Pottery Chatroom Board

Hi to everyone!! reading, especially on the BOOK, POTTERY and GLASS boards which are the three I post on the most. I am doing this in one post to save time and personal energy.

I have read read all three boards and hopefully have retained some points which I want to respond to. So PLEASE, if I missed something important don't get your undies bunched. lol

First a little update on my activities. A big concern for me this winter was that I needed a new vehicle capable of towing my 16' stock trailer. You may or may not remember that my hitch receiver peeled off of my frame rendering that vehicle incapable of ever towing anything again. I have high mileage but a well maintained engine and good maintenance. It has 210,900 miles, runs extremely well, gets 18-20 mpg, on tiny oil leak that happens only when running ( and that mostly at idle), the A/C pump/clutch (?) went out just after the hitch broke so have a new bypass pulley for the serpentine belt and the mechanic hit some wire when the cut the remaining hitch attachment off making a draw on the electrically system, so I now just disconnect my battery when I shut it off. Not really a big deal but it does get tiresome sometimes..

Anyway, I began "THE GREAT CAR HUNT", in January/February, just looking to get an idea what was out there.

I have a 1993 GMC Suburban 1/2 ton and need the equivalent as a replacement, which means a GMC Yukon XL or a Chevy Suburban. GMC is higher end than the Chevy ( like Caddy to Chevy in cars) but basically they are the same style. My Mom said she would help me, as I have no extra resources. I was looking at vehicles with 100,000 plus miles, in the late 1999 area as that was all I could afford and those are selling for $5000-7000 and higher!

If I found one with a good body, it had other major issues, or good maintenance but bad body. One, a GMC ( and happened to blue, and would blend with trailer) had a typo and was a 1995 and not a '99 AND had 220,00 miles but had been owned by a mechanic for a year. Sigh - My mechanic said no.
Being gun shy about rust ( midwest winters and salt) that factor was especially high as a concern.
Found several with good maintenance, one owner, replaced transmission ( a known suburban issue) and ready to go another 100,000 back in the winter but choices were fewer now. Looked for weeks this spring and found nothing decent to even look at. Then found three in succession which warranted a look see. Two in Green Bay a 200 + mile round trip, remember, I am in the boonies.
They were both 1999's with 118,00 and 148,000 miles. The lower mile one had only been owned privately for 1 year the other was at a dealer ( a trade swap with another dealer so no history).
The first one's A/C went out between first conversation and second so that was a no deal. Second would have been easiest transition as dealer would do all paperwork and give me $600 trade for my '93 ( making less tax) and a warranty for the drive train was available.
The third one ( highest mileage at 185,600) was the farthest. It was 350 miles away, way up in Copper County in the Kewanaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan. Road trip?

BUT it had been a Nevada car and in Michigan for only 5 months! I knew I had to at least look at that car. If the frame was as good as the guy said the high mileage could be outweighed by the lack of rust.
So left last Wednesday test drove the dealer car on my way. It had more rust than mine, it's muffler/exhaust sounded like it was in the first little stage of going, the shift was very hard and had cargo doors with a blind spot and the hitch had awful rust flakes on the inside of the receiver.
The only really good thing was the radio did work AND got WGN from Chicago. I have not had a working radio for over ten years. lol

Got to my friend's house in eastern Upper Michigan that night about 8 my time. We got up at 4 my time, 5 her time and on the road about quarter to seven. I had never been west in the U.P. so all was new and interesting. No interstates all two lane but very little traffic. Hit snow squalls for and hour or so but no sticking. Saw mine areas and mine shafts, slag heaps, beaver lodges, Eagles, more mine shafts, mining museums. Would have loved to have stopped to play tourist.
Got to the guys apt. saw right away the bumper was a bit pulled at the corners. A cosmetic thing. It hit something square on center which brought the two sides out a bit. At the back it looks lik someone took giant forceps and pinched the rear fender in just ahead of the tail light. Even round dents, also cosmetic. Opened all the doors worked all the windows, etc.
Then got my towel out to lie on and got under the car. WOW!!!!! WOW WOW!!!! Parts of the frame still have factory undercoating, other parts look brand new. The most rust was a dusting, like if you killed a good cast iron pan washed it and let it air dry. It even still has paper labels on the frame!
I test drove it on the was to the service place I had lined up to check it out. I also asked them to test drive it. The mechanic ,Ron, and I went out leaving friend and seller at the shop. When Ron tried the four wheel drive it did not work. Oh-oh.

