Is It Just My Imagination?

For those who follow this blog, I have mentioned my 2000 Ford Ranger several times. It was the truck that threw itself in front of a charging deer in W. Texas. It is my forced exercise in maintaining a hold on frugality. We are old work partners. This truck has survived a daughter's stint in college. It is just an old truck that is wearing out.
Here is the list:
1. The transmission is going out. When it gets hot, apparently it is stuck in 3rd gear, which means the acceleration is just about equal to mine when I get up in the morning. It (and I) can get to cruising speed, it just takes a little while. This is a little worrisome in Dallas traffic. The Lexus/Camry/BMW crowd blast past with looks of annoyance, while me and my little red truck are trying to make a turn...in 3rd gear.
2. It leaks. Whenever it rains the passenger side floorboard becomes an in-door swimming pool. Now if I let it sit for a day, it becomes a swamp, then a cesspool. I try to get it dry before then.
3. The armrest/console lid is broken. More specifically the latch is broken. So for a couple of days I rode around with it open, then used a large rubber band to sort of close it, then found a perfectly sized strap with a large snap closure. So really this one is fixed and it has that nice black-strap-grey-interior contrast thing going.
4. It has 226,000 miles on the odometer. I bought it when it had 25,000 miles. As a friend of mine said, "it doesn't owe you any money" It has been one durable little truck.
5. The interior dome light got to where it would not turn off..which would run down the battery..which would make me cuss. So I fixed it in my own way..I pulled out the bulb. No interior lights makes for an interesting evening when you are looking for something in the floorboard at night. Cell phone displays are nearly bright enough to do the trick. Of course my bride has this fancy new I-phone with a flashlight app. That really works great.
6. The "clicker" only works on the driver's side to "unlock" It does not work on the passenger side at all. It will not lock the truck. I have taken to leaving it unlocked hoping some punk will steal the thing and save me the turmoil of having to get rid of it. No such luck. Apparently today's punks have higher standards than my little truck.
7. The front air spoil hangs a little low due to a front-end bump I had during an ice storm in Dallas, really just a little kiss to the truck in front of me. But it hangs down a little like a perpetual frown.

So for the past few months I have been looking at other cars. My bride is encouraging me to consider hybrids. I made the mistake of requesting an on-line quote from Ford (Fusion) and Honda (Accord) and Toyota (Prius) and Hyundai (Sonata). BIG MISTAKE. Apparently these folks have nothing else to do but annoy me with follow-up emails. Hyundai does not introduce their Sonata Hybrid until later in 2010, so I'm using that as an excuse to put all the others off.

Now all of a sudden my little truck is running a little better. Someone put the dome light bulb back in and the thing works and hasn't run the battery down. Its a little dim, but better than my blackberry. It still leaks, but it is summer in Dallas, unless I park next to a sprinkler I don't have to worry about it. Do you think the old girl perceives that she about to be replaced? Is it just my imagination that she is trying to keep her spot in the driveway? She probably has heard from the other cars in the parking lots that the next destination is Mexico. All of a sudden this old red Ford Ranger is trying to clean up her act. Could it be?

Naw. This is just my imagination. Isn't it?

Godspeed to all out there who anthromorphize their stuff. Someday all our stuff may turn on us. All new car conversations now happen in the house.
Don