Dirty Cars Are Luckier

I washed my car on Saturday morning. It was going to be a fairly warm day, so I went out early, dragging the hose attached to our raintank around to the driveway. I wouldn't say I did a fabulous job, but at least I got the worst of the mud off of the sides, and now you can again see the blue paint without the usual decorative brown dirt. It'd been quite a long time since the last wash, and as I was rinsing the last of the "car shampoo" off the sides, I laughed to myself that poor old "Jelly Bean" (the name I call my car) might not run as well without the grime clinging to her.

Jelly Bean sat in the carport from then until Monday afternoon. I was heading out to meet some friends that day - hopped into the car and turned the key and.... ...nothing. Not even a "click". Dead battery.

I suppose sooner or later, we all experience this or something like it. What a PAIN!

Hubby Stephen kindly agreed to drive me to my meeting and I decided to leave the car alone until the next morning.

Fortunately, we have a membership in the RACV - Royal Automobile Club of Victoria. They are our insurance carrier and we also have the optional "roadside assistance" service. One simple phone call and thirty minutes later a friendly man in a small truck came down the drive to jump-start my car. He asked me how old the battery was, and on learning it was the original battery that came with the car - six years ago - advised me to consider replacing it. I assured him I planned to.

 "Would you like me to organize that for you?" he asked.

Sure!" I happily agreed. He made a quick phone call and in less than an hour another RACV man had come and installed a new battery (with a 3-year warranty). I was delighted! I knew the roadside service included getting a "jumpstart" but I never dreamed they'd send a mechanic to actually fix the car! How good is that?!?!

It rained that day, and as I had an errand to run, there was no choice but to drive out onto the muddy road and, yes, just as you are guessing, Jelly Bean has a fresh splash of mud on her sides as a direct result. I think I'll leave it there. Washing the car twice in one week is tempting fate.