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Uh-oh, another car expense

October 13th, 2014 at 03:05 pm

I was pulling away from the curb Saturday morning and immediately knew something was very wrong. I pulled over and saw that I had a flat tire. Very flat. There was an auto shop very close by so I limped there on the rim. I guess I shouldn't have done that, because the dealer said that driving on it, even a short distance, made the tire unrepairable. They could not find a suitable replacement tire on the weekend, so the car is still there. The mechanic said the tires overall were in great shape, so only the one replacement is needed.

I have no idea what might have caused this. Last time I drove, Thursday evening, it was fine.

So I'm thinking -- no problem, this will help me meet the $750 I need to spend on my Citi card! This must be what it's like to be rich. To feel that spending is no problem.

Later that day I took my son and grandsons to see "The Boxtrolls" ($24) and I spent $71 at the grocery store. I also spent $6 on a prescription, earning a $25 gift card since it was a new prescription, and I had a coupon.

I also found .40 in change in various places! As you can see on my sidebar, I'm getting close to $1000 in snowflakes! (That was helped along by a Discover cash back bonus of $18.)

I also did two loads of laundry for $3.

Sunday was a wasted day. I got a few things done in the morning, but at noon my son's family picked me up to go to my ex's house for a cookout. I was happy to be invited, but we ended up staying till 7 pm, way past my tolerance level, and I had no getaway car. Oh well, at least it was extra time with the grandkids.

I'll be happy to have my car back tonight, assuming it will be ready today!

9 Responses to “Uh-oh, another car expense”

  1. rob62521 Says:
    1413209376

    Sorry about the tire. I am not sure what I would have done in the same circumstances...probably the same thing. Towing would be expensive and road repair on the road probably is too.

  2. Buendia Says:
    1413211958

    My husband just got a flat, too! Ugh!

  3. just a thought Says:
    1413218838

    Be sure the other tires really are okay; generally it is recommended to replace tires in pairs because uneven tread across tires can cause problems later. Believe me, I know!

  4. snafu Says:
    1413220382

    Sorry to respond after the fact...Please check your car insurance policy. Is auto assistance a feature? I suggest checking with insurance agent to determine what it would add to the cost of your premium. Verify it would include flat tire change-out to spare given winter driving conditions in your area.

  5. CB in the City Says:
    1413224379

    JAT, both the Toyota dealer, where I just had my car worked on, and this tire dealer said my tires were in great shape. I'm assuming the tire dealer would prefer to sell me two, so I think he's being honest.

    Snafu, I actually have AAA coverage, so could have had a tow. I have to admit I was just SO CLOSE to the auto shop I couldn't resist just going there and saving the time. And I'd already driven a bit, anyway, before I stopped and looked.

  6. BuckyBadger Says:
    1413251966

    Generally one would put the spare on and drive to the tire place on that tire rather on the rim. I keep a can of "fix-a-flat" in the trunk. That'll usually get you to the nearest repair place unless you have a huge hole.

  7. CB in the City Says:
    1413292551

    I don't know that fix-a-flat would have done it. It was really flat! Believe it or not, I never even thought about putting on the spare (not that I know how!) I only thought about towing. Well, live and learn. That's my impatience coming to the fore. I didn't want to wait an hour for a tow when the shop was minutes away.

  8. Violet Says:
    1413293839

    Must be flat tire season! LOL Mine went flat on the sidewall last week......we had to replace both front tires even though just one was flat.

  9. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1413425668

    I did something similar in April ...

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