I have had a fair amount of trouble with my car this year. This summer I ended up stranded in the middle of the highway in near 100 degree weather on my own. Both the battery and the alternator went bad the same day. Needless to say a few tears were shed that day as cars were whizzing past me. As a single parent I was already struggling financially. I didn’t have the money to replace everything, but somehow I managed. Now, not even six months later my car is giving me grief again, and two days before Christmas.
As a single mom, whenever I start having car trouble I feel completely helpless. I don’t know the first thing about cars. I keep up on my car. I get regular oil changes and even check the tire pressure every once in a while, but anything more complex than that and I am beyond lost. I don’t even have a spare tire in my car anymore. Not that it would do me any good anyway, I don’t know how to change a tire either. No one in my family is real big on cars. I bought the car from my grandfather a few years ago. It’s as old as I am, but he could usually help when things went wrong. However, he happens to be on the other side of the world until sometime next year, so he’s not much help at the moment either.
You have to be careful just taking it to a mechanic because so often they take advantage of young mothers that don’t know much about cars. All of the sudden a simple problem has turned into a much bigger problem that is costing you an arm and a leg and you just pay it because you don’t know any better. Don’t do it! Your car is sick, get a second opinion! If a doctor came along and wanted to remove your arm, wouldn’t you ask around a little first to make sure it was absolutely necessary? Find a mechanic that you trust. Talk to friends and family and see if they have any good recommendations. If you question their diagnosis, ask someone else. It never hurts to check around a little before you dish out the contents of your piggy bank.