Why does everything go bad at once?

[JDub02]

my beater -> needs an alignment ($70), new set of tires ($250), and a ball joint ($180)

my truck -> just replaced 1 front axle u-joint ($140) and had it aligned ($70), needs the other one replaced ($140)

just paid $210 in tax and tags for the beater. paid $130 for a oral surgeon consultation and x-ray for my g/f (she needs her wisdom teeth removed and has no money for it). cost of the operation is $500. she's gonna have to deal with it for now.

all of this is on top of the $1800 I spent for the beater to save on gas and insurance and $150 on a plane ticket to pick up the car at my grandparents' place.


<- Frustrated 🙁


on the positive side, my love life is great and I won't be starting a YAGT any time soon as I will be too busy scoring with previously mentioned g/f. 😀


cliff notes:

have/had almost $1200 in extra expenses + almost $2000 on a car within the last month and it sucks. i am getting some, though.

 

[Inside me]

Bad luck comes in threes. Or is that deaths?

 

[tfinch2]

let me get this straight. you spent 2,000 dollars on a beater to save on gas? okay...

 

Join the club.
That's the cycle.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Inside me
Bad luck comes in threes. Or is that deaths?

Deaths as far as I remember 🙂

BTW, welcome to ATOT Inside me! :beer:

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
let me get this straight. you spent 2,000 dollars on a beater to save on gas? okay...

Yah. When your primary vehicle gets 17 mpg on a really, really good day (all highway) and < 10 mpg on an average day and gas is > $2/gallon.

The car has pretty much depreciated about as far as it's gonna go. I can sell it in a couple of years and take a minimal loss. Aside from that, tires are almost $100 less EACH, my insurance dropped $150/year and it gets 25/32 for gas mileage.


So yah. I invested money right now to save in the long run. I keep the mileage off of my truck now and then sell the car in a couple of years.

 

[Oger]

You are getting ripped off on those repairs.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: Oger
You are getting ripped off on those repairs.

Sort of. The standard labor rate in NY is > $60/hour.

I checked the hours quoted with a good friend of my dad's who is a mechanic. He didn't think they were off the wall.

The place I took the vehicles to has a pretty good reputation. I'd rather pay a little more at a shop where I know things are going to be done right.

 

[Oger]

Sort of. The standard labor rate in NY is > $60/hour.

I checked the hours quoted with a good friend of my dad's who is a mechanic. He didn't think they were off the wall.

My shop rate is $65 an hour, those U-joints should cost you $140 for both, not one.
Ball joint replacement is about $100.

 

[Freejack2]

That sucks.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: Oger

Sort of. The standard labor rate in NY is > $60/hour.

I checked the hours quoted with a good friend of my dad's who is a mechanic. He didn't think they were off the wall.

My shop rate is $65 an hour, those U-joints should cost you $140 for both, not one.
Ball joint replacement is about $100.

hmm .. I'll call around. They're not going to do the ball joint until tomorrow and I don't even have an appointment scheduled for the u-joint.

I was told 2 hours labor per side for the front axle U-joint on my Ram. That's what the mechanic I trusted said, too. Maybe he thought I was saying both sides.

Those prices are parts &amp; labor, too.

Thanks.

 

[SearchMaster]

Originally posted by: JDub02
have/had almost $1200 in extra expenses + almost $2000 on a car within the last month and it sucks. i am getting some, though.

Sorry, that just made me LOL.

You're right though, it usually piles on. I have four vehicles, two boats, and a motorcycle. You can pretty much bet that if one vehicle needs a several hundred dollar repair, at least two more of them will also. I guess the law of averages catch up to me with that much machinery though.

 

[Oger]

I was told 2 hours labor per side for the front axle U-joint on my Ram.

40 minutes per side, I can do them in twenty five minutes with a lift and air tools.

U-joints are $19 apiece, balljoints are $27.

 

[rudder]

It could be worse. I've known guys to blow over $2000 on a girl, not get laid, then get dumped. At least your getting laid and can get around town.

 

[PanzerIV]

Originally posted by: rudder
It could be worse. I've known guys to blow over $2000 on a girl, not get laid, then get dumped. At least your getting laid and can get around town.

I know of this guy who cheated on his g.f., paid for the hotel on his credit card, got caught by his g.f. who found the charge and promptly put him on a leash then he found out she is pregnant! Imagine that. 😀

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: rudder
It could be worse. I've known guys to blow over $2000 on a girl, not get laid, then get dumped. At least your getting laid and can get around town.

Hahaha. Oh, time to go brush my teeth.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: Oger

I was told 2 hours labor per side for the front axle U-joint on my Ram.

40 minutes per side, I can do them in twenty five minutes with a lift and air tools.

U-joints are $19 apiece, balljoints are $27.

Thanks. Looks like I won't be going back to that shop.

 

[MiniDoom]

its all dubya's fault:roll:

 

[Pliablemoose]

Since it's your beater car, get some el cheapo tires... Should be able to get them for less then $250