Fairies Live in My Gas Tank

Well, maybe not really, but sometimes I wonder.

After spending my food money on soda, and my gas (and gas money) on a few social activities that only cost gas, I am out of money. My tank as close to empty (though how close I'm not sure, since I know neither how accurate my gas gauge is, nor an accurate MPG for my car). I do know that it was well under the 1/4 mark when I parked it in the (very) early hours of Monday morning, and that it is/ was above 1/4 again when I took it out Tuesday, with some intermediate inching Monday afternoon. This is a car I've been putting around 2 gallons in, then driving 60 or 70 miles.

I'm pretty sure mid-90's Ford Escorts don't get 35 MPG. I'm *really* sure ones that leak gas (sometimes) don't. I also doubt that random strangers are wandering my neighborhood at night, secretly giving people gas (though how cool would that be?).

So the only possible explanation is that fairies live in my gas tank, and my car runs on fairy dust. Got to be. After all, driving 70 miles, repeatedly, on less than 2 gallons of gas, then putting one gallon in, and having the gauge show almost half a tank again... If not fairies, then how?

Of course, it's also totally plausible that my gas gauge is seriously forked and I'll run out of gas while I'm out somewhere, merrily thinking I've got at least 10 miles left. Cars are sneaky that way.

In which the intrepid heroine gets a car

I was going to do a whole huge update on the first, but I haven't paid all my bills yet, and I want to get my papers organized (and my budget worked out) before I do that.

In the meantime, I have a car! i found it on the craigslist of wonderful +2, and it ended up being even less than it was advertised for. And the lady selling it was super nice. When there was a problem with the title she came all the way out to the middle of nowhere (that's where I live, again) to fix it. Super super nice.

So I am now the proud owner of a $600 car. Which has also so far cost $178 to insure (6mo's), $12.39 in property tax, $69 to title, register, and licence, and $17.40 in gas.

But don't worry, it's going to get more expensive fast- cheap cars always do. I need to replace the bulb in one headlight, one brakelight, some hose (which may or may not leak gas), a couple bumper stickers (not really a ron paul kinda girl, ya know?), and the wiper blades.

And someday, if I'm very very good, the stereo and speakers.

Oh, and it needs an oil change, but don't they all?

did i mention the bit where I keep going squee? Why are the most exciting things in life so often the expensive ones?

One goal, done! Now i just have to pay dad back and fix it up.

Squee.

Car hunt saga of doooooom!

I moved back to South Carolina at the beginning of February. I haven't had a car since before I went NZ in Feb. of 2006.

So here I am, 3 miles from the nearest bus stop, in a "city" with rather questionable public transportation to begin with. And no car.

Since I got here I've been looking. Before I got here I was looking. Heck, even in Wyoming I was looking, and people only sell rotten old farm trucks there. No car. Found a couple possibles, but they didn't work out. One needed more work than the car was worth, most in my price range lately don't have engines, and a lot of people don't answer e-mail, pick up phone msg's, or know how to pull sold cars from the craig's list listings.

And then there is today. Today there was a perfect car. $700 1990 Volvo. Nothing hugely wrong with it except that it's at the absolute other end of town. Over where my father lives, specifically. So I called the guy, and said I'd have my father call, since he was over there, figuring he might be able to beat the others to the seller's house and get the car.

The car I need to get a job, pay my bills, and continue eating and living indoors.

Called my dad, told him about the car, asked if he could check it out. Implied, but obiously didn't state clearly enough that this was my best chance, and that he'd have to do it right away- like right after getting off the phone with me. I guess I forgot who I called.

Called dad at 3:45, maybe 4 o'clock. Don't hear back, don't hear back, wonder what's happening, finally, he calls back. When he called the guy someone else was test-driving the car, but if they don't buy it, he'll call back. But it's been like half an hour, says my dad, and he hasn't called back yet.

Guess the importance of calling the guy right away wasn't emphasized enough during my original call. So no car, no job, and, at this point, rapidly approaching no hope. Does the military take clinically depressed asthmatics?

At least I know why cars are so freaking over priced right now. I guess during "tax refund" season prices go up.

I'm almost tempted to cut my "dear Santa" list down to just a car. I'm sure I don't really need $85million, Vin Diesel, a dog, and a full staff to care for me... No, I just need a car. Maybe if I'm good santa will bring me one for February 20th-mas. Alternately, I could always buy a powerball ticket. The odds are looking better for that right now.

Pleh. Stupid cars.

on the up-side, Dad actually called the guy. I think.

-j.