The 5 year mark.

Why do cars have a typical 60 month - 5 year - lease? I figured it out this morning. I was getting ready to get the tires rotated...got my sick kid in the car, the other two in the car and was heading out the garage door. I realized that my remote wasn't working. Hmmmm. So I used the key and opened the car that way. But then, the doors wouldn't open when I pressed the unlock button. Hmmmm. Not good before a trip, I'm thinking.

Then...the car wouldn't start. Dead battery. I called AAA and they sent out a guy to jump the battery. He did a diagnostic on the battery and I only had 2% life left in the battery. Go figure. We pay off the van 12 days ago...just got the pink slip...and the battery dies. In the deepest part of my heart I believe that Toyota times their battery to die just after you pay off the car. I really do believe that. When I got the tires rotated, the guy said that this would be the last rotation for the front two tires...they're going to need to be replaced.

Twerp #1 asked me when do we know it's time to get a new car. I told him that a battery and two new tires are still cheaper than one car payment, so it's a good idea to get the car fixed. It always seems like he's asking me questions like that...just when smoke is coming out of my ears due to frustration. Gotta love him for it.

The 5 year mark is a curse. For me and everyone I know. My sister just got a new car. I put it on my calendar to check in on her 5 years from two weeks ago (what kind of dating system is that!) and ask her what she now has to fix. I bet it'll be something not too expensive but annoying all the same.