Kevin Standlee (kevin_standlee) wrote,
Kevin Standlee
kevin_standlee
  • Location: Mehama, Oregon
  • Mood: depressed

Worldcons and Van Repairs

The dealership called with the bad news about my van: The air conditioning compressor is shot, not just the clutch on the front of the unit. And the freon leaked away, which means that -- it being the older style banned R12 freon unit -- the system needs to be converted to the newer R134 type unit. That's the worst part of the cost there: $1200. Besides that, the serpentine belt needs replacing (not surprising given that it was sliding over a frozen pulley) and the belt tension pulley also needs to be replaced. And that Check Engine light? That was an unrelated problem: the O2 sensor failing. Estimated total repairs: $1700.

At least I'm not stuck in the middle of the Nevada desert having to sit while they repair it. They have more than two weeks to work on it. And I have enough credit to get it out of the shop when I return. How I'll end up paying those credit card bills later is less certain.

And once again, instead of being able to direct my business to the mechanic who has been good to me, because I'm on the road, I have to pay a shop somewhere else.

I do have to keep reminding myself that much of the travel on my Worldcon trip is "free" in that meals are included in the train trip on points and the hotel nights coming and going are on points as well. This will help keep costs down. Pity the Canadian dollar has jumped back up over 90 US cents, though.
Tags: van
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