Exo's Exposé

@Exoplanet Sweetheat Exoplanet. You are such an exceptional person. I love reading about your daily adventures big and small. Love peaxxx

Yesterday didn't turn out so well. I got the alarm right, so I got to the mechanics just after 8am. It only took an hour or so, they did a scan & told me everything was fine. On the way home, at about the same spot, the engine light started flashing again. I turned around immediately & went back, just to be told they couldn't help me. He did say maybe if I 'popped' back in tomorrow, I explained I couldn't 'pop' back in, I was from a couple of hours away - so it was just a straight 'I can't help you'! He actually told me the engine light flashing meant there was nothing wrong! I was a bit upset & said after a $1300 service there's nothing you can do - he said he understood but he couldn't help me that day. Another trip into the city . . . I don't think so, I'll never go to that mechanic again, it was a Kmart mechanic, they've changed to My Car & I think it's more than the name that's changed. It's funny how my brain works, I was pretty stressed & during that stress I figured out this is most likely an electrical problem {the mechanic didn't say anything about that}. The engine light confused me, because to me an engine warning means oil or water. I'd never even noticed I had an oil light, as it's never come on, 'cause it's never been low on oil - but when the key is in the ignition position, all the dash lights come on & there it is, a little oil can shaped light. So I figure it's not oil, the temperature gauge runs at about half, that's fine, so it's not water - I figure that leaves electrics. Today I intend to take it to the next town over, which is still 1 1/2 hours away, but a bit closer than the city {it's where the nearest Woolworths grocery store is} & take it to an auto electrician. It'll mean more money, which is upsetting because I'm running out, but I need to feel I can rely on my car full stop & particulary for my trip away. I just keep feeling more & more exhausted, I think I have 'hey looney old lady here, rip her off!' written all over my face!!! This last year or so is like everything is falling off a cliff. I may not have many more years to live, It's why I've decide to leap outside my comfort zone & put a giant tick on my bucket list - a full week away! The situation with the virus really had me worried that I may not be able to leave my home alive! I think I'm just desperate to live while I still can & it feels like the universe is desperate to stop me.

Good joining of the dots there @Exoplanet ..... that makes sense to me.

Often people from the city don't seem to get the concept of breaking down on a country road, isolated and stuck. I think I would change mechanics too. He could have at least referred you to getting it checked by an auto-electrician. You would expect that for him it's not rocket science.

❤️

That is very frustrating @Exoplanet but will be a relief when you finally have it fixed. I hope this new place can fix it for you and quickly. Then you can look forward to you time away and enjoy it when you get there

Another update on the car. I did go in & found the closest auto-electrician to me, which was in the next town over. He was there when I arrived, but he was just heading out on a job. He did understand the distance I was talking about when I told him where I was from & he was also honest; he told me straight up he might not be able to fix it, he also said he'd be a couple of hours on his job but that I was free to wait & he was willing to take a look. I went into the little town & wandered around a bit, there really wasn't anything I needed to get. I've realized I'm getting better with public places, now-a-days I often go into a coffee shop & have a coffee - not that long ago that would never have happened. I'd worked out that a couple of hours would have been about 3.30pm, at about a quarter past I decided I'd go wait in my car at the auto-electricians yard {as he had said I was welcome to do so}. I might be getting better at public places, but I still don't particularly like them 😉 At about 5 pm I gave up, I decided that seeing as I was in the little town that had a pizza place that only opens after 4.30pm, I'd get a pizza. I've missed a bit of the story, I'd actually sent the auto-electrician an online enquiry the day before, as I didn't get a reply I decided to go & find the address. When I first spoke to him, he'd told me he thought it was a scam - I'm not really sure why, it's actually one of my personal peeves; buisnesses that advertise online contacts & then don't respond, but I think it's a pretty average response, most people seem to think if your serious you'll ring them. I can't do that, so I have to go & talk to them face to face. Back to the story, I'm sitting in my car, waiting for a pizza & my phone rings; instant panick as it's just a number that comes up & yet a glimmer of hope. My brains in frazzle though I'm still able to think 'I haven't given the auto-electrician my phone number, but I'm hoping so I answer. I answer my phone like a secretary 'Hello such-and-such speaking', I didn't hear his name but I did hear auto-electrician & I instantly felt better. Seems he'd seen me leaving as he came back, he & his wife then had to find the email I'd sent & they found my phone number!! I thought 'yay, at least I'll be able to make an appointment - a day to return'. He asked if I was still in the area, I told him I was waiting for pizza, he said once I'd finished to come back around & he'd look at the car for me. This was after hours! I don't think my fear works properly, I look at it now & think - a man that works on his own, in a fairly isolated area, saying 'come on back' . . . should have scared me, could have been . . . . wrong; but it didn't, I was just relieved he was willing to look at the car & in disbelief that he was willing to do so after hours! So back I went, he put the gadget {I don't know what it's called, it reads the messages from the computer} on the car & even he was bamboozled. It read that there were no errors & yet the engine light was quite clearly on & flashing? Anyhow he said he 'cancelled everything out' {which I'm pretty sure is what the other mechanic did} & the light went out. He listened to the engine & said what I had been thinking, that it doesn't seem to be idling quite right - he gingerly suggested taking it back to the same mechanic; I said I might take it to a different one, he then told me of a Father & son mechanic team that neighboured his yard, saying they were very good. Now if the engine light comes back on, which I'm aware there is a likelyhood that it may - though I am very pleased to report it did not come back on all the way home {at this very moment whilst I type, I do not have an engine light on or flashing, on my dashboard!! 😄 😄 } I can return to him & if neccessary I have a mechanic that has been recommended to me by an automotive professional to investigate the problem further.

