When you have no knowledge
When you need something done and you do not have the know-how to do it, there are a few options:
1. Learn the skills yourself,
2. Pay someone else to do it, or
3. Try do do it yourself and then pay someone else to clean up after you failed.
For me, it would be the second option. It saves me time and I do not have to worry. However, for my case, things went from bad to worse. This is why most people tell me, once you have that 'good mechanic', never ever let him go or forget him. I learned this the hard time when during my Younger days, I was modifying the alarm, the sound system and other what-nots. Each modification has a certain amount of SNAFUs, which, the guilty culprit refuses to take responsibility. So you have to go back to the other shop to get it rectified and the same happens. This means going here and there because some ass-hat f*cked on a wire or borked a part.
The Downhill Journey of the Aircon
Driving for 15 years does a lot to a car. There are a lot of things to worry about once the 8 year mark comes. But for me, it was the Air-conditioning. Although I do not use them every I start driving (because it saves on fuel), I only use them during raining or when sudden temperature change fogs up the windshield.
Wiping the glass stops being effective very fast. Driving at the speed of a speeding chicken without being able to see and react to situations outside the car can be Financially (Insurance) draining. And then there is the matter of confronting the Driver without a weapon and of course, the wrath of the Police.
And so, after some time, the aircond was fixed (but not without more issues), there were some post operation time-bombs. One of them just did me in a few days ago.
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| This was the second guy who did my aircond within a 5 week period. I gave them ample time but they still did not do what was right (forgive me for not swearing when I needed to). Right after I left, I discovered when they put back the (swear word) front bumper in, the (swear word) bonnet release lever was (swearing, swear swear words) trapped. |
The Second Time-Bomb
It was on dark morning where I needed some bright lights to scare away some caterpillar. I could not use my headlamps as they're so aged, you can see the cracks on the clear plastics. So, they're effectively as good as bright spots on a car. So, when it was time to turn on the fog lamps, there was noting. I know the right lamp has melted sometime after the turn of the Century but come on. The left should have worked. But it is not.
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| The condition is so bad on these leaking head lights, it was time to change. I mean, it was supposed to be changed maybe around 2020 or so when I start to notice every car threw brighter lights than mine, as if mine was never switched on. |
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| Another few days later, I got a new Spot for the right side. The price was quite reasonable for around RM40.00 which also comes with a 9006 bulb. If I bought it then the price would be higher. But then again, I have to remind this is not an original even though the the Bengmobile is out of production since 2012. |
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| The firs thing you need to do is to pull out this cover. Try not to yank it by force as the plastic has aged and can be brittle. You can already see that there is no bulb (because it has melted off and dropped out). |
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| Carefully use a toothpi... er a flat-bladed screwdriver to push the metal connector to the side (or left) so that the lamp's horizontal pillar can pop out. |
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| Do the same for the other side too. Don't mind my yellow thumb as I was spray painting some numbers at work. |
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| This is the 9006 bulb which has since long burned out... |
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| As evident in the reflector's plastic. |
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| The original 2011 Spot with the OEM on the right. Although the dimensions are the same, its the black glossy finishing which confirms that this is an OEM. |
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| To install the new Fog Lamp, you just align it and make sure the alignment clip (yellow arrow) goes straight into the hole. You see, both the left and right side round pillars allows the Lamp to pivot up and down. It is this screw that aligns the light. But you'd have to open up the wheel arc insulator from the inner side to turn the screw. So I just make sure the screw position is the same as the original... |
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| This is the left side of the Fog Lamp. Just as I suspected, the (swear word) did not clip it back when they re-inserted the front bumper. Luckily the bulb is still working. |
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| Finally, the bulb is working. As for the front head lamp and the left Fog light, they're effectively fogged... |
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