Tag Archives: maintenance

You’ll Be Happy to Know…

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I just drove my Nissan EV about a mile down the road to purchase a new tire for about $150. The old tire had a nail in it, and with the bead not sealed, I had no way to air it up.

Therefore, I drove the car on a completely flat tire. I had no choice. The car did not even come with a spare tire, not even a small one. Even if I had a spare, I had no jack. After this experience, I will get a jack. Naturally, I could have called a tow truck, for about $40 or $45. The tire was ruined anyway, so I simply drove it to the garage.

I am sure Nissan would have rather been the one to make the sale, but that would have meant driving over ten times as far. That would have been ten times as bad. It would have made me twenty times as nervous.

The one thing that irks me the most is that the old tire had only 3,000 miles on it. That’s just not right to throw away a practically new tire because of one small hole in it. In the old days, I would have patched it and kept going. Before that, I could have just put a tube in it and it would have been good to go.

I know they make all these so-called improvements to tires just to sell more tires and then charge four times as much for them. It’s what they call a conspiracy. We all know it. Most are just afraid to admit it. There are nails on the road just for those who try to expose the plot.

Nonetheless, let us hope and pray that if you have a car without a spare, you do not have a flat tire on a Saturday night a hundred miles away from an open garage. It just might happen, you know.

Windshield Defrosters Wanted

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I went out to get in my car this morning and saw an 1/8 of an inch of ice. (Now I wonder where that came from) As I worked on the ice, I was reminded of something I was told that they do in Alaska.

First, they winterized their cars. They have a heater under the battery and engine block. That way when they turn the key to start the car it won’t just sit there and look at you. I was also told that a heater is also in the cabin to keep the vinyl from cracking. Just going on 2nd hand info. Sounds good to me.

Of course the heaters aren’t much good unless they have some electricity. Therefore, most of the businesses have outlets to plug the cars into. So you get out of your car and plug it into the outlet. When you get back to your car when it’s 2 or 3 below 0, you will still have an operating car, and maybe not so cold in the cabin.

Alright. Here in the Midsouth, we don’t need all that stuff, but it would be nice. The two main things I’m concerned about having a clear windshield and a reasonably warm cabin. Is that too much to expect?

Those restaurants that had the plugins would likely have maybe a bigger drawing. All that would be needed is a small heating element in the cooling system and a little pump to circulate the fluid. The fan is already there. It would just need a little electricity to run it. I suspect the whole thing could work off a twelve volt outlet. I mean, all we need is a little heat.

Okay. If that’s too much, let’s do this. A small heating pad, like the ones you buy when your hip is sore. It would need to be about as long as the window is wide and it would have to be well insulated. Finally, it need only be heated to 50 degrees. That would be enough to prevent the window from icing over. Ice melts above 32 degrees.

You put the pad over the window and plug it in before leaving the car. Upon return, you come out to a nice clear windshield. Well, either that or a missing pad. I suspect some people would be prone to take them.

Not all solutions are perfect.

Wrenches, Wrenches and More Wrenches

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There was a time a few decades ago, we used to use the wrenches based on inches. Then, someone came up with the brilliant idea of going to the metric system. It was supposed to make things simpler.

No one told me as much, but I think it was those who make wrenches and sockets. The instant we started the conversion, I needed twice the wrenches and twice the sockets. That had to make someone a dollar or three.

I mean, just because someone up there in that ivory tower decides to go metric, doesn’t mean all previous things built are metric. Besides, there are still some manufacturers using the old hardware.

So I pick up a wrench and try to use it, only to realize it’s too small. I pick up a larger one only to realize it’s too big.

It is then I realize that, though I have countless wrenches, they are all just two sizes…too big and too small.

I take closer look. I must first determine if I am in search of a metric wrench or an English one. I then search my numerous wrenches and realize the one I need is missing.

I am sure every professional mechanic will tell you, the size of their toolbox has about doubled as soon as went into this so-called transition period. However, no one seems to know just how long this transition will take.

I am certain I will not see the end of it. Actually, I am not sure my grandchildren will.

Meanwhile, all those making wrenches, sockets and hardware will continue turning out a profit on all of it. Whenever we go to the hardware store, that area holding the nuts and bolts and such, will remain twice the size into the foreseeable future. Possibly just a little longer.

Meanwhile, has anyone seen my 9 mm wrench?