Tales From the Dark Side

I love Maggie, I really do.
I wanted to keep her for a couple of years after I had finished paying for her (which will be in 2007 - June I think).
But with the temperament of this little car I think she will cost me a fortune after that warranty runs out, and I am destined to let her go.
I just can't afford to take her into the shop every 2 weeks.
Unless I find a guy between now and then who is a registered mechanic and can fix whatever crazy thing she has decided to do this time.

***the Maggie update.
There was nothing wrong.
Her sitting in the driveway, and the tow in corrected whatever bizarre malfunction was going on Friday night.
Of course she started for the Service Advisor (Chris) when he went out there to check. They road tested her, her gauges were working just fine. She WAS shifting funny, so they did a lean test on the transmission and it came back clean. They checked the battery it came back perfect (there was some corrosion on the connectors so they cleaned it off - it should be good again) and they checked the computer - the diagnostic came back as no problems.
So, There is nothing wrong with Maggie.
They want me to monitor her.
Meanwhile I am driving a car I am terrified will leave me stranded in and I feel like an ass for having put them through this... Because I am not making this up!

I don't know... Can I keep this car after the warranty is done and the payments are gone... She is a liability, the money I might have to put into her is scary. I had a Volkswagen like that once. I could have had Maggie paid off by now for the money I put into that VW!

Needless to say... It hasn't been a good week.

This isn't as bad as it seems.
I know I haven't done anything horrible... Or evil (lately).
I've had some nasty thoughts.
I've been tempted to say some things to people, but I have kept my mouth closed.

Yet for some reason the Fates have chosen to demonstrate their power, and leave me stranded once again.
This time Maggie is sitting dead in the driveway.
But it started Friday night.

I left work and walked up to my car.
I pushed the unlock button on the keyless entry, and NOTHING happened.
Nothing.
No flashing, no interior lights.
I wondered if the battery in the remote had died.
(OK... I admit, sometimes I ain't that bright, but, give me some credit. I was tired... I had worked all day.)
I got in, and turned the key...
Naturally, nothing.
Nada.
Zip.
Zilch.
Silence.

*sigh*

I checked the lights.. They were off, the radio was off, the fans/heater was off... I admit, I have OCD. But nothing was on. I remembered getting out of the car, and it didn't "yell" at me.. no warning alarm... so I couldn't be mistaken.
Could I?

I call my Roadside Assistance (Thank you Warranty Roadside!!!)

They want an odometer reading...
D'UH!!!
Nothing is working!!! I can't tell you that.. nothing is lighting up...
He was sympathetic, realized I couldn't even listen to the radio while I was waiting... I mentioned that I was freezing... it was cold.

45 minutes for the tow, just for a boost. And possibly a tow to the dealership (which conveniently was next door!)

The tow guy finally got there... 40 minutes later.
Boosts it, and says it's my battery.
We turn it off after a minute and it won't start.. so OK... it restarts after being boosted again...
I realize on the drive home (all the stores for batteries are closed at this point - no guys to put one in for me) that the speedometer isn't registering at all and the transmission isn't shifting out of first... THIS IS NOT GOOD!!!

So I call my brother... he's smart.
HE tells me to go home, back into the driveway and call the dealership in the morning. His thinking, ICM module, or blown fuses from a bad boost.

I am not pleased.

I had to walk 20 minutes to the new casino, catch the bus there to the associate center so I could get the bus to the casino I work at...
It was a cold and long start to the morning.
I did get 25 minutes to read while riding the buses...
But is that really worth all the aggravation.

The earliest I could get the car in is Monday morning... And I have to get it towed in.
GGGRRRRR....

OH Fates.
How can I get on your good side again?
I ask your forgiveness and I promise to behave.
Honest