Well, the news is not good. Chris’ car needs a new fuel pump, for which the Chevy dealership wants $800. We don’t have $800, it might as well be a million. One of Chris’ coworkers thought they could install a new fuel pump themselves, provided it wasn’t behind the gas tank, which would have to be pulled out. It’s behind the gas tank. Of course.
The dealership, by the way, quoted a price of $400 for a new fuel pump. A local parts store quoted $220. Nice markup. But of course the dealer won’t install parts they didn’t buy themselves. A junkyard has a relatively new fuel pump they’ll sell Chris for $70, but then he has to find someone to install it. Which also means paying to have the car towed from the dealership to wherever it’s going to get fixed.Our roadside assistance coverage on our car insurance only covers the first tow from the highway to the dealership. Of course. So we’ll have to pay for that tow plus the fuel pump plus find someone to install it plus pay for all of that.
Did I mention that exactly two weeks from today I am supposed to be flying to Orlando for IZEAFest? I was planning to drive Chris’ car to East Lansing and take the Michigan Flyer which is a commuter bus that goes to the Detroit Airport. The car stays parked in a parking garage. But if he can’t find someone who has an opening at their repair shop, we might only have one car then. GAH.
Suddenly, I’m regretting every single thing I’ve ever purchased that wasn’t absolutely necessary for survival.
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Twitter: bcmom
says:
NO, NO, NO!!!! If it’s not one thing it’s another. Why does every bad thing seem to happen at once?
Twitter: Table4Five
says:
Seriously. I’m waiting for the Service Manager to be available to talk to me by phone around 3:30, and I’m going to be straight with him- I’ve got $200 available on VISA and $300 available on a debit Mastercard and that’s IT. If he won’t take $500 and let me pay him the other $300 next month, we’ll have to use money that is supposed to pay the utility bills this month. GAH.
Get rid of the damn thing! Rgds.
Twitter: TheEchoes
says:
Boy have we been there, and recently too. I hope that you can get something sorted out. Cars never make things easy on you. I hope that they’re willing to work with you. Surely there’s some sort of billing thing they can do, they’re a big dealership, they have to have some money, especially with that sort of mark-up.
When it rains it pours. Damn Murphy.
But hey, the good news? You’re not pregnant again and Chris hasn’t been laid off. There’s always that.
Although hubby, the former mechanic, says that if the fuel pump is external, it shouldn’t be that hard to put in. Now, if the fuel pump is actually *in* the gas tank, yeah, you don’t want to mess with that and the $800 is about right for that kind of deal. If you give me the year/model I can scour hubby’s crazy mind for more details if you’d like. But finding a good independent mechanic near you may be worth poking around for…
Twitter: pricousins
says:
Sorry to hear about your car. Mine’s been acting stupid also and I have $0 saved up. (Single mom…) and if the car idles too long, it starts to overheat. When I see the needle creeping up I start praying!!! Good luck!