$1,250 to change tires

I woke up after the rain/snow storm last night trapped in my van. The sliding door wouldn't open- and that isn't too unusual, as I sometimes have to use the key fob to open it- but today it absolutely wouldn't open. I had to crawl into the front seat and immediately out the front door, and the other side's sliding door wouldn't open either. Checking the internet it is a common problem of my van- the recommendation was to leave the van indoors and let it thaw out, then add silicone grease to the rubber seals in the door. I have no access to a indoor anything for it to thaw out in.

I spent the morning getting my four tires changed out. I tried walmart first and they mocked me saying it was a three week wait for a appointment- according to the chart it would cost under $500. My schedule at work is made weekly, so I have no idea when my days off are in advanced. So I gave up and tried Midas.

Midas took me right in, and said it would be just under $800. I was unhappy but resigned. Just sat around forever with nobody doing anything- they charge a service fee by the hour, and then they said some tire rod thing I never heard of (I am not remotely a mechanic) was broken on one of the wheels, and they didn't want to replace it till it was fixed. I was having occasional problems reversing and turning, so figured it was that.

I gave in and said yes.... since I live in my van, don't have a choice. A woman kept coming in, first at 10am, saying she needed her car today. She wanted to see the regional manager. He wasn't there at the time she was told he would be there, and burst out crying at 10:30.

She had a heated argument, and took off. Then she returned with a check, and was told Midas didn't take checks. She cried, left. Then returned, saying she talked to the manager on the phone and said all he had to do was cancel the order and then he could accept the check.... and he said Midas simply put didn't accept a check in the last 15 years. She could sign up for their no credit payment system or leave until she could pay it.

I started getting nervous at this point as I realized I never oaid for something this expensive on a debit card. I have a really small bank, no online banking, only two ATMs, both at the two bank locations. What if they decline? I'd be sleeping outside for the night and my sleeping bag was in the van.

My total bill ended up over $1200, I got the $25 insurance on each tire. It was supposed to be $1300 but somehow the tire technician wrote down the wrong tire size and didn't realize it until I was given the original quote. I did get new windshield wipers too.

I noticed the oil change was offered for less than at Jiffy Lube.

I fully intend to wear these tures down and have them explode on me. I'm gonna throw nails on the road and run them over at the end of their life, and explode every last tire, and have my van towed to a Midas on a day off and have the lifetime warranty cover it, cause that's just too expensive.

Good news is, the tire problem is solved. Ii have all wheel drive and new tires at the start of winter. I still have three lights to solve with my ODMII I haven't scanned yet. I'm probably gonna have to rent a Uhaul van for a week to get whatever is wrong with my van fixed, my state inspection tags end in February.

I did buy silicone grease, and that long wait in Midas worked well to thaw the van out. It was too cold to thaw out otherwise, probably would of spent a few weeks sliding in and out like a idiot each night and each morning otherwise. I thought of heating water and dumping it, or going through a heated car wash, but then was like.... I'm probably just gonna make it worst. But it worked out in the end.