Old Zoners have heard this one.

My Eurovan's weird electrical problems had cost me many hundreds of dollars at the dealership, including having to rent a car for a road trip because my van wasn't done in the shop on time. I talked to Phil, our regular car mechanic who runs a little shop off an industrial cul-de-sac. He doesn't like to work on Volkswagens or foreign stuff (or I never would have had the car at the dealer in the first place), but I asked him if he knew anyone who did.

Sure. A guy named Scott, a few miles away. I took the van there, after many a useless part replacement at the dealer. Another tiny shop in a junky neighborhood, but lots of cars parked out front. A good sign. Scott said he'd look at it. Got a phone call later that afternoon. Hadn't found the problem yet, but he thought he was on the trail, and he'd get back to me.

Finally called and said he'd fixed it. I went in. Turns out the electronic ground wire to the frame was gone, and he'd replaced it. Seven inches of green wire and a connector for a few bucks, plus the labor involved in "knowing where to hit it with the hammer." Car worked like a charm, and I've never taken it anywhere else. When we got the new Honda, we started having him work on that one, too.

Had to get a new catalytic converter last week for the Eurovan to pass a smog check. About 400 bucks. Scott said he could do it, but informed me that the state has a deal where they will subsidize part of the costs of smog repairs if I take it to a "state-approved" shop. Maybe I should go there and save some serious bucks?

I told him to hell with that. I'd rather take the hit in the wallet and see him get the business.

I don't know how other "Mom and Pop" businesses are doing, but I know at least two car mechanics who aren't hurting, and I know why, too.