Linda's Grandmother Crashes!
Linda is an attractive lady, late twenties, with an uncanny
ability to buy one unreliable car after the other. We work on her car from time
to time, often after her current boyfriend or a big chain car repair shop has
"fixed" it first.
"So, anyway, how much to just get it so the doors open? " Linda asked. "Also, can you take off the power steering and the power brakes? See, that's what almost killed Grandma!"
I had to ask her about that one. "What's this about the steering and brakes?" ?
"Yes!" she replied. " Grandma was pulling off the Intertstate exit ramp when her engine died. Since she had power steering and brakes, she couldn't steer or stop. She ran out in the middle of a 6 lane intersection: 5 cars hit her!"
"Wow!" I said. "That's terrible! But you don't have to worry about power steering or brakes. I wish I could have told your Grandmother this: she wouldn't have wrecked!
Power brakes and power steering are only ASSISTS for these systems! Power brakes are like another foot on the pedal every time you touch it. Power steering is like an extra hand helping you pull the wheel. When the engine dies, you lose this extra assist. You must push the pedal much harder to get brakes, but if you put both feet on the brake pedal and push as hard as you can, you WILL STOP!
The same goes for power steering: pull hard enough on the steering wheel and the wheels WILL turn!
I know of a lot of cheapskates driving ragged out cars with the power brake booster disconnected and the belt off the power steering pump. I don't recommend it, but it can be done!
"Gee!" Linda said. "I wish Grandma had known that! She could have just pressed harder and her car would have stopped!
The Economechanix Cyber Mall
We also serve the surrounding communities of Alachua, High Springs, Hawthorne, and Newberry!
Thank you for visiting the ECONOMECHANIX WEB SITE. Please feel free to comment. We also serve the surrounding communities of Alachua, High Springs, Hawthorne, and Newberry! Gainesville has been my home since 1974, and I've loved Gvl and the Gators since I came here in the fall of 1974 to attend the University of Florida. I loved it so much I stayed and opened my car repair business. Originally it was out of the back of a 1963 Chevrolet wagon, but in 1977 a fellow mechanic and I opened an auto repair shop with actual walls, etc. I stayed in the same location for 26 years, and recently moved my operation to property I bought 15 miles east of Gainesville. I am doing most all the repairs myself now, having reduced my overhead from $1500 per month to practically nothing. I do work by appointment only. I mostly work only on my established customers cars, but I will occasionally take on new clients. E-mail me and I will either make arrangements to look at your car, or I will recommend you to someone who will.
George G. Scott, Jr.