Clarence, the PT Cruiser

Winchester

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Clarence is going in to the garage today and we'll have the final estimate tomorrow (Monday). The last garage wanted over $1,000 for the clutch replacement. When my GF's husband heard that, he told me to check out this other garage, that the guy does a good job and he doesn't cost an arm and a leg. He called the guy and told him that he thought it was the clutch, but he wasn't sure. The garage owner told him to tell me to give him a call. When I did, he said it would probably be around $700-$800 for the work and parts....if it was, indeed, the clutch. (Rick also talked to some people at his work and they all said that this guy does great work and they were all happy with him.)

It took me a while to save up the money, but I have it now and we're taking Clarence in today for his estimate tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll have enough saved, the boy can be repaired, and I can start driving him again.  I don't know how long it will take to get him fixed. I also need to get him some new tires as his tires need to be replaced before we get into winter weather. Not that we'll drive him much during the winter, but it's always nice to have him around when we need him.

I like Hannah, my Hyundai Tucson and she's a good car. But she's not as comfortable a ride as the Cruiser is...we found that out on the way to and from Wisconsin this week. She got fairly good gas mileage, I guess, between 26 -27 mpg; I had her on cruise control as much as I could. But Rick said more than once on the way up and back that Clarence was a much more comfortable ride....we found ourselves having to stop more often to get out and stretch our legs and get the kinks all worked out from being in the car so long.

Besides, I really like Clarence! 
 
 He's pretty old, I guess, a 2001, but I still love driving him around town. And it cuts down on driving Hannah all the time.
 

swampwitch

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We had to get a new clutch in our Toyota a couple of years ago and it was around $1000, too. Evidently, every time someone learns to drive a standard, it pretty much toasts the clutch on the car they learned on. The Toyota is going to our daughter when she gets her license - looks like we might be paying for another clutch then, too.

Hope the cost is less than you expected. 
 

smitten4kittens

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I hope everything goes well tomorrow 
. I understand about getting attached to cars. I have been on a Mazda kick for years and have named my current Mazda3 Wilma.
 
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Winchester

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The garage called and Clarence is scheduled for his "operation" on Monday. It was a little over $800 til it was all done, so I told them to go ahead. It needs to be done either way, whether I keep him or get rid of him....and I can't try to sell him with no clutch, unless I sell him for parts or something like that.

So...he'll get his new clutch, then new tires, an oil change, and a good detailing. By that time, he should be good to go for awhile again. Everything else (belts and such) seems to be all OK. I should still be able to drive him for a couple of months before the snow starts to fly around here.
(Unless Rick decides to drive him before I can. Honestly, I think we're the only couple around who argues over who is going to drive the old car!
 )
 
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Winchester

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Clarence is coming home today! 
 


Rick brought me into work. Since my co-worker goes home every day over lunch to check on his cats and the garage is right up the street from his house, he said, he'd drop me off at the garage over lunch and I can get Clarence then. Afterward, I'm going to stop at his house to see the boys (Charlie and Jasper....cats) for a while and we'll have a bit of lunch there before coming back to work this afternoon.

Clarence only has 150,000 miles on him, so I figure he's good to go for quite a few more yet. I'd really like to keep him for as long as I can.
 
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Winchester

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And.....he's home. Well, he's in the parking lot at work. I was afraid I'd stall him out trying to get him out of town since it's been awhile since I've driven him, but luckily I got him to work without mishap. I will say that it's amazing how much smoother the boy can shift gears with the new clutch. 


He needs a serious bath tonight. 
 
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