So I realized that I was bellyaching like a child, having to do a head gasket job on a 2007 Equinox. Then I took a few hours to think about the big picture. And I realized I was being a whining child, given the big picture.
My whining, to my discredit:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...sludge-gel-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it.375367/
I took a step back and thought about it. This was my mom’s second-to-last company car she got from American Greetings Corp. (“AG”). “Cleveland” (AG head office) gave her a new car every three years, from 1980 to 2013. Every three years like clockwork. And they were generous. They would give a couple of choices, and let you spec them. Pay extra for features if you wanted (on your dime for the high cost options, but it made sense to a degree if you were keeping the car three years). And otherwise the car - it was truly 100% free - to you and all your family. Immediate family could drive it, and with the company gas card - unlimited. Very generous. Literally not a dime to use it, insurance, gas, unlimited mileage to all family members - no questions asked. Want to drive to California from Florida? Go take the AG car, no problem (and completely OK with them - a perk).
So this Equinox was actually originally her company car in 2007 - my Dad spec’d the LT option, alloys, metallic paint, leather, etc. and when the Corp. lease was up in 2010, they kept it and bought it off lease at a very, very good price. Which made me start to remember all the cars over the decades Mom had with AG. And All the bad things my younger (degenerate) brother and I did with them. I can’t even recall all the stuff.
Maybe I’ll chat my brother up and get all the details. I know he did stuff I can’t recall. I know the words “Key West” came up a few times. So did “poaching lobsters” and “game warden.” I do recall a few things:
- Driving a Ford Thunderbird 500 miles one way to Athens, GA and spending all night with Peter Buck in the 40 Watt Club, c. 1986. I would like to take credit for how brilliant this was, but it was actually my (degenerate) younger brother’s idea.
- Handcuffed to the rear rim of a Cop’s Harley in Daytona Beach, spring break c. 1988, it was some kind of Chrysler that got us there. And back. The cops were really nice to us since we were FL residents and let us go when they put all the other kids in the Paddy wagon (really). I would never have gone there on my own but it was my (degenerate) younger brother’s idea.
- Jumping out of an airplane north of Orlando about 1992 (I lived in DC at the time, so this was a stretch), a Crown Vic near the runway. The Crown Vic was universally every family member’s favorite Corp. car - mom, dad, me, my (degenerate) younger brother’s (all these bad things were of course his ideas, not mine). Jumping out of the plane was actually my idea, though, so I have to own that. He didn’t jump out of the plane. He’s smarter than that.
- Nice trip around the Gulf, Tampa to New Orleans, Dodge Intrepid, c. 1996. Also have a pic of that car in Vicksburg, Mississippi but I honestly don’t remember exactly why. It was probably my (degenerate) ex-wife’s idea.
- Pontiac Grand Am GT, which I spent driving around volcanoes and skiing for weeks, until New Year’s and I ditched it in Portland for a couple more weeks while I flew to Vegas. Again, no problems at all - Mom just flew where she needed, rented other cars, and AG did not care. Meanwhile my (degenerate) brother and I had fun in Vegas - it was all his idea of course.
- There was an Impala somewhere next, but that was wholly lame since we had ‘60s and early ‘70s Impalas when I was a little kid. Big disappointment because it said “Impala,” but it wasn’t.
- 2007 Equinox ( I actually hate the thing) was followed by a 2010 Rav4, which was regarded by all as the worst Corporate vehicle ever, even compared to the late 80s/early 90s Chrysler products. In fact I distinctly recall at her retirement party in 2013, she handed over the keys to the new regional manager and smiled at the fact of getting rid of the thing - she and we all hated it so much. My Mom is now 75 and NOT a car person, but she knew enough to love that ‘92 Crown Vic and hate that 2010 Rav4. So there is a “car guy” in all of us who gets it at a visceral level - I am convinced of that now.
As much as we abused the generous corporate use of the vehicles, we never damaged one and took very good care of them. Free cars and unlimited gas and insurance are a vanishing thing. As much as a big Company which tries to take care of its employees, share the wealth, and help them in hard times as long as they work and are honest. AG is like that so here’s a little tip to them.
So go buy American Greeting cards and wrapping paper when you have a choice. It put me and my brother through college and some fun times.
