*facepalm*

[tiamatlady]

My workhorse of a car decided, suddenly, it wasn't playing anymore tonight. I parked it while helping dali_muse and everything was fine up until then. Until I went to leave - and the car wouldn't turn over. I had interior lights, some lock function but no radio, no headlights, no CAR. Insert call to AAA here. But,, a nice friend of dali_muse's roomie gave me a jump - which worked! Everything started up. I turned off EVERYTHING but the engine, and called AAA back. As the person on the phone said "OK, thank you for calling" she heard:

"WAIT - everything just died!"

My car went dead like I turned it off. I told the lady I had shut everything off but the engine and this looked worse than a dead battery. This time it's a tow. Another hour later, because I went to the BOTTOM of the list *sighs* the driver arrives. Who explained to me that they had thought it was weird my call came, vanished, then came again. *grins* BUT - one of their guys needed a ride right down my way (which he ended up not doing. Sna?)

He gave me and my car a ride home and even bought a Starbuck's coffee for me while getting gas! We also helped a Harvard Frosh and her HARRIED Connecticut Mom find their way to her street while going through Arlington/Cambridge. So NIce! *snerk*

My car is MOSTLY in it's spot, and I'm probably going to call stepfather tomorrow to come look at the battery. I'm HOPING and PRAYING it's just the battery/connection - because the alternative is an alternator that just WENT with no warning - and alternators are NOT CHEAP. In any event I don't think it's going anywhere until Monday.

Ugh. This COULD have had worse timing, but not by much. I JUST bought my ticket to the UK. If you're the praying type, PRAY it's just the battery. That I can handle.

For now I'm going to bed, and I need to get up tomorrow and handle what I can. Otherwise it's one more reason to get my stuff up to sell!

Comments

[brynndragon.livejournal.com]

Alternators are generally not wicked expensive as far as car parts go, but a couple hundred is still a couple hundred.

Did you look under the hood? One time I thought my car died (on the Brooklyn Expressway no less), but it turned out the positive connector was just loose (one of the officers who was directing traffic around my car noticed it). If you can see the battery that sort of thing should be visible even if you don't know jack about cars and easily fixed as well (just tighten a bolt and you're set).

[tiamatlady]

It's not just the cost of the part - it's the labor, and it's the fact that my "repair guy" is the dealership. The last time I had an alternator go, well, it hurt like a bitch, and my wallet hasn't forgiven me yet.

The battery "looks OK" to me. Everything looks like it should be where it should and the bolts look tight. I'm going to call my stepfather to have a look, as he'd notice something out of whack like that - a second opinion if you will. I had another pair of eyes last night who jumped the car who didn't notice anything weird either (he's a do it yourself kinda repair guy, but he's unfamiliar with my car)

In any event, a new battery is probably warranted. This one is a few years old (I can find it in my records) and the last safety check said it was reaching the end of it's useful life. Add in the stop and start of traffic recently, and there it is.

[mizdarkgirl.livejournal.com]

So weird! That was what wrong with my car LAST night! I got a jump and it died. It was the connector that was loose! Not a dead battery!

[tiamatlady]

My stepfather is coming over tomorrow with some tools I don't have and we're going to check out the connections, I'm hoping that's all it is.

[thenetimp.livejournal.com]

definitely sounds like the alternator. they aren't hard to install, (well not the last time I had to, but who knows now...) can't believe a dealership would charge more than $200 for that job, but then again you are in the city (well close enough to the city)..