Date: 2008-06-03 09:50 Subject: How about a free-form automobilia meme? Security: Public Current Mood: risk-taking

Not very much fun at all: Car shopping.
Sad enough to try to avoid: Saying goodbye to a car you love.

The Audi is past due for its 120,000 mile service. It also has a few niggling problems. I took it to the dealer near where I work (since some of the niggling problems are too Audi-specific to be fixed by our primary-care mechanic). Here's how the estimate broke down:

Major service: $900
Moonroof occasionally opens by itself: Replace switch, $130
Driver's door window sometimes gets stuck: Replace window guides, $230
Check engine light: Replace right catalytic converter: $1800
CVT clutch occasionally slow to engage: Replace CVT for the bargain price of seven thousand five hundred US dollars

This car, with its high mileage, only blue-books for about $8000, so we have to think about possibly replacing it. Did I mention it's an Audi? The A6 that reillye gave me for my dot-com boom 40th birthday? You know, the nicest car I've ever owned and probably ever will? The one that, modulo a couple parking-lot dings and a slightly dirty interior, is in near-showroom condition? I'm not ready to give it up just yet!

So here's what I decided to do: The car is up for inspection this month. If it passes, I won't worry about the catalytic converter. I'll have the major service done locally--no need to spend $108/hour for the basic stuff. I'll hold off on the window and moonroof until and unless I need something else done at the dealer.

As for the tranny: They based their statement that I needed a new one solely on my description of the symptom, although what they wrote on the service order sounds worse than what I'm seeing. I've driven lots of cars, enough to know by sound and feel when there's a real drivability problem, and I'm not seeing it here. So I'm going to bet $7500 and towing by AAA that the CVT's not going to fall out any time soon, and just have the fluid and filters changed.

Suppose the worst happens, and I have to buy a new car NOW. It's Prius time. For those of you in that market, given that all hybrids are in high demand these days, how hard is it to get a Prius? Is the wait long? Are they charging thousands over sticker? Does it come with an appropriate set of Politically Correct Bumper Stickers or do I have to supply those myself?