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Brakes and Rebates

October 2nd, 2009 at 04:51 pm

Note: I'm writing this while at the gym and on my iPhone, so please forgive any typos. Smile

On Wednesday when I got a new tire for my car and bought a bike, I also was given a strong suggestion.

Get new brakes --- Soon!

The mechanic told me I have about 20% left.

Oooops!

I'd known that it had to be coming soon. After all, it has been at least six years since I last had my brakes done. But I'd been hoping to hold out till November so I'd have a couple months of lower expenses before messing with them.

I considered going back to the mechanic I used during my Murphy month. But then I realized that he'd told me my tires were fine and made no mention of my brakes. ( this was after me specifically asking him to tell me if he noticed anything else) Not to mention that he's way out of my way now.

This doesn't seem like something I can put off for very long. I hate to put more money in the car if I'm just going to be trading it in soon. But I was really hoping to wait for a car sales crunch time - esp end of qtr and end of month when they're desperate to make a sale.

The last time I got brakes, I think it was around 100. But I don't think they were as far gone. I'm worried it's going to be a $$$$ job.

I probably just need to take it to a mechanic ( maybe my stepdad can suggest one - he used to live in my new area) and get an estimate.

--------------
I ordered a cashback reward from Chase before moving for $100. It came on Tuesday, so last night I deposited it and my paycheck. Guess all my car troubles and tuition bills are good for something. Smile

It will add up much more slowly now because I can't put my rent on it anymore. Cheaper rent is worth it. Smile

------
I checked into a local bike club. There is only one ride for novice bikers, and it is on Saturday mornings when I'm in church. So that won't work.

I found a book on bike care at my library which I put a hold on. It's written for kids, but I bet the info will still be useful. There was one book for adults, but there were no copies. ( I've asked why they have books in their catalog if they don't actually have any copies. I was told that it means they did have a copy at one time, but it was lost or irreparrably damaged.)

Lux, I checked out the bike tutor site. Lots of good info. The main thing I was looking for though was how to know if your chain is on correctly. My chain had come off the gears when I took it home. I put it on the lowest gear and was able to ride it, but there is a clicking type noise once every revolution.

---
I'm really looking forward to this weekend. Nowhere to go, just relax and see if I can work ahead in some of my classes.

There's another reason I love weekends, but I'll have to save it for another post. Smile

11 Responses to “Brakes and Rebates”

  1. Jerry Says:
    1254499887

    Yeah, brakes aren't something to ignore, since that can lead to bigger problems down the line! I wish that sort of thing was covered by car insurance, but it isn't... (I really thought that it was when I got my first car. I didn't know the difference between a warranty and car insurance!)
    Jerry

  2. LuxLiving Says:
    1254499903

    Do what Hubster does - call a couple of bike shops and tell them what's happening and see if they have any ideas about what exactly might be happening with your brand and model of bike. Some may say bring it in, but others might just give you a 'newbie girl' break and tell you what causes it and what needs to be done, or if it's normal for your model.

    Ummm, have you tried WD-40, or for us more adventurous frugal types, Pam type cooking spray while rotating the pedals so the chain gets good and saturated?

    Car brakes? Yeouch!! Frown

    Can you drive minimally for now and wait for the end of Oct sales crunch? ...but still, brakes are important!!!

    Have you done any investingating about what brand you might like to replace it with in the future? Don't forget insurance costs when searching for cars - some brands and colors have much cheaper coverage costs.

  3. dmontngrey Says:
    1254502077

    It sounds to me like the derailleur on your bike needs to be adjusted. It's not difficult to do. Just search for "derailleur adjustment" online and find an article that makes sense to you. I do believe this is what's making your clicking noise as well. The derailleur isn't lined up properly above the gear, so the chain is trying to jump gears. This is a very common problem when you grab a bike from a store like Walmart or Target. Trust me - it's not likely they sat and made sure the derailleur was properly set.

  4. frugaltexan Says:
    1254502420

    Jerry, that would be great if these kinds of things were covered by insurance.
    Smile
    Lux, after talking to my dad, I think I'm going to go ahead and get them fixed so when ready to get a diff car I won't be in a rush (ie fond something before the brakes go out.)

    that is a good idea to call some bike shops and see what they'd say about the chain

  5. frugaltexan Says:
    1254502582

    Dmontngrey,

    Thanks for the info! I saw that term on the owners manual, but had no clue what it was.

  6. mom-from-missouri Says:
    1254503473

    Maybe you can organize a bike ride at church? I think a ride and a picnic sound like fun.

  7. frugaltexan Says:
    1254505983

    Funny you should mention that. I actually had a similar idea last week coming home from church. I'll have to ask if they have any kind of an activity group - hiking, biking, running .... If not, maybe I could start one. Smile

  8. HouseHopeful Says:
    1254509768

    Good luck with the brakes, you definately don't want to wait on getting them taken care of.

    I hope you have a great weekend and I can't wait to hear why you look forward to them so much Smile

  9. LuxLiving Says:
    1254528275

    When you get to thinking about car replacement this place might be of help:

    To find out the mpg ratings for all major automobiles from 1985-2008 go to:
    Text is
    http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
    and Link is
    http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

  10. LuxLiving Says:
    1254583214

    Oh, and don't miss this good discussion over on the forums!
    Text is
    http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/personal-finance/48929-confession-i-just-got-car-loan.html and Link is
    http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/personal-finance/48929-...

  11. cptacek Says:
    1254593930

    Are you still in the Dallas area? I had a good mechanic in Garland that was very up front and honest, and he had quite a large shop. The name of the shop was Laminack. He was a little south of Shiloh and Kingsley. Haven't been there since moving, so hopefully he is still in business.

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