![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I took it in to get new tyres a few weeks ago, and the guy there had trouble getting a couple of the bolts back in after removing the wheel, and I've been driving on 3 ever since - not a huge issue really. I was suspicious as it's the same wheel as we had problems with before, when the garage in Manchester tightened the bolts so tightly they sheared off when attempting to remove them next time.
Anyhow, at the service apparently they could only get two bolts back in. That is an issue. 3 is safe enough for the short term, two is extremely unsafe. I asked how much it would cost and they're telling me that it needs a new hub, new bearings and new something-else's which I can't remember now. A grand total of... well let's just say that it's over £300.
The service itself is about £180 which I expected, and they did some diagnostics on the rough idling which they can't find a specific fault for, and are unable to fix. Hrmph. As well as the speedo, which has been working consistently since about Tuesday last week.
I guess if I looked at it overall I'm probably spending £1000/year on the car, which for a car of this age can't be that bad all told, but I can't help feeling that it needs replacing. But with what money? According to Jane it's as simple as "saving up a few months". One day I'll sit down and show her exactly how much debt I have...
Anyhow, at the service apparently they could only get two bolts back in. That is an issue. 3 is safe enough for the short term, two is extremely unsafe. I asked how much it would cost and they're telling me that it needs a new hub, new bearings and new something-else's which I can't remember now. A grand total of... well let's just say that it's over £300.
The service itself is about £180 which I expected, and they did some diagnostics on the rough idling which they can't find a specific fault for, and are unable to fix. Hrmph. As well as the speedo, which has been working consistently since about Tuesday last week.
I guess if I looked at it overall I'm probably spending £1000/year on the car, which for a car of this age can't be that bad all told, but I can't help feeling that it needs replacing. But with what money? According to Jane it's as simple as "saving up a few months". One day I'll sit down and show her exactly how much debt I have...
grumpy
(no subject)
Or you can do it the other way around: make a transparent budget. Go through your bank statements, and put each entry into a category, working out how much each month you spend. A spreadsheet should be sufficient for a one-off exercise.
u2u email me if you want to discuss in a less public way :o)
(no subject)
Before we moved in Jane and I both sat down and talked money and it seems to have worked quite well - as in the amount of money we're both putting in the joint account is covering everything quite nicely. But I'd question: is that because we know how much we budgeted and are swelling our spending to fill it, or because we worked it out right? :)
Who knows :)
Anyhow.
I know how to do it. I just don't like doing it because it's been really truly depressing in the past! Perhaps now it'll be a nice surprise *G*
(no subject)
You're right about knowing budget => spending more, if you're enjoying a positive cashflow... in which case, try hacking into long-term debts by steering short-term surplus into repayments - into the accounts that charge the worst interest.
I guess you know all this, but having it said might make you believe you can do it, and it is worthwhile :o)
(no subject)
By now, the private sale or dealer value of the car probably isn't significant enough to have a bearing on the 'keep going' or 'buy new' decision.
If you believe the car is becoming unsafe, then that overrides all decisions! :o)
(no subject)
I've no choice but to spend the money on it, tbh. In reality it's not a huge expense in comparison to buying new. New would be a couple of grand (for a decent car) and that's 2yrs of running this one, which is working and other than a few bits here and there is perfectly fine.
Well... I say that but I still reserve the right to bitch about it!
(no subject)
> right to bitch about it!
I'm beginning to think that you post was just that, rather than a shout for practical help... something one learns from female psychology :o>
(no subject)
(no subject)
The first time I read that, I thought you were saying that you've been driving on three wheels, not three bolts. (It's a problem with my brain, not your writing!)
(no subject)
I'm getting visions of a Charlie Chaplin or Mr Bean sketch ;)