I am going home early.

[threadwalker]

It took me 2+ hrs, but I got my shed cleaned up and resorted out. But I'm not going home early for projecty-goodness.

Da spousal unit tiddied up the kitchen so I could make chickeny-goodness tonight, but I getting off early won't mean getting dinner on the table by dinner time.

I'd like to get home early to do a ton of "must do" chores, but even though I'm leaving early I won't get home early enough for any of that.

I'm leaving early because I don't have a car and I need time to walk from BART to preschool so I can check the kids out. Then we can then walk home.

When I dropped my car off this morning, I was whisked down to BART by "Chris", the nice mechanic. I had a vague plan to pick up the car after work; maybe Chris could pick me up from the BART station since he's low man on the totem pole at the shop. However, then I talked to Joe (the mechanic who owns the shop and whom I have great trust in), who said, "Your car is a mess. That car is not safe to take the kids in." I thought he was joking, but he was not.

I only heard the squeaky brake this week: all four are down to the rotor?

The fan belt is the original fan belt: Who knew the fan belt was on the edge of self-combusting?

I paid Jiffy Lube for my 90K fix, but now it's all crap?

The tires were replaced in recent memory (well, my memory sucks, maybe I need to consult someone else). But you have discovered something in the undercarriage is digging into the tires? That can't be good. And it's the "nut" on the "do-hikcy" of the steering thing-a-mabob?

And that stuck back door? they've never seen anything like it and they are going to have to take the interior panel off to get at it.

I actually brought the car in for an oil change, a peak at the brakes, and to get the back door unjammed (I have a door that won't open.)

After I got the diagnoses and an estimate on the prognosis; after the shock wore off, I realized I'd be Volvo-less through at least Friday. Then I called the spousal unit at lunch (when he does not answer his phone) and left a message. Yes, I am a coward. But he needs time to digest the info and embrace the reality before we can actually talk. Frankly, it is what it is. It costs less to repair than to buy another. And I've had very few reasons to take this car in. So I've skated for almost 4 years on just oil changes and tune-ups. In a sense, I guess I'm lucky that my 2nd hand car has been less hassle.

What will I drive tomorrow?
The blue truck is currently on loan to someone who's carless.
The suburban has no tags.
Or maybe I don't get to drive. Tomorrow might be a good chance to try biking to/from the BART station.

And man-oh-man, I wore the wrong shoes for hoofing it around town today!

Let me add, if the back door is stuck shut because there is a super-hero action figure jammed in it, 2 little kids are going to be very unhappy about some new rules in mommy's car.

Where is the silver lining? Other than I haven't died in the death-trap. Well... I guess that IS the silver lining.

There's a Big 5 near BART... maybe I'll swing through and get some socks and a cheap pair of sneakers for the rest of the walk home.

There are people who seem to skate through life with minimal drama. Is that like a phone plan that you can sign up for? I want to sign up for that plan. "Can you hear me now?" would be, "Can you detect drama now?" I want boring. Boring is good.

Comments

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I dropped quite a bit of money right before Christmas for something similar, though I knew it was coming. Yes, the silver lining is that neither you, your husband, or your children died in it, and that it costs less to fix than to buy a new one. It still sucks, though.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

oh man, car woes. I've put way too much into mine recently, but I expect it to last me another 5 years.

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

spending money on car repairs is like spending money on a new roof. You need it, but it's 'responsible' spending. It's not like remodeling a bath, or redecorating. No one sees it, but you have to do it and you're out a huge chunk of change. No fun. But not dying in a death trap car is good. Not rear-ending someone because you couldn't stop in time, and having to pay huge insurance monies is also good.

[fighter-chick.livejournal.com]

Silver Lining = Not getting your kids and/or yourself killed when the brakes tear through the rotors and stop working at the wrong moment.

Cars cost money. Not just to buy, insure, and fuel. As cars get older (and a car that's had a 90K service is "older") you have to spend more and more to keep them safe and operable. Just oil changes and the service at Jiffy Lube aren't enough. Car parts wear out--they don't often last for the life of a vehicle. It took me years (and several major fights with Da Husband) to wrap my head around this concept. But it's real and the truth. C

ase in point:

A couple of years ago, I noticed that my truck was shuddering when I braked medium to hard. I took it in, and insisted that the rotors be planed even though it cost...er...lots.

It was only a couple of months later that that bicyclist went down right in front of me in the rain on Hwy 9. If my brakes had still been shuddering, I probably wouldn't have been able to stop before running over his body and probably killing him. Just hitting him was bad enough. If my choice is spending $800 or more on car repairs or being responsible for someone's untimely death, I'll spend the $800 every single time.

[beanolc.livejournal.com]

I'm glad this was your wake up call and not any of the scenarios listed above. Being responsible sucks, but it is what it is.

Um, hey...

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

And that stuck back door? they've never seen anything like it and they are going to have to take the interior panel off to get at it.

You ALWAYS have to take off the interior panel to get at juicy door bits.

And yeah, given how busy your life is, I'm not surprised you're not taking the car in every quarter.

And yeah, parts do wear out. Better to catch them.

Good luck with the drama! But this is minor, one day drama. Think: soon, the Cave! The CAVE!