Good news, bad news

[unixronin]

Good news:  The plumber was back today, and in addition to the new relief valve and new shut-off valves installed on Thursday, our water heater now has a new expansion tank on the inlet and new inlet and outlet connections (both of which were leaking).  Hopefully this will be the end of our water heater problems.

Bad news:  I've just had to call the podiatrist and cancel my followup appointment for today on 20 minutes' notice, to be rescheduled later when their computer system is back up, because the car won't start.  I'm still not 100% certain whether it's a weak battery or a failing starter; both could cause the observed symptoms.  The least expensive of the probable fixes is to replace the battery, and it's probably due (it's five years old), so we'll try that first.  With luck, I can get it done today, if I can get the car over to the battery shop across the street.  I don't know if I can manage to do it myself or not; while I'm perfectly competent to do it, the battery is pretty well buried down in there, and I don't know if I can bend over the engine compartment long enough to do it with my knees and back in the shape they're in.

Comments

[richspk.livejournal.com]

What car is this? ISTR that you were trying to sell a Mercedes, but I may be thinking of someone else.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

We were, but this is the Dodge Intrepid. Despite its shortage of power, cymrullewes has decided she likes the Mercedes for her daily commute because of its good gas mileage and almost ridiculously tight turning circle.

No....

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

it's because of its good gas mileage and the fact that it does NOT the right receptacles for girls' car seats to attach to.

If it had the rear tether hooks and the LATCH system then I would be taking the Intrepid (I think the gas cost is a toss-up actually. It takes less but it takes a more expensive grade. But I do like the fact that I only have to fill up once a week instead of twice a week.)

[richspk.livejournal.com]

Ah. Yeah, I've heard about how they bury the batteries in the Chrysler "cab forward" cars. You have to go in through the wheel well, IIRC.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Gad, I hope not, because if I have to do that, I don't have the facilities to do it.