I feel for ya OP, bought an 06 f150 for $5700, only had 132k miles, most of what is saved up, lasted for 5 months with minor issues, mainly a bad idler pulley, then I got a small pothole, which killed the radiator, then my transmission shift solenoid went (so at high revs where it would normally go into the OD gears the driveshaft just spun) now I've got bad ball joints and my camphasers are headed out, and my master cylinder is heading out, I originally bought the truck so in the long run I could save some money, and not be working on 24/7, but the cost for repairs totals around $1k, so now I've gotta try and save face so I can afford to go back to college, and parts for my old 97 f150, next January

That is always the risk when buying a used car, but at least you still have your bike.

I hate to say it because I can tell you're not in the best of financial situations, but you kinda learned your lesson. Don't invest in a used car whenever possible, but it you do, be sure it's from a reputable dealer. When you go for a car because it's the cheapest you can find, it's going to be worse. You get what you pay for.

You should have stuck with the bike and invested in a really good rain poncho.

Welcome to car ownership my friend!

Well, I guess you could get on Kijiji, to find a a set of used tires that will do for a bit.. Your battery died? What do you mean? If it isn't charging it could be an alternator, or if the battery won't hold a charge, then it might need replaced. As much as I hate Walmart, they are about the cheapest for car batteries, figure on about a $100 for that. What do you mean, your engine stalled? Typically people say that when they are driving a standard transmission, and they don't give it enough gas to get the vehicle moving... But they just start the engine again.. So you would have to elaborate more on that one... If you aren't so familiar with cars, you can find everything you need to know with Google and on Youtube. You can save a lot of money if you can do some work on your car yourself, and also, it is good to have that knowledge if you are in an emergency situation. Good luck with your new car, I hope it works out for you!

Oh, and I would really reccomend that you a roadside assistance program. I don't know where you live, but here in Canada, I pay about $80 a year for CAA, and if my vehicle breaks down, I call them, and they will arrange a free tow, or if I lock my keys in, they send someone to jimmy the door... I think everyone should have something like that, it is worth the peace of mind knowing you have a plan if you break down.

Owning a car is never just about buying a car, there are many other costs associated with owning one. Most important thing is to make sure you have enough spare change for repairs and make sure you buy from a brand that makes reliable vehicle. It sucks now, but the best thing to do on a tight budget is to start learning how to DIY stuff on your car and get real friendly with junkyards.

I can see how that will put a DAMPer on things, now that you have to drive in the rain again.

One of my friends had something similar happen to him. He bought a car and thought there was only an issue with the wiring but as soon as he got the engine to run and we got it down a big hill, the transmission had issues. the car was 3,000 pounds and it was 2 scrawny 17 year olds. we had to tow it back up the hill with me having no driving experience...