the continual car window is closing

i just read that last summer chrysler announced the 2010s would no longer have lifetime powertrain warranties.  this also means that it will no longer be possible to get lifetime bumper-to-bumper wraps.  (oh, and just to blow my own horn, i predicted this happening two years ago.)

so ... if any of the three of you who read this 'blog want a continual car of your own, you better go out and snag a 2009 chrysler, jeep or dodge.  otherwise you'll be driving a boring old industry standard warranty.

and seriously, who wants to do that?

(3/1/13 note: at least as of now you can still get a lifetime wrap on all chrysler vehicles as well as FIAT ... so chrysler has stuck by the lifetime idea ... they must be making money on it.)

... and a filter

missed one of the little check box-ies that said i need to get a new air filter at 45k.  went and installed it myself (which is right at my very limit of automotive mechanics) and learned about this crazy thing called the "make-up" filter -- essentially a little sponge that's sitting in the same box.

$15

44, 911 mile service

down at my brother's place in salinas for T-day, which means it's time for, that's right, yet another chrysler dealer to change my oil.

this time i've got the coupon i couldn't get hold of last time and head on over to my jeep chrysler dodge.

from the get-go they're super-responsive and friendly, so i figure i'll try a gambit.

"hey, i've got a coupon here that's good for wiper blades and an oil change for 20 bucks ... how about i trade you?  you keep the wipers and give me a tire rotation instead for the same price?"  i figure it's a good deal for them because it's just a bit of extra labor, but not hard durable goods going out the door.

"sure!"

they set an afternoon appointment with me (car dealerships almost always want you in in the morning) and took the continual car immediately on arrival.  i went a couple blocks away for a late pancake lunch and they finished it well before i was done with my tasty meal.

now, in theory, they did an inspection here too and found ... nothing wrong ... once again making chapman look suspicious.

my jeep chrysler dodge is a great dealer ... and once again ... the non-5-star dealer is better than the ones that do have stars.  i don't get it.

$24

(this service was supposed to include an air filter, but i did it myself.)

trivium of the moment

poking around on the NTSA web site today i found that the total number of 2008 PT cruiser convertibles manufactured was 1858.

42,122 mile service

back in vegas again, so i headed over to chapman.  the chrysler website has a coupon for oil change and wipers for $20, but i forgot to print it out before i left CA ... and as punishment, god crashed the chrysler website.

had to settle for a chapman coupon for a $20 oil change (no wipers).  they had another coupon that included a tire rotation for $30, but the service guy reminded me that i'd rotated 'em last time and fairly emphatically suggested that i not do it now ... so i didn't.

they also did an inspection and, once again, show contaminated power steering fluid, automatic transmission fluid and a "dirty" throttle body.  or to put it in terms warren buffett would understand, $780.

come on, man ... is it really that bad?  it feels like they're grasping to me.

$21

milestone for my old car

'93 honda civic del sol, now owned by radioactive dave. 200k miles.
think of it as a dry run for the continual car.

the continual car rests

i've bought one of jetblue's all-you-can-jet passes, which means the
continual car is gonna be mostly sittin' from 9/8 to 10/8.

i have a new 'blog for my travel exploits.

and as search engine fodder you can buy AYCJ t-shirts here.
(profits go to carbonfund/org)