After Two Days

After 2 days and $1,200, my car is fixed, smogged, and registered for another year. It was a pile of money, but better than it could have been, because I didn't have to fix something that was about $800 (which I feared), so I was able to fix something else for about the same amount (well, it was $880).

Last year, I took my car to Reno Mazda-Kia, where I had purchased it used, intending to make good on my extended warranty that I purchased as well. I told them when I made the appointment a week in advance that I had a smog report saying the catalytic converter wasn't working right. When I showed up, they suggested that I take it to Reno Subaru instead (because the catalytic converter is under manufacturer's warranty for 80,000 miles). They had no openings, so I took it back to Kia for a diagnostic. They called me a couple hours later to say that besides the cat, the oxygen sensors were both shot - $800. I declined the repair, intending to take the car to Reno Subaru and have them do it all.

Problem - Kia had already cleared the error code from the computer. Now, I can't get the warranty repair I need. Fortunately, I was able to get my car smogged, and to put off the whole thing for a year.

That year came due this week. I made an appointment, and dropped my car off on Wednesday. I got a call a few hours later saying that the cat was bad, was under warranty, and the oxygen sensors were fine. There was a $75 lean-up of the throttle plate, but then it'd be fine. Great! Another hour, and I got another call. The car's done, but during the test drive, the technician noticed some noise from the rear of the car. They checked it, and saw that both rear bearings were bad. That would be $880 to fix.

I knew about the noise, and since I just dodged an $800 repair, I was more than happy to let them fix this mechanical issue.

My car is now much quieter at freeway speeds, and I don't have the harsh orange glow of the check engine light in my face all the time. Now, I just have to pay it off....