I think my car is dying
Apr. 8th, 2005 10:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bonniegrrlUgh. After spending over $600 two weeks ago on 2 new tires and fixing a broken vacuum pump and some dumb nobby thing that apparently holds the pump on, my car is freaking out. At first my little VW Beetle seemed a bit sluggish, like the parking brake was sticking or something. And then after my daily commute for about 45 minutes, as I pulled into the drive way or stopped at a light and then slowly hit the gas like I usually do, it would go really slow like the parking break was on and then lurch forward. My car is a 2000 VW Beetle automatic model with barely 30,000 miles on it -- and I get oil changes every 3,000 miles. This shouldn't be happening.
Another problem I'm noticing is that when I would press on the gas to pass a car or go up a steep hill it would sound like it was stuck in a slower gear revving... and then when I stopped stepping on the gas, it would calm down again and not make a revving noise. Tonight when I was trying to pass a car so I could make my exit, the car did that revving thing again. But I literally had to floored it just to get passed the guy -- but even flooring it made the car still barely go any faster, plus I got a nice burnt smell coming through my air vent so I went under the speed limit for the rest of the way home.
And then it got worse as I was a couple of blocks from my house! It did that gas -- slow -- lurch -- faster -- repeat thing. And it scared the shit out of me because when I pressed the gas a couple of times, nothing happened -- the car didn't move!
So obviously I'm taking it back to my Nicasio mechanic in the morning, but I'm scared to death it won't make it that far. Ugh. I hate this. If it's the engine or transmission or something huge, I don't have the money to pay for this -- and I need my car to commute to my job.
Some of my friends think I probably just need to replace a spark plug, or a spark plug wire, or even just add more transmission fluid. Others say it might be the engine, or a fan belt. Others told me to ask to get the "points" checked. Whatever that means.
I wish I knew more about cars to find out if I'm getting swindled or if my beloved 2000 VW Green Beetle is soon becoming a worthless lemon. Of course, I ended up Google searching "VW Beetle engine trouble" and read all these horrifying stories of people's engines blowing up for no reason. Ugh.
*sigh*
If you have any thoughts/suggestions/theories -- I'm listening.
Another problem I'm noticing is that when I would press on the gas to pass a car or go up a steep hill it would sound like it was stuck in a slower gear revving... and then when I stopped stepping on the gas, it would calm down again and not make a revving noise. Tonight when I was trying to pass a car so I could make my exit, the car did that revving thing again. But I literally had to floored it just to get passed the guy -- but even flooring it made the car still barely go any faster, plus I got a nice burnt smell coming through my air vent so I went under the speed limit for the rest of the way home.
And then it got worse as I was a couple of blocks from my house! It did that gas -- slow -- lurch -- faster -- repeat thing. And it scared the shit out of me because when I pressed the gas a couple of times, nothing happened -- the car didn't move!
So obviously I'm taking it back to my Nicasio mechanic in the morning, but I'm scared to death it won't make it that far. Ugh. I hate this. If it's the engine or transmission or something huge, I don't have the money to pay for this -- and I need my car to commute to my job.
Some of my friends think I probably just need to replace a spark plug, or a spark plug wire, or even just add more transmission fluid. Others say it might be the engine, or a fan belt. Others told me to ask to get the "points" checked. Whatever that means.
I wish I knew more about cars to find out if I'm getting swindled or if my beloved 2000 VW Green Beetle is soon becoming a worthless lemon. Of course, I ended up Google searching "VW Beetle engine trouble" and read all these horrifying stories of people's engines blowing up for no reason. Ugh.
*sigh*
If you have any thoughts/suggestions/theories -- I'm listening.
