Blech. How do people manage to pay for major car repairs? It's going to cost nearly $1,000 to replace the AC compressor in my '03 Hyundai. That's no AC/heat for me for a little while.
Blech. How do people manage to pay for major car repairs? It's going to cost nearly $1,000 to replace the AC compressor in my '03 Hyundai. That's no AC/heat for me for a little while.
Blech. How do people manage to pay for major car repairs? It's going to cost nearly $1,000 to replace the AC compressor in my '03 Hyundai. That's no AC/heat for me for a little while.
Friends everyone should have:
1) A mechanic
2) A computer technician
3) A doctor
4) A plumber
5) A lawyer
With friends like these, you'll be ok even if you're a dick to everyone else.
1) A mechanic
2) A computer technician
3) A doctor
4) A plumber
5) A lawyer
With friends like these, you'll be ok even if you're a dick to everyone else.
I've got 2 covered, I married 5, one of the wife's best friends is 3, and we rent so 4 isn't necessary right now. Clearly I need to befriend a mechanic somewhere.
I've got 2 covered, I married 5, one of the wife's best friends is 3, and we rent so 4 isn't necessary right now. Clearly I need to befriend a mechanic somewhere.
A couple of options you might want to try.
Barter. A compressor only runs a couple hundred bucks so they are charging you lots of labor. Go to a smaller, independent garage and see if there's any computer work or legal work (if your wife is a practicing lawyer) that you can somehow trade for these services.
Another option is see if any garage will let you set up a payment plan. I've negotiated this for lots of things (new tires, medical bills, propane delivery, furnace work, etc..). A lot more places go for this sort of thing than you think (especially in this economy).
Barter. A compressor only runs a couple hundred bucks so they are charging you lots of labor. Go to a smaller, independent garage and see if there's any computer work or legal work (if your wife is a practicing lawyer) that you can somehow trade for these services.
Another option is see if any garage will let you set up a payment plan. I've negotiated this for lots of things (new tires, medical bills, propane delivery, furnace work, etc..). A lot more places go for this sort of thing than you think (especially in this economy).
This one is an independent garage - not sure if they count as "smaller" though since they won Best in Wake County in the Indy's reader poll. I also checked compressor prices and a new one at O'Reilly or the like runs $400ish on its own. I could see if they could do some sort of payment plan but I'm thinking they would have offered such. I'm not a computer guy myself - lived with 4 of them while I was in grad school. I guess if they need some paralegaling to do I could do that but not much else. Ooh or policy analysis. I can still do that from my grad school days.
This one is an independent garage - not sure if they count as "smaller" though since they won Best in Wake County in the Indy's reader poll. I also checked compressor prices and a new one at O'Reilly or the like runs $400ish on its own. I could see if they could do some sort of payment plan but I'm thinking they would have offered such. I'm not a computer guy myself - lived with 4 of them while I was in grad school. I guess if they need some paralegaling to do I could do that but not much else. Ooh or policy analysis. I can still do that from my grad school days.
Oh well, I didn't know all the details so was just throwing some ideas out. The places I've done payment plans with in the past don't always advertise it so I've had to ask.
Another option is that if you have good enough credit, some National Chains offer credit cards that allow you to pay off over 6 months with no interest. I know National Tire and Battery does this and they do a lot of different types of repairs, but I'm guessing they don't do AC compressors but I never asked. Might be worth looking into some of those also.
Oh well, I didn't know all the details so was just throwing some ideas out. The places I've done payment plans with in the past don't always advertise it so I've had to ask.
Another option is that if you have good enough credit, some National Chains offer credit cards that allow you to pay off over 6 months with no interest. I know National Tire and Battery does this and they do a lot of different types of repairs, but I'm guessing they don't do AC compressors but I never asked. Might be worth looking into some of those also.
Good luck.
Thanks BBA. I'm calling around to a few other shops to get price quotes to see if anybody is significantly cheaper. If not, no harm in asking my current mechanic if they do some sort of payment plan.
Looks better. Looks more like my terrible punctuation. For some reason, I have always been terrible at it. I guess because I'm an engineering major.
Fine, I'll change majors then. I clearly should be an English major or something. Oh wait, that's right...I want a job out of college. I'm staying an engineering major then.
Fine, I'll change majors then. I clearly should be an English major or something. Oh wait, that's right...I want a job out of college. I'm staying an engineering major then.
I'm really hoping I get into Mechanical/Aerospace because I have no clue what I would do if I didn't. Civil is a possibility, but a very distant third choice.
I'm really hoping I get into Mechanical/Aerospace because I have no clue what I would do if I didn't. Civil is a possibility, but a very distant third choice.
Yeah, I'm in a similar boat. I'm really hoping I get into biomedical, as I'm currently in mechanical. But I currently have an NCSU GPA of 0, during my semester from hell right now...so I can't screw it up.
If I don't get into biomedical...then mechanical is an okay 2nd. My third choice doesn't exist.
Yeah, I'm in a similar boat. I'm really hoping I get into biomedical, as I'm currently in mechanical. But I currently have an NCSU GPA of 0, during my semester from hell right now...so I can't screw it up.
If I don't get into biomedical...then mechanical is an okay 2nd. My third choice doesn't exist.
Good luck. I can only dream of having a GPA worthy of getting into Biomedical. What has kind of set me behind from the beginning is applying as Engineer-Undeclared Intent, instead of Mechanical/Aerospace. I know it's not a given if you get accepted to college for your intended major, but it definitely puts you ahead of the undeclared guys. Luckily, I want to have a career in Aerospace especially, so I am not taking this school thing lightly. I've been the most motivated for school I've ever been in my life. Getting work done the day it's assigned instead of the morning it's due is a major stress relief.
Good luck. I can only dream of having a GPA worthy of getting into Biomedical. What has kind of set me behind from the beginning is applying as Engineer-Undeclared Intent, instead of Mechanical/Aerospace. I know it's not a given if you get accepted to college for your intended major, but it definitely puts you ahead of the undeclared guys. Luckily, I want to have a career in Aerospace especially, so I am not taking this school thing lightly. I've been the most motivated for school I've ever been in my life. Getting work done the day it's assigned instead of the morning it's due is a major stress relief.
Oh, you mean like my statics homework?
But yeah...my semester is pretty ******. Calculus 3 (actually my easiest class so far), physics 2 (my professor is terrible), statics, organic chemistry, E115 (Why the hell do I have to take this? I mean, seriously). Oh, and the respective physics/chemistry labs.
Next week, I start practicing with the Symphony. We rehearse from 7:15-10:00pm on Monday's.
I should add that I don't do any homework in the morning mainly due to having 8am classes every day.
I was not expecting the Cowboys to hold on tonight because...well, being a Cowboys fan teaches you to expect the ridiculous at the end of games. Really pleased with Romo's poise (only one bad throw) and Murray looked like a steamroller out there.
One more thing - FINALLY the Boys have some talent in the secondary. I was in high school the last time that was the case, ie. early to mid '90s. It's about damn time.
