Old cars

More customers are buying older cars and having them fixed up.  Much older cars.

The interesting thing that happens is they are not prepared for the 1970's technology they bought.

One rather humorous incident was an elderly gentleman that bought a 1969 vehicle and asked me to tune it up so it started better.  No problem, all it needed was the carburetor cleaned out and some new spark plugs.

He was very happy, paid his bill, and drove off reliving the not-so-distant past.

However, he called back in two days and told me I didn't do a good job because it doesn't start like it should in the morning.  I asked him if he pumped the gas before he tried to crank the engine.  No, he hadn't done that.  He told me it should crank right up. The next few moments on the phone were spent diplomatically taking the gentleman back 40 or so years, and helping him remember what it was like starting a car on a cold morning that used a carburetor.  One of those things you have to pump the gas, and then stay with it for a few minutes while you nurse it to life and it starts to run on it's own.

He laughed at himself, "You know, we just get in these cars today and they just start and run no matter what the weather.  I guess I got too used to the new, I forgot what it used to be like."

End of the story; he sold the car about 2 months later.

Old vehicles look cool, they are fun to drive around, but they are missing the amenities we have grown accustomed to.

: )