Poor Rodent. :(
This is a sad tale.  :(

This friend isn't human.
This friend isn't even alive.
But this friend is part of me.

You may call it silly or stupid, but I still feel sad.

----------------

My trusty friend is my '91 Dodge cargo van. I don't want it to die, but it's making such a horrible internal noise inside the engine. It can no longer climb a hill. I was grateful to make it home. (for the 2nd time this week).

Tues. morning, I suddenly had no brakes, but I improvised and kept it drivable. I promised it a new master cylinder and spark plugs this Saturday since it was also running rough. The rough got rougher. Then the noise..... Louder and louder....

Why would I get in such a state over an old van with 210,000 miles that didn't have heat?

Because it was me. The deep shag carpet floor to ceiling and all four sides was an extension of my hippie inner being. There was no snow or rainstorm that would scare me from driving it. It had that little blinking yellow warning light on top so it could be used on airport runways. I had a bed in back to take an occaisional stress relieving nap. :o

There are a lot of stories with the thing in how I was recognized far from home. It was certainly unique, like me.

Tomorrow, I'll stay home from work and try a last ditch effort to save it by takiing off the covers and intake, but if the valve broke and got in the cylinder, I'm done. Rest in peace, faithful van. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will be a push rod or rocker arm, but a 30 year mecahnic thinks it dropped a valve. :(

I've owned well over 20 vehicles in my life. This van was by far my favorite.

I am sooooooo sorry.  I know how much your van means to you.  Where will you go to take your afternoon naps?

I think I know how you feel.  
For two years now I've been driving an '84 Chevy Citation II...it's dark brown with dk brown interior, I get 2 channels on the radio and both of them "talk radio", it looks like he** on the outside but, man, does it run like a top.  It's got 67,000 original miles on it.  It's ugly as sin and nobody in their right mind would voluntarily buy a car like this.  And yet, I have to admit, it's one of my favourites in the string of vehicles that I've owned.
But just this week hubby and I purchased a '96 Mercury Sable for me to drive.  Let's face it:  the Citation is over 20 years old and parts are nearly impossible to find.  It's only a matter of time before something irreplaceble breaks--hence the Mercury (which was a good deal).  Oddly enough, I find myself worried about Old Browny's feelings!  Will he miss ferrying me back and forth to work each day?  If we sell it, would anybody else really appreciate him the way I do?  *sigh*  Oh and just for the record...I drove Old Browny to work yet again today.   :)

I'm sorry for your loss,Rodent.  I hope you'll find something that is as least 1/2 as faithful and good!

It's official. Intake valve #4 bent and stuck out in cumbustion chamber.

Trisha, I bought truck in '02 at the urging of my wife who thought the faithful van was short lived. I bouoght a new one since it was actually cheaper than all the used ones!

But, I drove the van anyway for 4 more years. The new truck only has 7,000 miles on it in 4 years.

Robin, I guess there is no longer afternoon nap time. Maybe I'll take up afternoon walking until I land another van.

It can be difficult letting go of a vehicle that you've shared so many years and experiences with. I'll admit, it does sound a little crazy for one to be so attached to something material that can never love you back, but I know what you mean.

You've invested a lot of work, miles and money in that car and it has served you well over the years.
   There were probably times of desperation for you when you needed it most, but were sure that it wouldn't hold up. And yet miraculously, it kept on going.
   There were probably many road companions who rode in it with you...human or not. Some of those companions you may never see again.
   You probably took it to the smog testing facility...pacing in the waiting room like a nervous expectant parent, peering through the window at your "baby" and praying it would pass...even though you knew it probably would.
   You've probably done things in and with it that many people would raise an eyebrow at.

It's not just a van that you're leaving behind. Like you said, it's part of you. It's history, it's memories, it's stories. It's a part of your life and represents a phase in your life that you will never have back again.

Cars may not get attached to us...but some of us certainly become attached to them. Just remember that the death of every phase marks the beginning of a new one.  :)

I'm so sorry that the diagnosis is terminal for your van.  Here's hoping you find another vehicle that can serve you as well.  :D

I'm so sorry rodent :( :( i know how you feel...

I just came home and found it empty!! the guy who bought the rest of the furniture came and took it all  :-/
And my dad just left to sell both of our vans.....*sigh* so, yea i know how you feel......

Hope you find something just as good, really soooooooooooon :)

wrote on May 21^st, 2006 at 10:21pm:

I'm so sorry rodent :( :( i know how you feel... I just came home and found it empty!! the guy who bought the rest of the furniture came and took it all  :-/ And my dad just left to sell both of our vans.....*sigh* so, yea i know how you feel...... :)

Have they already been sold? Seems I need a van....

Anyway, if I don't get to type at you again before you leave, good luck on your new journey in life. Hopefully, you will be back to visit us from your new place.

Also could you leave pixie on your sig while you are off line? She had a cute yellow knee length dress the other day you would have liked.

wrote on May 20^th, 2006 at 1:30am:

I'm so sorry that the diagnosis is terminal for your van.  Here's hoping you find another vehicle that can serve you as well.  :D

Well, it's on life support. Tuesday, my son will start pulling off the bad head. If successful, my neighbor will take it in and see if he can get the bad valve out without destroying the valve guide, thus saving the head. We'll inspect the piston to see if it hit the valve.

