Almost two months ago I started to drive to work and the power steering and brakes on our van weren't working. That was a fun drive around the block. The day after that adventure our baby sitter went to California for a month. We decided that rather than investigate then and there (in the negative temps and crippling wind chills and 10 feet of snow) we'd wait until we actually had child care again and a "need" for a second vehicle.
My husband just put some power steering fluid into the van (today) and turned it on. I don't know if the van was angry or if there's a small nasty monster living in the engine (the monster clearly was VERY upset by the new power steering fluid). OH MY GOODNESS that noise was NOT a good noise. There's also a MASSIVE puddle of fluid under the van (angry monster pee?) that looks like oil. (I did check the dip stick... there's no oil in the engine) For real though, did winter poke holes in the entire underbelly of our van?
Here's where I want to scream and say, "WHY!?!?! Why when we basically just got our tax refund back, why when I feel like I might be able to pay all the bills on time next month, why when I finally have $1000 in the emergency fund... WHY!?!?!?!?" The van is shot. We're not even bringing it into a shop. No brakes, no power steering, an enormous puddle of oil coupled with the fact that it's super old and only gets about 15MPG fuel efficiency... We're scrapping the beast (and the nasty little monster with it).
I'm not going to scream though. I'm not going to lose ANY sleep over this situation. I'm not even going to blame Murphy even though I am secretly wishing that he is the monster in the engine right now that just majorly growled at my husband and me and that as soon as we ship the sucker off we'll never have to hear from Murphy again. I am just going to say hooray! "Hooray there's $1100 in the savings account and we can probably get a $2000 ish vehicle from somewhere. Hooray, we're going to get a "new" car!"
And I'll just leave it at that. No matter what we get I think I'm just going to stay in this chipper state of mind and pretend that it's a BMW (for the longest time as a kid I dreamed of owning one). "Hooray, we're getting a BMW!" You think I should change my status on facebook to let all my "friends" in on the great news? I'm getting a beemer!!!
I have HAD IT with car problems here! It's been something just about every week since the beginning of the year.
ReplyDeleteSeriously OVER IT.
I am seriously considering leasing a new car. I know, insanity has taken hold of me.
After reading your post I am off to see what leasing a new beemer would cost.....lol
What'd you find out on the beemer, hehe :-)
DeleteCars really are one of the necessary evils in life. THEY SUCK but man oh man is day to day operating difficult without them.
We've had this van for many many years (bought it old and used) and apart from one episode we've done hardly any repairs on it. Currently it needs all kinds of repairs in the stabilizing, steering, axle, tie roddy area (can you tell I'm a technician). The tires are BALD, really old, and all need to be replaced. Like I said it's recently drained itself of all it's fluids. Poor little bugger is just begging to get scrapped.
I love your blog & have been reading it for a long time but never commented before. The van situation made me want to contribute my 2 cents! Sorry you guys have to deal with that when things are tight as is. I was wondering when it gets dragged off where it is going? Could you take it to a scrap yard & maybe get a couple hundred bucks in scrap metal for it? Another suggestion is that you could possibly consider selling some of the working parts on ebay, I know you have talked about selling on ebay in the past. I did that with our oven last year when it died, I tore it apart & sold some of the parts on ebay & made over $100 profit on them. My husband thought I was crazy but changed his mind pretty quick once the parts started selling. Anyway just was hoping that maybe you could salvage a bit of money form it. Good luck with finding another vehicle.
ReplyDeleteRhonda
Thanks for the comment! I don't think either my husband or myself are capable of piecing it out but we are going to look into getting rid of it. I planned to call the local junk yard(s) and see what they'll give us for it. We actually have two scrap metal places fairly near us. I can see if they take cars. I know they buy metal; not sure about vehicles though. We should be able to get something for it from someone.
DeleteOh wow, big news, and I hope you get something for the van. Here's to a new beemer :))
ReplyDelete