All Consumed

I wish I could draw on the computer. Then I would draw a picture of my oh so sad car. I love my car, I really do. But.... and yes there is a but... things are starting to go wrong. When this happens, I don't want to drive them anymore.

I don't mind fixing cars when they need fixing. But when you have been driving a car for almost eight years and know that there is possibly a (almost) new one that will fit your whole family in the near future I don't want to fix it. On the other hand, if we don't fix it more could go wrong.

Ack! I want to pull my hair out!

We have two vehicles, a wonderful '92 Ford Aerostar (total age = 15 years) that costs more to put gas in it than anything else. Hubby no longer drives it to work so it sits in the driveway for occaisional use. My Dad has actually been driving it for his work this past couple of months. This is the vehicle that we intend to not own anymore. It was given to us and has served us very well, but really without shoulder belts it isn't useful to us anymore.

Then we have my old car, a '98 Nissan Altima (total age= 9 years), oh how I love my car. With it's five speed manual transmission and leather interior, I truly love it. But, the plush comfy seats in the back aren't condusive to two car seats and a fifteen year old. I can certainly cram the carseats in, no problem, but adding a teenager who never really complains but asked how he would fit with his new Sister joining us (I already drive with the seat leaning back into his legroom, it doesn't always pay to be tall) it's time to look for something newer.

Last week was the start of the car troubles. Hubby hit a pothole (one of too many in our beautiful city) and broke the linkage bar on the right side. Our mechanic ( a wonderful man from Mexico, José, nothing like a good mechanic) found an oil leak and some lose ball joints. We left the ball joints for now, but today when I took her in to get a bracket installed on the muffler he saw that the transmission fluid was leaking out too! Further inspection revealed that the bearings are gone in the transmission (and probobly have been for a while as I drive it pretty hard) . José did say if we don't mean to drive it much anymore then he could probobly fix up the leak and leave it, but if we were going to keep it for a couple of years for our soon to be driving teenager, we should really fix it. Ack!!

The thing is, now I don't want to drive it anymore. I don't care when it's just me in the car, but with J I hate when things go wrong. And with Hubby taking the bus he can't just leave work and get me if something happens. I have to rely on my Dad to leave his work and fetch us, which he does with Love, but still.

So now I am on the search for a new used vehicle. We were hoping to wait until the fall when all the sales are on, but it looks like we might have to forego our annual trip to the beach (Double Ack!!) and get something sooner.

I hope that we can find a solution to our car troubles soon, this is beginning to stress me out.