Dragavan
08-29-2007, 12:56 PM
My car had be riding rough for a couple days and I was planning on taking it on monday to have it looked at. But first I had plans to go to my dad's place up north on sunday. I went up and had a good time, gave him the iPod Nano I got for him, and headed home. Everything was fine.
My car made it about halfway home and then made loud bang and knocking noises, started spewing white smoke out behind it, and shut off. It would then not work at all. I had to have it towed to a mechanic and miss work on monday to go up there and get the mechanic to look at it (and give them keys and stuff, since the towing was done at 1 am, while they were closed).
I got word back from them and the technical term I was given was that my engine was "Munched". They said to fix it it would require a new engine. Apparently I blew a rod or something like that. Long story short, my car was dead. I had no car... again.
A couple months ago I was going on about how I was debt free for the first time in ten years and then this happens (along with my hospital emergency room visit costs from last week). I had to have a vehicle and there was no family member to pass on to me this time. I really didn't want to buy another used one (after that horrible Ford Taurus experience), but that only left new.
Turns out, even with crappy credit rating, I could actually afford a new car. So, for the first time in my life, I am the owner of an new car. A hybrid even. A Toyota Prius (which have 50/60 mpg ratings from government testing and 40/50 from practical usage sources). The thing starts and you wouldn't even know it was on if it didn't have "Ready" lit up on the dash. Quietly pulling out of the drive on electric power is just so odd to me, but I am sure it will soon be normal.
My car made it about halfway home and then made loud bang and knocking noises, started spewing white smoke out behind it, and shut off. It would then not work at all. I had to have it towed to a mechanic and miss work on monday to go up there and get the mechanic to look at it (and give them keys and stuff, since the towing was done at 1 am, while they were closed).
I got word back from them and the technical term I was given was that my engine was "Munched". They said to fix it it would require a new engine. Apparently I blew a rod or something like that. Long story short, my car was dead. I had no car... again.
A couple months ago I was going on about how I was debt free for the first time in ten years and then this happens (along with my hospital emergency room visit costs from last week). I had to have a vehicle and there was no family member to pass on to me this time. I really didn't want to buy another used one (after that horrible Ford Taurus experience), but that only left new.
Turns out, even with crappy credit rating, I could actually afford a new car. So, for the first time in my life, I am the owner of an new car. A hybrid even. A Toyota Prius (which have 50/60 mpg ratings from government testing and 40/50 from practical usage sources). The thing starts and you wouldn't even know it was on if it didn't have "Ready" lit up on the dash. Quietly pulling out of the drive on electric power is just so odd to me, but I am sure it will soon be normal.