Hey folks,
It looks like my blower motor is going bad and I need it replaced. It is failing on all settings, including high. This started happening over a year ago, but these last few weeks it's happening a lot. The way I get it to come back on is to either drive over some potholes or to go on the highway and hit the “rumble strip” with my right tires. Has worked like a charm 3 times this week…but I know it's just gonna get worse and fail altogether.
I just had a certified shop take a look at it this morning, and they confirmed it's the blower motor and not just the resistor. (I admit, I am a woman who is not mechanical, and I may have the term wrong…) They estimated $300 for the part and labor, and said it'll only take an hour.
My beloved Vibe has 223,000 miles on it, and I just got through replacing the alternator, battery, starter and rotors a few months ago, spending $850. I am starting to think this blower motor repair could be done by a DIY mechanic and I don’t need to pay a certified shop to do it.
I am wondering if there is someone near me in South Hadley, Massachusetts who could do this work for less than the certified shop. And does it make sense to order the part on eBay or elsewhere online?
There are other repairs that are less urgent, like the front right fender liner is missing, a small front lower grill is missing, my bulb is burned out in the shifter console, the footrest on the floor broke off…Things I’ve just done without so far. My car was hit last July on the front right wheel/fender and there’s a small dent left, too. And some paint could use touch up, some scratches and dings here and there.
I’d love to get this blower motor fixed by the end of the weekend, or sooner if possible. I am a hearty New Englander, so I’m not so concerned about having no heat, but I don’t want to deal with ice and fog on the windows, and have it become a safety issue.
The other option here is to just replace this car asap. This is something I have to consider. But without having read all the forums here yet, I don't know how many miles my car could still have in it. I love my Vibe, and would consider getting a newer one with fewer miles. It's been a very reliable car up til recently, and I just love all the cargo space.
Thanks in advance for any and all input and referrals.