The Money Pit

The car is a money pit indeed.

I took it in this morning.

Pretty soon I get a call, with the estimate.

The bearing bad isn't the one on the right replaced a few months ago as I had hoped because the replacement would be free.  It's the one on the left.  I had trouble understanding that because the noise I hear is on curves to the left.  He said its all in where it wears and that they listened to each bearing with a stethoscope with the car elevated and running. 

And its the front brakes, he said, worse than the rear, so they are being replaced, along with the rotors.  I suppose I could have done the fronts myself.  Pads, all that, not that hard.  But I can't do the drum brakes.  Too many little teeny parts and not the right tools.

Money pit, that darn car.

Around here, can't be without a car.  Hauling groceries, cats, cat litter, going to the vet, and getting out of dodge now and then. I had to live without a car for years when in Corvallis and it was hell.  My world consisted of a few sad little blocks.  And even though Corvallis is small, it took hours to get groceries by bus.  Lots and lots of waiting.

I did my time without wheels.  But on my income, its darn hard to have a car. The insurance, the upkeep, the repairs.  Even old used cars with lots of miles now cost a lot to get.

Probably half the low incomers in this area drive without insurance.  It's a big risk and its awful when they hit somebody and knock out someone else's only means of transport, and there's no insurance to cover the victims' losses if that victim has only liability and most of the rest of us low incomers only carry liability.  Which means you are screwed if your car is stolen or hit by someone without insurance.

I see stories about people defending their cars when people try to steal them, and others say, its no big deal because the loss is covered by insurance if its stolen so let it go if someone's trying to steal it.  What world do they live in?  The one of rich people with full insurance coverage.  But that's a different world than many of us live within.  We don't even understand that world.

I hate being responsible sometimes.  I hate it that I follow all the rules and struggle horribly when other people don't follow any rules and work the system and get away with it and no one cares.

That's life. Not fair.  At least I have a roof over my head.  Yes I am bummed over the costs on this latest car repair.  I've been trying so hard to pay off the loan on buying the car.  Shoot.

I'm going to quit the pity party now.  I have a lot to be thankful for.   This is just an unexpected set back is all.