There’s one other item to consider and that is what code requires. For example, I’m a pretty hardcore DIY guy - I rebuild privacy fences, installed 1100 sq ft of patio, built a shade pavilion over it, installed a deck, removed and rebuilt our basement stairs, and have gutted and rebuilt three of our bathrooms and the…

Queue up the Pentagon Wars!

1949 International trucks still had a foot starter. It’s next to the gas pedal on the floor. You turned the key to the ‘On’ position and then stomped the starter.  Always took me some searching to find in the dark as the one I was driving didn’t have a dome light.

Ford used the same front suspension design (Twin I-Beam) on trucks from 1965 to 1979.

Toyota Sienna Limited - AWD minivan FTW!

The key assumption here is the old car eating that $2,500 and not needing anything major for 18 months. I’m not familiar enough with VW reliability challenges as they add miles, but I can tell you with my history with Jeeps I would be rid of the car and probably end up money ahead with a newer vehicle.

The S trim is more basic and drawing a much lower NADA trade in/sale values:

Having driven a ‘91 Grand Am, I would say the two years without any further problems is specious at best. I had issues with suspension and electrical systems that would pop up every four to five months - and this was a car with manual windows and locks so the electrical system was relatively simple.

Sorry - should have included a /s comment. Yes - I know that mass transportation is propped up by government and rail is one of the grifters involved. Privatization is also problematic, as you point out, because those private operators usually have to go back to the government in order to force their ‘advancements’ in…

Wait, are you saying that AmTrack isn’t propped up by the government as well right now?

I think that Rugby has this right. If there is an issue, they call for the Television Match Official to show the replay on the screen and opine. The ref and the TMO are both mic’ed in big matches so you can hear them conversing and reviewing. They don’t have a time limit, but they must keep the game moving. They would…

Really a quality story, here Casey - well paced with a consistent voice.  Thank you!  The most painful thing in many lives is regret - especially regret of lost opportunity due to our own failures or weaknesses.  Any epilogue on if Gus has tied back out with his kids?  That was the one piece that I wanted to know - if…

eehhh.... too ethnic.

Yep - it’s called ‘honors’.

Yes - there’s something in Golf called honors where the best score on the previous hole has honors to tee off first.

This exactly - it’s the plate work that’s the issue with Joe West.  That’s where the complaints usually are with him.  Mark Behrle might disagree that he’s not the worst, though.

Damn - a guy like this makes Joe ‘Baked Potatuh’ West look like the better option.

YEEEEEAAAAAAH!!!

Read the whole thing.

Fair enough.  So between $100 to $600 depending on your level of aptitude and amount of work you want to put in.