Member-only story
The Cost of Living is Biting but do you really NEED your car?
Running the numbers on a lifestyle reality check
There it was. The dreaded light. Mechanical failure. Car will not start. Do not pass go. Do not reverse out the driveway. Call ahead, you won’t be making that 10.30am appointment.
It's never planned, never convenient and no amount of roadside assistance can get you there on time. To make matters worse, the roadside mechanic reports that it will have to be towed to your last service center.
I call the service center and the receptionist answers the phone. I can almost hear her silent boredom as I explain that my car won’t move, and I’ll need to tow it. Can they check it out? I can almost hear her laugh at me as I hear the tap tap as she brings up the service history.
“Sure you can send it in and we’ll try and get to it by…” she pauses as she clicks, “Friday.” Damn. I check my watch. Its Tuesday. I bunch my toes in my shoes. Breathe B, just breathe.
She continues with the party line, “Sorry. Short staffed, busy schedule, rising costs…” I try not to let the sinking feeling show on my face.
I spin to give a thumbs up to the mechanic who nods and starts pushing buttons on his phone and force a smile into my voice. “Thanks that would be…
