I am no good with cars. I think it's something I would like to put on my list of things I look for in a husband. :) I hate dealing with them. I just want to turn it on and drive. I don't want to think about how to deal with a car when it has problems.
Last month I was supposed to re-register my car (get new tags, some say tabs, which do you say?) like a good citizen. I had to go through DEQ, which I didn't pass.
"What do I do next?"I asked the nice DEQ man.
"Here is some information about what could be wrong", he explained "and a list of mechanics."
"OK, thanks."
This was the first time I've ever had a failing car. So, before I got myself all worked up, I call dad and tell him the news. He tells me to come over and he'll look at the car. He thinks that I probably need a tune up. So, I go to the DMV and purchase a trip permit ($20) so I don't get pulled over and get a ticket($100?). I take my car into a mechanic and he says it definately needs a tune-up ($250 for diagnostic and tune-up). My parents say to spend the money, it is worth it. So, I take it in, they do all the work. Yesterday I went back to DEQ with my newly tuned car and guess what? NO PASS!
"WHAT? I just spent $250 that I don't have on the stupid thing to get it to pass", I said, fighting back tears.
"Well, I don't know what to tell you", said the snotty DEQ lady, "It's still not passing." Another test that they run failed this time.
So, I call Tony, the mechanic back and said "I failed the NOX test this time."
"Bring it back in and we'll see what's going on", he says.
He ran tests yesterday afternoon again and he said it needs a new catalytic converter ($180). He said that he didn't test it before but with the new spark plugs, it was burning off more oil or something and now it's emitted more than it should. URGH! Can you sell enough plasma to pay for this? I can't afford to make monthly car payments so I know it makes sense to put the money into it but how do you know when it's time to let your car go and figure something else out?
***Update***Tony took my car through DEQ and it passed this time! YAY! It is stickered and ready to go for a while now.
12 comments:
I'm really happy that your car passed DEQ.
oh gooooood! the feed i got in my email was pre-pass. i'm so glad for you!
For future reference...I heard (and I don't know how true this is) that if you drive your car really hard before you take it to get tested....like floor it and get the rpm's up...then you will be more likely to pass.
Who knows...
roni - i've actually heard similar... supposedly it cleans it all out or something. who knows. those of us with a beater in our posession will try anything. the misters car was due in october for tags and i know i'll be driving that sucker all about before i attempt DEQ.
I'm so glad it passed, friend. I said a prayer for you. Good thing you got it all up to date... the ticket for expired tabss (not that I would know anything about it) is $101. Gross.
And thanks for your honesty about $. Nobody likes to talk about it. The truth of the matter is that God really does provide... He has been faithful every single time I have chosen to be obedient. But then sometimes I just don't choose that anyway... why? man, we are lame. Good thing He loves us!
Mmm...tags...
Hi, old roomie from yesteryear.
Tabs? How could they be tabs? I'll admit that I have not lived in every state to properly identify what everyone's tags look like but deep down I feel that there's no tabs. Bars have tabs, file drawers have tabs, but cars... they have tags.
Tabs, and it's $152 in Washington. After $1200 in trip permits, parts and mechanic work, and two tickets, my dad finally took one more look at my little yellow truck and noticed something odd. He took out the jets (don't ask me what contribution they give to the running of the thing) blew them out real good and put them back. They were backwards and dirty... One time in my life Rebecca when I can truly say "I feel your pain". Glad it's all over for you.
Roni: We tried it all!
So, Washington State is the culprit. Paula and Leah both say tabs.
I did learn that in Oregon, you can only get 2 trip permits for the same vehicle in a 12-month period. In case anyone was wondering.
Jen: So nice of you to stop by! I hope all is well in Texas.
tab is a nasty heavily caffienated soda.
You're right RM. Tab is a soda.
Oh man. I'm all for clean air, but DEQ made my life miserable for a while there too (that's why I had to bid farewell to my beloved Cadillac). I can so relate to that now-what-am-I-gonna-do feeling when they hand you the printout that says F A I L. Glad to hear you're good for another 2 years!
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