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

[thppbt.livejournal.com]

At least the battery light came on while you were still close to home. Better than being stranded miles from home.

I'm a glass half full kind of guy.

[tabbiewolf.livejournal.com]

Well, now I'm worried that that's gonna happen =p I've actually been worried about that since the vacuum pump incident, where we were just fortunate enough to be near an AutoZone and could refill the oil (it was a long, slow leak...I suspect they should've known about this problem before they sold us the car, since it hasn't been an issue since and we haven't gotten the pump fixed since technically it's not NECESSARY and also it costs $700+). Had we been anywhere farther from one, we'd have been stuck; I'm pretty sure Volvos are designed so the engine doesn't seize up/burn out/whatever happens when it runs out of oil, but that just means it'd have shut off in the middle of driving somewhere.

But at least I work from home and don't technically NEED a car right now.

And we're financially stable enough to be able to afford a car that doesn't actually run (though it feels kind of moronic).

It's just frustrating as all hell. I bought a newer car to avoid these kind of problems *grumpy face*