So for those of you who follow me, you may have noticed I haven't been on steemit in a couple of days this is why..
I am well known in my family for having terrible luck with my cars, they all die soon after I buy them inspite of time energy and money I put into them. This was mainly due to their age and condition so I can accept that for what it was, however I cannot handle what is happening with my current car.
It is the newest car I have ever managed to buy, it took me a year to pay it off - and it used to be owned by my brother and had been running fine the whole time he had it. It's a 2004 Holden Commodore and I have had no end of trouble with it, including having it break down on the day I got it.
Quick list of repairs in the year we've had it:
- Alternator
- ignition barrel
- radiator
- battery
- brake discs
- brake pads
- 2 x full services
- full set of new tyres
- wheel alignment and balance
- radiator flush (doesn't look like they've done it)
- new headlight
- replace broken fuses twice
So I have tried my best to keep this car functioning at its best, but no matter what I do things keep breaking. I recently took it to the mechanic on the 15th of July spending $540 on maintenance and repairs, being told it was fine nothing else wrong with it you should be fine for a while at least.
I was less than impressed when on the 17th of July the fricken thing started overheating again, turned out the fan fuse had blown again but cheap and easy to fix. So wind forward to 5th of August my partner @ausbitbank's birthday when I duck down the shops to grab some stuff for dinner at 7:30 pm, go to get back in the car and the keys don't work.
I walked home got spare keys, walked back to try them still nothing. Call RACQ (roadside assistance in Aus) they finally arrive at 11:15pm it takes over 20 mins to break into the car only to be told the whole ignition barrel and lock system will need to be replaced followed by I'm sorry this will cost you a lot to repair.
I'm now devastated sitting in my broken car unable to leave or relock it, freezing my ass off (it's the middle of winter here atm) the mechanic says it needs to be towed so I stay inside the freezing car with no power for another hour waiting for the tow truck.
He finally arrives and loads the car - setting off the alarm multiple times at now 1:00 am in a residential area. We drive the car home and again setting off the alarms, this time out the front of my own house annoying all my neighbours in the process.
So for the past two days I have been researching what to do with the car, no one can even get out here to look at it until late Monday or Tuesday which means I can't get my kids to school/therapy for at least two days.
As far as I can tell there are three main options
- 1st try a key repair and see if that will work $100 (highly unlikely)
- 2nd replace ignition barrel again which will also require a new key so $370 (possibly if we're lucky but doesn't sound good)
- 3rd new key, new barrel, new locks and system - everyone I spoke to, refused to give me a quote on the final option which they all seemed to think would be the most likely option (not filling me with confidence here)
So here we are after recently pouring over $1000+ into this car we have yet another problem that could cost us more or even turn out being cheaper to buy another car again. I just don't know what to do, I'm so frustrated by all of this and I'm unable to do anything but wait and see.
I just don't get why everything keeps breaking I've had older cars that didn't have this many issues, sure things would go wrong but not one thing after another and keep on repeating forever.
Would I just do better to go for an older car again? Rather than pour what little spare resources we have left into this dying vehicle. I would love to be able to get a newer more reliable car but that is just not realistic for our financial situation right now, I just want a reliable car doesn't need to be flashy just moving and safe for my kids.
Any suggestions or advice on what to do with our current car? or on a type of good cheap car available in Australia? I would be grateful.
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