Arnie has served me well for almost two years, but it seems that he is on his last leg. The plan has been to keep him until he hits around 100,000 miles and with 87,000 we are almost there. I know the Aztec looks like an over sized station wagon, but it is one the best road tripping vehicles I have ever owned. With 24-25 MPG on the HWY and 20-21 MPG in the city: I don’t know many SUV’s that can match those numbers. But, the past month Arnie has been giving the Tyler household some issues.
It started with the check engine light...again. Don't remember what exactly was wrong, but I know it cost us a lot. Oh yeah and he got new tires. He should have been happy.
Then 2 weeks ago the lock cylinder locked up while in the Target parking lot. You know when your steering wheel locks up and you have to wiggle your key and turn the wheel at the same time and then all is fine. Well, I wiggled for 20 minutes and no luck on getting him started. I was 200 yards away from Dobbs (who is amazing) so the manager drove over to see if he can get Arnie rolling. He tried for a while and realized that I have to tow it in. So, I know wait an hour for a tow truck to tow me 200 yards. 200 flipping yards. So, $300 later Arine is back home.
Last Thursday while pulling into the dry cleaner, he dies. Luckily I was turning off the HWY and rolled into an oil change store. They ran some test and had absolutely no clue why Arnie was being such a bastard. So, for the 2nd time in 10 days, Arnie rode into Dobbs on the back of the tow truck.
It turns out that the wiring was loose on the fuel pump and the very nice people at Dobbs did not charge me for fixing him up. So, Arnie is grounded, not allowed to leave town and his drive time has been drastically cut down until the end of the year when he will be traded off for a new vehicle. Oh yeah, his front left brights are out as well. Emily and I are just hoping that he will make it just a few more months. So close Arnie, yet so far away.
Vehicle Names??
For those wondering about the naming of vehicles: here is the story. Our family has named our vehicles in alphabetical order for as long as I can remember. Trucks/SUVs are boys and cars are girls. I am not sure how it started with my folks, but the tradition continues. Arnie marked the alphabet starting over and the splitting of families. Justin and Meg will start with Justin’s new car at ‘A’, and Emily and I will continue with my new car at ‘C.’ Emily’s Camry is Ba Bay.
Our vehicles have mostly all been named on road trips after a few adult beverages have been drank. Names are thrown out there until something sticks. We went through 20-25 different names before Arnie became Arnie.
Here is the history of my cars:
It started with the check engine light...again. Don't remember what exactly was wrong, but I know it cost us a lot. Oh yeah and he got new tires. He should have been happy.
Then 2 weeks ago the lock cylinder locked up while in the Target parking lot. You know when your steering wheel locks up and you have to wiggle your key and turn the wheel at the same time and then all is fine. Well, I wiggled for 20 minutes and no luck on getting him started. I was 200 yards away from Dobbs (who is amazing) so the manager drove over to see if he can get Arnie rolling. He tried for a while and realized that I have to tow it in. So, I know wait an hour for a tow truck to tow me 200 yards. 200 flipping yards. So, $300 later Arine is back home.
Last Thursday while pulling into the dry cleaner, he dies. Luckily I was turning off the HWY and rolled into an oil change store. They ran some test and had absolutely no clue why Arnie was being such a bastard. So, for the 2nd time in 10 days, Arnie rode into Dobbs on the back of the tow truck.
It turns out that the wiring was loose on the fuel pump and the very nice people at Dobbs did not charge me for fixing him up. So, Arnie is grounded, not allowed to leave town and his drive time has been drastically cut down until the end of the year when he will be traded off for a new vehicle. Oh yeah, his front left brights are out as well. Emily and I are just hoping that he will make it just a few more months. So close Arnie, yet so far away.
Vehicle Names??
For those wondering about the naming of vehicles: here is the story. Our family has named our vehicles in alphabetical order for as long as I can remember. Trucks/SUVs are boys and cars are girls. I am not sure how it started with my folks, but the tradition continues. Arnie marked the alphabet starting over and the splitting of families. Justin and Meg will start with Justin’s new car at ‘A’, and Emily and I will continue with my new car at ‘C.’ Emily’s Camry is Ba Bay.
Our vehicles have mostly all been named on road trips after a few adult beverages have been drank. Names are thrown out there until something sticks. We went through 20-25 different names before Arnie became Arnie.
Here is the history of my cars:
1988 Dodge Spirit: Don't actually remember the name. Anyone?
1994 Saturn: Qbert
2000 S-10 Xtreme Serendipity (only brand new vehicle I have ever, and probually will ever own: only had 18 miles on it)
2004 Avalanche: Vahuna (This is my favorite Vehicle to date)
2000 Elentra Hatchback: Woody (Was purchased for traveling, Woody got 30 MPG. Ugly, yet practical)
2004 Aztec: Arnie
2008 Camry: BaBay
(Emily's Car)
3 comments:
Just want to go on record as being the one who suggested the Ridgeline.. And if you get one, I can't.. and well, that just sucks.. How about calling it "Copycat", "CannotBeOriginal", or just plain "Carl" or "Cathy". Or you could keep a vehicle for longer than 6 months and wait for someone else in your family to take C, move on to D and go with Deanna, Diane, Debbie, Delores, or just Dickie... just a thought.
jealousy is an ugly color on you eideto. And as stated in the blog, I have had Arnie for almost 2 years.
I’m diggin Chuck, or Chucky… good SUV name and the imitation Woody pic doesn’t do him justice!
-Goldstein
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