Thursday, October 4, 2012

One Month To Go

We will be heading south in about one month from today! The summer has gone incredibly fast and only a few of the things we wanted to do got done. This is pretty typical for us and nothing that got missed was critical. We did have the wedding that took up a lot of the time so I have an excuse.

Norma is cleaning up her flower gardens for the winter so that is keeping her busy. The rose bushes have to be cut back so I will have to help her with that job. There are still flowers on them so she is delaying the job.

The motorhome is in good shape and I will get an oil change when we get to the States. The generator did not get that many hours put on it last winter so I think we can skip the annual maintenance we usually get done in Yuma. I will buy a couple of bottles of wax in the States and get a couple of hand wax jobs done in Mexico for about $40 each. Can't beat that price and it is not worth doing it myself.

We are towing the Honda this time instead of Norma's Mazda. It is smaller and lighter and the motorhome likes towing it better. The motorhome had a recurring problem with the "Check Engine" light coming on last year. It indicated a low fuel pressure condition that had no basis except it came on after every hard climb and the mechanic figured the engine was just working too hard and could not get enough fuel. Maybe the lighter towing load will help this situation.

The Honda is 24 years old and owes us nothing. It has 265,000 KM on it and runs great. The paint is in trouble after having baked in the Arizona and Mexico sun for many winters and the clear coat has peeled off in many areas, leaving the exposed paint to fade badly. I will get a paint job done in Mexico, perhaps at the same place we used in Merida when the doors were damaged in the accident we had down there. There is only one small rust spot to be repaired so the job should not cost too much. The body shop is owned by a relative of Jonna's mechanic and since the Honda needs new CV joints installed and a minor oil leak repaired maybe we can get everything done at once. It will be good as new.

Think it needs a paint job?


8 comments:

  1. Hi Croft:

    Yes, the work on the car sounds like a good plan. I'm wondering (tongue in cheek!)if the shop in Mexico pays the same rates and benefits as a union shop in BC and has the same protection for workers as in Canada. If not, aren't you contributing to the same "race to the bottom" that you commented on the previous posts? Why don't you get the work done in Canada?

    Al

    Almcc

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha,
      I say don't paint it and go native.

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    2. A paint job here would cost about three times as much as the car is worth. Dow there they paint outside in the breeze, no fumes to worry about. ;)

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  2. Oh! You're going to "ruin" that fine antique by painting it!
    Don't do it!

    (OK, you do know I'm kidding, right??)

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  3. Nov 4th, eh!! Are you coming to the Isla for a bit on your way through. We have a great mechanic and painter there also.

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    Replies
    1. That is a thought Contessa. Will the road be usable?

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  4. Hey, the paint job isn't down to the metal in most places so what's the hurry?

    Sounds like a good plan though especially the waxing of your MH.

    ReplyDelete