The Osmun’s are a four-car family. Daughter logs some 2,000 miles a month in a 2009 Malibu, commuting between her Lakewood and Windsor clinics, running errands, and having some fun. Husband leaves the house mornings, lunch box in tow, for a four-mile commute in his prized 2004 F150. As for me? I’m wife, mother, caregiver of elderly mom and hyper Sheltie, and designated family “go-fer.” This happens when you retire and start staying home! I rarely log over 15 miles on any one given day in my 2002 Buick Century, though some days l’d like to head for the New Mexico border. The oil in my crankcase would solidify before I even approached the recommended 3,000 miles between oil changes. But my GMC driver’s manual and the experts at Colchin Automotive and Diesel say “Oil change at 3,000 miles or every 6 months to enhance performance and prolong the life of a vehicle.” For the past 27 years Colchin has handled maintenance and repair for a garden variety of Osmun “rides” including a Jeep Cherokee with vapor lock, a Toyota Corona with an elusive electrical short, and a Mercury Mystic with five recalls.
By now you’re probably wondering about the Osmun’s fourth vehicle. It’s our back-up, an inherited 1995 Oldsmobile Delta 88 which we garage religiously. It was Grand Dad Osmun’s last car. His tire pressure gauge, tattered gas mileage notebook, and TUMS are still in the glove box. The blue-green cruiser has traction control and plush upholstery. Oh, Grand Dad loved the car. He found excuses to drive to the hardware store every day. He’d drive 10 miles to fill-up at a station selling gas for 2 cents a gallon less. Folks who survived the Great Depression and WWII were inclined to think that way. But you do the math. . . .
With over 100,000 miles, the Oldsmobile sports multiple dents, scrapes, and loose molding which we willl never repair. There was that guard rail, the barrier post at the car wash, and that sapling maple on top of the median— all fond reminders of Dad’s final months behind the wheel.
Anyway, Colchin Automotive and Diesel keeps the Osmun fleet road ready. The Malibu needs an oil change every seven to eight weeks based on sheer mileage. The F150 maybe goes 50 miles a week and it could be 18 months before logging 3,000 miles. Still, the pickup goes in for service in six months. And the Buick and Olds are regular visitors at Colchin. Our family relies on all four cars. We want peak performance and reliability, and it all starts with the regular oil change which prevents many costly repairs.
Until 1995 it was a 10-minute trip to Colchin Automotive and Diesel from our Arvada home. Then a job change took us to Southeast Denver near the Tech Center. We tried several repair shops in our area, and quickly discovered that Colchin’s honesty, integrity and expertise are not easily matched. Soooo, we wait until “after-traffic” on I-25 and I-70 to drop off or pick up a vehicle. For oil service and easy fixes, I drive to Arvada mid-morning and wait for service in Colchin’s nice new location at Grandview and LaMar.
The Osmun’s go way back with Todd, Carrie, Clay, Josh, Cody and Jason. They’re fine folks capable of the most complicated repair on any make or model. And, they stand behind their work. Colchin Automotive and Diesel—well worth the drive.