Last summer, when my daughter had some cash on hand, I told her that she needed to get her transmission serviced, and the puddle under the car investigated. My daughter, in all her wisdom and glory, decided that buying new purses, shoes, and going out to eat and paying for her friends was more important. Then, 3 months ago, her transmission crapped out.

The car is a 1986 Mercury Cougar...garage kept until my daughter bought it, and in need of some basic maintenance. The odometer read a paltry 62,000 when she bought it. Now, being a 1986, Ford swapped from the C5 to the AOD mid year. This being a mid year car, it has parts for both...an AOD that takes a C5 filter and a C5 pan gasket. So, my mechanic assumed it was a C5, and ordered up a C5 transmission. When it came in, he found out he made a mistake...and it took over a month to find a rebuilt AOD that would work. In the mean time, since he had it on the lift, he replaced the motor mounts, the rack and pinion, new PS pump. all new ball joints, new shocks, new brakes on all four corners, and replaced the brake lines with braided SS lines. Last week, the transmission finally came in.

Tonight her car will be done...to the tune of $2200. Had she had the work done when I told her, it wouldn't have crapped out like it did. Sure, she put that much money into the car, because there's no cars in the area in that money range that is worthy of purchasing that isn't covered in rust. Her car, being as nice and solid as it is, will last a good long time before something serious happens to it.

Lesson learned for girl child. I had to help her out with the money, and she's paying me back...at a cost. I have control of her finances, and am working to build her savings account to a level it should be...a level that it once was with over $2500 just sitting there. The lesson she learned?? Listen to the old man when he says to get something done to the car.

The mechanic has offered to buy her car should she ever sell it. It's a good looking car with a solid frame. I took it to the local cruise ins last year, and it got a number of looks.

We pick it up later this afternoon...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

thats alot of stuff done for 2200 bucks.buddy of mine just sent me a copy of a co-workers bill from a ford pickup with an eco-boost.truck has 89,000 miles and they replaced the timing chain and cam phazers whatever the heck those are.bill was 2300 bucks.

My mechanic is a person that gives me a family price. His wife and mine are good friends. Labor is only $250, the rest is in parts, and he charges us the price he pays for them, so there's no mark-up. He's a budding mechanic, trying to bust out on his own. It's evening and weekend work for him right now. Once he moves to the farm, he'll become legit with a real garage, instead of working out of the one behind his house.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Thats a good deal. I just had the f150 air con leak tested and had the high side service port replaced along with the accumulator and orifice tube to the tune of $450 with refrigerant. I thought the parts price was a little steep but hey I didnt have to tools to do it myself.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

How do the shoes and purses look?

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Jim

Like $20 worth of crap. I took the car out today for a spin, then had it washed and vacuumed out. I used her account to pay for new weather stripping for the trunk deck, and some new clips for the door linkages, since they're both a mess. She let her ex-boyfriend take a tool to the car in hopes of repairing the linkage, and he succeeded in making it worse. Luckily, she's now dating someone that works on cars for a living, and working towards his certifications, this way, if they decide to take the relationship to the next level, she'll at least have someone that knows how to do the work. LOL

Her new BF and I will attack the doors on Sunday, if the weather holds out for us. Otherwise, it will have to be a couple days worth of afternoon projects later in the week.

I am more than a bit surprised at how much power the 3.8L engine has...good amount of pep. I had it up to 88 and flashing on the digital speedo earlier. It didn't feel like I was going that fast, and if an officer ever reads this, I'll deny it. LOL

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

isn't 88 kph about 55???

88mph...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Did you see some serious sht?

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

He went back in time to 1986, and was able to have the work done under warranty...

I was hoping perhaps, that WALKING for awhile in all those new shoes could've taught her the value of timely auto maintenance!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

so the questions are-

if the girl is old enough to have bought the car in the first placed and have a dating history, why do you still control her finances?

and 2, the lesson she might really need is realizing she screwed herself over and has to deal with it herself, not have dad do everything for her because he secretly loves the car.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Sometimes it's tough to not be protective of your children, even when a little tough love might be best in the long run.

Very true. Ask me how I know. I am selectively protective.

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Every situation is different in some way. For example we never employed the exact same approach to any of our children. We at times did not make the best choices and neither will they.

We just at best hope it is not a habitual thing with them.