We were going to go to a business meeting in Las Vegas, but . . .
@GardenGerty (169603)
United States
March 24, 2011 4:29pm CST
The car we planned to take is not doing well and hubby cannot fix it yet and the cars have cost us so much money we cannot afford to go. In fact, it was responsible for us having an adventure Monday morning. Monday was our anniversary, and we were going to go out of town for breakfast. We were on the Interstate, doing about 65 and all of the sudden the car lost power. It just quit, no cough, not a sputter. Hubby thought it was one thing, and then another. He tried to push it fast enough to pop the clutch to start it, no luck. We finally ended up calling our insurance agent for a tow. We were going to take it to a garage there to be fixed, but the place had a three week backlog. After talking with our agent, who said they would pay to take it to the dealership, she suggested that maybe we wanted to just take it to our house, because
Bob usually can fix it, would fix it cheaper than the dealership. So we were towed 35 miles.
The policy only pays to the closest service facility, so it only paid $133 of the $280 dollar bill. So we have decided not to try to go to Las Vegas. My first time to ride in a tow truck.
9 people like this
31 responses
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
29 Mar 11
So how did that happen? The bummer is this is our "fun car" the convertible.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Finally got to read it. I had not been back to this discussion. Yes, I saw it coming, and I am glad it was not worse.
@jennyze (7027)
• Indonesia
25 Mar 11
Well, you can always tell the others that you celebrate your anniversary riding a tow truck. As you mentioned, this is your first time experience, and not everyone gets a ride on a tow truck, so you can boast about it.
Life is an experience, if you did not go to Las Vegas, you got another experience to talk about.
Life is an experience, if you did not go to Las Vegas, you got another experience to talk about.2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
That is certainly true, I cannot complain. Maybe this summer we will go to Arkansas and dig for diamonds.
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6430)
• Canada
25 Mar 11
How frustrating! I've had similar things happen in the past, although not on the Interstate. Good thing you managed to get home safe!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
At least it was easy to give directions to our location. We are a little frustrated, but also thankful as we are safe and sound.
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
26 Mar 11
I am so sorry to hear that due to your car braking down you didn't manage to make it out of town for your anniversary. It was also terrible that the garage have a three week backlog of work to do. You did well to pay only $133 on the $280 bill. Maybe you can have a few days in exciting Las Vegas in the future. Sometimes a travel plan doesn't go ahead due to all the things that happen. I wish you better luck next time.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
29 Mar 11
We have some other trips we want to make, and we will. This will work out for the best.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
4 Apr 11
I'm a bit late but Happy Anniversary! Sorry you two had such a bad morning though. I do have an upside to this though. At least the car broke down BEFORE you went to Las Vegas instead of on the way there or back. Instead, it broke down near home so you didn't have as far to go. It was going to break down apparently so it's better to be close to home than to be far away, right? But I am sorry that it had to happen on your anniversary though! Of all deg gone days! 
Hope it's running now.
Hope it's running now.1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Yes, it was good not to be on the road and far away. It is never too late to answer discussion and to say "Happy Birthday". Yes, the car was going to break down, and hubby still has not discovered exactly what was wrong. We are fortunate to have other vehicles.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Hey GG, thanks for the BR!! 
Like you, hubby and I have two vehicles and I won't have it any other way because you never know when one will break down and if there'll be an emergency that we need to get out of here and get to, we'll have the other to use till we get the one fixed. Once we get the one fixed then we'll have two again.
Question for you, why not take the car to a mechanic and have them run a diagnostics test on it? Or better yet, take it to Auto Zone and have them run a FREE dianostics test on it so your husband will know exactly what's wrong with it and can fix it accordingly instead of having to find the problem and then fix it. Good luck!!
Like you, hubby and I have two vehicles and I won't have it any other way because you never know when one will break down and if there'll be an emergency that we need to get out of here and get to, we'll have the other to use till we get the one fixed. Once we get the one fixed then we'll have two again.
