Are car repairs covered under Murphy’s Law?

To answer my own question, hell yeah.  Whatever could go wrong with my car, has gone wrong.

 I own a 1997 VW Jetta.  I love VW’s. My granfather owned a ‘64 with a sunroof that was hand-cranked.  My siblings and I used to ride with our heads sticking out the sunroof, well before seatbelt laws were enacted. My first car was a  ‘67 Beetle that had Massachusetts highway signs for the floor, no FM radio and the heat was brought to front by two lengths of dryer hose.   Anyone who knows VW’s know that the heat duct that runs along the rocker panals also are the first to rust, corrode  and rendered useless.  Then, the heater box never pumps out enough to both heat the feet AND defrost the windshield, thus the dyer hose.  But I loved that car.  Roadtrips, first dates and one incident involving a driveway, a sharp drop, a picket fence and a wooden playscape, are all good memories.

Unfortunately, this Jetta has not held up so well.  Since my divorce, the car has turned into a money pit.  And it usually happens in the late spring/early summer.  I knew something was up when the hum emminating from the trunk was unusual.  Then, the check engine light came on.  Usually not a good sign. 

Alright, never a good sign.

My worst fears were proven correct when I took the car to be inspected at the local AAA Car Care Center.  I knew there was something up when the guy behind the counter smiles when he informed me that the car didn’t pass inspection.  You know that it means they’re gonna make money off me.  The hum was identified as loose wheel bearings.  It would be a matter of re-packing the bearing and resealing.  The check engine light meant my spark plugs weren’t firing in the correct order.  But it could mean I needed new plugs, wires, distributor and corrective measure for other unseen problems.

 

Needless to say, I have a challenge on my hands.