Car Troubles?

I drive what some refer to as the dreaded, gas guzzling, black sheep of American vehicles. The much harangued *SUV*!

Which I'm not sure why...it's so...hated?!? It is smaller then most cars, really good on gas, yet sturdy enough to handle our extremely rough, pitted gravel roads, not to mention the frost-heaves on the few paved highways we have.

The only thing I don’t like about this little SUV of mine is that it doesn’t have the much cherished and needed *4 wheel drive*. Most do, but I bought this one “used”. I figure it was driven to this State by someone who lived in a warm weather State with dry roads. And they got smart right away and traded it in for a *4 wheel drive* truck.

But alas! it was all I could afford at the time and have *made do* for the past 4 years now. I have huge tires on my vehicle, with thick deep treads which really help in the ice and snow, but make so much road noise during the couple of summer months of snow-less paved roads that Alaska has, that I have to blast the CD player and can’t hear a passenger talking.

I have to say, this car has been real good to me; I don’t have a garage so it is exposed to the extreme temps, from -60F degrees in the winter to near or at 100F degrees in the summer. We are also located in a high wind area. Yet! it seems to be able to handle it pretty well.

Tho I did notice this year is the first time that it was bulking at starting up and rolling at -20, it usually just starts right up, and after a few minutes to warm up it does just fine, the tires feel square, when it first starts moving, but they smooth out quick enough.

And I do have an oil pan heater, and frost plug in the engine, to help combat the cold starts. So I have an electric cord hanging out of the front of my vehicle, to make it easier to plug an extension cord into it and warm up the car innards for about an hour before driving off. Seeing this cord hanging out of the car really keeps the summertime tourists talking!

I sometimes keep it *plugged in* all night if I know it is going to be extremely cold in the morning and *must* to go somewhere. Otherwise the car will not start until it gets warmer outside. Yes! I have thought of hibernating during those times, but reality hits, and I realize I have to eat, and go to work, so that I can afford to eat…etc. And the cold weather lasts for months, so I really can’t wait it out.

I also slip a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator in the winter when it reaches -20 and lower, it helps the inside heater/defroster work better in the extreme cold, but if I forget to remove it when it warms above -20 then the car will overheat.

I haven’t figured out yet, on how to deal with the most aggravating thing with my vehicle. And that’s stray male dogs! During the winter months a lot of people allow their dogs to run free, doesn’t matter how cold it is, so, these male dogs are constantly *marking territory*. This is fine I guess. Until they lift their leg and urinate on one (or all) of my tires, which in -30 or lower, instantly causes the tire to flatten...arggugughhhhhhh!

CU