My car is at it again. It already doesn't have reverse. This is a very major problem, but I've learned to get around it, at least on a temporary basis. Though it does seem like I've been using that word "temporary" for quite a while now. Anyway, now the front right tire squeals all the time, or at least when the radio isn't on and the window isn't up. Then I really can't tell. Anyway, even more disconcerting is the fact that as of Tuesday, every time I brake, there is a really loud and uncomfortable rumbling noise and the car pulls to the right a little bit. The good news is that these two things are probably the same problem. The bad news is that Good "Mr Car Major Dude" Joe seems to believe that the loud rumbling and uneven braking might "not be so good" for the car. And me.
What Joe seems to think has happened is that the brake pad on the right side has worn away and now the metal pad holder (he used some other term I can't remember now) is now grinding against the metal disc on the wheel that the absentee pad should be rubbing against to stop the car. He suggested I get this one fixed like really soon. And this is coming from one of the only guys that agrees with me that reverse isn't a necessity on motor vehicles. He started saying stuff like how if they get hot enough, they could fuse together and lock up the tire and send me skidding into a wall or another car or something. Now I'm probably scaring the crap out of my mother, so let me just say that I'm not really going to skid into any walls or cars, ma. I think I've calculated the point in which I would brake enough for this to happen, and there's a nice soft guard rail on the 95 exit ramp. Besides, it's likely to catch fire before any of this happens. ;) I'm actually afraid to hit the brakes now. I no longer bother slowing down over speed bumps. It's not worth the risk. And the decision between slowing down to park in a spot or ramming into a tree to stop me is a lot harder to make than it was last week. Also, if there aren't any cars parked on the road and I know I need to stop ahead, I just start ramming it against the right curb and bump, bump, bump my way to a stop. I may not be the smartest of the lot, but I learn how to adapt to car problems like nobody's business.
So the prospect of needing to shell out $300-$400 bucks just to be able to stop got me thinking. I pictured the conversation that would happen between the mechanic and myself when I asked them to fix the brake pad problem, but not to worry about the non reverse problem. That amused me enough to want to try it. But I think I may just call it quits on the Extendo-Mobile and put it to rest with Pimp-Mobile Jr. We'll see what CarMax has in the way of a stopping vehicle that can go backwards, yet still maintains the qualities of forward that my current car has. I don't know if they'll have anything like that in my under $250 price range, but I'll do some haggling. And I'd be willing to throw in an extra $50 if it was yellow.
During this conversation with Joe, we chatted about his job a little bit and I pretended to be interested so as I wouldn't appear like I was just using him for his knowledge of cars and crap. I asked him how work was going, and he replied something to the effect of "ah, it's work." This is approximately where I flaunt to my close friends what I do for a living. My job is such the antithesis of work, and he knows it. From the environment right down to the paychecks. Anyway, I told him that I had hoped he was prepared for the fact that it would be more like work than my job...
"Actually, I got to work the first day and I asked 'Where's the girl's soccer team?' They all looked at me like I was crazy."
-Good Mr Car Major Dude Joe.
Funny thing is, that's actually a question I find myself asking every once in a while.
Desperately seeking brakes,
Extendo.
Still Stranded Right Here...
