Recent Auto Repairs, Safety Inspection Oil Change

 Cars eat up a lot of money. The purchase price, financing, auto insurance, gasoline, maintenance. We have a 2019 Kia Sorento the we are still paying for, and and a 2011 Kia Sedona. that has been paid for for a few years now. 

March 25th I dropped the Sorento off at Watertown Main Auto, 620 W Main St., for the mandatory NY State annual safety and emissions inspection. I also had the garage change the oil for me. I can do it and have done it many times but once in a while I get lazy. The inspection revealed the car needed new front brake pads and rotors.  The total for that came to $387.34

On Monday April 15 I took the Sorento to the former Cheney Tire shop on State St and had the wheels and tires checked out and balanced. That came to $77.76

Well, wouldn't you know it the next day my Kia Sedona started making some ugly noise that sounded like it was coming from the rear brakes. I checkout out and discover a seized caliper and worn brake pads on driver side.  Parts for that job cost $201.94 at Auto Zone. I did the repair so that saved me labor cost. Took me about an hour to do the drivers side. 

The passenger side needed only brake pads. Caliper was beautiful. But the wheel was rusted in place, took forever to break it free from the hub. I sprayed it frequently with WD40, hit the wheel with a sledge hammer and all to no avail. after couple hours I soaked it again with lubricant and left it alone until next morning. 

It came free after I put 3 lug nuts back on loosely, drove forward and suddenly hit the brakes. I did that a couple times and the wheel came loose. 

So, in a months time I spent $667.04 plus a few hours of my time on these vehicles. 

Doctor's Appointment Leads To Wheel Balancing

 Friday April 12th we had to take a drive to Syracuse for a doctors appointment for the Better Half.  We took the trip with her 2019 Kia Sorento. At 60 mph or so there was a vibration in the steering wheel. At 70+mph the vibration was distinct, pronounced. Past experience lead me to believe we had a bad tire or unbalanced wheel(s). So Monday the 15th I dropped the vehicle off to Cheney Tire in Watertown. They checked it out and found two wheels that were well out of balance. They rotated the tires, balanced the wheels and the bill came to $77.76 which I thought was reasonable.  Friday the 19th we leave on a road trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

The bill for balancing and rotating the tires / wheels on our 2019 Kia Sorento

On another note Cheney tire was recently sold to Steve Shannon Tire and Auto Centers.The doctor visit was a consultation in regard to the Better Half's off and on again diverticulitis.

Jan 19 2024 I Shovel Snow at Clay St Apartment

Back stairs and basement door at our 418 Clay St apartment house, Watertown.

We have had quite a lot of snow here in Northern NY. 18 to 24 inches fell in Watertown. I spent a couple hours this afternoon clearing a big portion of the driveway at our Clay St apartment as well as cleared it from the back stairs. I started at 1:00 and was finished by 3:00. It was pleasant work, outdoor temperature was about 10 degrees. As I write this it is 11:00PM and temperature here in Chaumont is 1 degree.

Back stairs and basement door at our 418 Clay St apartment house, Watertown.

Back stairs and basement door at our 418 Clay St apartment house, Watertown.

Back stairs and basement door at our 418 Clay St apartment house, Watertown.

I also changed the low beam bulb in our 2019 Kia Sorento today. Bulb cost $19.00 at Wal-Mart. 

Chatted with brother Mark in Florida. He gave some wild news. 

New Years Eve & New Years Day 2024 Kia Sorento Rear Brakes

Grilling jerked chicken wings and enjoying Red Stripe beer in Chaumont, NY on New Years Eve.

New Years Eve saw mild temperatures and no snow in Chaumont, NY. The ground was bare. In early afternoon I grilled some Jamaican jerked chicken wings. The Better Half made some deviled eggs. We boiled a pot of salt potatoes. Served it up with some Red Stripe beer, a brew from Jamaica. 

We declined an invite a small New Years Eve party at B & M's house in Rutland. However, having eaten early in the afternoon  we felt differently by 6:00pm. So we decided to go drop in on them. They were surprised & happy we showed. We left after a couple hours getting back home about 9:30.  I stayed up to ring in the new year by watching the NY City Times Square ball dropping countdown. The BH hit the hay a half hour earlier. 

We drove the BH's car (2019 Kia Sorento) and on the way the brakes started making a scraping, gritty sound. 

New Years Day I replaced rear brake pads on our 2019 Kia Sorento.

New Years Day I inspected the rear brakes. The pads were wrrn down and needed replacing. Rotors were worn some, but not to where they need replacing. 

Called Auto Zone. They were open. Set of rear brake pads were $28.00 and tax. 

January 2nd 2024 finished rear brake pads on our 2019 Kia Sorento.

Before I got them installed H & D called. We went to their house and grilled hot hot dogs, drank beer & wine. Played Phase Ten, a card game. Good fun. Got home around 10:00pm. Had some egg nog with vanilla whiskey and coconut rum. 

January 2nd I was mildly hung over and finished the rear brake job on the Sorento.