06.20
Ok, no it’s not for sale… yet.
My vaunted(?) 2000 Outback left me stranded on the road… again. Heading home from work, I was just getting going after a light, down a slight grade, when the engine started to sputter. Now, you have to understand that I’ve tinkered with a few cars in my day and I know well the tricks to keeping a car running when it doesn’t want to.
No problem, I have the grade on my side so I have some room to work. “C’mon, bitch,” I floor the clutch and feather the gas, “come on back…” *sputter* I’m running out of room… “c’mon…” it’s just not picking back up… shit, do I have gas?!? (wouldn’t be the first time…) yeah 1/4 a tank… “Come on!” but it just suffocates at 150 RPM.
And then it’s dead… and there’s no more grade left. In a hail Mary play I pop the clutch… *wham* (Live, damn you!!)… more sputtering but no, it’s over. I coast off onto a side street and stare at all the dashboard lights.
He’s dead, Jim.
Immediatly I notice the temperature. It’s over 100 out and the a/c is, of course, no longer working. I try to start the car a few more times, it seems like it catches for an instant and then it sputters and dies.
Damn, it’s hot.
I head over to this used car lot across the street where there is some shade. A guy there was really helpful, but the car stays dead. I decide to sit and chill for a bit and try it again in a few. I’m grateful for the shade and the chair… the last time this happened I was in the middle of the freeway… and it was 104 out.
After a bit I try the car again and sonofagun, it starts! Huzzah! I rev it between 2000 and 2500 RPMs to see if it’ll stay… it does, I think I may try to limp it home, careful to keep the RPMs up… *sputter* *cough* *dead*
WTF! No, freaking way! It died right out from under me! Ok, I’m done. I head back to the used car place to score a phone book and call a tow truck. I leave the car at the dealer — you know they actually have a night drop for cars? About 3 hours after the first sputter and I’m finally home.
So tomorrow I get to deal with this. I’m sure the dealer is gonna tell me there’s no gas in it, or worse “Its running fine for us.”
Bah, stupid car.
