My car hates me

[Food Lady]

and I need to vent.
Well, let me start with the fact that I scheduled a flex day today so I'd rather not have a bunch of annoyances.
At the optometrist's office I was given a trial pair of contacts and of course I dropped the one for the eye that matters in the trash. So they had to order one. That was mildly irritating. Then I stepped in what may have been pee in a dept. store bathroom. After that I went ahead with my plans to try out my coworker's dad's coffee shop and he made the latte too hot and I burned my tongue.

So on to the car: since yesterday it's been shaking while idling. I drove over to the shop and they can't look at it today but offered to let me drop it off and borrow their car. I declined because he was in the middle of helping a customer and I have stuff I need to unload anyway. But now I feel stuck because I'm afraid to drive it. Well, I guess I can stay home and do laundry...

But anyway I've already spent $1800 on it. I have no beef with my mechanic. He didn't charge much for the huge amount of work he's done on it and honestly it will always need work because it's old. Also I can afford it. But I am not getting ahead on my debts. I could take out a loan and get a newer car but I'm afraid if my creditors find out they'll put a lien on it. Or they will start garnishing my pay again so I won't be able to make the loan payments.

I guess I have to fix it. Again. ugh

[Pixelated]

I hear ya. My last car was literally disintegrating under me (whatever the thingies are that hold the engine in place ... two or three of 'em broke, all at once. You would not believe what a racket that made) and I was in no position to buy a new one. Somewhere around that time my mechanic basically told me that I was just throwing good money after bad; the car had had it. He'd been doing patchwork on it for a couple of years already.

I was lucky; a family member was able to help out. I had $5,000 to work with and you can't get a lot for $5,000 ... but at least my current vehicle isn't falling apart (yet).

Sounds like you've got a good mechanic, anyway; that is a huge plus. Hope he can work some low-cost magic on your car.

[protege]

So on to the car: since yesterday it's been shaking while idling.

This could be as simple as needing a tune-up...or as much as a broken engine mount. Tune ups aren't too bad--the mechanic will check the spark plugs, replace them and their wires, adjust the valves, and make sure the rest of the ignition system is doing what it's supposed to. A broken engine mount is more serious. If one goes, the resulting vibration can damage the other one(s) as well. While they can be replaced, it's a pain in the ass. Mostly because you have to jack up the engine slightly, to take off the weight. Yes, I know from experience. I got lucky, in that the engine had to come out anyway...

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I recall when my Saturn was misfiring, it would vibrate when at idle. Not violently, but noticeably.

Ended up being close to a grand to finally fix, because a couple other fixes were done before the problem was finally found.

[Food Lady]

$86 + tax and I can pick it up tomorrow. I lost my phone last night, too, and I went back to 2 stores before I found it in the car.

[dalesys]

$86 + tax and I can pick it up tomorrow. I lost my phone last night, too, and I went back to 2 stores before I found it in the car.

My pup* chewed up my phone and my finger two months ago... the nail's about ready to come off.


*there's a good reason daughter starts with daug. First she smashes my fingertip in the car door, then later she runs over my phone and wedges it between the wheel and the rotor so there's practically no evidence.

[Pixelated]

$86 + tax and I can pick it up tomorrow. I lost my phone last night, too, and I went back to 2 stores before I found it in the car.

Excellent! I mean, NO repairs would've been better but since that wasn't in the cards, $86 + tax isn't too bad at all.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I could take out a loan and get a newer car *snip*

THAT'S ONE NINETY-NINE RIDE DOT COM! WOOOOOOO!

Only myself, and possibly the OP, will get the reference.

[Racket_Man]

THAT'S ONE NINETY-NINE RIDE DOT COM! WOOOOOOO!

Only myself, and possibly the OP, will get the reference.

I have NOT heard good things about that place.