Doooooom!
I took my poor little car in for it's MOT yesterday. I knew it wouldn't pass, it's about 12 years old for a start, and last time it went to the garage I was warned that there are problems with the exhaugst.
Bloke rang me up just after lunch time. "Are you sitting comfortbly?" he says "it's failed misserably" I sigh deeply, and admit that I thought it would, greatful that I had saved a couple of hundred quid to cover the costs.
He ran through the problems with the car - which I admit I didn't understand, but all the work he's done on it in the past has been good work, and good value too so I trust him.
Then he hits me with the big one. "I've estimated the cost, it's rounded up so it might cost less. £500.00...." That 50 more than the car cost to BUY! But, I thought, I do need a car, and what are the chances of me being able to buy a 2nd hand car that's not going to cost me the same or more? After all, I can't afford to go to a dealer, so it would have to be a private sale which has no garuntees.
I tried to call mum and get her advice (and beg for a loan to help pay for either repairs or replacement car), but she wasn't in. I called the garage back and said "Go for it, fix the car".
This morning (in fact, since I have started writting this blog) the garage rang back. They had been mis-quoted for some of the parts. Phew, I thought, it's not going to cost as much! Wrong!! It will now cost £700 to fix the car! Garage bloke said "it's not worth it". I had to agree.
So now I am without a car. Actually, that's not true. In about an hours time I am going to have a car that I cannot drive, parked outside my house! They are taking out my posh new CD player as we speak (for free, bless em) and then I have to go and get the car, contact the right people to say I have a car I cannot drive, cash in the tax disc, cancel the insurence, and take my poor baby-car to the SCRAPPY!
I feel like I'm loosing a friend! I love that car, and I have come to depend on it so much. Appart from poor Yorkie having to get the bus to Bolton Le Sands every day (adding an extra 2 hours to his work day), I have to get the train to MM on Thursdays now, walk to the post office with tons of sales every day (instead of going every two days and being able to park near by), take to bus or train to WW on saturday, and I dread to think about what we're going to do about going shopping! My wasit line can't afford to shop at Kwik Save, my wallet can't afford to shop at Sainsbury's, and to shop at Asda (where we shop now) means bus there and taxi back...... TOO MUCH EXPENCE! OK, so it's less than fixing the car, or buying a new one, but the hassle factor is HUGE!
And there's Christmas to consider too.... We are supposed to see Jacs in Warrington, Nanna in St Helens, my mum in Burnley, my dad in Leeds and Yorkie's whole family in / around Sheffield! None of that was a problem when I had a car, now, it's just not going to happen! I haven't been able to tell Yorkie that we don't have a car at all any more yet with him being at work. He'll be fine about it, but he wont consider the implications right away.
I have asked the garage if they know any one who is trying to flog a small car, like a clio or something, for about the same price as my car, but I know that I can't really afford to buy a car at the moment. If I had that kind of cash available, I'd go to a dealer today and sort something out. Mum can't help, although she was a good ear for a while, John's at work so I can't get any advice of him yet. Dad's at work, but Fay said her brother might be able to offer some advice. She's going to call me back later this morning.
All in all, I am utterly gutted about the whole thing. I am SO glad I went to get my anti-depressants last week. I know they haven't kicked in yet, but knowing I have them and that they will be working soon is a relief. I wish they were working now though. I want to cry!
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