We then got it up on the rack. Saw two leaks right away. I knew where they were coming from and idea of repair cost on the one but not the other. Buyer had so no leaks, but he was only looking for ground spots. He has gravel so they would have been hard to see. One is either valve cover or oil pan gasket $250 or so. Other is some seal in transfer case $250-300 and would replace all four ( I think 4) gaskets in that if I did it. Wheel bearings good, might need ball joints in a year or so, suspension good, brakes good, but all in all ( except the 4 wheel not working) still good for the price. He is in the boonies too so not many buyers. Also has SS exhaust which should last forever and maybe a SS muffler. Called my mechanic told him all he said it was still a very good deal so It was a go.

THEN, the buyer decided he had to see why the 4-wheel didn't work, as he had used it all winter. He gets it in 4-wheel and CAN'T GET IT OUT!!! Ugh!!! that was a no deal as could not drive the 150 back to friends in 4-wheel.
Over two hours later, friend now napping back at apt., in my car, buyer and I are driving around, with him trying to get it back in two wheel drive. I call the service station and ask Ron if there is any way to manually release the hubs. he says no but if someone got underneath and tapped the transfer case hub motor while someone pushed the 2-wheel button it might work. Mush like tapping a bad starter to jar it pasts a bad spot. IT WORKED! Called Ron back and asked if it was " in" would it stay with no chance of slipping back into 4-wheel. He said I was good to go. It is now 14 minutes before the credit union closed ( they stayed open a half an hour late for us) I handed over the cashier's check and travelers checks ( got part in TC just in case I could get him down a bit on price, even though he said, on phone, $6000 was rock bottom) got a copy of the title faxed from the lien company in Utah, went back to buyer's apt and we hand wrote bill of sale, signed and witnessed by friend. Had wanted this all ready when we were at the credit union but his printer was broken, my friend forgot to print one for us and the CU guy had gone way out of his way already so did not want to ask him to print it. I had wanted to have it ready and have them notarize it.

There is a lot of trust between strangers in this deal. Title with lien release will be sent to me, I have the car at friend's in MI, 150 miles closer than buyers house, she drove it to her farm on his plate as we could not get temps with out original title getting home at 11 PM her time that night.
Next day I discovered that I wrote mileage wrong on bill of sale so made and add-on and sent to him to sign and return when I sent his plate back. He sent me the signed add-on mileage statement which I got yesterday and now I am waiting for the title.

Whew are you tired yet?

The next few days I went to scrap and salvage yard to see what I could get for my car. Have estimates from $275 to 600 ish as scrap or parts. May put add on Craig's list to lsell in her area. Car runs well and could always be scraped for that 600 ish. Running as is, is worth at least $900-1000 even with issues. friend can ferry me around to do shifting of cars up there. My tires are better so will have to swap them too.

Anyway. I am now the owner (working on the proud part) of a 2001 GMC Yulkon XT SLT K2500 with NO RUST. Oh yeah, this one is a 3/4 ton. Another bonus. My mechanic said even with the leaks and 4-wheel drive out, the car was still a great price. Oh the lift window has a bad catch, think it is minor, I can still open the whole lift back. No blind spot in this one.

Only drawback is that it is bright RED! I will feel like a target. My friend said it drove like a dream and I will really like it. Ah well, me and not liking "change". I am sure I will get used to it eventually. Thank You MOM!

CASINO - Glad Pat is home again and doing better. Hope you are too.

MAUREEN - Glad you solved the mystery of your recent issue. Bored, yeah been there. Felling better but still can't "do".

SAM - How's the kitten? That tiny sounds like mom could have been moving litter and lost it or tossed this one out because it was sick.

KATIE - When i was in the apt in winter 08 the apt mate did worm farm so I learned a bit. That is so cool that you do it.

SHELLY - I am still here. Good luck on your upcoming knee thing.

AMBER - If kitten is tiny it should not be played with. Did you call all the vets and shelters to report it too? Have had kittens stolen from me because people just took and kept them.
Good glucosamine can be found without shellfish. you just have to look. Not all glucosamine is created equal. Fillers and binders keep some from working in some people. and a few people do not get any benefit. I think it is great but took me a while to learn that not all are the same. Look into MSM too.

GORDON - Guess you should have gotten x-rays sooner. Hope it heals.

GAYLE - Glad Lassie came home. That is the worst not knowing where your fur kid is.

NANCYG - Try holding a treat to get Zack to look at you while holding the camera and work up to shooting, not up to your eye but "from the hip" or.... Plus if he were at your height.....On couch and you sitting in chair would work. It would be a better framing too. The Penny avatar on Pottery board is one of about thirty pics I took to get that one good pose.

OH POTTIES - picked up a cute little yellow vase with a raised botanic pattern. It was a Mc Coy so I got it.

GAIL - worried during tornadoes but read enough to see you were OK. Do not know exactly who else is in that area.

DON - Lovely pink pitcher.