Jessica's Commuter Car Chaos

By: Jessica Scroppo Layout Designer

Don't get me wrong, being a commuter has its perks. Living at home, being with family and the massive savings from not having to pay room and board are all great. What’s not so great is when your means of transportation takes a sudden hit.

When your engine light pops on, it’s usually a cause for alarm; but what does it mean when it never turns off?

I’ve had to bring my car, a 2017 Chevy Trax, to a certified Chevy dealership and a family mechanic over 5 times in the last month. I’ve had my father, who’s mechanical minded, raid the car looking for the problem. Not one person could find the solution, and I was out of my mind.

For the last month, I’ve dealt with a domino effect of issues- it’s been one after the next. My catalytic converter was replaced, the dealership wiped all codes from my engine lights (without correctly diagnosing anything) and I’ve had 3 unnecessary parts replaced on my dime.

My car’s brakes were bucking like a baby bronco, it stalled twice and I got a flat tire all within the last month. As soon as there was a “resolution,” days later my car would be driving like a beat up 1984 Oldsmobile. Not to mention, I had to work around my schedule and exchange cars with my family just to make it to class.

Maybe it’s the workforce or maybe it’s the complexity of newer cars. I don’t know- I’m not a mechanic. To say I was aggravated and on edge the past few weeks is an understatement. What I do know is that cars are a necessary hassle. I can’t live with one, and I can’t live without one.

This first bout of maintenance to my relatively new car has shown me what it really means to be a car owner. At the end of the day, not even mechanics have all the answers.

I know there are worse problems in the world, but there are few things more frustrating than a commuter without their own car.

And if you catch me not going to school because my car’s acting up… mind your business, I’m at my wits end.