#next i'm gonna replace the break rotors

[un-fixed--stars]

i spent the larger part of four hours today rotating the tires on my car. i got my hands all greasy and covered in car dust and got to use a torque wrench for the first time. i'm so pleased.

[punkrockisafulltimejob]

Y'all I need some major help:

I just brought my car in for repairs bc it had been sitting for a year, due to the fact that I couldn't register and insure it after having several health problems in a row and living paycheck to paycheck.

It's not good news.

The entire bottom is rusted, and they cannot replace just the brakes, they have to replace EVERYTHING. To do the extensive repairs needed to get the car perfect, I'm looking at $6-8k. To just get the axles, brakes, and rotors done, and worry about the rest later, it's still gonna be at least $2500. I have 1500 to my name rn but my insurance bill is set to come out of my account by Wednesday.

This is really hard to process. I need my car. I need a car that will last me longer than a year and a half. I have had several cars in my life, all of them used or hand me downs from generous relatives (car values being under 1K, nothing fancy I promise). I am not ready to give up this car, that I have only really had for three days. I can't. I need to get the money to repair it. I'm gonna be saving up as much as I can for the next couple months so I can bring it back in maybe by the end of august, so I can at the very least start the repairs before winter really hits.

Gods I just... I just don't know what to do. This was supposed to be my turnaround point. This was gonna be me getting my freedom and autonomy back, and I was going to plan a road trip to see my best friend after over a year of being away from her. And now, that's all gone. I have nothing to look forward to.

Right now it just needs to drive me five miles a day. Two miles to work, two and a half miles home (one way roads are fun). It cannot break down in any other meaningful way.

I don't even have enough space or craft supplies down here to make stuff to sell. I'm obviously going to do my best with what I've got, but it never feels like enough.

Nyx help me. I'm fried.

[gil-estel]

okay. the saga in full:

- buy used car (October). take it to local mechanic for inspection

- mechanic notes that brake pads have uneven wear and need to be replaced (quick Google search indicates that this can be a sign of issues with your calipers)

- take car in to get brakes done (2 weeks ago). no biggie, i have them do the brake fluid too

- almost immediately afterwards: brakes start smoking, very clearly stuck. car starts vibrating

- google tells me this is probably a seized caliper

- call mechanic back: "sounds like a seized caliper, bring it in and we'll take a look"

- google indicates that it is unsafe to drive with a seized caliper. I call AAA to tow car to shop (fortunately within free towing radius)

- AAA guy also thinks it sounds like a seized caliper

- zero communication from mechanic that is not initiated by me over course of several days

- mechanic: "we couldn't replicate or diagnose the problem but we re-replaced your front pads and rotors", implies it might be some sort of electrical problem. no mention of the state of the calipers

- car drives okay (short commute), fingers crossed this was just a weird fluke

- one week later (Tuesday): 1.5 hours from home ACCOMPANYING MY MOM TO EYE SURGERY, brakes seize AGAIN

- cue frantically googling Chevy dealerships near the eye surgeon bc I've already decided I'm taking it to a dealer next, finally find one whose service department gets excellent reviews, but it's 15 mi away

- call AAA *again*

- AAA guy: "so which wheel has the seized caliper?" Me: 🤦😭😭😭😭

- have to take a Lyft 33 mi home w/ my drugged up mom

- Chevy dealership at 9am this morning: "so the tech looked at it and you have TWO seized calipers" 😊

- "but also you're gonna have to get your breaks and rotors + break fluid re-replaced AGAIN bc of the damage from the seized calipers whoops" 💀

if this all turns out to have just been a seized caliper in gonna commit a crime