more car follies...

[jay]

It's happened *again*.

The black Mustang of Doom (to my checkbook) left me stranded on the way home from work. It stalled, the "check engine" light came on, and it wouldn't restart. This is after I'd finally picked it up earlier today from the repair shop. Where a new transmission, rebuilt front end and steering cost me $3800, almost as much as the purchase price. It is now being towed back to the same repair shop.

(bangs head against the wall) I have now dropped $9400 into this vehicle. For that much, I could have bought a newer one with lower mileage... or a share of an airplane. Sigh.

Comments

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Heh. thanks... although, generally, I don't rent or buy non-US makes. Since I work for NASA, I feel obliged to recycle my major purchases back into the same tax base...

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

Yea, I understand what you're saying. However, in today's global economy, I have to think that it isn't that simple. For example, the Toyota Corolla is, in fact, manufactured in Fremont at the New United Motor Manufacturing plant (a joint venture with GM). The Corolla has been manufactured there since 1988. In 2002 they manufactured 138,000 of them. My Solara was most likely manufactured in Kentucky (my home state).

cjsmith and I took a tour of the NUMMI plant last year. It was quite interesting and more than a little amazing. They get their supplies from the LA basin via rail on an as-needed basis several times per day, and turn out cars and trucks at an absolutely astounding rate. To the best of my knowledge, the majority of the parts and labor are American, and, in fact, NUMMI is an independent company (and quite proud of it) that is under contract to Toyota and GM to produce various cars.