No more Shopping......

laurag89

Maryland Cookie - I finally got a little bit of news on my car, not quite the news I was hoping for. It turns out its not the alternator, not the battery as originally though so that was a waste of £50 It is something called the ECU which I have been told is basically like the brain of the car....... Doesn't mean all that much to me ha ha, but what does is the fact it is going to cost £200-£250!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I still don't have my car back yet.... Fuming!!! My mum bless her has a free £250 overdraft although I do not want to rely on anyone she is going to lend it to me rather than add to expensive debts.... I already pay her £35 a month towards things i have borrowed before so she is happy I just extend the length of time I do that for to include this.

Not the news I was hoping for, and I have been stuck in for another evening.

laurag89

Thanks Smiles123! I will do, I need some entertainment right now.... I am literally under house arrest almost as I cannot get anywhere till the garage get their backsides in gear and get my car back to me.... they do not seem to be in any kind of hurry!

I suppose your car situation does work out fairly well if you can use the car when you need too most of the time? It is way too costly to run one car not alone consider two! I have realised this first hand this week haaa!

It is a hard one to judge because technically it makes financial sense to pay your overdraft instead of having the funds in an emergency account in terms of interest........ but ....... basing my thoughts purely on my own experience I am starting to think that the emergency fund is extremely important otherwise you could end up having to use your overdraft again anyway.

xx

laurag89

Hello Diary!

Another boring evening locked up at home, but on the bright side another NSD! Think I need 365 days from now of NSD's to afford to pay the repairs on my car.... £200-£250 :O ouch!
I am extremely lucky though as my mum is kindly going to give me a 0% loan for as long as it takes to pay it back, 25 and still needing mums help.... I feel a little ashamed (Lesson learnt, I NEED an Emergency fund)

This evening was not a complete washout though, I put a couple of clothing items onto Ebay and Depop app, including my absolutely beautiful Zara jacket that I have not had for long. I bought the Zara Jacket (I LOVE Zara store!! Which is why I have banned myself from going in there or looking on the website/app) on my last stupid spending spree a few months back when they had a sale..... I tried it on this evening and as much as I love it, it really does not look right, as in its not fitted enough so im not 100% happy with it.
Sooooo.... I have put into Ebay and Depop to see where it sells the quickest if at all for £30 its brand new and never worn but that is what I paid for it in the sales

All in all I am pretty happy with myself for finally being strong to part with things I love but know for a fact I will not wear.... Another step forward for me I think.

I will be back tomorrow with an update on my car which will hopefully be back on my driveway by this time tomorrow, If not I will be back on here too rant about how long they are taking and how much I need my car back ha ha! I am meant to be going to Birmingham this weekend which is not going to happen without it back......... so I have literally everything crossed now!!!

Thanks to anyone taking the time to read me rambling on.

laurag89

I did forget to mention.......... I have to walk to work tomorrow, WALK!!!! I have been fortunate enough to talk mums OH into picking me up.... but unless I want to be waiting outside work for Two hours tomorrow morning I am unable to jump in with mum or her OH in the morning.

Really hoping it doesn't rain, the drowned rat look does not suit me very well.

See you tomorrow

laurag89

Car update: so I called the garage that have had my car since Tuesday today for an update, basically there response was they haven't had time and won't have it back to me today or tomorrow. In a nut shell in two days they had achieved nothing and still had no idea what the problem was.

So I took action, I called my Greenflag got them to pick it up and take it to a different garage that I know and trust today. The car got to them at 2pm and by 3pm true to form that had an exact answer for me! It is not the alternator, battery or ecu unit as told previous by the last garage who were useless!
It is the timing chain..... In money terms £470 worth of repairs to a car I have had less than 2 months! Better still the dealer I bought it from who supposidly covers me under a 3 month guarantee doesn't cover that. Lol!

The timing chain could potential have caused damage to other parts which would be a whole different kettle of fish and cost me around £1200 which is what I paid for the car itself!!!

Why does this keep happening to me..... Farewell car!

Smiles123

Hope you have had a nice weekend, and sorry to hear about your car, I would be gutted ��
We had big family trip to Carboot today, played "who can buy the tackiest item for 50p" we then took items to pub where in laws bought tea and we got waiter to judge items, well it was so funny, waiter joined in giving practical reasons for some items lol, overall really fun day out and didn't spend a lot at all!!
Got wages Friday, gutted had £200 less than expected I really didn't budget my maternity leave pay so have to be even more careful eek!

laurag89

Hey smiles123 my weekend was good I got my car back Friday which meant I was able to make a mad last minute dash to Birmingham to see my family after all! Was lovely!

Bad bad news about my car, after everything the problem was to do with timing being out which is something to do with timing chain. All very technical for me, but the bill was a staggering £660!!!!! Absolutely heart broken after only purchasing my car less than two months ago, the garage I bought it from don't want to help what so ever despite there being a 3 month warranty! Don't know what I am going to do yet...... I paid by credit card for the car so may have some form of protection through that?

That sounds really fun actually! May have to give it ago myself to bring some entertainment to weekends where I don't have much money!

Maryland_Cookie

Oh Laura, what a nightmare about the car, sending you big hugs. Would it be worth contacting The Citizens Advice Bureau to see if the could help?

Glad you had a good weekend with family x

laurag89

Thanks Maryland cookie I am absolutely furious, i don't know if I have much of a leg to stand on.... As I removed the car from the guy who sold it to me's authorised repairer because they were absolutely useless!
But I might try to get the money back anyway!

I hate cars! Need two new tyres tomorrow too and the tracking fixed! If my partner didn't live 55 miles away I would sell the bloody thing!

My weekend was good though
How was yours?

Maryland_Cookie

It's an expensive time all round when you've got a car, I'd love not to have one but rely on it so much.

Had a lovely weekend thanks, pretty quiet and low spend so all good xx