Someone wants my old car. That would be the 1999 Toyota Rav 4 for those of you who haven’t been following along with the neverending car saga.
And when I say someone wants my car, I mean he wants to keep it and drive it and give it a home.
If you’ve talked to me for five minutes, you know how irrational I can be when it comes to that car. But once I bought my Ford Escape and entered the world of leather seats, I never looked back. Mostly because the Rav 4 is still in my driveway and it is impossible to look back when I park behind it every day.
For the past two months, I haven’t thought much about the Rav’s ultimate destiny. I guess I thought maybe I would just park behind it every day for the rest of my life. I’m sure the neighbors have loved seeing it.
Then someone overheard us talking about it, and the next thing I know, there is a friend of a friend who is serious about taking it, wheel bearing problems and all. I tried to talk him out of it. The bearings go out every week, it needs a new spindle, and then there’s the huge dent on the driver’s side.
But none of those things proved to be a deterrent. It looks like the Rav really is leaving me this time. I promised to get the bearings fixed for the last time so it’s safe to drive to its final destination, then I’m done with it forever.
Do you think I will really be able to hand over the keys?
Do you think anyone will ever be able to find a spindle for it, the supposed answer to the neverending wheel bearing drama?
If you know anything about cars, and that doesn’t make sense, just nod and smile as you read this. I was told by my mechanic that the bearings will continue to go out until I get a new spindle, and I’m trusting that it really is the case.
Do you know how many times the bearings have gone out? No, seriously, I’m asking, because I have no idea. I lost count after about five. Maybe six? Eight? Three hundred?
For what it’s worth, the new car is still doing great. Not to jinx myself, but there have been no problems so far, and I’ve discovered a few things I didn’t know about when I first bought it that only add to my love. This car actually tells you exactly how many miles you can drive before hitting empty. I developed the habit of driving the Rav on empty many years ago, when I couldn’t actually afford to fill it up, and I never quite got out of it. I learned that the gas light was not so much a warning, but really more of a suggestion. If you have money, and you have time, and you feel like, then you might want to start thinking about getting gas now.
That is a hard habit to break. I promised Brandon I will not view those 50 miles as a challenge, to see if I can really drive that far, but rather fill up when it’s time to fill up. Actually, he prefers it if I don’t let it get to the 50 mile countdown in the first place. I really am doing my best to comply, but it’s a whole new way of looking at the world.
But I digress. The real news here is that I think we are honing in on the final days of my crazy love-hate relationship with my car. Maybe it’s a good thing I waited so long about buying something new, because now I feel as though I can really say good-bye. Yes, I’m still talking about a car. It was just such a good car for such a long time.
And now she will (hopefully) be able to serve someone else, at least for a few months. I just hope the new owner can identify that click, click, roar that means trouble (bearings) and that he won’t try to drive it on empty right away. It takes time to develop a feel for how many miles are left, and should never be attempted by an amateur.
Also, he should by happy to know that both the heater and the air conditioner work quite well, although you can’t use the medium setting on the blower, only high or low. I’m not sure why, but that hasn’t worked in at least five years.
Good grief. I’m about to talk myself into keeping that thing. I better just stop now.
