The Cost Of: Car Repairs

So my car has been having a noted problem with braking ever since the beginning of November. I have been trying to ignore it - the fact that I have to brake five minutes before my intended stopping point; that grinding sound; the fear I have pulling on to the highway. I know, I know I should be slapped for voluntarily putting myself in that kind of danger, but I have a good reason: I just don't want to pay for it. Got it? Good.

Paying for things like that always come out of my personal savings, which is a pain. And this isn't the first major repair I have had to fork over for. In November 2007, I had to have a whole new engine put into my car at the steep price of $1000. Can we say vroom, vroom?

To me, the logical solution is to get a new car for graduation, (or now, for that matter), but my mother isn't biting. At least I don't think she is...

Either way, I have decided before I drive home two hours on the highway, which is always a crap shoot when it comes to braking, I am heading down to Firestone bright and early to get new pads put in, at the cost of $149.99 a set. The guy over the phone said that it's rare that both sets have to be replaced at the same time, but knowing my luck I wouldn't put it past me.

In addition to big things like brakes, I always foot the bill on my quarterly oil exchanges and any other incidentals, like tire rotations. Who knows how long Jake, my 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee (I named it that because I think it's rugged) will have to last me in this economy?

That reminds me, I need to buy coolant for my car. It is heater time, after all...

So tell me: How much do you spend on car repair? Do you foot the bill?