Date With Destiny?

Stories of our vehicles are common at Rural Ways, especially stories of the Sable—a living legend. More than two years ago, we were ready to say goodbye to the car because it had been diagnosed with inoperable transmission failure. Read about it HERE. Since then, we have driven it another 15,000 miles, including multiple trips to Salt Lake or Ogden and back. The transmission periodically acts as though it is finished, and then rights itself and keeps going.

Last week, however, we noticed a new noise coming from the motor. I thought it was a bad bearing in the water pump or the air conditioning compressor. But, we took it over to Reese for a diagnosis. Nope, he said, not the water pump: The camshaft bearings are bad, and you need a new engine. The guy practically kicked Valerie and the car off his property because he didn't want the motor to break apart in his yard. He told us to get it to the junk yard before was too late. So, naturally, we're still driving it. I mean, one terminal illness is no worse than any other, right? (As my father-in-law is always saying, "I'll probably die with it rather than from it.")

In any case, I am concerned about having the Sable give its all in the middle of a busy freeway, so we are now under a very tight travel restriction—it goes no farther than the True Value. Plus, I talked to the guys over at the salvage yard, and they told me that they'd give me $150 for it if they had to pick it up, and more if I could get it to their yard myself. (The auto salvage business has got to be the last redoubt of the professional thug . . . I've never seen so many dim-witted but over-muscled guys with vicious dogs in my life.) The best way to ensure delivery to the junk yard is to drive it over there right now, but, who knows, maybe the thing will go another two years.