Car Trouble: I’m in a snit over my Honda Fit!

The Fit’s been making a baaaad noise recently.  Initially, I tried pretending that the screeching was coming from another car–my car is new(ish)!  On my ride home last night there could be no more denying that my car was the one making the horrid sounds.  Now I’m no mechanic, but the acrid smoke pluming from under the hood may also have been a bad sign.  

Since dear daddy-o is out of commission with the illness, I was forced to throw myself at the mercy of the brigand mechanic down the street.  I left my car in the ‘night owl’ lot with a note asking for a call in the morning with a diagnosis.  In the interim, I’m plotting which banks to hit on my heist to procure funds for the mechanic’s bill.

Is it only me, or does everyone feel apprehensive when dealing with automotive repairs?  I feel robbed of my senses when dealing with mechanics.  I can see their mouths moving and watch their hands blithely writing up bills for enormous sums of money, but I remain rooted to the spot, unable to issue forth any response.  I’m scared.  Send help.

PS. Just jokin’ about the plumes of smoke…but there was a faintly noxious odor wafting in from the engine area.

UPDATE: It was just my brake pads–the “chirpers” were warning me to replace the brakes, so I did.  Yay!  Nothing major!