Thing 181 Inspect the Car

Honestly, who ever really looks underneath their car? Do you know what's down there? When you open your car door and your new phone drops out and onto the drive way, yes, you dive fast to look for it, but you look on the ground. Do you even know what the underside of your car looks like?

This one was more about trying to learn a little bit more about the mechanics of the car than anything. Because I know practically nothing. My car had it's NCT it failed (a long winded gripe about that to follow, because I love giving out). The reason it failed was because of the wishbone bushes. Yes. A car does have wishbone bushes. I'm not making that up. I thought the dude at the NCT centre was a liar until I got to look under the car. The fact is that this dude could have told me that the left ventricle combustion chamber's organic decompiler was falling apart, and I've had nodded sagely and said that was exactly what I suspected.

The words wishbone bushes, which sounds even more made up than the made up thing I just made up, were the catalyst which prompted a quick rush to learn more about my automobile. I've subsequently forgotten everything. Goldfish brain that I am. I went to the mechanic and told him about the broken made up parts of my car, and he laughed and agreed to jack it up and show me what's what.

So...

There's a picture of some of the what's what that's under my car. I can see a rusty exhaust pipe (settle down now, bum jokes aren't welcome here), and a bunch of stuff that the mechanic pointed at me. Again, the man may as well have been speaking French while discussing the existence of unicorns and sub atomic particles on Mars for all of my understanding.

Here's what I did learn: Wishbone bushes cost 275 euro to repair, along with tracking at Advance Pit Stop. Now there's something I can understand. You don't know about cars, well, here's all you need to know: They're a god damn expensive pain in my ass.

Honestly, I wish I'd remembered more about it. It's the kind of lesson that would stand me in good stead down the line, but while I can remember ancient quotes from dead philosophers, apparently mechanics just go in one ear, out the other.

And now for a rant:

The NCT is a money grabbing sham of a hoax wrapped up in a swindle that couldn't have been devised by the most cunning fox on Cunning Street with a degree in cunning. You buy your car, VAT is added. You buy petrol or diesel, tax is taken. You pay for repairs, tax added. You pay VRT - that's Vehicle Registration Tax. You pay for an NCT. It fails. A tiny percentage pass first time, and I good and god damn guarantee that percentage is fixed, and they could fail every single car that drives in the door first time if they really wanted to look. You pay for more repairs, and you pay the tax. You pay for a retest. You pass and the cycle starts again. There will never be adequate public transport in this country, because it would cost too much, and not make any money for Brian and Co in Government....

Phew....

Rant over.