Another fuel pump

The van limped into town with another dying fuel pump. My mechanic was even more angry than I was. Once again it's a Chinese replacement part. He tried to get something not made in China from any of the local parts dealers. No luck.

He put another Chinese pump on to last until we can get a better pump. He's got one on order, but it's $300 more and will take some time to get here. It will be worth it if it lasts. The original pump went over 180,000 miles. The replacements go around 500. Something is wrong somewhere.

I hear rumor that even Chinese people try to avoid Chinese products. The next replacement will either come from the US or Germany. I'm good either way.

My lovely wife and I are supposed to be going to Boston on the weekend. We'll take her old car and hope that makes the trip. The van will have to earn our trust again.

A lot of people are invested in the whole idea of a bug out vehicle. I'm not too keen on the concept. Some have a lot of money tied up in their driving machines. As far as I'm concerned a bug out vehicle has to do just one job: get you and your family to a safe place. Don't expect much more than that from it. Count yourself lucky if it can do that much.

Some folks have watched the Mad Max movies too many times. They think they'll be some sort of road warriors, as if it'll be possible to keep vehicles on the road during a major collapse. Heck, it's hard enough to keep a vehicle on the road now, when the shipping lanes are still open.

Cut off International trade and in a matter of months there'd be just a handful of vehicles on the road.

-Sixbears