Still waiting for word on the car. It is in the “torn apart and we ruled some things out but we don’t have an estimate yet” stage. And no, I absolutely cannot have it back today, although they did scare up a loaner.

    A timing problem, maybe, although the phrase “head gasket” came up. I have been in the land of head gaskets with another vehicle, and thought about things I’d rather do with $700.

    So I’m hoping for the timing and not the head gasket, although as I tell the service guy, “It’s still better than a transmission.”

    Why do I keep focusing on the transmission? Because I had the transmission go out on my last two cars.

    I keep reminding myself that people have car problems all the time that don’t have $1,500 price tags. Just feeling a little snakebit, that’s all.

    This post originally appeared on ourMidland.com, the online home of the Midland (MI) Daily News. Republished with permission.