It's official: I need a new car

After reading my last post, it was pretty clear to me that I needed to buy a new car. But, my dad's influence of lifelong cheapness (sorry, Dad) was still giving me little doubts. Thankfully, a phone call from my Dad last night eliminated all room for doubt . The final repair estimates were revealed and they were astronomical:

Knock sensor - $800
Struts - $1400 ($600/parts, $800/labor)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CV boots - $100 (labor tossed in for free...oh gee, thanks)
Front end brakes and rotors rotated - $269

These repairs of course equal TOO DAMN MUCH!

Like a dummy, I gave the mechanic the go ahead to install the new front end brakes and rotate the rotors BEFORE getting the total estimate, so I'm out $269. But in the long run, I guess I got off cheap. I'll continue to drive my beloved 1998 Mazda Millenia for the next couple of months (so I can save for a down payment). Then it will go the way of my previously beloved Mazda MX3 (or Champagne Charmagne as I liked to call her) and be someone else's problem or in someone's junk yard...sniff sniff... 'cause I'm trading it in for something new.

Now if only I knew what that something new is going to be...