Making It Rain

Tracy and I are doing our collective best to keep the economy rumbling forward. On Saturday, we were throwing money around making it rain in Murrieta. After running my tires for four years, I finally decided to put new meats on the Ford. Compared to the California standard of running 'em to the belts, my tires weren't completely useless. People literally run slicks here in SoCal. It adds up to entertainment when it finally does rain.

$975 later, my truck has new tires from American Tire, sister store of Discount Tire. Truck tires aren't cheap in SoCal, where everything involving cars is a surcharge compared to the Midwest. I went with the new Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors. So far, I'm really pleased. Hardly no lug noise on the highway and my truck is riding and tracking smooth.

For Tracy, we brought the Jetta that will eclipse 170k this week to the dealer to check out some dummy lights. The ABS speed sensor has gone bad, her large cooling fan is no longer working and her catalytic converter is bad, causing a check engine emission light. I'll take care of the ABS sensor and large cooling fan, saving her about $300 there. The catalytic converter estimate was $1,075 from Volkswagen. They are on crack. Sure, we'll spend a grand on a 2003 car that will hit 200k in a year. Sounds like another job for me.

Autozone catalytic converter: $325. Not sure how an exhaust system job can cost $700 more than that at the dealership. Unfortunately, in California you have to pass an emissions test every 2 years. Tracy is good for another 18 months, so we won't be tackling that one anytime soon.

Speaking of that timeframe, I'd be shocked if we lasted another 18 months here. Both our J-O-Bs are becoming a major P-I-T-A. I guess that's why they call it work. But when work egregiously takes advantage of you, it's when you start looking for other work. Our values are upping here in CA, and that means it's harder to be taken advantage of. 50 hour weeks at 40 hour pay can only last so long.

On a good note, we've been very happy outside of work at the beach and spending time with friends. We have slated another trip to the San Diego Zoo with Tracy's friends from Pasadena, so that should be fun. And, while I'm out of town in October for a work trip, Tracy heads up to San Fran / Oakland to see her friend Missy who is from Minnesota / Ehlert!