Preventive Maintenance Goes Back a Few Years...

Once when I was car shopping I stopped on the Ford lot (I like Ford) and they had a row of Mitsubishi autos. They were small cars in bright colors claiming good gas mileage and they were cheap. I was almost persuaded. Then one of the kids said, "but dad, you are so big you will tear this up just sitting in in." That objective view was just what I needed vs. the emotions I was feeling and I did not buy that car. Later I found a good deal on a used Ford Hybrid and it served me well for 10 years and many miles. 

Yesterday I saw a Suzuki car pass me on the road. It was brightly colored, small, probably cheap and gets good gas mileage. I don't really know anything about Suzuki but I I know they make motorcycles and I saw a Suzuki outboard motor on a junk pile somewhere the other day. There is a Suzuki violin teaching method and Suzuki musical instruments but I think that might be a different company than the internal combustion engine maker.

As I watched this car pass I thought about the news of tariffs on imported products including cars and a New York Times article I saw claiming tariffs would the price on a new car by $6400. I'm not sure that Suzuki would be such a good deal with that price increase and I would certainly shop outboards after that junkpile sighting.  

The past month or so saw me getting my mechanic of 35 years to check my two cars, late models I bought used and like to tell myself were good deals, one domestic, one imported, for preventative maintenance. With just a bit of work all is good and they are up for the miles I plan to put on them this summer. 

They get good mileage for what they are, especially pulling a camper or boat, they were cheap enough and the colors are acceptably good. 

 

        

Good luck with that Suzuki and those tariffs as well.