CAR FOLKS ROCK!

I don't know how many times I have to say it, but "car folks" are great. After stopping at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum (www.aacamuseum.org) in Hershey, Pa., late Friday, Jan. 30, we started off towards Ohio and heard a noise in our 2003 Ford Ranger getting worse. We figured the clicking and howling was a bad serpentine belt, so we exited in Carlise (home of 10 big sawp meets this year) and headed for an Auto Zone store to buy a belt. The young man there listened to the problem and said that he also worked at Family Ford in Carlisle. He though we had a bad camshaft synchronizer (whatever that is) rather than a worn belt. He recommended calling McCafferty Ford in Mechanicsburg, which had Saturday service hours. We actually called Hoffman Ford in Harrisburg, but they were all booked up and also gave us McCafferty's number. After calling and explaining our problem, the service manger Ken said to bring the truck in. And believe it or not, they had it fixed by 10:30. Wow! What service! Not only that -- the parts prices were in the same ballpark as they were at Auto Zone. It cost a bit in labor to get the truck fixed, but far less than roadside service, a tow and the same repair later on. I do not know if the counterman at Auto Zone or the service manager at the Ford dealership are interested in "old cars," but they're still "car folks" and they still treated me great. If you live in the Carlisle area andd read this, I recommend either of these local car businesses. If you do business at either place, please tell them I said "Thanks."