After a fun stop at
another Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, I stopped for gas to get back on
my way home. Right after filling up there was a bit of car trouble, so I pulled
over at a Truck Stop to see what was going on. Not being too familiar with
engines, I got brave again and asked a trucker for some advice. He said it
sounded a bit like transmission – so I should stop and get it looked at.
I tried to get to the next town to get it looked at, but I
didn’t get very far before things turned much worse really fast. That’s OK, I
had Good Sam (AAA for RVs) – so I called for a tow. Despite being a new member,
they really weren’t very easy to work with – but eventually I convinced them
that, yes I really did need to get towed. And after a 3.5-hour wait, finally a
really big tow truck showed up. (Argh!)
It was the end of the day as I was dragged into the shop –
but the shop owner was nice enough to park me where I would have access to
power for the night. Really good news since there was only one hotel in town and they didn’t allow
pets.
I’d talked to the tow truck driver on the way in, called a
few gear-head friends that evening, and the next morning the shop owner
confirmed – it was the transmission. CRAP!
Unfortunately on a big Chevy 454 engine, transmissions and all the labor
are a bit pricy.
I weighed my options:
I could repair it, I could have it towed home, or I could sell it and get home
a different way. Hmmmmm. After quite a few conversations with in-the-know
friends, I decided to take the advice of the shop owner: “If you love this coach, then put the money
into it. If you don’t love it, put the money into something else.” I opted for
selling it for its current value – which fortunately I already knew. It was a
fair offer – in fact, I could sell it for what I paid for it – not a bad deal
at all.
But – I was in Oklahoma, and was now a pedestrian. A little
too far to walk, and hitchhiking with two dogs doesn’t sound like fun – so I
was going to have to figure out a different way home.
Maybe it’s from lots of praying – maybe it’s from dealing
with all the curve balls life has thrown my way – but I really was pretty calm
about this new “growth opportunity”. I
was on a major bussing route – but juggling my stuff, puppies, etc., just
seemed like a bit too much of a hassle. So I needed a vehicle to get me home –
and I could rent one or buy one.
I called around to car rental places to check the prices and
see what it would cost me. But since I’d been thinking about buying a car
anyway, I decided to see what I could find. Fortunately you can find anything
you want online, and most car dealerships post their inventory online – which
makes car shopping pretty easy. I checked out some exotic cars, some muscle
cars, a couple of convertibles, even a truck or two. I compared the sales
prices to the Blue Book value.
I’ve been really fortunate in my life that when I’ve needed
a car one has magically appeared. My niece was selling one just at the right
time. My dad stopped driving just as my car died. A neighbor and I worked out a
trade that was mutually beneficial at an opportune moment. But this was the
first vehicle I was ever buying all alone on my own.
I’m very blessed that I have some great friends to bounce
stuff like this off. I got some great advice about what to watch for and how to
handle it. Then I called around on a few that were intriguing. But the truth is
that there was definitely one that stood out to me. And it’s not only what I
would have bought if I’d been at home – but because I’d been looking already, I
knew that it was a good deal.
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