Long-time readers of my blog will remember the two car nicknames at the title of this blog post. Cardachrome was my 2005 Saturn Ion, the second car I ever personally owned. I had that car from 2010 to 2012, when its myriad of electrical issues convinced me it was time to get a different car. …
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DePaula Chevrolet does not listen to me
Last August, I wrote a blog post about how DePaula Chevrolet still thinks that I own my 2005 Saturn Ion “Cardachrome,” even though I got rid of it nearly two years ago. After a blog post and a few calls over to the dealership, they agreed that I shouldn’t be receiving these zombie e-mails and…
Read More“I don’t own Cardachrome any more, DePaula Chevrolet!!”
First off, let me start this blog post by stating that I’ve appreciated all the support DePaula Chevrolet has provided to my vehicles. They took detailed care of my 1991 Pontiac 6000, and kept it going for longer than that car should have been allowed to live. When the car died in March 2010, they…
Read MoreDid I get rid of Cardachrome for the wrong reasons?
I recently received news that my 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, commonly nicknamed “The Blackbird,” is part of a nationwide recall. Apparently the ignition switch, when bumped, can cause the car to actually shut down in mid-drive – or, in rare cases, it could cause the car to shift into accessory mode, which would mean if…
Read MoreBlackbird, meet Canada. Canada, meet Blackbird.
I’ve had my 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, nicknamed “The Blackbird,” for at least six months now. And now comes its first true test. Road trip to Canada. Specifically, Saint John, New Brunswick, home of this week’s National Basketball League of Canada All-Star Classic. Why am I here? Trust me. It’s an All-Star Game. Actually, counting…
Read MoreHow to clean a Cardachrome
It’s amazing how much junk you can accumulate in a car over time. And it’s amazing all the places where you can store your junk. Today is the last morning I will spend with my 2005 Saturn Ion Cardachrome. It’s traveled over 124,000 miles, with at least 60,000 of those miles under my control. Before…
Read MoreThe next chapter in my life…
This is hard for me to say out loud, and it’s twice as hard for me to talk about on the blog, especially when anyone out there who reads this blog – and who has read it for the past three and a half years – might think that everything is going well, and has…
Read MoreHow Historic Albany Foundation made my day
Last Saturday, I had a ton of errands to run and appointments to meet. I also had lunch plans with one of my blog readers, Potrzebie – nice guy, would definitely do lunch with him again – and I wanted to take care of a window switcheroo with Historic Albany Foundation’s Parts Warehouse. Originally I…
Read MoreLosing the Spark
It’s Saturday morning, and I’m making my regularly scheduled visit to Valvoline, another refill of semi-synthetic oil for my Saturn Ion Cardachrome. At this point, my relationship with my local Valvoline shop in Latham is very cordial. The service techs take care of my car, they explain what they’re doing and they explain what I…
Read MoreReturn of the Guarantee
Friday morning. Brilliant sunshine. Birds tweeting in the air. And I’m off for my morning commute downtown – and as I approach my parked 2005 Saturn Ion, I notice that my car’s left front tire is low on air. Yep. The same left front tire that got punctured last month. <looking for a wall to…
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