DJ Trava

Posts Tagged ‘automotive repair’

There’s one in every middle and lower class neighborhood. A guy who majored in auto shop in high school or took auto repair in vocational school. Even if they don’t have a job as a mechanic, they serve as the unofficial go to guy for anyone with a car problem. Family members and friends will drive for miles to get their opinion and, if needed, to coax them into doing the repairs.

Many people seek out these backyard mechanics because they don’t want to face the inflated prices that professionals charge. A good friend or neighbor is going to expect to be reimbursed for the parts, but may not ask to be paid for their time. This is especially true if the car’s owner rolls up their sleeves and helps with the repair. Best of all, the car guy usually has an in with a parts store or junkyard to get used parts without the markup that a professional repair shop would charge. It is good etiquette to at least offer to pay these driveway automotive savants. Some will be willing to barter for other services, like babysitting, carpentry, or whatever the friend has to offer.

Some of these guys end up having their own form of apprenticeships, as neighborhood kids learn automotive repair by first watching and then assisting their idol with his work.

Most people turn to amateur mechanics because they trust them. These people are can never shake the feeling that the repair shop down the street is going to take advantage of them by overcharging or might even tell them something needs to be replaced when their neighbor would tell them it could run fine for another twenty or thirty thousand miles.

On a birthday surprise trip taken a few years ago to Puerto Penasco, or Rocky Point, Mexico more commonly known, motor cycle manuals would not have helped us out a certain predicament.  I had funded a trip for a friend of mine from Boston, Massachusetts.  He wasn’t familiar with the way of the desert, nor was he familiar of just what a Toyota Camry was capable of, or not capable of as the case may be, with regards to driving on sand.

The drive from Phoenix to Rocky Point, is pretty short.  In just about 4 hours one can be sitting on the beach eating fresh shrimps and relaxing, I thought–a perfect way to spend a birthday, no need for small engine repair manuals.  However, as we were camping, and my friend didn’t want to park and walk, he thought it would be an okay idea to just drive right out onto the sand…in a Camry, no four wheel drive and not thought.  I made mention that this may not be the best idea.  But, well—there we ended up.  A great spot on the beach for a few days, but no way to get the car out of the sand.

I tried my best to think of just how we would get home, and made the best of the three days on the beach.  It was fun, we painted pelicans and ocean landscapes, but on our last night, a tremendous storm happened and we were forced to take shelter in the stuck-in-the-sand Camry.  At some point during the night, he decided to run the heater, which was reasonable in a way…as we were soaking wet and very cold.  However, in the morning we woke up, not only stuck in the sand, but with a dead car battery as well.  A self-sufficient camper, a guy that spent most of his time in one of those old school silvermotor-homes accompanied by many dogs, came to our rescue.

This man knew about automotive repair and rescue.  He had a contraption that charge our battery through the cigarette lighter in his motor-home.  He then deflated our tires so we would be able to maneuver our way out of the sand.  We made it to the center of Rocky Point, re-filled the tires with air, and headed back to Phoenix.  We did get home in one piece, but next time I take someone on a trip for their birthday, I may just buy a ticket to Spain, and hire taxis for the entire weekend.