Broken cars w00!

[mizditz101]

So, my Bronco... is sitting in the work parking lot right now (I'm at home). It doesn't start...
We have two OTHER vehicles. an 81 chevy, and a geo.

My dad - "I need the geo, so I don't know how you're getting to work but you better figure it out"
Ok, he doesn't let me touch his truck. I can't drive it anyway so it doesn't matter. But he isn't even willing to drive it for TWO days so i can get to work?!


I've had this bottom half of an engine sitting in the back of my dad's truck, for my bronco. It's my "Christmas / birthday present". It's been sitting there since December... Yet somehow it's cheaper to now have to pay the average $300 to fix whatever is wrong AND THEN pay another $500 to do it all again for my engine?! And it's up to me to pay..
But OH NO I can't go get a new car "It's cheaper to have your Bronco than a car payment"

I pay $300/mo in random breakdowns
I pay AT LEAST $300/mo in gas (just to and from work)
I pay $20 a week in oil/antifreeze
If I were to be paying insurance... $150/month...
Grand total of... close to $800/month... I would be spending less than that on a new car.. that RAN

/rant

[John Clark]

You'd still pay the gas and insurance (if you paid insurance.)

$450 for gas and insurance (welcome to life.) So, how much is a car payment? No money down? $500 per month for an inexpensive car? It costs more for a new car. Get a bike. Get the education so you're not stuck in this rut for the rest of your life.

[mizditz101]

See, I'm lucky as heck because I work for Larry H Miller. = we pay dealer cost for new cars and dealer cost + $500 on used cars.

A guy I work with got an 03 aztec for $1300... mmmhmmmm
My grandma has never paid more than $250 a month for a car payment, and she was going to cosign a car for me.. But now I'm way far away from getting that.

Problem is, I can't get the education without the work... and so far I'm calling in tomorrow (well today) And Monday... I'll be lucky to have a job after this seeing as it's our projected 2nd biggest weekend for the summer. That is of course unless I decide to WALK the 10 miles, which would mean I'd be leaving at what, 8 am... for a shift at 1pm?!
the bike idea may work... But I'm not a big fan for the idea of biking 10miles ONE WAY to work.. in 100 degree weather. I'm sorry, sweating to death getting to work, working over a grill all day, and sweating to death on the way home?? I'd be dead by the end of July, literally. Not like I have much choice to care anymore.

Who knows... It's just another situation where I'm screwed no matter what I do. My dad will make me foot the bill for whatever repairs need to be done on my bronco to get it running again, I'm now paying for my own dang birthday present, and the big yellow paper was on our door again yesterday.. yay?

Meh. I'm going to bed, It's about the only thing I can do at the moment. besides pray my car doesn't get broken into costing me MORE money. (which would make for the 2nd time in a year)
Did you know those little wing windows are $250?!?!
That's more than my back window and windshield COMBINED!

[ezrunner]

that because wing windows are more difficult to make and not broken as often as the others


Mizditz

10 mile bike ride is 45 minutes. gotta do what ya gotta do. strength and perseverence. I once walked 15 miles to and from a job for 2 weeks because vehicle crudded out on me. got rides when I could. 10 miles can be walked in 2 hours if ya set a good pace. I certainly understand the heat drink lots of water.

As you are finding out Life isn't easy and can seem very unfair.

Best of luck to ya

[LunkHead]

Sounds to me like you have had a ruff time in life so far... Remember these things when you get older and have children of your own some day... Make a better life for them by getting an education (get student loan, grants ect) and do it!

I think you will be 18 soon yes? That's great for you! Move out, start college, find a job close to school, live in dorm and better your life and self....

You have many, many options.... Start thinking the glass is half full instead of thinking it's half empty!

Kris

[JGBerry]

sounds to me like you bought the wrong car lol. if i were you, and you need a cheap and reliable way to get to work, buy a scooter or even a bike. if you don't want that, then go to a used car sales lot and buy a used honda civic. those things are VERY reliable and they will last you way past 200,000K miles. granted, you'll want to upkeep it and get scheduled maintenance on it (including proper oil changes!!), but the honda civic by far will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

if i were you, get a scooter and get the 80-100 miles per gallon lol. the only problem is insurance for a bike is a lot.

[mizditz101]

Eh, as far as buying the wrong car, I'm not totally sure about that..
$200 bought the thing, and other than last night/this morning it has NEVER left me stranded in 3 years.
Had to buy a transmission, but my dad bought that.
Had to buy an alternator, and a battery (those were up to me)

other than that it's been ok

And to Lunk.. I LIED
It's a 91 geo storm, not a 93. HAHA Even more ironic!

