"Amuck, amuck, amuck!" A Pre-TR (link to TR in the first post)

[kaoden39]

No, it's a Mercury Villager.
It's older then dirt and we really do need a new one, but we are holding off as long as we can because who wants a new car payment every month for the next couple years, kwim?

I just don't understand how they can say nothing is wrong with it.

And if they can't/won't fix it, I don't know where that leaves us. I'm not about to take a chance and drive it. I was scared to death last time it started acting up on the way from CA.

I've looked into rentals but they are so expensive out here. I don't know. I'm just stressing right now. Sorry for being such a downer everyone!! Just ignore me. LOL

Wow I totally understand. We went out in July and bought me a new minivan because the other one was starting to have all sorts of little bugs and from experience I figured I better trade the other one in while I still could get money for it. The "new" minivan isn't exactly new it is a year old and it had 18,000 miles on it so I got it for like $17,000 and it is the deluxe model with all the nice stuff. Leather seats and all that. When they are new they run around $37,000 for this model. When we were still going to Disneyland that was one of the reasons. I figured out that renting a minivan for the trip would cost me as much as a car payment.

 

[mommaU4]

Duh, you're supposed to go to Disneyland and find your happy place!

My happy place right now would be down at the dealer with my hands around the neck of whatever idiot said nothing is wrong.


Instead I'll have to settle for checking minivan rentals for the 100th time on the teeny, tiny, oh, so slim chance the price has dropped.

 

[kaoden39]

My happy place right now would be down at the dealer with my hands around the neck of whatever idiot said nothing is wrong.


Instead I'll have to settle for checking minivan rentals for the 100th time on the teeny, tiny, oh, so slim chance the price has dropped.

Did you look through like Expedia or one of the travel websites. Sometimes they give discounts? Or are you a member of Costco? Costco offers discounts through their travel too.

 

[travelmel]

My happy place right now would be down at the dealer with my hands around the neck of whatever idiot said nothing is wrong.


Instead I'll have to settle for checking minivan rentals for the 100th time on the teeny, tiny, oh, so slim chance the price has dropped.

Beth at the Car Dealership:

But seriously.....

Sorry to hear about your car troubles.

I always feel at the mercy of those guys.. so frustrating! I hope you are able to resolve in a satisfactory manner SOON. REALLY SOON! I can't have my most Halloween'ed and Disney-fied Dis-er upset... it's just not right!

 

[kaoden39]

Beth,
I was just on Borders Rewards to check out if they have any deals on rental cars and it looks as though they do. It's free to join so you might want to check it out. The Borders discount code for Avis is T757200.

 

[wendylady36]

My happy place right now would be down at the dealer with my hands around the neck of whatever idiot said nothing is wrong.

I'll help you! Four hands are better then two!

Instead I'll have to settle for checking minivan rentals for the 100th time on the teeny, tiny, oh, so slim chance the price has dropped.

I love how on the bottom of this page there's a banner that says "Cheap Car Rentals"

 

[mommaU4]

Did you look through like Expedia or one of the travel websites. Sometimes they give discounts? Or are you a member of Costco? Costco offers discounts through their travel too.

We aren't Costco members, but we do belong to Sam's Club. I'll see if they offer something similiar. And I've been checking all the other usual place like Orbitz, Expedia, etc.

Sorry to hear about your car troubles.

I always feel at the mercy of those guys.. so frustrating! I hope you are able to resolve in a satisfactory manner SOON. REALLY SOON! I can't have my most Halloween'ed and Disney-fied Dis-er upset... it's just not right!

That's why I get so frustrated. We are at their mercy and unfortunately we've had our share of negative experiences with mechanics in the past.
Oh well, thanks for commiserating with me.

Beth,
I was just on Borders Rewards to check out if they have any deals on rental cars and it looks as though they do. It's free to join so you might want to check it out. The Borders discount code for Avis is T757200.

Thanks, I'll check that out!

I'll help you! Four hands are better then two!




I love how on the bottom of this page there's a banner that says "Cheap Car Rentals"

That's right......four hands are better.
Cheap Car rentals??? They are teasing me. Actually I can find cheap car rentals. It's the minivans that are a PITA.










Well, I'm just going to let it go for now. My head hurts and I need to help my kids with their homework. I'll talk to Ruben about it when he gets home so we can try to figure out how to approach this.
Shoot, it almost would've been easier if they'd given us a big bill, but fixed the problem. Now I've got this van they say is fine, but I'm scared to drive.

I'll let you know what we decide to do. Thanks for listening everyone!

 

[wendylady36]

I just ate some Oreos on your behalf, I hope they made you feel better.

 

[chelseagirl_lv]

Beth, I am sorry to hear about your van. I definitely know how you feel, it can be quite frustrating when your vehicle is not working.

Have you checked at Enterprise? I always rent my vehicles through there, and I believe you can look up coupon codes online to get a discount??? PM me if you need any help!!!!


Good Luck!

