you know, these things just happen..

Our car is an old Mazda 232 hatchback, not exactly a beauty and also not really what you would call “in good condition” but it brings me to Aachen safely and – most importantly – dry ;)

8 a.m., I start the car and it makes a screeching sound that is so frightening that I immediately switch it off again.

From my days in the Mercedes-callcenter I remember: This is the V-belt, the thing that connects the engine and the generator, it has gotten worn out and now in the coldness has lost its elasticity and slips over the discs producing this screeching sound.
Scenarios begin to appear in my head:

• Me on the Freeway waiting in the coldness for the technician that will never come
• me in a workshop in Aachen, not able to pay the tech who finds 20 more damages and won’t let me drive away anymore.

I realize, I am thinking in terms of “Mercedes” and not “18 year old Mazda that cost as much as your boots”
(although this is not quite true, my Dr. Marten’s boots cost 99,- EUR and the Mazda cost 125,- EUR but it’s close ;) )
so I open the Owners Manual and against all my fears I find the following passage:

…check the tension of the v-belt and make sure it does not move more than 10 mm if you press it with your thumb. If it does, open the screw above the generator and slide the generator to the left till tension is restored. Tighten the screw again and check tension again…

So instead of having to go to a workshop and leaving lots of $$$ there, I am even told how exactly I have to do it myself. I love this car :)