Our (not so) reliable old car is on the blink again, and I've stopped counting after the third time (else I'll surely lose three days' worth of pahala for the expletives spewed).
This precisely is the trouble when one buys a used car. Only God knows how many hands had fiddled with the innards of this 'old-new' wheels of ours before we took possession of it last year.
This time it had the grace to die on us at a petrol station, as opposed to the last time when the front wheel axle gave way (!) smack at the entrance of our residence, with hapless me behind the wheels.
The screeching, grating sounds it made as the undercarriage dragged for a few metres towards the guardhouse could have woken up the dead in the nearby Kampung Sungai Pencala cemetery.
I think there isn't much to distinguish between our ancient wheels and our decrepit old selves; both are equally cantankerous.
We bought this ageing Merc to deter thieves, after our four-year old Wira got hot-wired in Shah Alam in March last year. Our reasoning; who would be dumb enough to relieve us of this crappy thing on wheels?
I guess the car, now at a workshop in Kg Sungai Pencala, is having the last laugh. The alternator needs replacing while the gasket needs to be repaired.
And we have not even factored in the jammed auto windows (all but one), the hot again, cold again air conditioning, the 'dead as a dodo' dashboard lighting.
I wonder how much do we have to fork out this time; putting it together was close to 5 grand when we first took it home last year. Well, there goes the holiday... (sigh..)
NOTE: Now, if you see a grumpy-looking old lady snug-fit behind the wheels of her daughter's mean black Viva, flying all over TTDI (the car is soooo light it feels like flying!), give her a wide berth, just in case.. :D
4 comments:
OUCHHHH!!!
been there ... done that ...
i know exactly how it feels
*HUGSSSSS*
Kama, I used to rebuild old jalopies like that, a 1966 Volvo 122 with the plate MB 7363. The thing to do with such oldies is to give it a makeover before you can drive it around without the fear of it breaking down. Somehow some parts of the car may still insist on breaking down because I missed repacking the wheel bearing grease.
If you see the car galloping around Puchong (after transferring the ownership to a friend) then you know an old car can still be reliable. Butcha, making over such cars cost a lot of money.
Final solution - change to a brand new car.
I used to drive 230.6 for 6-7 years. until the doors became automatic (once in Alam Jaya, Cheras) Bought it for 8K repaired for probably double the cost..
in the end sold it for RM600.. somebody bought it for the bluecard..
Like Pak Zawi I also rebuilt 1965 Volvo 122 bought it at RM300 sold it (after 3-4 years and some rebuilding) at RM6500.
Those days tak ada anak.. so have time to "klebek" the two cars.. Kekadang tu ada jugak perasan bila orang tanya pakai kereta apa?..
1st car Volvo.. second car merc jawab sambil dok gelak. ha..ha..
Aunty Puteri,
Itu pasallah orang kata yang antik tu mahal....but will be on the lookout for flying Vivas. We do ply the route near your home daily....takuttttt.... purrr...meow!
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