I finally got my dad to let me take the geo for today and tomorrow. I'm hoping the father side of him comes out and he lets me drive the geo until my bronco is back, but I'm not expecting it really.
And that's one of the main things I've said, is I'll remember all of this with my own kids. I called my grandma and told her what happened, and she feels all bad that my dad said what he did, I may get her car on Tuesday and just have to take her and pick her up from work. Gotta love grandma's!!

Supposedly my car will end up being taken to the shop either today or tomorrow, so I shall keep my fingers crossed that it's less than $100 to fix.
We already suspect the battery - $60...

-edit-
On a whim I've decided to take my keys with me to work (my dad said to leave them so he could get into it) to see if it just needed some time to itself.. My truck pretty much is a girl, it's hard to explain, but she does have some major mood swings (and is a lot nicer to guys)
I haven't decided if I'll be happy or not if it starts

[mizditz101]

$80 later..
my battery cable was bad, so my dad bought a new one... which we knew we needed.

It started like 6x for my dad and his friend.. I drive home
Get home, "try and start it" .... NOTHING!! My bronco HATES me!

We've decided the starter is el dusto.... w00p...
It is a 20 year old starter though

[John Clark]

I'm really starting to think that cars are not for you.

[mizditz101]

Lol!
Well, the geo loves me. Drove great today.

It's just this poor little old bronco.
125000miles on it, but it pretty much was a rez car. I'm picking up the pieces little by little..
When we got it EVERYTHING was stock, so 1989... A lot of this is to be expected really. Although I do hate nickel and diming because it just never ever ends
Like I said earlier, my bronco is a GIRL.. it's terrible.
My friends (who are guys) will drive her, and she's amazing. Doesn't idle too high, runs great... even when there's a guy in the passenger seat she runs better than when it's just me!!
In all honesty, I started suspecting my starter about 6 months ago, just from how slow it was to crank over always...


-edit-
even worse than the car deal...
My pearl has gone AWOL...
I don't even know how... seeing a I JUST had it

[LunkHead]

Munchkins Geo (read: pimp ride) needs a starter.... $109 smacker-a-rillos....

He better get a J.O.B. like real fast......

Kris

[mizditz101]

Wirelessly posted

Those storms se bad! Wait till you need a clutch!

Thank god my starter was $55

[LunkHead]

It runs like a champ for the most part.... I am rather impressed!!!!

I saw a clutch kit for $129 online.... That's not bad.....

[Phranc]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

Munchkins Geo (read: pimp ride) needs a starter.... $109 smacker-a-rillos....

He better get a J.O.B. like real fast......

Kris

You didn't get at least a 30 day warranty?

[mizditz101]

Wirelessly posted

Originally Posted by LunkHead

It runs like a champ for the most part.... I am rather impressed!!!!

I saw a clutch kit for $129 online.... That's not bad.....

Hmm maybe my dad was putting in some special clutch, he told me closer to 200 haha! I was like, its too small
To be $200!

[LunkHead]

Originally Posted by Phranc

You didn't get at least a 30 day warranty?

Nope....LOL.... I paid 1K for it and the guy I bought it from had just spent (I have receipts) $600 getting things fixed on it.....

It runs like a champ!!!! Just a few things here or there... No biggie....

[LunkHead]

Originally Posted by mizditz101

Wirelessly posted



Hmm maybe my dad was putting in some special clutch, he told me closer to 200 haha! I was like, its too small
To be $200!

No, I saw clutch kits for $200, even almost $300 for that matter...

[mizditz101]

Wirelessly posted

Off topic, I'm over heating my truck right now. It is over 90 out though

[ezrunner]

if ya shop around enough parts can be found at great prices

parts for the Bronco are plentiful around my way

I can go to the local pic and pull and get used stuff cheap, then recondition it if necessary.

some clutch kits are mucho expensive

[ezrunner]

Originally Posted by mizditz101

Wirelessly posted

Off topic, I'm over heating my truck right now. It is over 90 out though

do you have a radiator leak?

sufficient coolant?

bad water pump?

bad thermostat?

even in 90 degree heat it shouldn't be overheating if all the above are working

[LunkHead]

Originally Posted by mizditz101

Wirelessly posted

Off topic, I'm over heating my truck right now. It is over 90 out though

When was the last time you flushed and refilled the radiator???

Kris