Dealing with car trouble in the outback
Dealing with car trouble in the outback

Dealing with car trouble in the outback

On the dirt leaving YuntaI’m in Gawler for a couple of days.

I thought it would be churlish not to call in to see my parents when I was just up the road, even if that road is 437k long.

Also, I had car trouble.

Yes, despite the care, attention, and time Doc lavished on my car over months before I came away, something went wrong.

It’s not the first time I’ve had car trouble in the outback, so I didn’t panic.

My fan belt has been loosening every day, and then driving back from Wilpena to our cottage in Blinman the engine started missing. “Uh, oh” I thought, that’s not good. And of course with no phone service I couldn’t even ring Doc to see if he could talk me through fixing something.

Rainbow over the FlindersOh, well. It was starting to rain, so it seemed like a good time to call in to see mum & dad, get a bed with an electric blanket for another couple of nights, do some washing, and catch up on my blogging. And get the car fixed of course.

Dad was not very optimistic about his mechanic. Not that he couldn’t fix it, but that he wouldn’t have time. “You have to book in to see him. He’s the best mechanic in Gawler.”

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, so we got up early the next morning and drove in to see Tim.

“We’re going to be smashed as soon as all this hits.” said Tim, looking over his very full appointments book “But leave it with me. If we get some free time I’ll try to have a look at it.”

Old rusted out truck in the outbackSo I did. Around 3pm Tim rang me

“You had a split manifold hose. I fixed that and it’s all going fine now.”

Thanks Tim. Dad was right. Free plug here – if you need a mechanic in Gawler call in and see Tim at UltraTune. Not only is he a good mechanic, but he charges reasonable rates, and he didn’t patronise me because I’m female.

So now the car is fixed. I’m all packed up again, and will be heading back to the outback tomorrow morning.

But first, dinner and a drink with mum and dad. And another night in a bed with an electric blanket!