Lefsetz testing out the new serpentine belt!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1773732606988416

Len Carter
___________________________________

Reminds me of my “leaf blower theory”: 20 years ago, I bought a 6hp Little Wonder leaf blower. Not the big-dog 11hp. Every single time I’m out there, I think to myself: Should have gone for 11. Pay for performance. You’ll never say: “Gosh, I wish this had less power.” 

Mat Orefice
___________________________________

Yup, it’s hard, but I can throw away food and even worn out clothes!
 
Mitchell Shapiro
___________________________________

You have a standard transmission?! That’s what I got out of this great story

We rented one in France several years ago (that was all they had at the place we went to ) and my husband and I fought over who could drive it. It was SO fun.. I miss it. Love the clutch, the gear shift. I learned on it. 

Can we all come over and just drive yours around the block? LOL

I do want my kid to know how to drive one. Just because.

Life is short.. drive what you want if you can.

Jean Sievers
___________________________________

I just had the exact same mechanical issue. Same symptoms. The battery light came on. The power steering was GONE. Temp was crazy high. Turns out I shredded the drive belt. Only in my Porsche it was $2100 (plus a $500 tow). Glad you got off cheap!?
Mark Bast
___________________________________

Ten years ago we decided to downgrade from BMW’s, which we’d been driving for 15 years.   Why continue to spend all that money?  Went with a Toyota RAV 4 after test driving subarus, hondas etc.    We leased it ( I know I know).

After year one my wife and I agreed when the lease expired we’d go back to BMWs.  We didn’t feel safe at highway speed compared to the BMW, particularly in the rain.   We did…we now own an X3 again.   It’s spendy but for us we feel safer.   Also we have a local garage that has serious BMW repair chops.

When this car wears out we’ll probably test drive some more affordable options.  

Michael Alex
___________________________________

I didn’t realize we were raised by the same mom, I am almost incapable of throwing out food or not taking it home from a restaurant in a “doggie bag”  for later consumption.

Alan Fenton
___________________________________

Bob, I’m 81. 20 years ago had a cancer was supposed to kill me and since then I have developed a system of sorts. 

I mainly go for experiences. We’ve traveled to 25 countries in 22 years. If it isn’t fun, I don’t do it. No toxic people. 

But I refuse to live above my means. I did that in my early years and regret it. So I just spend money on things that I like, but I never spent too much. I guess you’d call me cheap. I have 11 guitars because I still play n gig, but half of them are inexpensive things that just play well. Good enough for me. Pretty much everything else I touch is kind of the same way. It works for me, and that’s great. I refuse to overpay, especially for something that is just glittery and impresses other people. That’s meaningless at my age.

I’ve had four BMWs and now I have a Kia. So much cheaper and it’s OK as my driving skills ain’t  what they used to be. At this stage, everything is a workaround. You’ll find out. 
Love your stuff, keep writing. 

Best, 
Rik Shafer

P.S. Might be Waterloo Sunset for your Subaru. 
___________________________________

As a fellow old I feel your pain. We bought a VW Tiguan this summer in such a base model that you can’t even adjust the speakers front to back. Wtf? 
But, gas mileage is great, its got turbo, and we love it.
Until Monday when an engine light came on. I checked the screen and hit the diagnostic option. Nothing wrong. I called VW and the service boss asked if I had bought gas recently. Huh? I dunno, there’s four of us who drive it. She tells me that if the gas cap isn’t on correctly it sends a message to the computer and an engine light comes on. No, gas cap is seated properly. So i take it in. 
$530 for a new battery. 
But it’s pre-owned certified! Yeah, sorry, batteries aren’t covered. I’ve only had it a month.

Good luck, Bob!
-Rick Saunders
___________________________________

Throwing away or wasting food is still something I have a real problem with. Growing up, we used to call my father the “human garbage disposal”. After he “cleaned” his plate, he’d check out what was left on our plates – all five of us.??There was also an old family adage that my parents used when we complained about dinner – “They fight for the heel in Sharon”. We didn’t learn until many years later that it referred to relatives in Sharon, MA, probably in the 50s and 60s, who were pretty destitute.??Best,?Tom Quinn
___________________________________

I always claim that everything in life I need to know I learned from music.

Like Rick Nelson’s “Garden Party:”

“But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well?You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself”

Jim Charne
___________________________________

Love that you used to have an ADS system in your car! I discovered ADS a few years back and have owned a couple pairs….listening to a pair of 780 IIs right now! Unreal sound.??Best??Jason Blynn
___________________________________

2023 WRX.  Six speed… Did the engine curve upgrade from COBB.  Fantastic stereo… Sunroof but cloth seats… Heated seats, but not electric seats. They know exactly where to put their tech without unnecessary upgrades.   Quad exhaust and CarPlay… I’ll probably have it the rest of my life.  If I’m careful on the highway I can get 30 miles to the gallon but the around town brings that average way down.  

WRXPLOR!  

Matt Peyton
___________________________________

I had every mercedes from e class to sl class and a bmw 328. inloved the straight 6 in my sl and bmw 328, but the service costs? Mind Blowing.?Switched to a suburu outback in 2021 and loved it. Now that I escaped to Mexico, Im driving a KIA. That Kia is perfect for the cobblestones in the village or the super highway to the beach.?I’m so glad I got the status of MB and BMW out of my system.

