Say hello to my truck.  I know I said I wanted a truck with a plow.  However, this was rather a necessary move.  My Sebring may not last long.

Not an actual picture of my truck —- >
(See below for actual photos)

I took that trip to Traverse City like I said I would.  Hung out with my mom and we walked all over the downtown shopping centers.  Sadly I didn’t find one pair of shoes, any shirts or hats that I was looking for.  The trip was a bust and that shopping area is now reserved for hipsters, food connoisseurs and coffee snobs.  While I love coffee, I’m happy with Starbucks.

After hitting the mall yet again, there just isn’t any shops I’m interested in there.  I had much better luck when I was going to Saginaw.  We stopped for lunch, and as we were leaving my car started doing the most peculiar thing.  As we came to a stop light, the car felt like it just threw itself in park.  It was a sudden lunge and stop action.  We managed to move again, but the next stop the same thing happened.  I thought it was a transmission problem.  My mom felt perhaps it was a brake problem.  Neither of us really knew.  However we carefully drove back to Gaylord trying to avoid coming to a complete stop.  When we did, the car would do the same thing.  Strangely, once we got home, it stopped completely.  It was like it actually was in park.  I could rev the engine, and it wouldn’t move.  If I shifted to reverse, it would move a few feet and “park” again.

The following Monday, I had it towed to a friend/mechanic.  He tested the car’s electrical system.  His suspicions were confirmed, something wasn’t sending the right signals from the computer controller in the transmission to the main computer in the car.  The car deemed something was unsafe.  Though no “Check Engine” light ever came on.  He was able to clean up the harness connecting the two components, but trying to save me money as transmissions are BIG dollars to fix.  His advice to me was “trade it in”.  He said it with more flair that indicated “do it soon”.

I was never really happy with my Sebring.  It was the only car I could afford that wasn’t a piece of junk.  Most cars offered to me when my Lumina died were over priced rust bombs.  I paid way too much for the car, and right from the start it had tires not made for driving in snow.  The air conditioner was blocked with garbage and soaked the interior the first night I drove it for work.  Shortly after, the dashboard lights started to die and only flickered when it was really cold outside.  My radio would lose its programming.  I sunk nearly $1200 in tires, new rear brakes and minor engine repairs.  The list goes on.  Also, who the hell designs a car where the battery is in the wheel well?  [yes, that’s a video link]  Seriously!?!??  Not a Chrysler fan.  Between that and the insanely high interest rate from having bad credit 😒

Anyway…  I managed to find a very low mileage [less than 50k] truck at an affordable price.  It’s not new, but it’s in good condition.  A 2005 Chevy Silverado.  Hopefully with God’s guidance, I made a good choice.  Clean Carfax, one owner, all repairs documented; kind of find.

The topper will be for sale soon.  I’m not a topper kind of fellow.  When I can afford it, I’ll get a vinyl Tonneau Cover.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful to Simple Auto for helping me rebuild my credit enough to get out from under their Buy Here/Pay Here interest rates.  I now have a regular loan via a Credit Union.  Interest rate is better, though not great.  I will never again let someone else handle my finances and ruin my credit.

For some reason, it just had to be red.  Immediately I wanted to recreate a favorite photograph.

Damn, I’m just becoming a good-ol’-boy aren’t I?  Driving pickup trucks, shootin’ guns…  Though I will never concede to country music and beer.  EVER.

And NO!  You can’t borrow it!