So, if all this falls within the narrow margin of success, I'll be out a valve, a master cylinder, and some gaskets, but maybe get it back on the road.

Here are some wild considerations, Robin:

Plan Z is to get a motocycle for commuting, but Lady Rat is against it considering my bicycling record.

Plan X is to bike to work, but I'd probably be killed before the summer's through, so that's out. We don't have the paths you have up north. We have to ride IN the driving lane and compete with cars.

Plan H: Maybe Bessan's family hasn't sold their vans...

What will probably happen: I'll drive the truck until I land a good deal on another used van.

:o
Meanwhile, her Taurus stares at me with it's 203,000 miles. I hope it doesn't miss it's parking buddy on the turnaround if it gets retired to the great donation party in the sky.

wrote on May 21^st, 2006 at 10:49pm:

Have they already been sold? Seems I need a van.... Anyway, if I don't get to type at you again before you leave, good luck on your new journey in life. Hopefully, you will be back to visit us from your new place. Also could you leave pixie on your sig while you are off line? She had a cute yellow knee length dress the other day you would have liked.

Thanks Rodent :) yea, hopefully i can still visit here, but maybe not as often, i have no idea what my scheduale will be ::)

Anyway, no the vans haven't been sold yet :P no surprise there i guess....

Actually, i was thinking of changing the location of my pixie(if there is one for there), but it will probably be for Jerusalem, but we're kinda close in the weather area....
yea, i saw that dress, it was nice. Maybe she should stick to it these days.....actually today was really hot! which was wierd, becuz there were supposed to be "severe thunderstorms" ::)

wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 2:16am:

Anyway, no the vans haven't been sold yet :P no surprise there i guess.... Actually, i was thinking of changing the location of my pixie(if there is one for there), but it will probably be for Jerusalem, but we're kinda close in the weather area.... yea, i saw that dress, it was nice. Maybe she should stick to it these days.....actually today was really hot! which was wierd, becuz there were supposed to be "severe thunderstorms" ::)

Beesan, those storms may still happen. :o

If you set Pixie to Jerusalem, she doesn't show up. All you get is the flag. I changed to Galilee or Eilat and she comes back. (I was usinig weathergirl #9).

Where is your Dad selling the vans? Also, if all your furniture is gone, where are you all sleeping? Are you getting excited, (or getting a migrane..)?

Oh, vans!  Just the word van gives me a headache right now, since mine is causing me nothing but trouble and eating up all of my precious money.  >:(  I think it's safe to say that I'm not quite as attached to mine as you to yours...very safe.  In fact, I'm about ready to heave mine off of a cliff right about now.

Mine is a rust-ridden '93 dodge, and it's my work van, my not-so-trusty delivery van.  We've replaced or rebuilt just about everything possible in that beast...water pump, radiator, transmission (ouch!$), fuel pump, ball joints, thermostats, brakes galore, you name it.  In the past two weeks it's been towed twice, got a new starter & new ignition, then we got it back...then the brakes went.  Back to the garage it goes.  Now it's overheating...so another new thermostat, I can't stand it!  Neither can my wallet!  With all the money sunk into repairing the wretched thing, we would have been much better off just getting a new one off the bat & making the payments, one more year and it would have been paid off.  Oh, if you could only go back in time!

On the other hand, I have my car...my first and only so far, so I do feel a wierd attachment to it.  But, unfortunately, the transmission is acting up on it, and if simply having it serviced doesn't fix the problem, she has to go.  I just can't afford two lemons in my life right now.  So, the van & the car are both down....and hubby's truck just came back from the garage, so we were really down & out with all three of our vehicles down!  Thank god for a good neighbor who helped up out by loaning us one of his, he was our life saver!

wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 2:43am:

Beesan, those storms may still happen. :o If you set Pixie to Jerusalem, she doesn't show up. All you get is the flag. I changed to Galilee or Eilat and she comes back. (I was usinig weathergirl #9). Where is your Dad selling the vans? Also, if all your furniture is gone, where are you all sleeping? Are you getting excited, (or getting a migrane..)?

Sorry, i'm replying so late.....

yea, i tried that pixie thing....i'll probably try again, and see which one is closest to my city later.

As for the furniture, well, we have one of those little tables with 4 chairs. And i have my bed-it's queen size- but my parents sleep on it now.

oh, migraines!! i've had 2 already!and the doctor won't give be anything :'( just Advil, or Motrin.

Beesan, I take Excedrin Migraine tablets for my migraines. They work well. Nothing else works at all. I get these migranes so bad I get sick and I feel like I'm going to vomit!

Well, bringing the van saga to a close, my son and I removed the head to find it destroyed beyond repair. Seems a corner of it broke inside and did wonders with the rest of the working parts underneath. I e-mailed the undertaker tonight.  :'(

I drove a '96 Blazer. I didn't care much for it. Seems too small for my height, underpowered, and too many things didn't work right.

Now I found an '01 Ford Exporer that seemed nice. Good headroom like my van and rear seats fold down so my mattress will fit. It's on the short list of possible replacements. All the little goodie-goodie stuff I'll probably never use worked well. Seems basic transportation is a thing of the past. Who needs:

Power mirrors.
Radios with 40 controls. I finally figured out how to get sound out of it...

Remote locks. Another remote to lose...
Power seats? Put it in one place and it stays...

What I DO like are that disc brakes on the back are becoming standard and the leather seating was very comfy. ;D