Out With The Old, In With The New

I was tempted to entitle this post "The Bigfootmobile is dead, long live the Bigfootmobile", but that would be somewhat inaccurate.  The old Bigfootmobile still runs, and has been donated to charity, so calling it "dead" would not be correct.

I bought the old Bigfootmobile, which has a 1998 model year, in 2000.  Any current American citizen born when I bought the car will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.  If someone drives the car next year, it will be able to legally (by human standards) consume the ethanol with which I had been fueling it as a component of its regular gasoline.

During the last few years, I had out it in the shop a number of times for various repairs and maintenance, thinking that in order for this work to be worth the money I was paying I would have to keep driving it for a while.  About a month ago, however, I realized that I had reached the point where it would be better to cut my losses and get a new car, which I did earlier today.  The latest problems with the old car were very disappointing, because it had recently pass emissions inspection, and carried me around Ohio on a road trip.  My exhaust system was no longer muffling the engine, and then my brakes started acting up.  I could still brake, but had to press the pedal farther down than normally.  I added to brake fluid to its container above the engine, figuring that there was a leak, and a few days later, I noticed a small puddle of liquid hydrocarbons below and just in front of my right rear tire.  As I looked at the exhaust system, I could not detect anything wrong with the muffler, but the front of the system had become disconnected from the engine's exhaust manifold, dangling below the car's body.  Because of all that, I knew it was time to part ways with the vehicle.

Yesterday, the local tow truck came and took the old Bigfootmobile away.  Despite the above-mentioned defects, the tow truck driver had no problems driving the car around the parking lot adjacent to my townhouse and placing it behind his truck.  The tow truck included a normally horizontal platform which could be moved backwards to form a temporary ramp.  The driver drove the car up the ramp, again without any difficulties, operated the platform back to its horizontal position with the car sitting on it, placed some appropriate restraints on the car, and drove away.

If you see this car in the near future, the person behind the wheel will not be yours truly.

The paint has faded on the hood and roof.  The scratches on the hood come from a shovel, borrowed from a neighbor, used to remove snow a few winters ago (which presents a warning for future winters).  Whether the charity to whom I donated this car fixes it up or strips it for parts I don't yet know, and I'm not worried either way.  I just had to pay one last tribute due to the large amount of time and miles we've spent together.  I won't post any pictures of the new car just yet, but like its predecessor, it will surely turn up in a few of my pictures as I resume traveling around the eastern part of the United States.  When that happens, the travelogues as usual will be posted here.