Yesterday I was in a bad mood all day. Here is why:
Our 1996 Volvo that my parents gave to us a few years ago has been on the fritz lately (OK, for about the last year). It never starts on it's own (luckily we recently invested in a gizmo that allows you to jump your car without the use of another car. Lifesaver!) and the car frequently dies while driving, especially braking. After having to get out of the car at intersection, twice, to jump it, I finally decided that maybe it was time to take the car into the shop. Again. It's been in the shop two other times for this same probably for at least a week each time. Of course, just like a child, the car never acted up for them, so they could never find the problem. Well, the third time is a charm, they finally found the problem. The alternator needs to be replaced because it can't keep the battery charged. And, of course, like any scamming car mechanic, they found many other things that are cracked, leaking, torn, or otherwise failing. And me, being a completely dumb female when it comes to car knowledge, can't just drive the car around now knowing that other things might go wrong. So here's the breakdown:
Axle boot replacements (2): $467.36
Alternator replacement: $792.00
Serpentine belt torn: $37.00
Radiator hose leaking: $358.01
Front Sway Bar Links replacement: $133.95
Brake fluid flushed and refilled: $124.46
Rotate tires: $45.80
Upper Tork Strap bushing replacements: $192.02
Wiper arm replacement (on headlight, ha ha): $126.87
Antenna mast replacement: $101.09
Grand total: $2010.90
Anything else you would like to add to that, Mr. Car Mechanic? How about that pack of cigarettes? Or that greasy burger? Go ahead, just add it to the tab.
But this is not so much why I was in a bad mood all day. Mostly, it has to do with the fact that today marks the start of our search for a new car. Ugh. Not excited. Since we will not be putting 2 grand into a car that has given us problems from the get go, we have to find something else. In fact, the trade-in value of the car is about as much as it would cost to fix it so it's definitely out of the question. We were really hoping to make it through residency (only 2.5 more years!) without a car payment but now it looks unavoidable. We were all set to somehow cram three kids into the back seat (no this is not an announcement) but now, since we are looking, I guess we will find something bigger and more accommodating for a growing family.
So, here we go. Wish us luck!
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20 comments:
ewww. stinky! Sorry. This kind of thing totally gives me anxiety. I didn't even go with Travis when he bought our car a few months ago. I can't handle it. Good Luck!
Once we get back to Wichita we will be doing the same thing. And I am NOT looking forward to it at all. I just keep telling Jamieson to ride a bike to work, but he doesn't really want to when there are tornados. Picky picky. Good luck.
This is so funny! Spencer and I just decided (seriously, like 20 minutes ago) that we were going to do the same thing. We're going tonight to look for a car . . .
Gag. I hate car shopping. Good luck. Want our chrysler pacifica? Seats 6 . . .great car . . .okay. I'll stop.
Jordan, I thought you guys just bought a car?!? Hmmm... that Pacifica is starting to sound pretty good... ;)
yuk. We hired someone to buy ours at auction since we knew we wanted a used car. We're trying to decide if we should get a new car when we get back. The green machine is still working but w/o heat or air. We're looking at old mercedes station wagons. They have a rear seat so they seat 7, they're diesel, and they're pretty pimped out cars, just older. We'll see.
After that, there should have been a dozen roses and a box of chocolates in the front seat.
That sucks!! But it's pretty amazing that you made it this far into your marriage without a car payment! I don't know what kind of a car you are looking for, but we love our Honda Pilot and haven't heard anyone who doesn't like them (it might be something fun to go test drive at least). Good luck!
Wow! And I am coming up on my 30,000 mile check up for our Honda Pilot and that is like $395!
So, what kind of car are you looking for,... a mini van, or some other kind of suv? good luck with your search!
Actually, Dave here, not Rena. Wow that's a load of moolah they want. That's a lot of stuff to have done. Half of it probably isn't absolutely necessary (sway bar links, brake fluid, torque strap bushings, wiper arm, antenna mast) and the other half is pretty overpriced. If you guys were still around I'd give you a hand. The alternator (the most critical thing) costs $220 (at most) at Autozone. Replacing it (if you know what you're doing) takes 20 minutes (I replaced Steve Smith's for him). Serpentine belt has to come off when the alternator comes off so replacing that wouldn't take any more time and costs about $15-20.
