fullygoldy | The Bad News

Oh Crap! Can I just say that? Or do you want details? Also titled "the ballad of Kid-San"

Our one and only car has died. It started almost 2 weeks ago... losing power, then conking out altogether last Thursday. Friday, we towed it to a place I know with loaner cars. So we were not without wheels for the holiday weekend. DH thought it was the catalytic converter, and so did the mechanic guy, but he didn't actually look at it until Tuesday. Not the CC. Plugs were majorly fouled, so he replaced them. Car started, seemed to run okay, then PFFFT. Apparent timing belt destruction.

Towed on Thursday to another place, the place we usually use. Returned loaner, rented small, cheap car with good mileage so I could keep my already post-poned-by-a-week meeting in Chicago on Friday (yesterday. That went well, but this is bad news). Thursday night, mechanic calls and says "interference engine," "timing belt off by 10 degrees," "lots of noise," "unfixable," "new engine," "$6200.00."

WTF?!?! We still owe $4000.00 on the loan!

Good friend, Pete, says get second, third, fourth opinion. Off he goes to do research. Decided on Friday to tow to Isuzu service center (it's a '98 Rodeo). They say we can't tell until we look (on Monday), but hard to believe the entire engine needs replacing. Maybe not that drastic. Might be only bent valves, broken piston. Still. Had to extend 2-day rental to full week. Towed car for third time in one week (nice man at Schmidt's gave quantity discount). Won't know more until Monday. There goes buying the nice, economical 2nd car to replace the company vehicle I gave up when quitting old job.

And with me being having no "verifiable" income, can't get home equity line of credit to cover our asses right now. Many margaritas and beers have been consumed since car pronounced dead on Thursday. But no hangovers.