The Driving Thread

Song, there has to be better options than what you appear to be preparing yourself for. You've spent a lot of time photographing the homeless. You know it's not romantic or noble. It's devastating and dehumanizing. And when you have no place to shower or shit, there aren't many options left to you. Please get help. If you're able, go back to work. It's not too late to save yourself.

 

Pro-tip: don't be so quick to spend hundreds or thousands on engine repairs.

3 months ago I got a free car wash by paying for a $35 oil change at a place on La Cienega.

The guy said the oil was a combination of lower-grade oils but would suffice for my '05 Sable, which has just 64K miles.

At the time it seemed worth it but I was a bit nervous because if I've done one thing right the last 11 years it's keeping my baby oiled properly.

Last week the check engine light comes on and I'm like, Fuck. My. Fucking. Cocksucker. Life.

I took it to Jiffy Lube for an oil change.



The Jiffy Lube guy in the back looks a bit like Heath Ledger.

I tell the main Jiffy Lube guy about the light and his first response is that perhaps the gas cap was screwed on too tight.

Another Jiffy Luber said it's likely the gas or oil line pressure sensor or something to that effect. He pointed to the part.



He said a repair would run about $300/$350 but that I probably don't need to do anything right away.

They continued to fill my baby with new oil and fluids then I hit the road.

Within a day the car was driving and humming like it had been for 11 years. I'll never pay for a cheap oil change again.

And, best of all, the check engine light stopped coming on. Car's driving nice.

 

Less than two months after I buy my car some idiot in my downstairs garage just drills the top left quarter panel and trashes the cameras on the side of the car. Now I'm stuck with her insurance carrier insisting on aftermarket, recycled parts and their "warranty" of just as good. I tell her their warranty and $5 doesn't mean squat, it was OEM before the hit, it should be OEM afterwards. Insurance companies suck; its just a war of attrition hoping you give up. I'm not.

 

Jiffy Lube itself is a cheap oil change.
You're lucky if those guys don't fuck it up.

Trust your car to a real, dedicated mechanic instead.
He'll know your car and save you tons in the long run.

 

Perhaps. I have a dedicated mechanic. When I can't see him I watch every step of the oil change at J-Lube. Have yet to be done wrong.

 

I had a favorite mechanic in Charlotte. So good, I guess, that a lot of people used him. Just getting an oil change became an hours-long pain, so I bit the bullet and started going to the Take 5 places.

We are into our eighth month having our public adjuster deal with my insurance company over a couple of August homeowners claims. Supposed to be in the final stages (binding appraisal) now. I never thought it would become an urgent issue, but it's starting to. This insurance carrier will surely drop me in July when the policy comes up for renewal, and I need to have a new roof installed by then, or I'll never find anyone else willing to insure.

 

Note on when your car is hit and its not your fault; not only should you demand the full repair as it was before but don't forget to check out the loss in value now that the accident will show up on your CARFAX report and demand reimbursement for that as well.

Just got an estimate that after driving it less than two months I will have lost 10%!! of the car's value even after the repair because that's what will show up on the CARFAX. I already told the ins. adjuster that this was forthcoming and she said to present the demand.

 

We haven't really touched on our favorite driving music.

Columbia by Oasis is one of the perfect driving songs, windows down, volume up.

The swirl of guitars is something else.

 

Roadrunner by The Modern Lovers.

 

For those who love driving.

Walmart offers drivers $110,000 starting pay amid trucker shortage

 

Good Hollywood photo essay here:


Hollywood heartbreak: broken California dreams – in pictures