Poor Jud is Dead

Jud

G tells me that "poor Jud is dead", Jud being an 88 Buick. He joined the family in 1997 at 140,000 miles for $3,995. We doubled the mileage in nine years, which figures about 15,000 a year. He still looks like he could do another 140,000, but looks are deceiving. I really liked ol' Jud. He provided many comfortable miles in my sales career which often took me as far as Pendleton. When you turned on the heater or AC, you got a powerful blast of cold or hot air.

He and I were in a couple of accidents together, which may explain why the motor mounts are broken. That didn't keep him down, though. Apparently, currently the engine is trying to get out of the car, like you see on the TV commercials. Jud went through the usual tires, brakes and batteries and alternators. For some reason, cars we own usually go through alternators fairly fast. His most expensive repair while I had him was created by the auto shop, who turned a $240 repair into a $1,500 headache which might have gotten me killed. But that wasn't Jud's fault. It turns out they installed a water pump I didn't really need which froze up and through off the serpentine belt. Had that happened on I5, it could have been a serious accident. But as I said, it wasn't Jud's fault.

New cars lose about 20 - 25% of their value during the first year. That could be as much as Jud cost in the first place. Beyond gas, oil, tires, batteries, alternators, etc. Jud cost us less than $.02 a mile. So hats off to Jud this 4th of July weekend! He deserves at least a candle to light his head!