Who is Murphy Anyway??? - updated

September 01 - As we move closer to our departure date, Murphy's Law seems to be alive and well - at least as far as our vehicles are concerned. We own a SUV and a family sedan that have given us many cost-free and happy years of mobility, and now just before we need to sell them, Murphy comes along.

Just before our trip to Alberta (see post) the starter on the SUV failed so we got it replaced - can't drive if you can't start it.... and shortly thereafter it started overheating. We took it in to the service folks to get the thermostat changed as we could tell it was sticking (by the slow upward and abrupt downward changes in the temperature guage) and then were told we needed a new engine as they found coolant in the oil pan. I had to fight with the service manager to get them to only change the thermostat as the dipstick mechanic had allowed coolant to spill into the engine when he removed a gasket. I had checked the oil just before I took it into the shop and I knew it was clean. Aaaargh.... and yes, the engine runs great.

We decided it would be better to take the car to Alberta as it is more comfy and quiet. During our trip the brakes on our family sedan started to "shake" whenever we needed to stop. I am sure this was due to my quick reflexes in applying the brakes so we could avoid the many accidents we saw (and were almost included in) during our trip. Murphy was out to get us... At the same time, the window washer hose that sprays your front window decided it was time break and so we couldn't clear bugs off our window. So, into the shop it went when we got back - the disc brake rotors needed a bit of time on the lathe to correct warping and we got the hose fixed along with an oil change. We sold the car and are now relying on the SUV to help us get our big stuff moved to storage, sold, donated or dumped.

Whew! All done right? Not likely...

Just after we dropped off some packing totes in our storage locker, the SUV decided it was time to have a chat with Murphy again and the transmission started "slipping" while we were crossing a bridge in heavy traffic. It's a bit annoying to have the engine running and revving up in neutral (apparently called limp mode) with no forward movement, and with a big truck right behind you - yikes! Apparently the transmission has a couple of electronic gizmos called shift solenoids that need to be in working order for shifting gears. Who knew? They cost about $35 each but the transmission needs to be opened up by a mechanic to get at them, and once they are in there, I am sure they will find many more reasons for us to spend another 3 months rent to get it on the road again. At this point I am thinking it would be easier and cheaper just to call the auto wrecker and have them tow it away....

So, in the meantime we have rented a car to get us through the next few weeks while we deal with the SUV.

It will be nice to live in a place where we don't need a car.

September 05 - Well, the SUV needed a new transmission. We contacted several auto wreckers and they offered to tow it away for free or perhaps give us $100 plus a free tow. We put an ad into Craigslist as a "salvage" sale indicating they would need to replace the transmission and bring a tow truck. Luckily we got someone who was willing to take on the project and it sold but only for a bit more than what the wreckers would pay.

Our rental car insurance was depending on our status as a "road star" with ICBC. We went in to cancel the SUV insurance and were told by BCAA that we should keep the insurance valid on the SUV while we were renting the car so we could maintain our "road star" coverage. That didn't sound right so we went home again and made a few calls to others for clarification. As it turns out, after you sell your vehicle you can't maintain your previous insurance on it, as legal title was transfered to the new owner when it was sold and they won't let you insure something that you don't own. Makes sense, so back to BCAA again thinking we would cancel our coverage and "road star" status and then have to get insurance from the car rental company. Then we found out that BCAA would insure us for the rental for up to 30 days and their rate was 1/3 of what the rental company wanted. Bonus - looks like we were able to wrestle Murphy a bit in the end.... :-)