A car is an investment in not this.
About 3 years ago, we bought a car. Not only because I am super lazy and don’t like to walk to places, but also because our other car decided that it needed to drop the transmission for some reason. I’m not smarty, but I know that when your transmission drops, you will also be dropping…lots of money on fixing it. Rather than drive around in a van that sounds like a stick shift that is constantly in first gear, we decided to get another car instead.
It was a great investment in my feet. Also my kids feet, who are pretty good at complaining as taught by their father. They like to ask for things like food and shelter and cars to drive them around. I swear, some people are so high maintenance.
Anyways, we took a completely unproductive Saturday (which is what they are supposed to be) and turned it into a productive Saturday, by visiting dealerships, looking at ads on the internet and then visiting other dealerships, then talking to mobsters, uh, car salesman, about getting a new car. It was emotionally draining sitting in uncomfortable chairs while my wife badgered these people and told them to lower the price and give us more stuff. Then it was even more emotionally draining signing paper after paper, and telling the “warranty” guy no time after time. No, we don’t want the undercoating, no we don’t want the extended warranty, no we don’t want the optional seat belts. Geez.
We finally got out of there completely scathed. It was well after nightfall, as I drove our transmission noise maker to the dealership to complete the trade in deal. We had our highly mediocre car with the one day test trial of Satellite radio, the luxury pleather seats, and an enormous bill for the next 60-700 months. I couldn’t wait to get it out on the road to do some drifting, but my wife said that vans aren’t for drifting.
What we did find out is that they aren’t very good at tires. For some reason, this new car had a passenger front tire that lasted barely longer than the satellite radio.
But you know you just figure it’s a new car, it’s just because tire pressure fluctuates and we’ll just go fill it up and it will be fine. And it was. Until a month goes by and it does it again.
On and off the little tire messes with our psyche. Every time we think it works, it comes along and doesn’t. But it is just such a little thing, we deal with it.
We take it to Firestone, they tell us they can’t find anything. Then, about a year later, our tire tread is too low, so state/federal law says blah de blah and you have to get new tires. Which is fine with us. It may cost a grand to replace them all, but at least that freaking leak with go away.
And it did. For a while.
Oh crap, it’s me.
Then, just like that annoying “friend” who goes away just enough for you to feel safe again, just to pop up and need money just when you don’t have any, our little “friend” came back.
First it was once a month, then once a week, then every other day. Now, it freaking every single day! And honestly, we would fill it up, then come home and get the stupid warning sign again.
Saturday, we took it to Sam’s Club. Fully ready to stay all day if necessary. They got us in. Asked if we had any nails or anything puncturing the tire. Nope. Nothing. They put some sealant on it, filled it back up. And we were on our bitter way. We spent the rest of the day going to a movie, shopping for some Father’s Day clothes, and breathing contently that our tire was finally fixed.
Then we woke up the next day. Drove to church, so excited that it was fixed. We even checked the tire, just to make sure. 36 just like it was the night before.
Finally.
But wait, did that say 24 just as it switched back? I must be seeing things. Yep, I’m seeing red. I am ready to douse this thing with gasoline and light it on fire. And throw it off a cliff.
Hey car, you’re fired.
Man am I tired of this thing.
ARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH
Bitter Tired of this Thing Ben