Okay, I'm borrowing a little from the Ozark Mountain Daredevils song "Horse Trader." But the sentiment is the same. No need to spend a lot on something new if you can get it used. Or KEEP it used.
SilverRedO needs a new Head Gasket. Yeah. I have no idea what that is, but my Estranged BFF Google says it will cost between $1200 and $2000 to repair it. Seems you have to take the whole engine apart. And hopefully get it put back together with no spare parts laying around all willy-nilly.
Farmer H has been playing the old "Grandma's up on the roof" joke with me, only he's not joking. He's been alluding to the resolution of the SilverRedO problem. Speaking as if SilverRedO might be repaired, but the cost would be prohibitive. Having SilverRedO in Mick the Mechanic's shop, and relaying possible things that might be wrong.
Anyhoo... once I asked again what was wrong with SilverRedO, I looked it up for myself. That amount for repairs is not something I wanted to hear, but it is not insurmountable. I looked it up, because Farmer H had actually uttered offhandedly something about "...if the truck is even worth repairing." REEEE! Jam on the brakes! Farmer H is never without a truck. If SilverRedO is not repaired, that means Farmer H is trying to weasel a new truck out of Mrs. HM!
THAT IS NOT HAPPENING! Not after the Great Pony House Project.
So I asked about SilverRedO on Monday, since The Pony was off, and made a trip to Steak N Shake, and saw Farmer H parked (in A-Cad) at Mick's shop.
"Mick says it's a head gasket."
"So? That will be under $2000 to fix."
"Well. It's going to be $1600. But if I could find another truck with low mileage for $5000-$6000 more, it would be worth trading."
"Getting it fixed is way cheaper than getting another truck! We just put all our money into Pony House."
"Yeah. I was looking at what [dealer where we bought SilverRedO] has in stock, and they want way too much! I bet we could trade A-Cad and get back the full price we paid new."
"Maybe. But that won't be any help, since we'd need to buy another car, and pay way more than it would have been a year ago. Prices of everything have skyrocketed!"
"Yeah. I know."
The AUDACITY of Farmer H daring to look for a new truck! I think he has spent enough on his assorted outbuildings. Plus having TWO tractors because he never sold the old one like he promised if I let him buy a new one.
Farmer H needs constant watching...
6 comments:
Better be putting a couple of hefty padlocks on those purse strings and just squeeze out enough for the head gasket. Better yet, let Farmer H sell that old tractor to pay for it. With prices going up, someone is bound to want a bargain tractor. But make it a cash only sale, no promises of future payment.
River,
Indeed! I still have my hospital bill to pay! Farmer H would never take payments on a tractor. And not just because he won't sell it. He only told Neighbor Tommy that he could make payments on the $1000 car we gave him so he would feel like it wasn't charity. Apparently, Tommy doesn't mind charity! We figured we'd never get that money back. But we DID get one $25 payment.
He especially needs to be watched when the pool season has started... From what you have posted, his choice of swimwear makes him watch-worthy.
Sioux,
You mean he especially needs to go UNwatched during pool season! The Pony has a distinct style. That said, he did not get in POOLIO even ONE TIME last summer! Not even to re-hab his healing broken ankle.
At least I think The Pony would make a better swimwear choice than Farmer H, whose choice is sometimes NOTHING. Which is worse than his other choices, of tighty-whities, or SpongeBob silky boxers that are now faded pale from overuse.
Geez, did you have to mention SpongeBob boxers? Now I have an image in my head. HeWho is also hinting at a new truck. A dealer near Atlanta is offering no interest. The principal, however, is outrageous! We owe nothing on my car, and it gets great gas mileage. Would a truck be handy to have? Yes! But not at the prices now. Since gas has hit nearly $6 near Atlanta and all the areas in a 100 mile range are following the lead, I have dictated a once a week outing at the most. HeWho just itches to feel the rumble of the car engine under his butt on a daily basis. He never combines his needs into one trip and it is nothing for him to make six trips a day. I don't want to spend all my money on fuel, you might recall how frugal (CHEAP) I am.
Kathy,
Sorry about SpongeBob. Oops! I mentioned him again!
Prices are crazy! T-Hoe needs to be replaced. He's from 2008. No way are we doing that now. A-Cad is a 2016, and has been paid off for a while. SilverRedO is the only one the bank still owns!
I put $40 in T-Hoe yesterday, and that gave me almost half a tank. I was topping off anyway. I think I paid $3.88 per gallon for the cheapest Casey's gas. It's 10 miles round trip if I just go to the Gas Station Chicken Store and Country Mart. T-Hoe gets around 15 mpg. Still, I don't want to give up that one contact with humanity.
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