A short tribute to the Ladies in our lives.. (No, not our cars, Dummies!) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Carrameow · #1 11-17-2005, 12:43 PM

Just how much I appreciate my wife is related by the following anecdote. Once I had a funny exhaust sound on my 85 300D that only showed up when the car was in drive and my foot was on the brake at a stop light. It drove me fricking crazy, and I remounted the exhaust twice and the sound always came back!!
Finally one day, while my wife was out unfortunately, I decided to recreate the sound. I shoved a two by four on the brake pedal and I put the car in gear and got out to inspect the underbelly. As you might suspect, the two by four came loose and off the car went down the street at 5 mph with me chasing it. No harm done, I caught up to it and got in and stopped it. Except for the fact that some of my daughter’s friends witnessed the event…

So honey, this is thanks for all the times you’ve been my second set of hands and my third foot, when I needed someone to help me bleed brakes, shine a work lamp, a tool for a birthday present or a word of comfort when our car broke down on vacation.
This is not to mention all the times when your deft hands have helped me do some things my clumsy fingers can not do, like sew headliners, and reassemble brake caliper dust shields or speedometers.
& I would like to add to that all the times you’ve been a great source of technical information like saying “My car doesn’t sound quite right,” when I left my wrench with the 27 mm socket attached to the crankshaft of your engine and you slyly handed it to me at 7 am in the morning without even a complaint or sigh of exasperation..

And you know what? I am going to give you the Greatest present a Gal could ask for! Another FREE YEAR of CAR REPAIR!!! Aren’t I the sweetest?

punky · #2 11-17-2005, 06:41 PM

That would make a great greeting card for us diesel heads, no foolin.
I may copy that and make my own card if you don't mind.

t walgamuth · #3 11-17-2005, 08:54 PM

you didnt crawl under the car while it was propped on.

tom w

sailor15015 · #4 11-17-2005, 09:45 PM

My girlfriend is very patient when it comes to my mechanicing. I usually try to do most of it while she's at work, like tonight for example. I'm in the middle of replacing my neutral safety switch which has fought me for every inch gained over the last two hours. When something pops up that has to be addressed immediatly, she's always very understanding. About two years ago, right after I got my license, we drove the bimmer to a local waffle house to eat breakfast (yes we've been together for that long). When we got out I opened her door for her because its a bit stiff and a pain to shut right. You have to slam it pretty hard and when I did my muffler fell off! The whole exhaust system is held on at the muffler and it was too much for those rubber donuts. Luckily we were right next to a hardware store so I went inside and bought a dropcloth because I was in good clothes and a couple of c-clamps and we were rolling again. I'd also like to thank her for being a very captive audience when I get excited and ramble on and on about this or that part or system of the car. I know she could care less but she always hangs on every word, giving a nod or an "uh-huh" in just the right places. Here's to you ladies.

rg2098 · #5 11-17-2005, 10:07 PM

My mother and girlfriend are alot alike in one respect. They both put up with my father and I. No complaints when I dragged home a rusted out halk of a parts car to stuff in her parking space in the garage. We couldn't work on the cars without their cooperation.

BodhiBenz1987 · #6 11-18-2005, 12:29 AM

You guys are lucky ... your wives/girlfriends just have to tolerate your unflagging dedication to machinery. In my case, I have to deal with guys feeling emasculated by the fact that I'm into cars. If I meet a guy who knows more than me about cars, it's usually cool ... then I can learn from him. But if a guy doesn't know squat about cars, he for some reason tries to pretend he does know more than me ... guys will try to "teach" me things about cars, as though they don't believe I know enough to notice that they're totally ignorant. I try so hard to resist the temptation to shoot them down mercilessly, but I have to, I just have to.

It's often even worse with sports knowledge ... guys cannot take the fact that I know a few things about baseball ...

Tirebiter · #7 11-18-2005, 12:54 AM

I'm still trying to find that very special girl who can also "suck start" a diesel

iNeon · #8 11-18-2005, 07:23 AM

i am very proficient with design and art in general. it is my trade.

i can design these cards if you really wish for them to be printed

Carrameow · #9 11-18-2005, 08:29 AM

my Wife always gets the pick of our litter when she drives out...she gets the newest, best smelling and more reliable of the four...

Pete Burton · #10 11-18-2005, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

You guys are lucky ... your wives/girlfriends just have to tolerate your unflagging dedication to machinery. In my case, I have to deal with guys feeling emasculated by the fact that I'm into cars. If I meet a guy who knows more than me about cars, it's usually cool ... then I can learn from him. But if a guy doesn't know squat about cars, he for some reason tries to pretend he does know more than me ... guys will try to "teach" me things about cars, as though they don't believe I know enough to notice that they're totally ignorant. I try so hard to resist the temptation to shoot them down mercilessly, but I have to, I just have to.

It's often even worse with sports knowledge ... guys cannot take the fact that I know a few things about baseball ...

That's too bad. I hate to say it, but I think that really is very true about a lot of guys, way too many. Everyone handles their insecurity a different way. All I can offer is that there are guys out there that don't do that. Usually, they are open to new ideas and learning no matter where it comes from, and are already good at what they do.

phidauex · #11 11-18-2005, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

You guys are lucky ... your wives/girlfriends just have to tolerate your unflagging dedication to machinery. In my case, I have to deal with guys feeling emasculated by the fact that I'm into cars. If I meet a guy who knows more than me about cars, it's usually cool ... then I can learn from him. But if a guy doesn't know squat about cars, he for some reason tries to pretend he does know more than me ... guys will try to "teach" me things about cars, as though they don't believe I know enough to notice that they're totally ignorant. I try so hard to resist the temptation to shoot them down mercilessly, but I have to, I just have to.

It's often even worse with sports knowledge ... guys cannot take the fact that I know a few things about baseball ...

Hey, you are in good company. Growing up in my family, it was my MOM who would drag home the rusty VW beetles to repair, while my dad just wished we'd buy a dang Subaru Legacy.

I learned my love of quirky old cars from her.

Then I learned everything I know about diesels and biodiesel from two girls, "Girl Mark" Alovert of biodiesel fame, and a friend of mine in town who maintains a small fleet of beat up VW diesels that she drives as a delivery driver on B100 all year round. Every time I visit, she's got a new one up on jack stands, and her garage has at least one entire VW rabbit parted out and put on shelves, and probably at least another one worth of random parts. Both of them are very cool people.

And at least around here, women with sports knowledge are considered highly desirable, not intimidating.

peace,
sam