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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Toyota F J Rally Rolls Into Lovely Ouray, and It's A "Modulized" World




Ground Clearance Baby... the go anywhere kind. Just look at the size of those tires. If I were single, and poor, this is all I would need... and those two chairs, but that's all. Ok, I'd need a Four Wheel Drive Petroleous Rex to pull the trailer, but thats all I would need. Except a dog, I'd need a dog for company... a small one, of course. Yes, I'd need a small long living dog like Poncho, and that's all I'd need!


What an economical "Live Anywhere" Mobile Bachelor iPad/iPod stealthy lifestyle. It even has Air Conditioning and a roof rack for my kayak, mountain bike and hang glider (if and when I take up hang gliding). It also comes with a snap-on tent for guests and/or cooking and dining in a non horizontal position.  


It wouldn't surprise me if that little camper costs as much as a full size trailer, though. I'm always amazed at how the smaller stuff gets, the more it costs. Laptops are a good example, but I kinda get that. But at the grocery store, why would a can of low sodium green beans, or anything with less salt, make it more expensive? They are adding less salt; it should be cheaper. 


I have a hunch that Boonie will find out that buying a fully accessorized RV Trailer will be less expensive than just a box on wheels that he can make his own. Somehow, leaving things out will throw a stick in the spokes of the manufacturer's assembly line... there will be Customizing Fees associated with not installing things he doesn't want, like a microwave, fridge, and bathtub. 


This trend was driven home to my wallet the other day when the driver's side window on Sue Bee quit working. The dealer wanted something like 400 bucks for a new electric motor. Screw that; I'll go to a salvage yard. Well, the kind lady at the salvage yard didn't have the make and model I needed, but she showed me a similar one. It was like an octopus, with more wires and cable drives and hinges and brackets and pulleys than a Post Grad Erector Set. "I just need the motor!" I said, knowing I could never get the new used octopus in place and working. "This is a module," she said, "you can't buy just the motor." I asked why I couldn't just take the motor off this "module" and put it on my module. She said motors are "built in" to modules now and you can't take them apart. 


It is these kinds of things that corrode the arteries of reasonable people. I felt compelled to "kill the messenger" and said, "It won't be long, will it? before we'll have to buy the entire door as a "module" when a window quits working!"

















10 comments:

  1. Take the easy way out... unscrew the radiator cap and drive a new car in under it! ;)

    and then sell the assembled "Modules" of the "Old" car to the lady at the salvage yard! ;)

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  2. wow...i dont think i have ever experienced Navin Johnson morphing into Andy Rooney before.

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  3. You make a good argument for wind up windows!

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  4. Loved the post and oh so true.

    When we first got to Ouray we thought Toyota FJ's were the state car only to find they were having a club thing. Wish we could tow one.

    Jim

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  5. My favorite off road vehicle still has to be the 4x4 Jeep with no doors, open roof but a roll bar that I can hold onto while my head gets pitched around like a bobble doll.
    Hiked lizard head trail today, push off from the TR at 8am was back at 1:30pm. Nice views of Trout Lake, Wilson, and surrounding mountains but need Bobbie to point out their names.

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  6. For the motor only try AutoZone, purchased both LH and RH motors only for $60 or so each, for 91 Ford truck . . Worth a look/see. Wayne in Va

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  7. CowBoy Brian,
    We would do that but for the expense of replacing Sue Bee. They are proud of the new "Girls." Congrats of "Jeb Taylor Day!"

    Darin,
    Navin Rooney: I like it! :0

    Maria,
    That's what Bobbie said when the window quit working. I don't even think you can buy a car with crank up windows anymore...

    Jim and Gayle,
    Jeeps just go into hiding during the F J rally. It's sociologically interesting how people form clubs around Brand Names like Toyota F J's, Airstream Trailers, and, of course, you are familiar with Lazy Daze Motorhomers. Humans are forever seeking a morsel of commonality with each other... religion and politics being the exception, of course :))

    Gaelyn,
    Don't misunderstand... I'm not dreaming of being single. Yikes! :0

    John Q,
    Yeah, theirs nothing like a rag top Jeep to four wheel these mountains in. In vertical Crevices, roofs just get in the way of views.
    Lizard Head is a great trail... What did you think of that Monolith?

    Wayne,
    Thanks for the Auto Zone tip. We have one in Montrose so I'll check. But I'm still not sure I can separate the window motor from the "octopus."
    Thanks for commenting,
    mark

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  8. A body shop will replace the whole unit for 1/2 the price of a dealer. It's usually the track or cable that breaks, not the motor. Believe me they are a PITA to work on inside a door panel.

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  9. Bayrider,
    Thanks... I never thought of that! I knew as soon as I say the "octopus" I wanted nothing to do with it...
    mark

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