Speechless
I don’t even know how to explain the 5 minute conversation I just had with my cousin. Let me preface this by saying, she lives in housing and works at Wa.lm.art.
The timing belt on her Daewoo (sp?) broke and she put it in the shop. After nearly 2 weeks, the mechanic told her that the timing belt damaged the engine valve so the car was basically irreparable. She asked about the price of an engine, which turns out to be ~$2,300.
Instead of getting a second opinion - OR
Researching the price of a used engine - OR
Replacing the engine - OR
Looking for a decent used car - OR
Buying a decent used car - OR
Calling Single Ma for her opinion - OR
Asking Single Ma for her help.
This chic goes out and buys a BRAND NEW car!!!
Single Ma: *choke* you did what!
Single Ma’s Cousin: Girl, I got me a new ride!! LOL
SM: *confused* And whyyyyy?
SMC: Umm, so I can get to work.
SM: But why did you need a NEW car? And what kind of car is it?
SMC: It’s not really ‘new’. It’s a 2007 Chevy Malibu.
SM: A Malibu? *rolling my eyez* And how much did you pay for it?
SMC: The man worked it out for me so my payments are only $300/month.
SM: You can’t afford $300/month. HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR IT?
SMC: What do you mean?
SM: The CAR girl! How much did you pay for the car?
SMC: Oh, I don’t know. About $12,000 I think.
[continues to talk but her words are incomprehensible]
SM: *tuning out conversation* Girl, let me call you back.
SMC: *still yapping*
SM: *click*
I don’t even know what to say…
*thinking* I need a glass of wine.
~*~*~*~*~*~Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!
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I’ve heard that before from a family member or two. Sometimes, you just have to let people make their own mistakes and hope they learn from them.
she so needed a 2nd opinion. my timing belt has broke on my car before. it kills your water pump and your car won’t move so i doubt if it killed her engine !!
It’s true that her timing belt might have jacked stuff up so badly she needs a new engine, but here’s what’s sticking in my craw as a child of an auto mechanic.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SHE TOOK THE CAR FOR MAINTENANCE? Usually before a timing belt breaks, there’s enough wear on it that someone notices it and replaces it. They usually last about 50-60K miles!!! She only needed it checked ONCE A YEAR. (“So replacing this cogged reinforced-rubber belt at regular intervals — generally every 60,000 miles unless the car manufacturer specifies longer — is a lot less expensive and aggravating than having it break first.”)
Ex-squeeze me, but she got herself a new car when she couldn’t even take care of her old one? What is she going to do for maintenance on this new car? Will she remember to take it into a shop at all?
First off, the best advise you listed was get a second opinion. The mechanic my mom used once told her she needed to replace her radiator to the tune of $2450. Well, my husband looked at it and all she needed was to replace the radiator CAP to the tune of $2.45.
Never…never…never take the advise of one mechanic on major or expensive repairs.
Even major auto repair services have gotten in big trouble for lying to customers about what repairs were needed.
Oh, and Mapgirl is so right on the maintenance issue. An ounce of prevention…well you know the rest
Unfortunately, I had a family member do the exact same thing. If it’s been less than three days she may still be able to return the car. Then (if you’re willing), you can help her evaluate her options.
Ok I’m still laughing at you tuning her out LOL cause I can see the facial expression! LOL
glass of wine say ye?? HOLLA
These car salesman kill me. They will do anything to get you in a car “if you got a job and a utility bill” or something corny like that…that’s the line. She prolly could have got a used engine of the internet. My mom replaced the engine and the transmission in her car with used parts…the van has 275K miles
I know how you feel, my sister did something similar some years ago when her car was overheating. She is still figuring out why she can’t get ahead. Sigh…
Oh Lord,
Why do people do this? They just go out and buy a new car because they “think” they can afford the payments. I had to LOL at you tuning her out. I can just picture you now.
Sounds like my cousin !!
That 12K is probably stretch out for 6 years
Reminds me of a funny-but-not-funny story a coworker told me. He went away for a week and when he got back his car was making a HORRIBLE noise. His wife said yeah, it’s been doing that all week. Um, what did you do about it? he asked. “I turned up the radio.”
Ha. Ha. Ha.
Maybe you can be a good influence on your cousin — that is, when she’s ready to learn.
Run the numbers for her? “If you add up monthly payments over X years, here’s what you REALLY paid for the car. What could you have done with that money???”
That is, if she can keep up with the payments. If she doesn’t, they’ll just take back the car and she’ll be back to walking to work, with nothing to show for all those dollars.
It’s enough to make you cry.
Good luck to you both, and blessings in the new year.
Sweet Jesus part the sky!!
You know that $12K is prolly WAAAY off right? Never ever buy a car when the dealer won’t say you or tell you the bottom line price. Had a dealer do that to me before & I politely reminded him that when I came in I said I “wanted” a bigger car, not that I “needed” it & left.
Mmph mmph mmph. I’ma have some wine for you. Lawd.
I once had a timing belt bust through no fault of my own - I had bought the car (used of course!) just a few months before, and hadn’t even driven it much. Luckily it was still under the extended warranty that came with a “certified (although apparently not certified enough to detect a broken timing belt, humph) used vehicle”, so it was taken care of, but that cost does sound about right for the repair. Right now I need a new engine on my ancient car, and that cost is also probably about $2500 - 3000. Depending on how old/reliable her car is, it MAY have made sense to junk it in favor of a better one, rather than sinking that kind of cash into a money pit… but $12k, no research, no second opinion, and $300 a month?!? That’s crazy… esp for a Malibu!