My theory of how things go wrong is pretty simple, and proven. Bad things always come in three's, unless it's November then there is no limit. Some of the worst things that have ever happened to me have been in November. It's a dreaded month. Hey this is August thou, right? So the "three" rule is applicable. Well at this point I now have credit. Maybe it will negate November for this year. Last Friday I drive drove my son to Mesquite. That is the halfway point between Vegas and Cedar City, UT. My friend's husband was meeting me there so my son could spend a week in Utah. Made it there fine. On the way back my truck started acting *funny*, smelled *funny*. The smell was only there in 5th gear thou, so I left it in 4th, slowed down and started praying that I make it back to Vegas. I've towed a vehicle back from Mesquite, it sucks and it's expensive (for those of you unfamiliar with Nevada geography, there is nothing in the 90 miles between Vegas and Mesquite, except Glendale which is a gas station). My friend Tom, god love em, is reading the manual and advising me of the proper shift speeds. I let him know that I was sure those didn't apply anymore after losing a gear. I'm reasoning with myself that it's just the clutch, ummm maybe fluid, maybe my brother will know when I get home. I kept telling myself there's no way that it's the transmission. Until I got off the freeway at home. It wouldn't go into 4th, I fought with it and it went in. Over the next three days it randomly chose what gears it would allow me to drive in. All my friends were suddenly mechanics and I got a variety of answers from them. My brother and my husband insisted it was the fluids. Fine. I took it to the auto center down the street and explained to the guy there about the noise, the smell and how it would work fine one minute and refuse the next. He looked at me like a dog listens to a high pitched noise, said he would drive it and they would see what was wrong. Two hours later he's telling me it's the tranny and the clutch, gave me the estimate and advised me to get a 2nd opinion. I was stunned. Not both. Daaaaayuuuummmm....
The search for 2nd opinion. This had to start at my mom's because in Sprint's infinite wisdom they cut my phone off because I had exceeded my daytime minutes (what about all the night and weekend minutes I have left?). That argument is ongoing and might be another post there. Several opinions later... my truck might last me thru the day or it could last 6 months. It might cost anywhere from $500-$2000 to fix. I went home, I needed sleep. Sitting at the light around the corner from my house this very nice lady in a mini van rear ended me. I'm fine, my truck is not even scratched, her front end is messed up from where she hit my towing hitch. I'm going home, need sleep. There's a note on my front door from my brother saying to call him as the air conditioner is not working right...it's blowing smoke out of it. At this point as long as the smoke is cold I'm willing to deal with it. Fine, I'll call him. From a @*%$! payphone! LOL this is where the hysterical laughter began and lasted for about 10 minutes. I have to be to work in 6 hours, I have not slept yet and will not be able to sleep when it's 110 degrees with no a/c. I'm calling in sick. I went to the payphone called my brother and the landlord (to leave him my brother's number). Went home and my phone works. I called in sick. Then this very nice, sweet, cute guy I've been seeing calls and since I called in sick I should come over. Agreed. I wonder if he still would have invited me if he would have known he'd be pushing my truck? I have road side assistance thru my sprint phone, they pay for 3 miles worth of towing. For some reason my 15 mile tow was free...lol I guess that'll be my revenge on Sprint. Stay tuned...I haven't gotten it to a shop yet, I bet that will be interesting, too.