....::sigh::
So, here's the thing:
Our car, a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, has been a generally good car. Almost nothing in the way of minor repairs. Unfortunately, the repairs that it has required have tended in the direction of big ticket items, once every five years or so. We replaced the transmission, for example. A couple weeks ago it developed an oil leak, so we took it in to the garage. The oil leak was not a problem, really -- it was a blown sensor unit. On the other hand? It also needed its exhaust pipe and muffler completely replaced, which was duly accomplished. The BIG problem? The engine is still not developing oil pressure. So the mate called the garage today. Our mechanic feels that, since he pressure checked the engine, that the problem is not the oil pump but worn out bits inside the engine that cannot be repaired or replaced. Without replacing the entire engine. To the tune of about $4000.
We do not have $4000. We do not, as a matter of fact, have anything resembling savings at all. We are living paycheck to paycheck, attempting to pay off our debts, including a debt resolution program for our credit cards that is presently royally trashing our credit rating, and a signature loan from our credit union, while paying more out of pocket every fucking passing year for shitty insurance that doesn't even cover our entire family and which not accepted by anyone for anything important related to trying to get educational support for Callan. We have somewhere between slim and no chance of being approved for financing for a major auto repair for a car that is fourteen years old and not-so-gradually wearing out now and a similar chance for being approved for an auto loan.
Oh, and the best part?
We were supposed to go on vacation next week. Our first real vacation in three years. We were going to take day trips. Because the car was going to be back from the garage. The car which we now cannot use or afford to replace.
...Once again, I do not know what the fuck to do.
Our car, a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, has been a generally good car. Almost nothing in the way of minor repairs. Unfortunately, the repairs that it has required have tended in the direction of big ticket items, once every five years or so. We replaced the transmission, for example. A couple weeks ago it developed an oil leak, so we took it in to the garage. The oil leak was not a problem, really -- it was a blown sensor unit. On the other hand? It also needed its exhaust pipe and muffler completely replaced, which was duly accomplished. The BIG problem? The engine is still not developing oil pressure. So the mate called the garage today. Our mechanic feels that, since he pressure checked the engine, that the problem is not the oil pump but worn out bits inside the engine that cannot be repaired or replaced. Without replacing the entire engine. To the tune of about $4000.
We do not have $4000. We do not, as a matter of fact, have anything resembling savings at all. We are living paycheck to paycheck, attempting to pay off our debts, including a debt resolution program for our credit cards that is presently royally trashing our credit rating, and a signature loan from our credit union, while paying more out of pocket every fucking passing year for shitty insurance that doesn't even cover our entire family and which not accepted by anyone for anything important related to trying to get educational support for Callan. We have somewhere between slim and no chance of being approved for financing for a major auto repair for a car that is fourteen years old and not-so-gradually wearing out now and a similar chance for being approved for an auto loan.
Oh, and the best part?
We were supposed to go on vacation next week. Our first real vacation in three years. We were going to take day trips. Because the car was going to be back from the garage. The car which we now cannot use or afford to replace.
...Once again, I do not know what the fuck to do.