Question for you, why not take the car to a mechanic and have them run a diagnostics test on it? Or better yet, take it to Auto Zone and have them run a FREE dianostics test on it so your husband will know exactly what's wrong with it and can fix it accordingly instead of having to find the problem and then fix it. Good luck!!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
25 Mar 11
I have had that happen before. I hate having to ride in a tow truck. The last time it happened, I was driving with my niece from Arizona to Missouri and we had a blowout. I was able to get off the road, but in order to tell the insurance company where I was, I had to walk about half a mile up the road so I could see a road sign on the other side of the highway. I talked on my cell phone the whole time and it made it a little less frustrating. We were able to get a new tire put on even though it was Sunday so we got really lucky I think. I hope your day went better after that!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Honestly, it was not the worst road experience I have ever had. I was mostly feeling cross because I was worried about trying to take either of our cars to Las Vegas and even more worried about money, but we have that figured out for the time being.
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
26 Mar 11
That's good. I could tell you some really juicy road experiences, but that would be another discussion (if I remember to start it).
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
27 Mar 11
sorry to hear about your car problem,but the most important thing is that you were safe.Happy late Anniversary and I hope you have many more
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
29 Mar 11
That really was the most important thing. I could just feature hubby having a heart attack trying to push it, or a semi coming along and wiping him right off the face of the earth. Not good.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
29 Mar 11
I know how frustrating car repairs can be. I had a couple of really bad breakdowns last year and I'm still recovering financially. I can't do my own repairs so I'm at the mercy of the repairer. These days, I stay at home unless I'm working. I visit Dad but that's about all...fuel is just too dear and I don't enjoy outing s by myself...they're no fun.
Happy belated anniversary.
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
1 Jul 11
We are fortunate to be able to deal with a lot of our repairs and wait on them to be finished so it is kind of pay as you go on them. We have not gone a lot this year ourselves.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
24 Mar 11
Ahh, the tow truck post you mentioned earlier..That stinks Gerty, and you didn't get to go out of town for your anniversary..:( I have had anniversaries spent at home due to no money and possibly no car, (I don't know, having no car happens a lot around here.) Well, Happy Belated Anniversary, maybe next year it will be better..:)
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Well, the thing is, after considering the situation and thinking about our funds, the next morning we decided our time and money would be better spent on other things to build his business. I had not really wanted to go to Vegas, a drive that long is supposed to have family and fun at the end, not business meetings. Bob and I celebrate all the time, in some ways.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Oh good, so you were not too disappointed and you still celebrated your special day..;)
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Your first time in a tow truck? I was in one starting at 19.
Sorry things didn't work out for you. The difference is over a hundred bucks and that's hard. I hope something goes better for you soon.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Actually, I did not want to take the trip, and this let me talk him out of it. A business meeting for two days was not an attractive trip in my book when we would have to travel 1500 miles to get there. So we got our money back from the motel, and we will get business aids instead of our registration for the meeting, and we will do some fun trips later this spring.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Well, if that is what you perfer, that's what you got.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Oh that didn't sound like too fun of a day! I don't like it when things like that pop up and you can't do what you had originally planned to do, it doesn't make things too fun. I've ridden in a tow truck once before as well, and it wasn't too bad, only as in it for like three minutes as the place wasn't too far away. In a baddish part of town though, not very fun.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
1 Jul 11
This is a very nice towing company. So I was comfortable with the people. We are still not sure what has been wrong with that car. We have several vehicles, so we just use something else. We may be able to trade it with out neighbor if he gets something we want. He trades cars a lot, and he wants that little convertible.
@celticeagle (190152)
• Boise, Idaho
24 Mar 11
Ugh! Well, maybe another time. I hate car problems. What I dislike are these new computerized cars. You used to be able to fix a minor problem but not anymore. If you don't have a computer there with you you're out of luck. And the electric ones aren't much better. What happens if you have to go further that you thought you were going to?
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
All the cars we own are older, but he still has not gotten this figured out. He has eliminated the major problems like fuel pump, timing chain, etc. It looks like we will spend less than $50 to fix the car if it is the thing he is thinking now. This little car will get 40 mpg on the road and it is a twenty year old car.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (190152)
• Boise, Idaho
25 Mar 11
I have a car produced in the early 90's. Its payed for. Don't know what I will do when it goes.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Mar 11
It's a shame you couldn't get to Las Vegas, I know you really wanted to go. How many miles away from Vegas do you live?