Wow, it seems mechanical problems really brings the blurb out in me! 😄 But your right @Faith-and-Hope if my car breaks down I am completely stranded, there is no public transport out here, I don't have anyone nearby for support or help; it is extrememly frustrating @Zoe7 , frustrating & frightening!

Love to all that need or want it

@Mazarita @eth @outlander @Bunniekins @Sophia1

I am glad you were dealing with country folk this time @Exoplanet, who were prepared to look after you. I hope it gets sorted soon 💜

That is all sounding much more positive @Exoplanet and great that you found someone that is both willing to help and to also recommend someone he trusts. I hope it is all fixed for you soon and you do not have any issues on your upcoming trip.

Sending warm wishes @Exoplanet and glad to hear you won't have to be so anxious about your car for a while. Good on you for braving the after hours service. I think the mention of his wife may have helped with that perhaps, it would have for me. How are you going with planning your next trip? Look forward to hearing about it.

The engine light has come back on. I was kind of expecting it, but it's still disappointing. I've got just under a month before I go away, I really dislike the idea of having to spend more money on it. The Kmart mechanic rang me on Friday, apologizing profusely, but I've lost all confidence in them & it's not worth the fuel & stress of continually going 2 hours to the city. I've heard the Kmart mechanics use mostly apprentices, which to me means your not getting qualified, skilled, experienced work done. I'm going into the next town over to pick up my shopping on Monday, so I'll go to the new mechanic, who was recommended to me & see if they can have a look {or at least see if I can make an appointment for them to have a look}. I don't like going somewhere I haven't been to before, I'll put up with being a bit ripped off but when it becomes blatant I have to go somewhere else. If worse comes to worse I'll just put a piece of black tape on the dashboard to cover the light. I'm going to spend a week away, 7 days & 7 nights. I'm going to walk the dogs on the beach each day I'm there, sit & look at the Worlds biggest puddle & enjoy all the luxuries the flash cabin has to offer.It's got this BIG screen tv, I'll find something to look at on it; I'll have hot showers every day & sit in the fancy garden setting & have my smoke every hour. I am not going to have all the regrets that I saw in my Mother's eyes when she was palliative.

I still haven't got this engine light sorted. I go on my holiday in just over a week, 1 week & 2 days. I'm going to take the car into a local mechanic today. I guess at least if I get ripped off, the money might circulate locally. I'm sure the last mechanic said he'd ring me, but he didn't, which is why I'm trying yet another mechanic.

I wonder why I have this feeling because I want this week away so much, it's not going to happen or it's going to be a disaster from go to woe?