For what it's worth, this has been a sucky year for me also. My car has 130,000 on it and I fear having something go out that will cost a fortune. It's a Toyota, so I hope it continues without any major problems. It's an FJ and a lot of people have had transmission problems on that vehicle, which isn't cheap but certainly not the cost of an engine. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents. As far as the cost of the repairs, it's still generally cheaper than trying to replace a vehicle, especially with the cost of new and used cars now. Never feel sorry for venting. Here's hoping we both have a better rest of the year.