For the last few years, it was great having a new car. No major issues. Nothing more than some oil changes, tire rotations and a filter here and there. Well now my 2006 Prius is reaching 70,000 miles, so I knew I couldn't get away without substantial repairs forever. My visit to Libertyville Toyota a couple weeks ago proved just that. I needed new tires, which didn't surprise me since I've been driving on the same ones since I bought the car.

On top of that, the water pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. Luckily, my 100,000 mile warranty covered it in full. I think this is the first time in my life that an extended warranty actually benefited me. I now have about 30,000 miles for a bunch of stuff to break down before I'll have to pay for everything. I hope to have the car loan paid off by then.