Volks Chronicles: Headaches and Money Vortexes

I haven’t written any updates regarding Mo the past couple of weeks because I was tired, broke, and frustrated. The overhaul was done and over with, the brakes are fine, and I even bought a new starter. Still no go for my poor 1972 Volkswagen Beetle.

Here’s the Cliff’s Notes version:

1.       After getting the brakes brake bonded, I also had to get a starter bushing kit. I was told that the starter was shot, and they were trying to repair it.

2.       I also had to get new brake tubes and brake rubber thingies (I’ve forgotten what they’re called!). The starter still wouldn’t work, so I had to get a new solenoid to see if that would do the trick.

Secondhand Solenoid

Brake Rubber Thingies

3.       The starter problems persisted: The starter would get the engine going, but it also kept going. This would be a problem since if it didn’t stop running when the engine had already started, the starter would experience a catastrophic meltdown (which was what I thought I’d experience too).

4.       I was advised to get a new starter, the high torque kind. It looked awesome out of the box. Kuya Nardo Manzano, the parts guy, expressed his doubts about Kuya Mancio’s skills and cautioned that he might ruin the new starter too.

High torque starter, yeah!

It's so purdy~!

5.       I told Kuya Mancio to text me once he had the new starter in and once Mo’s going. He didn’t.

6.       Of course, we went to his shop and found that he had in fact tried the new starter. It started once. The second and third tries, however, were awash with epic fail.

7.       Once we got to Buendia, where Kuya Nard’s shop is (Kuya Mancio’s shop is in Las Pinas!), the starter was tested and IT WORKED FINE. Kuya Nards and his mechanics all shook their heads and told me, “Walang alam mekaniko mo.” (Your mechanic doesn’t know anything.) I considered whether the remark was some sort of mechanic trash talk or a blunt but spot on assessment of just how much shit I was in. I decided it was both.

8.       After discussing the options with Remi (Do I want to keep hitting my head with this money-sucking hammer? Or do I pull the car out of there ASAP to have it serviced by people who know what they’re doing?), we opted for the second option. We’ll pull out, tow, and have Mo fixed next week.

9.       We’ll do this next week because my goal date (the VWCP Annual Car Show) is this weekend. On Sunday. At the QC City Hall.

Kuya Clark of BatVolks texted me the other day to remind me about the car show. “Swabe na ba bug mo?” he asked. I told him no.

Things don’t always go as planned. Then again, based from experience, the best things in my life at the moment are the things I didn’t plan nor expect.