Car troubles and the honeymoon is now over?

For the past couple of months, my car has been having trouble turning over. There have been times in the past few weeks, it would take me more than thirty minutes of turning the keys before the car finally started up. Everyone that I have described the issues to has told me that it was time to replace the starter motor.

When I bought the car, I was hoping that my car troubles would not become a major issue until after I graduated this upcoming December. Alas, that was not to be the case. Last week, my professor let us out of class early so that we could prepare for finals. That night, I thought that I would have an early night for once, and I was beginning to formulate plans for the night as I walked back to my car.

Nope, that damnable Murphy, owner of the law that states that things that can go wrong inevitably does exactly that, struck with a vengeance. Instead, I spent two hours, first trying to get the car started, then waiting for someone to pick me up from school. And to add insult to injury, five minutes before my father drove up, the car turned over finally. I headed over to the nearest auto parts store and plopped down two hundred dollars for a remanufactured starter motor.

Not that I have ever changed a starter motor before in my life, mind you. I just couldn't afford to pay for both the motor and the likely labor charges installing it would incur. So, interspersed between going to work and studying for finals, I scoured the internet on how to do just that. All the while hoping that the car wouldn't stop turning over until after finals were finished.

This morning, instead of going to work, I planned to go to a group study session that my fellow classmates were holding about four hours before the test start time. Of course, the car refused to start. So, with great trepidation, I took my car apart thinking all the while that I might miss the final altogether.

A short time later, I had finally reassembled my car, with no unexpected extra parts sitting on the tray that I kept the parts removed from the car during this starter motor replacement. I cleaned my hands on a rag and took out the keys. I tried starting the car and heard the starter motor struggling to turn the engine over. Ten seconds passed and there was still no engine start.

I was beginning to think the worst when the car finally turned over and roared to life. I had this big silly grin on my face. Then I tempted fate by turning off the car and starting the engine again. It started up instantly!

Best of all, the entire starter motor change took a mere hour and a half. I went inside, cleaned up, and made it to the study session only half way through. I felt great for the rest of the day because I was high on the feeling of great accomplishment. When I handed in the test, I felt not a moment's concern because I knew that I had done well on the test too.

If only you could see the grin on my face from the natural high I have from doing something that I hadn't ever thought of doing on my own before this time. Just two more tests and I will be done with this semester! I can hardly wait!