Duct tape can only keep the Cherokee going for so long

I’m not 100 per cent sure the Cherokee is going to make it to 400,000 clicks. She’s closing in on 399,000, and Richard, the mechanic at Jay’s Service, has optimistically put a windshield sticker on her that says her next oil change is due at the 400,000 mark.

But her age is beginning to take its toll (next year she’ll be 20). The old bod isn’t what it used to be. On Wednesday, when I opened the door to get in, a piece of it fell off. That was just before I tried to start her up and she refused. Richard came with a huge ball peen hammer, reached underneath and whaled at something about three times.

“Try again,” he instructed me.

This time, she started.

“Fuel pump,” Richard announced. “I’ll follow you to the shop.”

When we got there, he noticed the new hole in the door just beside the handle.

“Might as well patch that up for you, too,” said Richard, as Jay nodded.

So I borrowed Jay’s car for the night and, when I returned yesterday morning, the new fuel pump was in and, sure enough, the door was patched up — with duct tape. To finish it off nicely, Richard had spritzed the patch with some black paint.

“Looks good as new,” I offered.

But, I realized, duct tape can hold her together for only so long. A couple of weeks ago, it was the alternator. Before that, the water pump. Before that….

It’s mostly for Richard and Jay I keep the Cherokee going, anyway — they can’t bear the thought of her not reaching 400,000.

Sadly, the day might not be far off when we have to take her off life support and let her go.