Car problems since people have asked.

[friskshepherd]

I haven't really drove it at high speeds or long distances for quite a while, it was mostly just short commutes, etc. Until sometime last week I was heading to a friends and hit the highway.. Immediately I noticed that the car would swirve back and forth. It'd be going down a straight highway, holding the stearing wheel steady.. but the car would sway back and forth like 40mph wind gusts were coming in randomly from each direction. Then a couple of days later I noticed that my car would clunk while going over bumps, sometimes just from making hard turns. Also, I noticed that when I reved my engine over 3k that there would be a rattling noise. I've isolated the sound to a a pulley on the belt system. Most likely the water pump. So what I need to replace is both front struts and strut plates, both lower control arms, all the bushings in the suspension, and 2 new tires, and water pump.

I only got the estimates for the suspension work, not the water pump or the tires and it came to $1494 including labor

I'm no mechanic but I am mechanically inclined, there's some of this work I should be able to do with the help of the mechanic friends I have that have offered to give me advice. I priced out just all of the parts I need to come to around $650. Thats also not including a special tool I'd need for the control arms.

So thats the status.