Monday was another day in Chicot State Park in SE Arkansas. 73F after 40F overnight. Not windy today so much nicer that the past few days. We are getting comfortable with the camper, the camp and everything except the car. The 1991 Olds got this far and started having brake trouble with the front brakes. The local shops won't fix it -- too rusted out they say, although it is not that bad for WI and MN, it is fatal here. So we started looking for a replacement -- an older rust-free vehicle from down here that will pull a trailer. We found one we liked, priced OK, but the dealer said he had to get the power steering (electrical) fixed.
Now about a week later, it finally got taken to the GM dealer who may anyday now take a look at it. The deep south runs on its own schedule -- which is like molasses running on a cold day. Today we looked at other vehicles, but nothing seemed quite right, and then as we were just getting into Greenville MS, where there were many used car dealers, the front brakes gave out totally. Instead of just groaning and scraping, they quit working and the light came on. Added some fluid and it appears to leak back out again soon. The back brakes do work and stop the car OK, but it feels unsafe, and it surely is not a good thing to drive it much -- even to look for a replacement.
So we signed up for 2 more days at Chicot -- sunny and warm through Wednesday, and plan to annoy the dealer a little more about getting the steering repaired. He offered us a Blazer -- 2001, 200,000 miles, decent condition, 4-wheel drive, no rust, trailer hitch, and sound mechanically for $2500. However, the a/c works fine, but not the heater! Seems not to be a problem here. He also offered a one-owner 2000 4-wheel drive Pickup Truck with a v-8, new tires, very decent mechanically and nice inside for $5000. Not really what we want either.
Another dealer had a Ford Fusion 2011, 150k miles, nice looking, and sound for $5000. Salvage title though. The local used car dealers go to auctions in central AR and buy cars, touch them up and resell them. We would like to get something we like rather than just something to get us from point A to point B, but not spend a lot. An interesting and maybe impossible quest, but as we still have back brakes, it goes on until the windmill falls over or we get caught in the blades. The internet here is so slow I can't even format this post.
No new paragraphs, nothing but raw text! Takes me back to the days when I had a dial up modem and connection. Need to drive over to the McDonalds to get decent WIFI.