zoom zoom

So we got a new car. Yippee! It's fun to drive, and I can't help but smiling and singing "zoom zoom" every time I'm driving around town. At least that was my experience until Monday.

What are your worst fears when you get a new car?

Hitting something.

Scratching the beautiful paint job that is so perfect, so unadultered by the wear and tear of life.

Crashing.

Monday, my first "real" day of driving the new car (more than a five-minute trip to the store), it was pouring rain and I was on my way to Target to get some art supplies for work. Boom. I hit the mother of all potholes. It wasn't even like I was messing up. I was driving slowly, not tailgating anyone, watching the road. I didn't even see it at the last minute and try to swerve but hit it anyway. It just came out of nowhere, in the middle of a totally normally paved road.

I say to myself, "no, it's okay. I'm sure nothing's wrong. Pull in the parking lot and check it out."

Flat tire.

Roadside assistance comes to put on the spare. (Hey, I've got it. Why change my own tire?) The guy drops part of the jack against the side of the car. Scratch. A little one, but the first scratch on our new baby.

Did I mention that I started clomid last week? Thankfully I'm not an overly emotional or weepy person. I didn't even quiver at the moment, but I felt that deep dread of having to call Ben and tell him that something very sad happened to the zoom zoom.

Ben: no problem, hon. These things happen. Just take it to Firestone on your way home and have them fix it.

Problem? You bet. A tear in the sidewall, not fixable.

Fast forward a day, a trip to Goodyear, a handful of calls to the warranty people, the dealer, and a Mazda repair shop, and all I have to say is this:

Cost of a Firestone tire repair job: $33

Cost of a new Goodyear tire replacment: $260

Cost of a tire, with the nice Goodyear people giving us a break on our warranty: $130

Replacement tire for half off, free scratch repair by the tow company, a hubby who understands, and my worst fears now behind me: Priceless.