Stan Goman
___________________________________

I do have to remind myself occasionally to just spend the f’ing money… It’s hard after a lifetime of saving and all, but if you have it and can enjoy it and can help others enjoy their time with you, well, just spend the f*cking money…

Steve Funk
___________________________________

Yes I know the model. Cool car.?Glad to hear you’ve kept it on the road.?Keep on rollin’ Bob??Cheers?Simon Toulson-Clarke
___________________________________

I have to say I agree with all this. Life is too short not to enjoy your ride! Especially if you enjoy driving, and as long as that car makes you happy. ??I’ve had a lot of American, Japanese, and of late, German cars. I’ve loved most all of them. So your article brought a smile to my face, as I enjoy seeing others enjoy their automobile. I think I got this from my Dad, he was an Oldsmobile man…??As a fellow Angeleno, I also resonated with your words on loving to drive a stick, and the sensibleness of driving automatics in our town. I recently sold my BMW E39 M5 a few years back. Last naturally aspirated V8 with a stick, that BMW made. Less a computer, more an automobile. I bought it after my Mom passed, as I thought, “life is short”. It was great bang for the buck. Had it 11 years where I live in the valley. God that car was fun to drive!??Now I buy the wife and kids the nice rides, and they let me borrow them. ??I’ll see ya on the 405 sometime!??Mark Haney
___________________________________

Bob, one of your best reads as I’m 67 (today) (Springsteen is 77 today….wouldn’t it neat to meet him on our birthday?)?But I digress. I’ve been in your shoes. Last three cars: 1986 Acura Legend 425,000 miles; 1998 VW Passat 325,000 miles; current car 2017 Audi A4 166,000 miles. ??Good luck…Bill Nietz
___________________________________

Great stuff, Bob.??Feathering the clutch? When I was a kid,  I worked in the warehouse of a local department store. The warehouse was on the second story. They had a bay door up there. In order for the forklift to reach it, they had to build a little incline on the pavement.??Now the forklift was a standard, so you had to feather the clutch on the incline. I got to be really good at it. There was a pallet load of soda cans that needed to go up. Single layer cases of 24. It was a heavy pallet. No one wanted to do it. I volunteered.??I raised the pallet up as far as the forklift would take it. The load is swaying back and forth a little. There’s also two rows of cases that are over the backstop on the forklift. That’s a no-no. Everyone is watching. I’m feathering the clutch and inching it up the incline. Just as I’m getting ready to tilt the pallet towards the open bay, I popped the clutch. I looked up and saw about 20 cases of soda coming towards me. Luckily the forklift had a cage over me. ??The boss wasn’t that concerned about the soda. It was a generic brand. Mostly just embarrassment for me. I got a little wet too.??Best,?Tom Quinn??ps – The store was Moe Black’s in Waltham, MA. It was at the same time that Aerosmith had there “wherehouse” right around the corner. Some of the guys would come in to buy wax and cleaning supplies for their cars.
___________________________________

I like this Bob. It gave me a distraction from the details of my every day. Something art does to me. Thank you.

-Dan Gellert
___________________________________

A great life story.?Very enjoyable and relatable.

Stevaj Varga
___________________________________

Love this piece!  

Anne Buckley
___________________________________

Hi Bob!?I don’t know why I enjoy your mundane stories but I do. Must be your a good writer!?Elliot Cohen
___________________________________

It’s stories like this one that remind me of why I originally subscribed to the Lefsetz Letter. May you always have gas in your tank and still have a long, long way to go. 

Dirk
___________________________________

Well, that was an engaging story. What a palaver!??Meanwhile, an immature pine cone fell on my windshield last week and destroyed it.  Yes they dent cars, they are like missiles, but my windshield has the satellite and camera etc. and hit the camera bullseye — resulting in a nightmare argument with my insurance co who wanted to install a regular windshield. I won, but watch out for those pine cones!??Lesley Bracker
___________________________________

Bob, you may already know this but when you mentioned the AAA extra mileage charge, I pay $50 more per year to get One Hundred Miles of towing free, and boy, has that come in handy several times.  I have THREE cars, all 1997’s, all in very good shape with low milage.  I drive each one only about 2,000 miles per year, but still, stuff goes wrong, and that $50 deal has been priceless for me.  Oh, and I also have a 1955 Dodge!

Sterling Howard, founder/owner ?https://www.MusiciansContact.com
___________________________________

Twilight Zone reference!?! 

It’s one of the episodes I recall the most. It was Burgess Meredith. 

I can picture that final scene. 

Good one. 

Judd Marcello
___________________________________

Oi vey, Bob, that Letter is a symphony.  (I own a 2004 MINI:  I too know cars of a certain age.)

And I certainly hope you will tell us how the repair turned out.

Great writing and thank you for it!
Chaz Jenkins (Writers’ Workshop, Class of 1979 😉
___________________________________

You keep referring to yourself as old. I’m 87 and could bore you to death with old man stories. 70’s that’s a dream.?My memory is mostly gone, but I still remember Middlebury.

Barney Adams
___________________________________

Funny, my iPhone keeps treating this topic as a priority notification from my friend Bob who’s having car trouble. I guess after all of these years, sure, you’re a friend 🙂  Be well!

Jon Gerber
___________________________________

More enjoyable than “The Odyssey”. 

Dennis Brent
___________________________________

I truly loved your auto letter!
 Hope you are well my friend .Stay healthy.

much love,
Felix Cavaliere