the car

So of course it being Saturday that means my son gets up nice and early, this day being no exception, 0630.  So I take him off to his Tae Kwon Do class and keep hoping for the call from the dealership saying yes it really is only the battery it will cost 100 bucks you’re good to go but of course things never go like that. 

After Tae Kwon Do we’re of to the other house to do laundry as usual.  Due to the car issue I have decided to return quiet a few of the items I purchased from Aveda just in case the car tag is ridiculous.  But when I go to return the items, they don’t want to refund the money for everything so I only end up getting $65 back and the rest of the stuff is a credit.   So when we come back from the mall, I finally get the call from the Toyota people and yes it was the battery BUT they checked my brakes and I have zero brakes in the back and only about 45% in the front so of course they are advising new breaks cost $290, then they said that the power steering fluid area has some red fluid it in the container and it is suppose to be clear. 

I advise them to change the brakes.  They say the car will be ready at 1330 but I have to take my son to a birthday party at 1300hr so they will have to wait.  Off to the party we go and of course while I am there I start thinking about the car problems.  So even though I just had the power steering fluid flushed in February (I checked my receipts when I got back to the other house, also had to check when the brakes were done because I knew they had been done recently but they ended up being the front ones done in Oct)I have to get it done again because someone is an idiot, cost $ 126, on and did I mention the battery cost $119.  Basically when it’s all done current cost is $578.95 but of course they have recommended new tires soon (I already knew that), new timing belt and water pump and brakes in the front, cost don’t even want to imagine. 

So when talking to them at the b-day party, I start to ask why do I have to change the timing belt and water pump because I bought the car certified and I thought that meant they had replaced all the usual stuff. NOPE not the case, the only thing they do to make it certified is whatever has to be done according to the owner’s manual at the current mileage the car is being sold at.  So in other words it’s a big waste of money because certified vehicles usually cost about 3 to 4 grand more than non-certified.  It’s all-good though they when I bought my car and I gave them my trade in they gave me a lot more than it was worth so I guess we both came out even.  They screwed me I screwed them, but that was two years ago so it’s irrelevant now anyway.

So after the birthday party and going to get my car on our way home I have to fill up ($63 of course) and as I am pumping right in front of the gas station I see this car hauling ass in the fast lane but there is a car that looks like he is trying to pulling to the gas station form the fast lane and next thing you know, big crash.  The lady in the car gets out and starts cussing the dude out.  The cops came pretty quick and she was still cussing, the cop had to tell her to get back in the car several times because she kept interrupting when he was questioning the guy calling him a liar and all this other stuff.

Anyway even though I saw the crash I didn’t see everything that happened before it, so I didn’t bothering giving a witness statement.  Then I start explaining to my son how lucky we are that the car had only broken down and no one had hit us.  He mentioned the lady cussing the dude out and I was trying to explain to him sometimes accidents happen and getting upset doesn’t help anyone.  No one in the accident was hurt and there was only minor damage to both cars.  Of course this lead to a discussion on what about if you’re in a hurry or late for work and I of course try to explain that rushing somewhere isn’t worth getting hurt or dying.  Then I explain why I cuss people out sometimes, it’s not because they are hurrying, it’s because they are not driving properly, like not using their turn signal (which is one of my pet peeves).  I explain that using your signal lets other drivers know what you are doing and gives them time to react if they have to.