(PS to be clear: my brother is a very nice, decent man. I was just riffing on that for a laugh. Everything else is 100% true.)
My whining, to my discredit:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...sludge-gel-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it.375367/
I took a step back and thought about it. This was my mom’s second-to-last company car she got from American Greetings Corp. (“AG”). “Cleveland” (AG head office) gave her a new car every three years, from 1980 to 2013. Every three years like clockwork. And they were generous. They would give a couple of choices, and let you spec them. Pay extra for features if you wanted (on your dime for the high cost options, but it made sense to a degree if you were keeping the car three years). And otherwise the car - it was truly 100% free - to you and all your family. Immediate family could drive it, and with the company gas card - unlimited. Very generous. Literally not a dime to use it, insurance, gas, unlimited mileage to all family members - no questions asked. Want to drive to California from Florida? Go take the AG car, no problem (and completely OK with them - a perk).
So this Equinox was actually originally her company car in 2007 - my Dad spec’d the LT option, alloys, metallic paint, leather, etc. and when the Corp. lease was up in 2010, they kept it and bought it off lease at a very, very good price. Which made me start to remember all the cars over the decades Mom had with AG. And All the bad things my younger (degenerate) brother and I did with them. I can’t even recall all the stuff.
Maybe I’ll chat my brother up and get all the details. I know he did stuff I can’t recall. I know the words “Key West” came up a few times. So did “poaching lobsters” and “game warden.” I do recall a few things:
- Driving a Ford Thunderbird 500 miles one way to Athens, GA and spending all night with Peter Buck in the 40 Watt Club, c. 1986. I would like to take credit for how brilliant this was, but it was actually my (degenerate) younger brother’s idea.
- Handcuffed to the rear rim of a Cop’s Harley in Daytona Beach, spring break c. 1988, it was some kind of Chrysler that got us there. And back. The cops were really nice to us since we were FL residents and let us go when they put all the other kids in the Paddy wagon (really). I would never have gone there on my own but it was my (degenerate) younger brother’s idea.
- Jumping out of an airplane north of Orlando about 1992 (I lived in DC at the time, so this was a stretch), a Crown Vic near the runway. The Crown Vic was universally every family member’s favorite Corp. car - mom, dad, me, my (degenerate) younger brother’s (all these bad things were of course his ideas, not mine). Jumping out of the plane was actually my idea, though, so I have to own that. He didn’t jump out of the plane. He’s smarter than that.
- Nice trip around the Gulf, Tampa to New Orleans, Dodge Intrepid, c. 1996. Also have a pic of that car in Vicksburg, Mississippi but I honestly don’t remember exactly why. It was probably my (degenerate) ex-wife’s idea.
- Pontiac Grand Am GT, which I spent driving around volcanoes and skiing for weeks, until New Year’s and I ditched it in Portland for a couple more weeks while I flew to Vegas. Again, no problems at all - Mom just flew where she needed, rented other cars, and AG did not care. Meanwhile my (degenerate) brother and I had fun in Vegas - it was all his idea of course.
- There was an Impala somewhere next, but that was wholly lame since we had ‘60s and early ‘70s Impalas when I was a little kid. Big disappointment because it said “Impala,” but it wasn’t.
- 2007 Equinox ( I actually hate the thing) was followed by a 2010 Rav4, which was regarded by all as the worst Corporate vehicle ever, even compared to the late 80s/early 90s Chrysler products. In fact I distinctly recall at her retirement party in 2013, she handed over the keys to the new regional manager and smiled at the fact of getting rid of the thing - she and we all hated it so much. My Mom is now 75 and NOT a car person, but she knew enough to love that ‘92 Crown Vic and hate that 2010 Rav4. So there is a “car guy” in all of us who gets it at a visceral level - I am convinced of that now.
As much as we abused the generous corporate use of the vehicles, we never damaged one and took very good care of them. Free cars and unlimited gas and insurance are a vanishing thing. As much as a big Company which tries to take care of its employees, share the wealth, and help them in hard times as long as they work and are honest. AG is like that so here’s a little tip to them.
So go buy American Greeting cards and wrapping paper when you have a choice. It put me and my brother through college and some fun times.
(PS to be clear: my brother is a very nice, decent man. I was just riffing on that for a laugh. Everything else is 100% true.)
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