The good news: Jim will be getting a fully serviced 2004 Toyota Sienna with only 80,000 miles (!!!), new brakes, new tires, fully serviced air conditioning, re-done power steering, and myriad other repairs. The bad news: those repairs cost $2,600, bringing the total cost of the vehicle to $6,144.50, including tax.
Yeah...I nearly threw up when I heard. Literally. I had to call Hoa to talk me through it. He thinks it's still a good choice for Jim, and that we're getting a lot of repairs for the money.
A new car IS what this fund was for, and this van will really be perfect for him. It will give him mobility, a more comfortable place to sleep, and peace of mind. I was just hoping that we'd be able to do a little bit more--pay his insurance for a year, and maybe even help him get re-certified as personal trainer. Now I'm just hoping that we can do the timing belt and the water pump, forget the insurance, and DEFINITELY forget the personal trainer certification.
Nonetheless, with Jim's old car now out of commission, we've definitely made a huge impact on his life, and he is very grateful. I'm not exactly sure what he'd have done without our help, and frankly I don't want to think about it. I'm just glad we're all here now.
The service on his new vehicle will be completed by Wednesday, so I've extended his stay at the hotel for another day (only $67.14!).
