Natural Disaster Hits Minnesota

[Paul Kuettel <kuettel@pioneerplanet.infi.net>]

Hi All!

Traffic been kinda lite here lately, so I may as well relate my tale of
woe, in the vain hope that someone out there might have some helpful
ideas.

Long story short:

I went the whole nine yards with Blau on a set of calipers, rotors,
pads, cables and had my local grease monkey put it all on my '88 5KTQ.

Picked it up during the eight-biggest snowstorm, depthwise, in MN
history.  YIPEE!  Tore around all over the place, using the first really
good opp to use the diff lock this winter.

Noticed a funny sound in the back-end, and wouldn't have even paid it
much mind if not for the new work, which had my antenae up for unusual
sounds back there.  Snow was so deep that it was a muffled grind, but
car seemed to drive and brake ok.  After a few miles, just to check, I
pulled into a lot.

The right rear tire was shredded to bits and I had been rimming it for
god only knows how far.  Put on my full-size spare (from a Scorpio, fits
perfectly) and went to Norm's Tire to have some used rubber reattached
to my tortured rim, which luckily was still servicable.

On way home, rolled down window to order a Big King. Came halfway down
and set up quite a buzzing from somewhere under the dash.  Wouldn't go
up or down.  Mirrors and all other window switches instantly inop. 
Drove home with window down, snow flying in and that infernal buzz
continuing.  Finally the buzz stopped.  Finally blew a relay, I
figgered.

Parked it back home, brushed off the snow and let it sit overnight.

Next day I was ready to *go in* but instantly discovered that all
systems were down.  No power whatever.

Last year I spent $300 to have a local Audi Expert redo the wiring that
snakes through the A-pillar to the driver door.

He spliced every wire.  Right where things bend.  The rubber boot had
pulled back and there was quite a bit of copper wire braided together,
rubbing against the sharp bare metal of the hole in the door.

Should I take out a contract on this guy?  Since I store my Audi during
the summer, it had only gone 1200 miles since the *repair*

What can I expect to find, as far as collateral damage?  What could have
fried downstream?

Can anyone in GopherLand recommend a good electrician?  My mistake was
using a mechanic.  His mistake was accepting the work!!!

Sorry for the WOB.  It feels good to vent and I am getting sick of
having that dead car hogging garage space more deserving of my faithful
Merkurs ;-)

Cheers!

PK
St Paul, MN