A rough day indeed; tempature at 260F (red zone) and 0, not a good way to drive to work. But that is what happens when your vehicle has less than a week until it turns 20 years old.

So I put in 3.5 quarts of oil, it holds 5 quarts, and 3/4 gallon of 50/50 antifreeze mix. But that is fine with me, it was supposed to get me through my last degree which I completed about 3 years ago; I hoped for nothing more. I am at about 218,700 miles and don't know if she'll get to 219,000 miles or not but I didn't have to waste a bunch of money on new cars, instead on a foreclosed home that the previous owner lost because him and his wife couldn't afford the payments, yet could afford payments on his Benz E-class wagon.

So whatever happens, happens, though I had better get my 200k sticker on it before it is too late!

The same morning which I eclipsed 218k miles, it was trash day and someone in a hurry didn't look behind him when pulling out of his driveway. Thus the city trash can got lodged deep under the tailgate, raising my old truck off the ground.

After about ten mintutes of pulling, I got the back right wheel on the ground enough to go forward and backwards to dislodge the barrel; not a bad way to start the final day of the work week!

87' Chevy Silverado 10, 216,918 miles

I am now a member of the Silverado 200,000-Mile Club. It was presented to me through the mail from Ed Peper, General manager, Chevrolet Motor Division. Next step is to put it on, along with my tags!

87' Chevy Silverado 10, 216,918 miles

Another milestone and even filthier!

The rule is that if I make it through the winter without any problems then I drive it for at least another year. So 13 days left for this winter, if I make it were going for 20 years.

Almost had a problem, everthing has been going good for 3 months, until last night's ice storm.

I couldn't get the door open this morning, so I went through the passenger side; everything seemed OK until lunch. At lunch I was able to open the driver's side door, problem was the mechanism inside was frozen, so I drove home for lunch holding the door shut on left turns. Luckily, the tempature warmed up enough during my lunch hour to thaw the door mechanism enough so it would shut. That would have a pain to hold the door closed with my left hand to the spring!

213,000 miles

212,000 miles

211,000 miles

The rear brakes are leaking a ton of fluid. Go home to lunch today I heard a pop, which means that the inevitable maybe approaching.

But I am not sure if this is another clumsy, intentional, or just old age that is the cause of this. My problem last week was because either someone forgot to tighten the lug nuts or because someone wanted to be cute; not a fault of the vehicle. My rule is that 3 consecutive months with problems normally means it is time to move on; but I will only count this as one if it checks out as a non human problem, otherwise were still at zero and I watch out the window to attack the culprits that have been screwing with me!

Third time in 5 years this has happened, I am down to 2 wheel studs and lug nuts. I am lucky I caught it or I could be in real big trouble, if that tire comes off while I am on the highway I'm history.

I guess I am going to have to tighten the nuts so tight that only I can take them off. Don't know if it is the kids in the neighborhood playing games, or what; just know those nuts don't come off by themselves. Other than that it was a good day, though not as good as the day before.

Then last week it was the damn radiator. I think this is the third one, heck they're only supposed to last 8 years to begin with. But hopefully I can go a month or two before the next one, though can't complain, not much has happened in the last 4 or 5 years, plus I haven't even had the oil changed since last fall!

Then two weeks ago I was trekking across town, to find a pharmacy that takes the States Insurance, so being cute I was driving like a race car driver and slashed the side wall of my front right tire pulling into a pharmacy. Well it turns out that they don't take my insurnace, so I decided to change the tire to make it home.

When you drive an 18 year old bucket, things don't always go as planned. Firstly, the tire jack didn't work and worstly the rim was rusted on to the truck. We got it off the next day, but I had to get a tow and nearly as humiliating, I had to walk to work the next day.

She started leaking antifreeze, so of course I figured it was the radiator, but it turned out to be the waterpump.

At the time I was at the gym, so I figured I would finish my work then try to scury home as quickly and gently as possible. So on the way home, I got a brilliant idea, that was to take the Wilson Bridge Road hill with the engine turned off, so I would keep the engine cool; for about another 30 seconds. The consequences of that were that the water from the water pump spewed all over the battery, so I ended up coasting down the road with no electrical power; and yes that means lights too! So I came to a stop then eventually got another battery, cause I hitched a ride, then we got it started and made it home with a newer battery, no water pump, the hood blown up, and my head sticking out the window looking around the hood!