DIY Is Never Just "Yourself"

Now that other people get to rate the Fit on the Turo app, and by extension that’s a rating of me, suddenly I care about the Fit looking its best.

The headlights have been foggy for awhile.

I had tried to clean them a year ago with toothpaste and a toothbrush because the internet told me that would work and I’m gullible, but, shockingly to no one but me, it did not.

This time I watched a couple more YouTube videos and Yessa and I headed to our local auto store to get the necessary supplies.

I had one day between rentals and the internet told me it would only take an hour to get the headlights sparkly, so I settled in to get it done.

I followed the directions in the kit we purchased mostly exactly.

After several hours and running through the directions multiple times, the headlights looked much worse.

In slight despair, but also acknowledgment that this was a scenario that has played out for us many times before, I returned to YouTube and Google searches to see if this scenario had ever happened to anyone else in the world, ever.

It had. In the exact way it was happening to me.

Unfortunately for my piece of mind, and upcoming rental, the answers ranged from; “you should have had them done by a professional” (unhelpful), to, “it’s fine, you just need to keep doing what you are doing over and over again,” (a definition of insanity.)

I decided some human interaction was necessary since time was quickly passing.

Back to my favorite auto shop and luckily, I found Kevin, an older white man, ready to offer his wise council.

“Based upon how they looked when you pulled in (I cleverly pulled right in with my headlights facing the registers so I could share my work easily.), I think you just need to keep going, doing what you’ve been doing.”

After a little more discussion; sharing more specifics about what I had done so far, Kevin’s suggestion that I settle in with a glass of sweet tea or whiskey since I still had a few hours of work ahead of me, reassuring Kevin he was not old since the hand sanding I was doing would not have been his choice, and him telling me I seemed awfully nice, I bought more sand paper of assorted grits and headed back home.

Fi and Buds got a workout in while I settled back to sanding. We were each grateful for the company, thrumping music, and encouragement.

Lo and behold, Kevin was correct and after 15 minutes of sanding with 800, then 15 minutes of sanding with 1500, then 2000, and finally 2500, the headlights were clean, clear, and smooth.

For next time, this was a helpful video I watched. I didn’t follow it exactly, and it still worked out.

Six hours, two trips to Advance Auto Zone, one vehicle therapy session with Kevin, and ~$50, totally worth it.

The feeling that I can figure things out, priceless.

Ready to rent the next time you are in town. 🥰🥰 Friends and family discount will be applied.