Axle boots-not $467, more like $50
Radiator hose(s) $50.
rotate tires-free
brake fluid-$10 of fluid and some time
wiper arm-less than $50
antenna-$40
sway bar bushings-$20
These are just part prices. The repairs aren't glamorous so I think they want to make it worth their while to spend the time on. Otherwise they can make their money elsewhere. Anyhoo, good luck. Cars suck.
Those car jumper things are great! We gave them to parents for Christmas and both have been used. Make sure you take it camping, too, for alternate power. With the car...you may want to check out Hyundai. I know that they are cheap cars, but their ratings have really gone up and they have full repair warranties up to 100k miles for every part of the car. At least you know that if something goes wrong, it won't cost you a cent and they always provide free rental cars. I never had to take advantage of it, bc my Hyundai in college "just wouldn't die" even when I wanted it to!!
Holy cow, Dave. Thanks for the info. I really wish we would have talked to you before we left so cal because we were having this problem there too! I can't believe how much they jack up their prices! Is it just because it's a Volvo?
The major cost has to be the labor they jack up.
If your going to go bigger, I say you test drive both SUV's and minivans. Remember to think about 3 car seats placement and who can buckle themselves in and how easy it is to get into the back seat. Thats my two cents. Good Luck!
I at first was against minivans, but now I think they are great, even though I do not have one. I think that they are easier for kids to get in and out of and into their own seats. Plus you can get a minivan with automatic doors that open and shut. But it also all depends on the amount of space you want and need, especially in the back trunk. I do like out Honda Pilot though. Honda is a great brand and safe.
Totally listen to Dave. He was a lifesaver! We got a similar quote for the 19 yo Honda (it wasn't running either, or starting up for that matter) and he got it down to $300 for parts and a manual that taught them how to do the repairs. And it's been running fine since. Maybe you guys could find a manual and a friend who does their own repairs (cause they have the tools).
I know fixing an old car sucks, but we've done it again and again, because no matter how you cut it, repairs always cost less than buying another car, even if the old car is technically not worth it. That said, we're not keeping the Honda for much longer after residency is over ... here's to lasting 1 more year!!
Oh, and if you go mini van, don't get the 2004 Sienna. I love my van and it has had relatively no problems, but they totally screwed up on the brake design. We have to replace them every 8-10 months. Yuck. The newer models were redesigned with a larger/better pad. I hate cars.
Oh Meggie! I'm sorry to hear about your frustrations! I hope you figure something out and that it all falls into place. Both of our vehicles have well over 200,000 miles...so, we may be in the same boat before long and I don't even want to think about it!
Thanks for the good laugh!!! "Just add your cigs and burger to the tab" Seriously, I needed a good laugh.
Ugh! I'm so so sorry. But I'm glad you are getting a car that won't leave you hanging in an intersection. We won't get this for a loooonnnngggg time (like when we have four kids and were forced to) but I like the Honda Pilot. Jordan, didn't you just get a car? and didn't the blog entry have some label like 5 cars in 3 years? explain please. :D Bonus Meg- you'll have a newish car.
First Megan, I want to tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts! You have such a talent for telling stories! They are always so funny!
Also, I just wanted to tell you that we found ourselves in a similar situation about 2 years ago, except that both our cars needed to be badly replaced. That presented a very difficult situation for us to be in cause that meant not one, but TWO car payments?? Yikes! So, we bought one and leased the other and I have to say, leasing is not a bad option to save money. If you can't come up with a decent downpayment, the lease monthly payment can be cheaper than buying a car. It's getting us through a hard time when we can't afford 2 full car payments. You might disagree, but I just thought I'd tell you what worked for us.
By the way, we got the Honda Pilot and love it! It's a great family car!
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