I take great care of my body.
I get regular checkups, I eat right, I work out, I get a lot of sleep…
…and when I see a problem, I fix it.
That’s why it’s probably pretty surprising that I take pretty rotten care of the thing that carries me around all day, getting me safely from Point A to Point B.
My car.
I got read the riot act last week, and for good reason. I took my car in for an oil change (ahem, 6,500 miles after my previous change) and my lovely, friendly, completely unpushy mechanic told me:
- the tires were so bald he didn’t want to let me drive the 2 miles home
- since I’d hit 75,000 miles, I needed to think about upgrading the oil used in the changes
- my fuel system was so dirty, I was getting 10 miles fewer per gallon than I should
- the fuel system was also causing my car to shake
- my windshield wipers were torn and so degraded, I was actually scratching — permanently — the glass
- the headlight casings were so cloudy that it was hard to believe anyone could see me coming in the dark
- my cabin and engine air filters were filthy
Yes…I felt the shame flushing my face as my stomach dropped at the thought of what this might do to my wallet.
Lucas had been bugging me for weeks about my tires, but it just never felt necessary. But after my mechanic’s warning, I drove the 2 miles home at about 20 miles an hour and bit the bullet.
The next morning, I purchased four shiny new tires (but the back left one is still missing the hubcap…I think it was stolen!), new air filters and new windshield wipers. Well, that is to say, Lucas did. I’m a liberated woman who knows how to do that stuff, but when you have a husband who’s happy to do the work, why not take advantage?
Yes, it was a bit brutal when the bill came up, but I know it’s important. This car is essentially a big protective shell, and when I’m going 65 on the highway, I’ll know that I’m safe.
Now, here’s hoping that my 2003 beauty holds up for another 75,000 miles.
Are you good about maintenance on your car or house? What things do you tend to let go longer than you should?
About Katy
I’m horrible at car stuff too. I remember to take it in for an oil change but that’s about it. My car is 11 years old and I’m scared to death that it’s going to die soon. Although I guess getting a new car wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it’s nice not to have a car payment now.
ughhh, it is such a pain and i am never quite sure if i’m being taken advantage of or not, but i try to keep up with my car’s maintenance. those (sometimes a little hefty) bills are nothing compared to adding a several-hundred-dollar car payment every month. especially since i own my car! i want to use it until it completely dies, and i want it to be in fairly good shape for as long as i can!
sarah @ sarah learns recently posted..crying into my cheese
I’m the same way! I can stay in shape and eat pretty well, and I’m a pretty organized person. Except when it comes to my car.
Right now there’s a piece of plastic that’s been coming off the front end that I’ve let go for months, and now it’s scraping the ground when I drive it – not so good. But I just can’t be bothered to take it in, wait around, and pay for it. Oh well.
Glad to hear so many of us are a bit neglectful when it comes to cars.
Lisa Fine recently posted..Volunteer for the Year for Happiness
Glad you took care of things…since our cars are inspected, we really can’t get too far behind on tires and emissions…maybe you could pretend you had to be inspected every year!
Lynna recently posted..Oh, what a beautiful and very cold morning…
I am SO bad at car care..I get about 2 oil changes a year and my yearly inspection and thats about it…not safe!
Anna recently posted..spice it up–sushi-esque salad
I definitely like leaving that stuff for my husband to do. He’s been working on cars since he could practically walk so he knows allll about it. The main thing I let go FAR too long is dusting. Seriously, don’t wipe any part of my house unless you want a handful of the stuff. Okay, ew, now I must go clean!
Amber K recently posted..Line Dancing and Birthdays
Ah, I know how you feel. My boyfriend always gave me crap about my old beater, windshield wipers, cloudy lights, and oil changes. It was getting pretty old and expensive to upkeep, so I bought a new car. And now, only 11 months old, the check engine light came on this morning. Let’s see how long it takes me to do anything about that!
SpaceySteph recently posted..Training Recap (Week 5) & Tummy Troubles
Wow! Your 2003 car just has a little more than 75,000 miles? In November, I traded in my 2003 car for a new one, and it had 155,000 on it.
I could have done better with my old car and its maintenance. I’m committed to doing better with the new one.
Michele @ Within Reach recently posted..I’ve been tagged!
we are alike.
A mechanic once got so frustrated with me he shouted LADY IF YOUR CAR WERE A HORSE IT WOULD BE DEAD!!!
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