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My car defeated me today. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The alternator on my car went kaput. Nowhere in my area would do the job for less than $800-something, and most places were quoting $900-$1k.

So I looked up how-tos on YouTube and it looked like something I, a woman with zero experience or knowledge of working on cars, could do.

I got a remanufactured alternator for $180 and got to work following the tutorials I'd found.

It certainly did not go smoothly, but I managed it. It took me 6 hours to get the alternator out, mainly because every goddamn bolt holding the parts in place were basically cemented in. I had to use my foot to stomp one loose because I didn't have the strength in my arms.

Today I spent another 4 hours trying to put in the new one and all the parts back in place. And I did it!!

Except for the power steering belt. That fucker would not go into place, and trying to force the belt tensioner back took every ounce of strength I could muster.

All that work. All that time and effort and THE VERY LAST STEP to get my car up and running defeated me today. I had to get a task rabbit guy. He's coming tomorrow to get my belt back on.

On one hand I feel proud that I made it this far. On the other I feel like a complete failure because it turns out I couldn't complete the task myself.

Anyway, how was your weekend?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So I'm not meaning this in a mean way, but don't you have any friends that you could collaborate with? Even someone to chat with and search up youtube while you are under the car would have been fine.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I moved here a year ago, and ive made friends, but they're all women. I work mostly with men, but they're not into fixing cars, and im not close enough with any of them to reach out and ask for help on a weekend. I did consult a friend in my hometown, but there's little he can do over the phone.

Luckily I only had to get under the car once, to try ad get the wrench I dropped out of the undercarriage. I didn't find it and got so filthy. The job was done under the hood. :)