A car story:
A good quality used vehicle was purchased at a very affordable price, no longer needed by its known and trusted owner of 5 years and offering some advantages to its new owner. All service record history was provided. It had a small insignificant part on the gear shift handle that needed to be replaced. Replaced by the dealer, it cost 3x what had been “guess-ti-quoted” by the service department rep, leaving a really bad taste in the new owner’s mouth (and an earned distrust for dealer repairs on that make/ model locally.) While there this same rep said the engine was making a ticking sound that they could check out and that the vehicle might require a $2,000-4,000+ repair. The owner took it to a trusted longtime mechanic who said, “That’s just how that make/model sounds. Don’t worry about it.”
About 6 months later the vehicle, following a loaded pick-up truck, received a hard knock on the front right hood from airborne construction material as the pick-up truck veered off the interstate onto an exit ramp. The driver of the hit vehicle stopped on the side of the road and observed nothing more than a small scuff mark on the hood. Of course, the pick-up’s driver never stopped and probably didn’t even realize he was trailing dangerous debris.
Weeks later, the now-scuffed-vehicle was observed through a friend’s review mirror to have a dimmed and hazy-looking right front headlight. Further inspection by the untrained observers suggested the headlight itself or its seal was cracked, leading to water being inside the light. Note: needs replacement when there’s time…
A few months later, in a local road construction area at night in the rain, a driver in front of the dimmed-headlight vehicle swerved, hit a large plastic road cone that then bounced back and hit the same previously hit vehicle on the right front and went under the front right tire.
The car began making a horrible noise and shaking, frightening the driver. It was taken the next morning to the same longtime trusted mechanic. The mechanically unskilled owner wondered if it had been knocked out of alignment or had a broken motor mount. It was also due for the regular oil change with this service company.
Mechanic’s evaluation: The oil pan had lots of metal filings coming from inside the engine itself, which had nothing to do with the headlight or the previous two hits on the front right. Sheer coincidence, it seemed. It could continue to be driven until it quit or get it fixed. His review included reports that had determined that this make/model does commonly have this problem. Dx: engine replacement because even though it is no longer in warranty, it is too substantial a car and in otherwise too serviceable a good condition to scrap. Given current production and shipping backlogs, it became a 4 month wait for what was a different brand and much better new engine. Once the engine was replaced the vehicle drove smoothly and the engine purred happily. But the headlight was still an issue.
It went from the mechanic to an independent body repair specialist. Dx: cracked headlight and broken headlight housing. Replaced entirely in 24 hours at a very reasonable price (Thank you, Lord, for giving the owner a break!) The new headlight completed all necessary repairs to the now excellently operating and safe vehicle.
However, with changes that had occurred, it was no longer needed by its present owner after its year in their hands. So it was now moving on to a new home, with a fresh start (among relatives of the owner’s family, however) with two small children where it is expected to enjoy a long and happy life…. and at an affordable price.
Sometimes something passes through one’s hands and leaves better off than when it arrived, even though it didn’t appear to have any significant deficiencies when it came. God knows what’s coming, where He’s put the resources to address the need, and how to move it into its best use.
So, there are no complaints, only thanksgiving.
-The End-