Here In My Car
If I could spontaneously develop knowledge of one subject, without doing any actual work, it would be knowledge of cars (parts, maintenance, general prices of repairs, etc)
To be honest, I know not a lot about cars. I mean I know enough to take it to get it's oil change, and I generally pump my own gas, but other than that I don't know what does what. Up until this weekend I didn't know what rotors were, or that my car had two sets of brake pads. This became good information to have because on Saturday, a leisurely trip to the gas station to have a faint squealing noise inspeced, turned into me needing to replace the brakes, rotors and one set of brake pads on my car.
This knowledge of cars could have come in handy LAST year when I replaced my rear brake pads and was charged the same amount it cost me THIS weekend to replace the other pads, rotors and brakes. Reamed much?
The thing is, I need my car. I am really attached to it and not just because I need it to drive to work (my company is not T accessible) although that is a big part of it. I just love being able to get in and go whenever and wherever I want. And the thought of something being wrong with my car freaks me out so much that the few times that I have had a problem, as soon as I am told what it is and how much it costs I am all "OMG FIX IT! PLEASE FIX IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!". Even though smart people tell me you should always shop around. Or at least call Adam's dad who used to be a mechanic and might be able to fix whatever it is himself. But no, my maternal instinct (what little I have of it) kicks in and I want my baby better and I want her better NOW.
Hence paying what I have no determined to be a crapload for my brakepads last year.
I am getting better though, on Saturday when I was on the phone with the mechanic who broke (braked!) the bad news, over the din of Adam yelling to me "Tell him you'll call him back, call my dad!" I instead asked the mechanic "You're not screwing me, right? I mean that's a fair price?" and he assured me he was not, and it was.
So I'm gonna believe that until next year when something else happens and I find out otherwise.
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4 comments:
Ouch when something is wrong with the baby and the expenses are unexpected. :(
Man, I love getting screwed over by mechanics. I usually cry and tell them I'm calling my Dad. Wow. I'm ready to be a GROWN UP! :)
I read this post the other day and felt bad for you. Now I feel your pain.
I took my car to a brake shop today to 'just get a FREE inspection' and $250 later ended up with new brake pads & rotors. I actually did cry a little! I was SO mad (at no one, which made it worse).
It's really frustrating to go somewhere thinking you'll just get a quote and then have to spend a ton of money. Plus at first I felt like the mechanics were trying to screw me (because I'm a girl), but when I made it obvious that I was suspicious they showed me everything they were doing and explained it all...it definitely put me at ease.
I'm still pissed about the $250 though! :)
aww poor girl! yeah, having a car is a double edged sword. its great for getting around but the unexpected expenses are nerve wracking!!!
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