Last week in my miscellaneous updates, I mentioned my new car purchase and talked about the BMW European Delivery Program I was able to take advantage of. What I didn’t mention is that I’m currently waiting for the car to now be delivered to the States. While I wait, I’m still driving my old car (that is just about 11 years old).
Up until a few months ago, my car was simply a means of transportation. However, it’s recently turned into a money pit of despair with freak, random occurrences that have impacted its ability to transport me safely to/from. In the past 4 months, I’ve had the following happen:
Good-bye, Power Steering
As I was making a left-hand turn, my wheel suddenly stopped steering/turning. Once I realized the power steering had quit on me, it was too late to compensate given my speed and I slammed my front wheel into a large curb. Thankfully, the only damage was to the wheel and tire, but it ended up taking an entire chunk out of the metal rim which left me with a large bubble in the tire. Not good!
After not driving it for a few weeks (borrowed a car from my BF’s parents), I finally took my car in. My mechanic recommended replacing the rim and tire but noted that I could probably do it within a month or so. I decided to chance it (stupid, stupid!)….
Cost of repair: Nothing….yet.
There’s Gas Pouring Everywhere!
About a month after the steering incident, I was filling up my car at the gas station when I realized I was standing in a gigantic puddle of gasoline. Long story short (complete with fire trucks, tow trucks and gawking passerby), the gas tank filler neck had completely rotted out and decided to let loose at that moment.
Thankfully, the car wasn’t on and I wasn’t driving when it happened!
Cost of repair: $302.80 + $90 for tow = $392.80
BOOM Goes the Tire
Last night, I was driving home (2 blocks from my house!) when I hit a pothole. My car literally sounded like it exploded and people from the gas station next to where I was turning came running out to see what had happened. Turns out, that bubbled tire from the steering incident finally blew and another chunk of the rim went missing.
It was officially time to take care of that repair but the caveat was the gas station happened to have a service station that could sell me a tire but didn’t have a rim that fit my car. So the new tire went on and the car went home to sit.
Today, I found a rim at a local wheel & rim shop and made an appointment for the new tire to be put on that rim. I have to drive the car to the shop though so hopefully the rim holds out for the 25-mile drive…
Total repair cost: $45 for tire + $115 for rim, balancing and mounting = $160
Total $$ spent on keeping my current car safely drivable until the new car comes in? $552.80
Why on Earth would I want to keep paying for this car? For one, I’m still recovering from my marathon injuries so biking to work as I used to is out of the question. Second, aside from these freak occurences, my car is in decent shape and can be sold to someone else.
My hope is that I’ll re-coup my down payment on the new car by selling the old one. Given the events of the last few months, who knows what will happen between now and the time the new car is delivered off the boat. 
Wish me luck!
Photo credit: comedy_nose
