking more seriously these days. I'm saving what I can.

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    2. Al- Are you familiar with the 80-20 rule?

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    3. I know an 80-20 rule but it might not be the one you have in mind. It's a marketing thing that applies to some products, like beer, where 80% of the product is bought by 20% of the customers.

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