Cheaper Is Not Better

I’m not much of a mechanic, but I do believe in good maintenance. So whenever one of my vehicles needs something, I get it taken care of as fast as I possibly can. It saves me money in the long run, and it also saves me from disappointment when I want to use something that’s broken down.

I don’t drive my 1999 Ford pickup all that often. I basically bought it to haul furniture when we bought our house because the stores around here charge exorbitant fees for delivery and buying it was almost as cheap as buying a utility trailer or something like that. I kept it for hauling my boat down to the water and back, and because, face it, every guy needs a pickup truck, right?

A few weeks ago when my back was hurting so bad I needed the truck for something and when I tried to start it the battery was dead. I have a battery charger with an engine start mode, and I used that to get it going. Once it was running it seemed like it charged up pretty well. But a couple of days ago when my buddy Jim Lewis and I were going to fill all of our five gallon gas cans as part of our storm preparation, when I got in the truck and turned the key, all it did was click.

I put the battery charger on it again, but this time it didn’t do any good. So we jumped it with Jim’s car and I drove directly to O’Reilly Auto Parts, where I had them replace the old battery with a new top-of-the-line one.

The clerk who waited on us was a new guy I had never met before, and he seemed surprised when I chose the best battery he had available. He said most people go the opposite route and want the cheapest thing in the store. I told him I didn’t care how much it cost, all I care about is that when I turn the key, I want my truck to start.

I’m not sure what their reasoning is, unless they care more about saving their customer a buck than the company they work for making a profit (which is a good attitude to have unless you own the company), but quite often I’ll have a clerk try to steer me to something that is cheaper but “not too bad and will work.”

No, thank you. Cheaper is usually not better. And I’m too lazy to have to go back a second time to buy whatever I need because the first one didn’t hold up. Or because it wore out in a year or so.

Of course, things might be different if my buddy Greg White would buy a place down the street from me. Then he could fix everything I have when it needs it. That method worked just fine for us when we were both fulltiming. But now we’re off the road and Greg and Jan are spending most of their time in Texas near their family and not traveling nearly as much. I keep telling Greg that family is overrated and that he should be here where I need him, but he keeps muttering something about being a selfish SOB and changing the subject.

And for the record, I do not think Greg is the least bit selfish no matter what he says. He just doesn’t have his priorities straight. I keep telling him that it really is all about me, but he just doesn’t seem to get it. I guess it’s because he’s old and not as sharp as he used to be.

In other news, my buddy Jason Dees has a brand-new book out today called undone. It’s the first book in his new Burt Bigsley mystery series. Jason’s a fine writer and storyteller. Check out his new book, I think you’ll be impressed.

And finally, here’s another chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. And I have to tell you, I’m not feeling the dignity they talk about on their sign.

Thought For The Day – People will stop asking you stupid questions if you answer them with interpretive dance.