Tikkabik

So I'm about three weeks overdue on getting the Aerostar inspected because I knew it wouldn't pass -- a taillight blew out over the summer, and it wasn't a problem with the bulb, but rather the electrical stuff that made the bulb work.

It was just a matter of time, logistics and financing to get the wiring fixed, at the local Ford dealership -- they usually run about a week or two backlog, so after I procrastinated as long as I could, I made an appointment to bring it in last Friday.

The guy who fixed it tells me that the wiring has been patched to work, but he's not guaranteeing how long the patch will hold -- could be a week, could be forever. Replacing the harness itself that delivers electricity to that part of the van is apparently a time-consuming affair that will cost hundreds to fix after all is said and done.

All this reminds me that I only need one more winter out of the van -- next Spring Bonnie and I plan to replace it with my sister-in-law's conversion van, which recently had a rebuilt engine and transmission installed. So I'm resigned to making do with what I have to until then.

I brought the van to my regular guy on Saturday afternoon for a quick oil change and a lookover, when he told me that the muffler has rotted out (which explains why the van is so noisy and throaty lately). As it turns out a weld seam on the bottom of the muffler has cracked and opened up, so there's a foot-long gash along the bottom of it that's dumping exhaust out. It'll cost another couple hundred to replace, because I have to have everything replaced from a flange forward of the muffler on back.

I don't mind that I have to get the work done, specifically -- if it's the last significant repair I have to make to the van before we retire it, I'll be happy. My problem is that the muffler has to get fixed before I get it inspected, and I'm already running on borrowed time. Bah.