 

[travelmel]

I just ate some Oreos on your behalf, I hope they made you feel better.

That really got me giggling

 

[dwheatl]

Sorry to hear about the continuing car troubles. Does it slip like the transmission, or does the engine hesitate? We have had both problems. When it was the engine, one of the times it was a blocked fuel line, and the other time it was an air filter that needed to be replaced.
I don't blame you for not wanting to travel with it undiagnosed. We had to be towed down that monstrous incline into Lake Tahoe once. It was hair-raising.

 

[kaoden39]

Sorry to hear about the continuing car troubles. Does it slip like the transmission, or does the engine hesitate? We have had both problems. When it was the engine, one of the times it was a blocked fuel line, and the other time it was an air filter that needed to be replaced.
I don't blame you for not wanting to travel with it undiagnosed. We had to be towed down that monstrous incline into Lake Tahoe once. It was hair-raising.

That would not be a fun ride at all. When our transmission went out in our old minivan we had gone to Fort Bragg and we broke down in Ukiah and the van would only go in reverse. That was a long ride in a tow truck.

 

[mommaU4]

I just ate some Oreos on your behalf, I hope they made you feel better.

You really didn't have to. I drowned my own sorrows.

Beth, I am sorry to hear about your van. I definitely know how you feel, it can be quite frustrating when your vehicle is not working.

Have you checked at Enterprise? I always rent my vehicles through there, and I believe you can look up coupon codes online to get a discount??? PM me if you need any help!!!!


Good Luck!

Thanks. I appreciate the offer. I think we all need to go back to horses and buggies.

Sorry to hear about the continuing car troubles. Does it slip like the transmission, or does the engine hesitate? We have had both problems. When it was the engine, one of the times it was a blocked fuel line, and the other time it was an air filter that needed to be replaced.
I don't blame you for not wanting to travel with it undiagnosed. We had to be towed down that monstrous incline into Lake Tahoe once. It was hair-raising.

It doesn't really slip, so maybe one of those other things? I am so clueless when it come to cars. I told my kids if you want to be rich, become a really GOOD, honest mechanic. People will flock to you.

 

[wendylady36]

OMG! I just had to tell you this. On my way to work I started thinking about my hair and ways I could do it...it's a long drive, don't ask. So I started think about putting wires in my hair...again don't ask. Then I remembered something! One Halloween I was Winnie from Hocus Pocus! The only reason I remembered is because I had a wire coat hanger in my hair to keep it up like the character has! I think I'll try to find a picture of me dressed up as her, I'm sure everyone would get a kick out of it!

 

[wendylady36]

You really didn't have to. I drowned my own sorrows.

And you didn't invite me!!!!!

Oh wait, did you drown your sorrows in Diet Pepsi?

 

[mommaU4]

OKay so here's where we stand.

Good news: They did NOT charge us the $120 after all. Since they couldn't find anything wrong they said they wouldn't charge us. So that made me feel a little better.

Bad news: We are still undecided on just what to do for transportation to CA.



Ruben spoke with another person at the dealer and he said that sometimes older cars just run hot and that can cause it to have problems like the ones we are experiencing. They didn't know what else to say since nothing was showing up as being wrong.


I spent a long time online searching for rentals, checking different sites, looking for codes and coupons. The cheapest I found was around $250 with National. So there is that option.

Then we talked about just taking a chance and seeing what happens. Leaving early in the morning before it gets too hot. Making frequent stops. Taking it slow and not pushing the van. Bringing the cell phones, some water, road flares, etc. and not using the A/C.

We do have AAA Plus so if something did happen then we could have it towed.

I don't know. I was getting tired of worrying about it and so Ruben said just to let him handle it. Fine with me!

So one way or another we will get there. Just not sure yet exactly how that will be.

 

[mommaU4]

And you didn't invite me!!!!!

Oh wait, did you drown your sorrows in Diet Pepsi?

I drowned them in just about anything I could get my hands on.
Trust me, it wasn't a pretty sight.


And yes, I totally want to see your Winnie picture!!!

 

[mommaU4]

I've had my head so wrapped up in this van issue that I completely missed that today is OCTOBER 1st!!!

I can finally say I am going to Disneyland this month!!!!!

 

[travelmel]

OMG! I just had to tell you this. On my way to work I started thinking about my hair and ways I could do it...it's a long drive, don't ask. So I started think about putting wires in my hair...again don't ask. Then I remembered something! One Halloween I was Winnie from Hocus Pocus! The only reason I remembered is because I had a wire coat hanger in my hair to keep it up like the character has! I think I'll try to find a picture of me dressed up as her, I'm sure everyone would get a kick out of it!

Hocus Pocus, Tower of Terror, and Halloween Town are my FAVORITE Halloween movies..I would SO love to see your pic!

 

[travelmel]

I've had my head so wrapped up in this van issue that I completely missed that today is OCTOBER 1st!!!

I can finally say I am going to Disneyland this month!!!!!

Happy October 1st!