The money sink that is my car

I'm always amazed by how the average person trusts one of their most expensive possessions, their car, to the mechanic.

It's the most expensive PORTABLE device they'll ever have.

Call me crazy, but when I buy something, I generally like to know the ins and outs of it. Say my computer for example. I'm not a pro (even though I have a Computer Science degree), but I'm capable of talking to Tech Support about an internet problem without being like "whaaaa? Who...? The Ewe Ess Bee port?".

But cars....that's a grey area for 99% of us.

Every time I take my car in, I get loads of automotive jargon thrown at me and then the only thing I do understand: the price.

This weekend I took my car in and turns out, the "IAC" needed to be replaced. Problem is that no part shop carried the part (since when is a Nissan Sentra such a specialized car? Oh I'm sorry, I'm in Orange County...BMWs and Mercedes are more common), so they had to get the part from Nissan itself which carried the huge cost.

At least I finangled a free oil change.

When I asked if this whole thing could have been avoided, I got even more automotive jargon thrown at me. I asked, "And HOW was I supposed to know to do THAT?!?" and the car guy just shrugged his shoulder.

Yes I'm aware there's a car manual. I've read it. One thing it said was to use the cheapie gas (87). Well the dude in the car shop said I could have avoided this if I had used the premium gas (I'm NOT putting premium gas in at practically $3.00 per gallon!). So reading the manual wouldn't have helped.

I just don't get how we all send our car to this dirty slimey location, we have no clue what they're doing or if we're being scammed, and then we just graciously accept the bill. Makes NO sense to me.

I'm okay paying the bill, and I understood some of the problems the dude faced (such as not being able to find a cheaper car part and what not). I just don't get why I, or anyone else, just drops it off and then pays a huge bill.

So basically I need to LEARN more about cars.

Um yeah i'll get right on that.