I am very dubious that my car needs a repair that’s going to cost over $1000 just so I don’t pollute our environment and can keep my car on the road. But I have no choice: in order to get the yearly stickers for my plates I have to do this or buy a new car.
I want to help keep our air clean but this is ridiculous.
It started when I didn’t get my application for renewing my driver’s licence and plates. I had an application to renew my health card so I was waiting for the forms for my car to do all at once. Since the forms usually come long before your birthday I realized last week that I would have to go to Service Ontario without any forms.
My licence and health card were renewed but my car needed an e-test before I could get the yearly stickers for the plates. That is an emissions test to make sure your car isn’t belching fumes into the environment. I would have known this if I’d gotten the forms in the mail and not cut it so close (maybe).
She said if I hurry down to Canadian Tire they might be able to fit me in. When I got there they said the machine broke down an hour ago and should be fixed tomorrow. I phone the next day and they said ‘tomorrow’ but I was working. I phoned Monday and they said they couldn’t get me in until Wednesday. My plates expire Thursday.
So I drove to another Canadian Tire farther away and failed my test. The car runs just fine but my catalytic converter is cracked. ‘Small problem’ he says.
Being snow tire season my usual garage was booked until December. I phoned around and found someone who might do it but she couldn’t find parts for a Suzuki Swift. I phoned my old garage and they told me it was interchangeable with a Chevy Avail. I phoned the new garage back, gave them the information and she called me back…… the parts, alone, were $700 and she would have to look at the exhaust system to see if more parts were needed.
So now it will be $1000 or more to get the damn stickers for my plates. I can’t go running out to buy a new car now. I’m sick and angry about it. My mind was churning all night about; should I get another car and stay on for another year? NO! I can’t do it! I have to quit that job. I will be way too depressed if I have to stay there. The car runs great and it has snow tires. I have to keep it.
Today the sun is shining and I intended to work at home all day with all this bureaucratic bullshit happily behind me. This morning I’m taking the car in so they can see what is needed. At least I’ll have all afternoon and don’t have work and be miserable; I can be outside and a little less miserable with the soothing ointment of nature and sun.
I have to work tomorrow which is last day I’m legal. Saturday I’m keeping my fingers crossed that no cops look at my plates and punch that number into their computer. Hopefully I can get this all done by next week.
Good thing I have a credit card but I am very dubious that my car needs an expensive ‘repair’ like this.
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