Tuesday, July 21, 2009

breakfast anyone?


Well, the car is toast. That's what they said: "toast". And I have to say, this has been a rough couple of days. That car was the first thing I bought when I got home from my mission 5 years ago. I got a loan and I paid it off and I was proud of myself. I wanted a "family" car even though I wasn't even engaged yet- and man, am I glad it has fit 3 car seats in a row along the back. I was glad it was American made, it had leg room for crying out loud. It only had 55,000 miles on it in 2004. Now it has over 160,000. I put 105,000 miles on it in 5 years. It took me on the 120 mile round trip to work and back for over a year. It took us on 2 long trips up and down the Oregon Coast (one of which was our honeymoon). It took us across the North Western states through Yellowstone and the Black Hills and Minnesota to Chicago, then back along the same winding track, through Boise and all the way up to Seattle. It's been camping and on ferries and off-road a few times it probably shouldn't have (naughty car).
I guess I feel like it deserved more than the 30 minutes that was put into diagnosing and condemning it. We even took it to a second garage to get a second opinion. I feel like a member of my family is terminally ill and everyone takes one look at it and says "send it to the morgue, we can't save it." The tow truck didn't even want to unhook it. "you want me to take this thing to the junk yard, lady?" I just looked at him in shock. I had found out about an hour before that my car might be unfixable. Take it to the junk yard? Out of the question. So the car has sat on the street for the last 24 hours while I mourn and we try to figure out our options. Sometimes bad things happen to good cars.

8 comments:

mandy* said...

That is exactly what Mark went through when our other Outback died. He almost needed therapy for his mourning.

Danielle said...

Jason was also very attached to his 1987 Toyota Corolla which died last year. He replaced it with a newer Corolla and got over it tolerably. It is funny how attached we get to our cars, and how we tend to personify them, but it's understandable when you spend so much time with them.
Good luck finding a new one and just focus on the fact that it will no doubt be more dependable!

Beth said...

UGH.

Becky said...

I felt similarly to a Toyota Camry I got when I got home from my mission...bought it myself etc. It too died and I felt bad, but then we got our van and now I love my van (RIP Camry).
Sorry for your loss!

Nicole and Scott Kesten said...

such a bummer... maybe if you still lived in chicago.. this wouldn't have happened???


beth- are you chuckling?
tara- yes, i will continue to badger you b/c i love you

Tara H said...

nic, I am sure this wouldn't have happened in Chicago! These dang-ed hills here are what KILLED my car. All that flat nothingness in Illinois . . .
and this is why I hate that you don't have the comment option! I can't tease you! a sign of true friendship.

Kim Dewey said...

My condolences. I remember when you first bought that car...convincing yourself that you could look cool in a Buick!

Beth said...

No, I am not chuckling. Car trouble is SO stressful. I am wishing WE ALL (is that w'll? in TX?) were still in Illinois to offer a car until you find one.

Are you going to make the move to a minivan?