Disappointed

Hmmph!

In the late 1970s, Country Music legend Merle Haggard sang "I wish a Ford and a Chevy would still last ten years, like they should."

I've never owned a car that I drove for ten years. I came close in the 1990s, when my 1988 Chevrolet Beretta made it to within a couple years, but I got careless and blew a rod. I think it would have made it. I put some 140,000 miles on it, thanks to many trips between Texas, Georgia, and Michigan during its life.

The Beretta was pre-kids, which means the interior stayed fairly clean and new-looking.

In early 2003, my then-wife negotiated the purchase of a new Hyundai Accent. Black, with dark gray interior, manual windows, cassette player (no CD or accessory jack), no cruise control, no sun roof, no power windows. It did have AC. It ran well. But it had a five-year note with a monthly payment of about $350. This became the most brutal aspect of my Hyundai: the burdensome monthly payment, which I was paying well past the date when warranty items began to expire.

This car endured one accident that required some body work. It has always seemed to have a little problem with going through oil. But I loved the generous warranty from Hyundai (my above comments notwithstanding), and for the most part am glad that, for a year and a half now, I have owned it free and clear, with minimal repair expenses.

Yesterday, during my drive in to work, the 99,950 mile mark ticked off on the odometer. I was excited about getting home last night, taking my daughter out for a ride as it crossed the 100,000 mile point. And, I was going to begin writing this blog, journaling the second hundred-thousand miles in my Hyundai, demonstrating that some cars can and do last ten years! (I have had the Accent only six years; but, 100,000 is an equivalent milestone. I still want ten years with this car!)

But, when I started it up, at lunchtime yesterday, the check engine light was on. I had known that I would need to take it in for some work, as soon as I stored away some extra funds for this purpose. The light moved up the service date!

I also was going to write some very nice things about the dealer from which I bought the Hyundai. They have been good to me, for the most part. The owner of the dealership owns several other stores, and I call him a professional friend of mine.

But, one day and $200 later, I am a little chagrined that the Hyundai would have a problem this expensive just prior to such a milestone. One trusted family member even said "Well, Hyundais must not be well made." Oh yes - the $200 was what they charged me to tell me it needed work - about $1,000 worth of it!

So, it was off to my local independent auto repair shop for these repairs. This guy, an honest businessman, is not interested in selling me a car. He wants to keep mine working - the better a job he does, the longer my car will last. And the longer it lasts, the more work it will need! Smart business.

Once I pass the 100,000 mark, my powertrain warranty will expire - the last umbilical back to the dealership. Rest assured I will not use those guys anymore - unless they provide better terms and stop jacking up repair rates.

So - with disappointment and discouragement I will celebrate the 100,000th mile in a day or two, when I drive it from the repair shop. And then will begain my occasional postings on whether or not they still make a Hyundai that will still last ten years, like it should!