Got kicked in the balls today, the repair cost for the van is $6100 CAD. The big problem is a new transmission which costs $3000. I knew the transmission was a problem and it is one of the reasons I stopped driving the vehicle and parked it in a garage for the last 5 years. I was afraid of that bill back then and now it has finally come due. New tires cost $850 also about $1700 for a bunch of other things that needed to be done. I was able to eliminate some of the less necessary stuff and got the bill down to $5500.
I was faced with a very difficult choice, dump the van for almost nothing, or pay the bill? I could not dump it, even thou it is quite old now I kept it in reasonably good shape overall. I think I might be able to get up to 10 more years out of it. I love the time I spend camping with the van, love being in the mountains etc. Over the last 5 years I have really missed not camping. I decided after lots of thought to pay the bill. To get this puppy on the road by Monday and to use it to spend a week in Rosebud and in the mountains.
A tough day, the van itself is probably not worth the $5500, hope this is not a bad mistake. The best I can do is use it lots over the next few years. Get out into nature, breath that mountain air, work on some landscape photography, enjoy life. If I use the van plenty of times then I think in the end paying this big price will be worth it.
I was faced with a very difficult choice, dump the van for almost nothing, or pay the bill? I could not dump it, even thou it is quite old now I kept it in reasonably good shape overall. I think I might be able to get up to 10 more years out of it. I love the time I spend camping with the van, love being in the mountains etc. Over the last 5 years I have really missed not camping. I decided after lots of thought to pay the bill. To get this puppy on the road by Monday and to use it to spend a week in Rosebud and in the mountains.
A tough day, the van itself is probably not worth the $5500, hope this is not a bad mistake. The best I can do is use it lots over the next few years. Get out into nature, breath that mountain air, work on some landscape photography, enjoy life. If I use the van plenty of times then I think in the end paying this big price will be worth it.
