Fortunately my predictions for today were false.
- My car didn't burst into flames and my radio worked all the way to work.
- The dealer did not call me with a $600 repair bill for my wife's car. They called me with a $450 bill for a new water pump. I told them that I was pretty sure that was part of the powertrain warranty and I was right. $100 deductible sure beats $450. I was pretty sure something along the serpentine belt was failing. The water pump is the only thing in that loop that is covered so I lucked out.
I wonder if they would have charged me $450 if I didn't call them on it.
Just for the record. Our 2004 Grand Caravan has about 44,000 miles on it. I think this will be my last American car. How hard is it to make parts that last 200,000 miles?
Very hard, it seems. I drove a 2000 Ford Explorer for 6 years, putting about 75k miles on it. In that time, it had the tires recalled, the transmission out and out died at about 45k miles, the turn signals/wind shield wipers had a weird grounding problem and would make this horrible screeching noise on occasion when activated, the check engine light was *always* on despite there being no discernable problem, the thermostat died twice at very unfortunate times...on and on. Not just American cars, either - don't get me started on Kate's old Jetta. I drive a Honda now, as does she.