photo credit: Ford
… dying peacefully 20 feet inside a Ford dealership.
One might think that qualifies me for the (enter explicative) Cash for Clunkers program, right?
Ha! Turns out you must drive the vehicle on the lot – which I did. But that dealership doesn’t have any qualifying vehicles, and I’m not sure a new car is the smartest purchase option. And now – I cannot drive it anywhere else. According to the 5 guys who leapt out of their seat to watch my car’s final performance (what is it with guys and smoking cars, anyway?) – she is both “undriveable” and “a fire hazard”. It’s okay… you can laugh.
After a good girly cry, I did, too.
Handy Man was 2 hours away and although I called him every 20 minutes for about 24 solid hours, he was pretty much helpless. But my father-in-law came to our rescue. The smoking gun crew rehashed my car’s final moments to my FIL (I mean really, guys love stuff, don’t they?!) before admitting that the “tranny” is dead, the engine shma-shma-shma and they quickly started to sound like the grown ups on Charlie Brown.
“Wah-wa wa wahhh wa wahhh.”
To my FIL – who sometimes reads this blog when I don’t load it with too many pictures. Thanks. You saved the day. To my Handy Man who made endless calls on my behalf to AAA and rental cars again and again. Thank you for the peace of mind.
ps – My car is stuck in some random Iowa town along I-80.
pss – Yes, I cut off all my hair. Or rather, Handy Man cut off all my hair. Two years ago I did Locks of Love and this time I’m doing Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths. And yes! Pics are coming soon, I promise.
ppss – So, anyone want to buy me a car? I’m not picky.
ppsss – how many post scripts is too many?
pppsss – have I reached that number?
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
awwwww you poor thing! with the kids and all!!! WHEW – i’m glad it died somewhere safe – not at a red light or something! Can’t wait to see your new haircut!!
My dear, I so sympathize with you! You’ve heard my own I-80 troubles before (maybe it was the same exit!) and my car died earlier this summer. (((Hugs)))
Oh my goodness! Glad you made it off of the road safely. That is exactly why I haven’t left town for the past year. I’m terrified of breaking down on the side of the road – because I have NO ONE to come and help me if it happens!!
I hope you get to replace it soon. Being carless is no fun…
Why didn’t you call me? I could have at least cried with you or kept you company.
And folks, what she says is true. I’ve heard her say many times that she loves her mini van and that she will drive it to it’s death.
And a personal question – what ever happened to the radio / cassette player situation from 2 months ago?
Hugs
We are having car trouble too. Just this week as we were going out of town -my sister was in labor- our car’s wheel nearly fell off. So we took a detour and borrowed a truck. I’m not ready for a new car payment. Ugh!
You poor baby! I would have been FREAKING OUT! I so glad that you finally made it home safely, even though it was without your mom wheels.
I can’t wait to see the new ‘do!
{{{HUGS}}}
Robin
)
Poor girl. I’m so sorry.
But can I tell you that seeing all that hair in the sink gave me a heart attack? Mine is falling out due to stress and I cannot imagine voluntarily cutting it off—even for charity. I might have to sign up for a charitable donation pretty soon myself!
Hooray for making it into the lot and off the highway! If one must be stuck, better to be stuck in a place that has a/c, a restroom, vending machines and stationary cars rather than the 70mph kind.
Can’t wait to see your beautiful delengthening!
It is so nice to see I’m not the only one in this situation. I also love my mini-van, but it is on it’s last legs. We haven’t gotten to the smoking stage, but we’re at the screeching (bad shocks) stage and I’m ready for a new one that isn’t falling apart around me
. We’re looking but haven’t found anything yet either. So good luck on finding the right van for your family!
You trusted Handy Man with your beautiful hair??? I’m sure it looks fantastic and I’m glad your okay. : )
You’re so green I thought it was Elphaba driving that mini-van ~ *snort* . . . . ok, so I’m not very funny.
I tried though.
((Hugs))
I hope you were still able to make it to your mom’s place after all.
Darcy,
I am sooo sorry! What an ordeal. Like others have said, I am so glad you made it off I-80 and to a safe place. Oh, and what dumb rules for the *@!*# Cash for Clunkers program! Why does it matter if they are driveable or not? They’re just going to crush the cars anyway! Hope the rest of your trip is fun and uneventful.
Oh the timing. The timing! I was just sitting around today thinking about taking my 12 year old daughter away to the city sometime in September for a “girls weekend” (translation: amusement park, waterpark, funky themed hotel, supper someplace “way cool” & shopping at the biggest mall I’ve ever seen) — “the city” is a 5 hour drive through . . . . nothing. Or rather, nothing & one small gas station. There are big signs “NO FUEL NEXT MILLION KM” (okay it has a number, I just forget it)…. ….. …. …. and guess what we drive? Mmmhmmm. A minivan. A Ford Windstar, as a matter of fact.
Maybe we’ll take a bus.
Guys do love that stuff ~ and listening to them do the sound effects and wave their hands ’round in a retelling is always amusing. *grin*
Don’t watch any of the Cash for Clunkers commercials because they will make you cry. My mini-van was on life support a little less than a year ago when I found a great used car with great mileage and mpg at Carmax. Seeing these commercials giving away $4,500 of my tax money and then dealerships matching $4,500 just make me want to cry. I love my car, but certainly not the expense. Good luck finding something that works for your family.
Don’t watch any of the Cash for Clunkers commercials because they will make you cry. My mini-van was on life support a little less than a year ago when I found a great used car with great mileage and mpg at Carmax. Seeing these commercials giving away $4,500 of my tax money and then dealerships matching $4,500 just make me want to cry. I love my car, but certainly not the expense. Good luck finding something that works for your family.
Oh my goodness!! I feel your pain. When I was pregnant with our first child, our car died on the highway!!– it actually FELL apart. Not kidding. Some piece or pipe or something (guys needed here) fell off and was scrapping and making all kinds of horrible sounds, while I screamed and cried. We did NOT make it off the road, but got safely out and ran.
One of the scariest days of my life. Now, my van, on the other hand, is my baby. I will drive her forever. And I truly believe that when she dies, it will be a peaceful coast into a safe place, such as you had.
So glad you guys are safe and sound. May you be blessed with another mini-van!
Can’t wait to see your hair! My daughter has done locks of love twice now. I cut off a huge amount of hair, but never the right length.
Can’t wait to see the new ‘do… sorry to hear about your mini-van… but I’m with ya on the van thing. I LOVED mine… it died a month after hurricane Katrina. Traded the carcass in for a Pacifica, nice… but not enough room for all of the kids and junk I haul around day to day. As soon as this car is paid for (it will be paid for just in time for Taylor to drive it! WOOHOO! She hates that idea, “But No! It’s a MOM CAR!!”) I am getting another mini-van.
Yikes! Not an auspicious beginning to your trip. …
Cars for Clunkers. ugh. don’t get me started! Funny, we were perusing car lots yesterday, as Big Dude is finally ready to trade in his Mini Cooper (we’re joking that his mid life crisis is over now) for something that we can actually fit the entire family into … the car lots were D.E.A.D. Not even many car salespeople. But without fail, the first question at each dealership was: Do you have a clunker…???
Not a pretty economy out there right now.
Bummer….can’t wait til the reveal!
OMHeavens- This had to be the day that we saw you…OH MY! We were just talking about how you just wanted to make it a little farther…darn car.
Hope you find something fabulous
-S