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
I did not want to go so much as hubby did. It is a 1500 mile trip, and to me, a trip that long should have family at the end of it. We can do some other things later on this year more economically and have fun at it. I would like to go to Crater of Diamonds and dig for some diamonds. This seems to be a good year for it, in the last twelve days there have been three finds of over a carat each. That would just be a quick weekend trip, maybe 600 miles round trip.
That would just be a quick weekend trip, maybe 600 miles round trip.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
25 Mar 11
Oh my, where is this Crater of Diamonds you speak of? Can I come?
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
8 Mar 13
Did you ever get to visit las vegas? I lived there for over 12 years. I miss alot of friend sand family there.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
9 Mar 13
No, we did not go. The business meeting is not every year. If they have it this year we still will not go, because of some other commitments here. Maybe you can move back here and get together with your friends and family.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Wow!! Sorry to hear that this happened. At least you were not like really far away and stuck with this problem. That would not have been Good for sure. Quite some yrs. ago we drove to Montana and our car broke down about an hr. from my sisters and it took the whole time and too much $$ to get fixed, or temporarily fixed just to be able to drive it. Hope things can get better somehow in this realm for you soon.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Yes, we were safe and we were able to get back home easily. I am content with how it turned out and I am always on the lookout for things looking up.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
25 Mar 11
That really stinks. I hope you can get it fixed. That was quite a tow bill. I am sorry you don't get to go. That was such a bad thing to happen on your anniversary.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
We will do some things later this spring that I like better than business meetings.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Oh, that sucks!! I've ridden in a tow truck once, too, but it was because some idiot turned in front of me.
It's so aggravating when you're without a vehicle. I hope he can fix it and do so soon. That $147 is a burden but thank goodness you had some help on the entire bill.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
We have several vehicles, none of which have cost more than 900 to purchase. They have needed ongoing maintenance and small repairs, so we are not stranded. I would like, however, to get rid of about three of them and buy a multi purpose vehicle to replace them, and keep one of our small cars. Convincing hubby is the issue.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
25 Mar 11
hi sorry garden gerty that was meanof your car to r uin all
your
anniversary plans. hope your husband can repair it himself. seems to me the tow truck people overcharged you too. we had an International Harvester p ick up and the parts for the darned thing were so hard to get.,everytime I went with my husband when he was picking up a load of plants and trees for a customer the damned truck would stall. we would end ujp hnaing to call a tow truck. also as my husband knew nothing of a trucks inner workings he had to take it to a garage.One time it was the transmission and we lacked 300 dollars of having enough to reapir it we had a neighbor who was a top mechani who wo uld do the installation for free if we bought the parts. but as we started to get into the loaner we had got I tripped over a wad of paper. I bent down.there on the ground stuck together were four one hundred dollar bills. we asked eveyone there if they had lost some money nobody had so we used it to buy the parts and our neiighbor did a fantastic job and refused to take any money.[e
[e1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
I was not surprised about the cost, I had a tow three years ago and it was only about a mile and it cost seventy five dollars.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Mar 11
Sorry to hear about your car trouble and cancelled trip. We've had to cancel trips numerous times due to an unreliable vehicle or lack of money because something came up. It's really depressing when you get your heart set on something and it doesn't come to pass.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
25 Mar 11
I was more depressed because I did not really want to take the trip and we did not have a car I trusted for that distance. In my opinion, it saved us money by not going on the trip and we will take some fun trips later this spring.
@daisylotter (2)
• China
26 Mar 11
hi, I think the best way is to prepare everything before going out, for example, ask some smarter to check your car, and repair it if it needs. Secondly,prepare the enough money the Visa card incase something unexpected happens during the journey. Well, hope you have a good trip.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
26 Mar 11
My husband is a mechanic. The cars always have enough fluids like oil and anti freeze, as well as enough gasoline. Right now the problem with this car has lots of people puzzled. We had enough money to take care of the problem and got reimbursed for some of it. We will skip the big trip we were going to take, but we will go some fun places over the summer.
