Sooo...
I haven't heard from the mechanic yet, but I have a pretty good feeling (bad) that my car is trashed :(
I MEANT to check the oil before my trip, but I was under the impression that my car had to be cool before checking oil, so I kept pushing it off until I forgot... normally it's fine, but this time, i was apparently very, very low on oil. Like, catastrophically low. I stalled in the mountains going uphill, was told to turn around by my father in case it was a clogged fuel filter. It did not improve. I removed the little doll blocking my control panel (I FORGOT IT WAS THERE! IN MY DEFENSE!!) and noticed a scary RED check oil light... ooops.. I check and i have basically NO OIL.
I tried to coast to the nearest gas station (5 mi) which worked for a couple miles, but I ran out of downhill. spent 250$ on a tow truck to bring me some oil (which the tow truck guy very nicely supplied with his own money, so I paid him back with an under the table tip, at a 50$ added expense) which got me ok for a bit.. I accelerated a little too hard and something went very wrong with my engine. It was driving fine, then rattling, and would not go above 65 mph, which was in a miracle in itself.
about 30 miles from town - after puttering along for like, 150 miles - I broke down for good. The tow truck this second time was FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS!! I had them take it directly to the nearest Big O Tires. Luckily, my wife had some money set aside, so I was able to borrow that since I drained my bank accounts for the first tow truck. He couldn't cover all of it, but I had some credit available... thank Gd!
I turned her in to the mechanic this morning. I don't feel too good about the prognosis. I've been browsing for new cars, and I'm distraught to discover my car was pretty much the newest car I could get (2013) that didn't have that stupid fucking touchpad in the dashboard. I really, really don't want one of those dashboard displays... The alternatives have 200k+ miles on them, so...
Not to be an American, but I feel like I just murdered my own daughter that I gave birth to. I am very sad.
The mechanic got back to me. It's a new engine or new car... About what I expected. Now to find a place that will give me money for a car that doesn't run.
