Wednesday, January 6, 2010

LITTLE GIRL’S MAKEOVER

As promised, here I am once again in the quite moments of the early morning suffering the results of a accidental three hours nap late yesterday afternoon. After struggling to sleep I told myself that I mine as well be productive.  There are still some catch up stories from last years meaningful moments.  So first let me tell you about “Little Girl.”

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My PT Cruiser was dubbed “Little Girl” is the very beginning. She will turn ten years old this month.  I bought her when the PT’s first came out.  As a result of my OCD cleaning habits she pretty much looks brand new inside.  Last year I had some engine work done along with purchasing new Michelin tires.  All last year I kept thinking that I would love to get her painted.  I even went around to three different shops and got bids. Yowsey……the least expensive was two grand and all the way up to four thousand dollars.  A few times when Karl was driving and someone would pull in front of him I would say let him hit you then I could get a new paint job.

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It was a Saturday and the first snow storm of the season. I got home from a meeting in town. Karl was shoveling the walks. With about two inches of snow on my car I decided to leave it in the driveway for Karl to brush off so as not to let it melt in the garage. The first mistake I made was not telling Karl what I was thinking. When he finished the walks he came in the house leaving “Little Girl” is the driveway. A few hours later Kami called to see if he could come help Joe with the wiring of the boys bedroom.  As he walked out of the garage he saw “Little Girl” and thought to himself that he needed to put her in the garage.  He went to his shop for his tools, jumped in his truck and backed out of the driveway, at least until he ran into the front of my car. I was laying on our bed trying to get warm and resting when Karl came in the house and said; “Well, I guess you’ll get that new paint job you wanted.”

When the adjuster looked at the car he nearly totaled it but because she was in such good condition he changed his mind. Kort and his boss came with the tow truck and off she went to the hospital for her makeover.  It took about five weeks. She had to have a new radiator, air conditioner, battery and front hood and bumper. In the meantime I had Ray Clark the painter touch up the rest of the dings and adorn her with a few blings. Like a fin on the back, a chrome grill,  chrome shields under the door handles, chrome gas cover and antenna, (Kort’s contribution).  It all came to about $4,800.  It only cost me a few hundred dollars out of pocket. Kort did all the engine work and had her looking brand new when I picked her up.

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I feel like a million dollars.  “Little Girl” truly looks fabulous and better than new and I still have NO car payment. It can’t get much better than that.

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