In all my years of driving, I've done a pretty half-assed job taking care of my vehicles. Sure, they got the necessities like oil and air in the tires, but for the most part, preventative care like tune-ups were not done.
Then came the Matrix. I tried really hard to get regular oil changes and do some of that preventative work because it was such a nice little car. We depended on it. Once Balin was born, I didn't get around to it. I just didn't have the time. I had hoped Robinson would think to do it, but if he's not looking the beast in the eye right then and there, he won't tackle it.
Our poor car died yesterday. I was driving back from the quilter's when I started to lose power. Then the car died. Luckily, there were two cars behind me. The first guy didn't stop, but the next guy did. He took me home. I called Robinson and explained the situation. He got one of his co-workers to drive him out there and after pouring in some oil, he determined that the car would have to be towed since the car wouldn't turn over.
After a day's wait, the mechanics called with the verdict: the oil rod had gone through the engine which meant that the engine was shot. It would take $4000 and about 5 months to put our poor Matrix back together again.
So, now we are stuck either buying another car that we can't afford or fixing our car, which we also can't afford. Unfortunately, Fairbanks is not the kind of city where you can't have a car. The public transit isn't very good and we don't live anywhere near a bus route.
The thing is, I'm surprisingly calm about this experience. Sometimes it takes a big "uh-oh" moment to make sure that you never, ever do a stupid thing like not get regular oil changes again.
Our future cars will have it so good.
Blessed be.
Blessed be.
Then came the Matrix. I tried really hard to get regular oil changes and do some of that preventative work because it was such a nice little car. We depended on it. Once Balin was born, I didn't get around to it. I just didn't have the time. I had hoped Robinson would think to do it, but if he's not looking the beast in the eye right then and there, he won't tackle it.
Our poor car died yesterday. I was driving back from the quilter's when I started to lose power. Then the car died. Luckily, there were two cars behind me. The first guy didn't stop, but the next guy did. He took me home. I called Robinson and explained the situation. He got one of his co-workers to drive him out there and after pouring in some oil, he determined that the car would have to be towed since the car wouldn't turn over.
After a day's wait, the mechanics called with the verdict: the oil rod had gone through the engine which meant that the engine was shot. It would take $4000 and about 5 months to put our poor Matrix back together again.
So, now we are stuck either buying another car that we can't afford or fixing our car, which we also can't afford. Unfortunately, Fairbanks is not the kind of city where you can't have a car. The public transit isn't very good and we don't live anywhere near a bus route.
The thing is, I'm surprisingly calm about this experience. Sometimes it takes a big "uh-oh" moment to make sure that you never, ever do a stupid thing like not get regular oil changes again.
Our future cars will have it so good.
Blessed be.
Blessed be.
0 comments: