Things I found out from this experience:-Spare tires are deceptively heavy! They seem so small and lightweight, but they're not.
-You should loosen the lug nuts before you jack up the car.
-Put on your e-brake!!! I learned this the hard way. After jacking my car almost all the way up, the car rolled forward, fell off the jack, and I had to start again from scratch (while sweating and annoyed, mind you).
Anyway, then God sent me an angel dodging traffic and running across the highway from Teddy Roosevelt Island. Apparently he was on vacation enjoying the weather, and his wife saw my struggles and sent him over to help. He even brought me a bottle of water!
Now, I WISH that was the end of the story.
I took my car over to Midas to buy a new tire and I told them while they were at it, I needed my state inspection this month. Well, my car failed - which I had suspected because the check engine light has been on for quite some time. SOOO... I need:
-Both front tires (I was hoping to only buy one, but apparently they were both worn too much)
-New front brake pads (and they suggest new rotors)
-New rear brakes
-My left tail light is out
-Some belt in the car is cracked and needs to be replaced
-My transmission fluid needs to be flushed
-An alignment
-and last but not least, I have to still get the state inspection and emissions.
So anyway, I told them to replace the tires and I'm picking up the car tomorrow. I have almost 3 weeks until the end of the month to shop around and find out which of these services are absolutely necessary and see which can be done by mechanical savvy people I know. Wish me luck and leave advice if you have any!!
6 comments:
i cna't offer much in the way of advice, sadly, but i can wish you lots of luck!! :-) ...and tell you how impressed i was by your car escapades story! bummer about all those repairs, though. ugh, car parts.
Yikes, I'm very sorry. I have no good advice about the repairs but I will say that Triple A has been super helpful for me with flat tires. I'm glad you had someone to help today and hope you get some advice from someone more savvy than me!
goodness what a harrowing experience! and ya i hope you don't have to get all those things fixed!
So sorry for your car mishaps, Katie. God really took care of you, though, by sending the man and his wife by. I am SO IMPRESSED that you even attempted that - I just would have panicked and called AAA!
You are one heck of a woman! I would have called AAA, and never would have attempted it on my own! (you've gotten your mother written all over you!) Hope the car doesn't give you trouble once you've got it all fixed.
Wow! Katie! I am really impressed. I have never attempted that. Auto Club is my savior, even if I have to stand and wait 60 minutes on the side of the LA freeway as cars rush periously close by. You are brave.
However, I do remember getting under the truck in Missouri with Janet when we were your age. So maybe it runs in the family.
Hope all those car repairs aren't urgent and can be spread out over time.
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