Shaking it up in Lancaster, Pa

Great drive down to Lancaster to visit my family, for what I think is for a good while. An eight hour drive that went without a hitch.. until. Until, the Check Engine reared its ugly head in the final hour of the trip. What is it this time? Only Micha knows. And since Micha cannot speak yet, back to a mechanic it goes.

I find a mechanic nearby, coming recommended by my mom, who gets her VW serviced there. But what happened while in the care of PA Auto Services is anyone's guess. The good news is he got the Check Engine light to go off, and did a cylinder test in which he found that they were working great. However, he did notice I had a broken headlight, a cracked bushing in my upper engine mount, and a cracked serpentine belt. To complicate matters, there was an incredible shaking sound that vibrated the entire cabin when I drove it off. Yet another new problem for the 16-year-old Volvo.

At this point, I'd say, let's turn this ship around and see what PA Auto has to say about it. But I sort of burned the bridge, scoffing at a $200 bill that included a $60 oil change and some general poking around the engine. In any case, I could only assume the shaking was due to the cracked bushing that PA Auto had discovered.

The bushing for the upper engine mount

The Volvo Mechanic in Massachusetts

The sputtering has stopped, but to alleviate any further concern, I decided to leave it with the mechanic at a reputable Volvo dealership in Wrenthem. He chalks up the issue to a bottom engine mount that had broken, forcing the engine to literally jump when I accelerate, therefore causing the wires to literally pop out of the spark plugs. Post labor, the car runs beautifully, and sounds much quieter than it used to.

In the mean time, we spend some time in Cape Cod, enjoying sunsets, beach hikes, and impromptu beach beers.