“Bring it back”
“…it won’t start”
If a complete stranger reaches out for help, do it. Your future self will thank you.
I’m confused. Are they saying that they knew the starter was going to die and bought the replacement before the kid ever called them back?
Also, how did the kid bring the car back if the starter was dead?
Sure it could be bump-started if it was a manual, or otherwise towed, but the author left that out.
Starters being dead…99% of the time actually aren’t fully dead. The solenoids fuck off and if you wack the shit out of them with a chunk of 2x4 usually it’ll get them to engage. Doesn’t mean it’s going to just keep working but I’ve done it a few times to get something started and into the garage.
so I’ve sold a car and forgot i had bought parts for it. i think it’s pretty common.
I’ve sold one and forgot I had parts for issues I’d forgotten about. I called the buyer and told them to come pick up the parts, free of charge.
Story sounds made up to me. He’s not bringing it back with a dead starter unless he knows someone with a car hauler, in which case that person could probably just as easily help him with replacing it in less time than it would take to tow and work on it at this guys house and if the guy already had a replacement for it why didn’t he replace it/throw it in with the car when he sold it the first time.
Tbh, I know a few gear head types that just have a bunch of parts in their garage. If they see a part being sold for a decent price and it has potential use they’ll just hoard it.
I had already bought a starter, knowing the car was broken. Then I sold the car to the kid and didn’t bother giving him the starter or telling him about the issue.
Oh by the way, nothing happened as detailed above, there wasn’t even a car or a kid.
I cooked up a horse shit story for points on the internet.
You know, it might be just like you described it and in all likelikood it is.
But I still find it heartwarming to think there are similar stories that are true - even if you have to take part in them to make them so.The reason I know this is 7000% bullshit is because I sold a car to a young set of kids, and I end up cutting them my deal on the spot. They said how about 825 I said how about 700? That’s how you do this.
Good will makes it better for both parties.
A guy bought an old dirt bike off me, it was when premixing 2 Stroke gas was no longer needed because of oil injectors. But I never could verify how much oil was being injected because the manual was vague onsettings the injector.
He saved up $150, hitch-hiked to my place and rode it home. A few days later he called to ask troubleshooting questions, because it died and wouldn’t restart, and he had no mechanical knowledge.
I went through the list:
- is run switch on OK
- does it have gas OK
- is the petcock open OK
- check aifilter for dirt OK
- does it spark OK
Hmm
- when you kick it over how does the kickstarter feel, can you feel compression … NO spins easy
OK, rings could be shot, or piston is blown.
Dude was crestfallen. Because he was low on cash and had no experience doing work himself.
I said there’s a parts place between my house and yours, I’ll grab some parts.
We spent the next two hours disassembling the head and cylinder. Piston had a hole blown in it. Probably too lean a fuel mixture.
Swapped for new piston and rings.
We still could not make sense of the manuals oil injector setting, the image made no sense on how to set the valve.
Started right away. I said the rings have to wear in, so take it easy for the first while. He rode it out like a bat out of hell, up and down a field, with me cringing. Then Pop! Blew the piston again.
Sigh. I was disappointed, but didn’t know if it was his riding style or a faulty injector. But I know I did the right thing trying to help him out.
Beautiful. Now imagine being able to just take a bus or train.
Is insurance for new drivers in the US as insane as it is in the UK? Over here £200 would be about 1 month’s worth of insurance for a teen.
