Open House : Uh Oh!
The day started out fantastic – an early start (sorry neighbours) and a 90 minute drive north to Albany, NY. Watching the sun come up over the Taconic was incredible if a little chilly. Got to Albany and met up with some other owners, including my friend Pat.
Another couple of hours in the seat and we had cruised across Massachussetts and arrived. I was proud to park my MkIII amongst the others, although I’m sure there were a few eyebrows raised at how unfinished she was!
1PM came too fast and it was time to head out to the Cape for lunch.
Then the cruise back – 3 of us in convoy. I don’t think we dropped below 80MPH for about 3 hours other than the fuel stops. (I think I averaged about 12-15 MPG)
I peeled off at Albany and started my trip south down the Taconic Parkway back home. Less than 3 miles from home and … BANG! … steering goes wobbly, horrendous scraping sound. I immediately pull over. Tried crawling forwards – no, that clearly not going to work, the sound was painful. Something up with the front left wheel. At best, a stone in the brake disc, at worst … a wheel bearing?
Called AAA and arranged a tow home. Oddly the Taconic Parkway is not serviced by AAA, it has to be handled by State Police. So, a call to them on my behalf and a NY State Police car is despatched. He calls in the tow truck for me and we chat while waiting for it to arrive.
About 20 minutes and the local tow truck arrives to take me the 2.5 miles home!
Not the most glamourous arrival home but it could have been worse. The car is (mostly) in one piece, I’m in one piece, and the tow was covered by AAA.
Now just to discover what happened.
Oh – and the box in the passenger seat? A $1,200 pair of stainless steel exhaust pipes for $50! What a steal!