The Ion is an automatic while the 93 is a stick. Zack prefers an auto and I the stick. My back also prefers the seat in the 93. And since I get filthy at work, I don't feel so bad getting the old car dirty. Then, just to make sure Zack wouldn't go near the old car, the clutch, synchronizer, and slave/master cylinders went. I first learned to double-clutch. Then I learned to up-shift without the clutch. Eventually I even got the hang of down-shifting sans clutch. Having to turn the car off at all stops to get it into 1st and then getting whiplash upon the restart was what put it out of commission for a couple of weeks.
As long as it had to go in for repairs, I had the middle exhaust pipe and muffler replaced done to quiet it down significantly (they were described as looking like swiss cheese) and had the cooling fan sensor replaced so I won't have to drive with the heat on again this summer! $900 later (which equals the purchase price of the car) and I'm back on the road. I averaged out purchase price and all the repairs over the 32 months we've owned it, and it has only cost $78/month. Can't find any other deals like that!
Zack came home from shopping one of those nights we were sharing cars and said the car had been hit in the parking lot. We called the sheriff and filed a report the next day. The officer who responded thought it looked more like hitting a pole. Who knows, doesn't really matter since we have to take care of it either way.
Finally got Zack to take the car in for an estimate. The bumper is scraped as is the fender but the fender is cracked up near the light. I guess cracks are not as readily fixable so... $1000-$1200 depending on how much blending of paint they have to do. Zack's going to have to decide whether to make a claim on insurance and pay the increased premiums or just bite the bullet and pay the whole thing himself. We have a $500 deductible anyway so I'm thinking he should just pay it. He also got a ticket a couple of months ago so his premiums are probably going to go up as it is.
More changes for Zack:
He had a girlfriend that he met at work. She ended up moving back to her dad's a few hours away. Long distance is tough.
Rumor has it now that he has a new girlfriend but I don't have confirmation or details yet.
He was growing out his hair and it was a bit wild... (especially when he didn't pick it out very well)
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at least until he took himself over to one of the cosmetology schools and had 5 girls work on his head for 3 hours!
Did you know they use glue to make dreds?!?!? He was afraid he'd wake up stuck to his pillow this morning!
Brian completed wrestling season. He finished 6th at sectionals so he didn't go on to districts. He was disaapointed but he's only a freshman wrestling kids up thru seniors! They may be the same weight but certainly not the same experience level!
Next up is track. He's signed up and I have the schedule around here somewhere. I'm sure practice starts any time.
After just a couple of weeks of practice, Brian heads south with Steve. For the past few years, Steve has gone to Louisiana to help rebuild after the huricanes. This is the last trip down there for the sponsor group. Not sure where they will head next. Zack and I will stay here for school and work and take care of dogs and birds and lizards and...
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