The $600 Oil Change

I have this love/hate relationship with my car. I love my car when it's not having any issues and I hate it when it does. The car is almost 10 years old and I just hate investing any large sums of money in to it. But at the same time I need a car and I can't afford to buy a new one so I have to do what I have to do to preserve this one.

I think way back in January I blogged about how the cap on my engine came off some time during my move from Atlanta to NYC. Oil was all over the inside of the car. Every time I would go to Firestone for an oil change they would tell me that I needed to get the engine steam cleaned...I stalled. The car was running fine, didn't smell like oil...I just didn't take the time or money to do it.

When it comes to my car I get in to moods about it. So this week I was in the mood to get some maintenance things done. So I decided to get the engine steam cleaned before I got an oil change. WHY DID I DECIDE TO DO THAT?

I'm all about supporting minority business so I took it to this shop that is Hispanic owned that EVERYONE including Firestone recommended. They said it would only be $25 to do the engine so I decide to go all out and get the car detailed. Total - $116

Well I get the car back and as soon as I started it up I knew something was wrong. The car was shaking like a crack head. Standing still it was shaking uncontrollably. As I sat in the car I could see the stick shift shaking. So I asked the guys why is my car shaking. They told me that was normal and that the engine is old. BULLSHIT...my car is almost 10 years old but that is not old for an engine. I try to drive off and the car stalls. OH HELL TO THE NAW! I go right back to the guys they say it is fine, it just needs to dry. WHATEVER! My car was no longer drivable. If I can't get around the corner without the car stalling out there is no way I can drive it back in to NYC. I was pissed and I had my niece with me so I was now concerned for her safety too.

Luckily Firestone is down the street from the car wash place. I barely get the car in to the parking lot of the Firestone. It stalled out FIVE TIMES from the car wash to the shop and finally stalled out in the parking lot. I tell Firestone what had happened and they said maybe I should let it dry. I'm like I can't even get the car to my mom's house let alone back to NYC. So they agree to check it for $99.

By this time I know I'm going to be late to work. I call my mom to come and get me and my niece and I catch a bus in to the city. On the way there Firestone calls to tell me that my car is FUCKED. The car wash place got so much water in my engine that I needed to have a whole bunch of shit replaced...like every wire and spark plug that was attached to my engine...and it would only cost me $500. I was fuming.

Luckily I have a Firestone account so I was able to pay for it..or at least defer payment. Can't wait to get that credit card bill. When I picked up the car the next day I went right back to the car wash place. After an argument they finally agreed to give me $270 of the $500 I paid. I cut my losses and let it go. My rationale was if I had to go through the process of suing it would cost me more than I paid. The other $230 was a combination of the initial diagnostic fee, the cost of a tune up and an oil change. So my net loss is like $350...if you take out the oil change I was going to get anyway my net loss is like $325. So I'm sucking it up, gonna eat the dreaded ramen for a week or two, not order lunch at work and probably have to raid my momma's refrigerator and freezer for the next few weeks.

I just hate unexpected costs and you can't plan for the unexpected like a car wash and an oil change suddenly costing you over $600.