Car Problems, Part...I don't even know what number we're on.

[tabbiewolf]

I have chronic depression. I've been clinically diagnosed. So actually getting dressed and leaving the house takes a rather extreme amount of effort, much more than the average human being.

Today, I decided I would like to go for a drive. It took me around three hours to convince myself that pants were a good idea, and I put on my jacket and started the car.

So I turn on Harvey Danger, pull out of the driveway, and then...and then the battery light came on, and there was a burning smell. So I got all of 500 feet outside the driveway before I turned around and came back.

Let's count the issues this car has had in the 6 months I've owned it:

• Front charger plug does not work (not a huge issue, just a mild annoyance)
• Vacuum pump leaks ($700+ repair cost, not fixed yet due to not NEEDING it entirely)
• Battery died. This would be normal, as I'm suspecting it was never changed and the car is five years old which is the life of a battery, except it died in a spectacular fashion involving a severe amount of corrosion which is extremely dangerous. Also ruined the battery cables. $450 repair cost, had to be done to actually drive the car.

And now, I'm guessing from the battery warning lights along with the burning smell, it appears to have an alternator issue.

Talking to the manager at the dealer last time, I swore that I would be finding a new car if it had an alternator issue. Well. Looks like that's happening.

I expected these issues with my 20-year old car. A 5-year old car that I bought from an official dealer? Not so much.

I think that if I get another car, it probably will not be a Volvo.

Comments

[stokerbramwell.livejournal.com]

I hear you about severe depression. I spend whole days, sometimes a week, barely leaving the house. If my car broke down I would be so screwed.

[tabbiewolf.livejournal.com]

It's REALLY ANNOYING when you finally get up the motivation to leave the house, finally convince yourself to put on pants, finally convince yourself that leaving the house would be productive and that's something you can consider an accomplishment...only to find that you actually physically CAN'T.

And to have the issue be something that happened to your 20-year old, been-to-hell-and-back station wagon, happening to the 5-year old, just bought from a dealer 6 months ago car? Yeaaaaah. That's like rubbing salt in the wound.

To quote a great philosopher: "The whole fucking world's against us, man, swear to God."

[stokerbramwell.livejournal.com]

Hell, sometimes it's just putting on the pants ALONE that feels like too much of a hassle. Or getting showered or...ugh, depression sucks so hard.

I can't believe this is happening to such a new car, and that there's so little you can do about it. :/