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My poor car..... :(
Feb. 7th, 2003 06:35 pmWell, i probably should have written this on Thursday, or Friday, but nevermind...
My poor car is not working anymore...
i went out onThursday night to pick my mum up from work (she doesn't like to walk home alone in the dark, so she asked me to pick her up, as my dad was out). So i get to the supermarket where she works, and she is waiting outside, and as i pull up, i notice, what i thought was steam coming up from the bonnet/hood of my car. It was cold and wet, so i just thought that the engine getting warm was evaporating any water on the bonnet/hood...but then i noticed a burning smell, and the steam started looking a lot like smoke!
So i get out of the car, and i see an orange patch appearing on the white bonnet/hood, and the paintwork on the patch starting to bubble up...well i'd seen that happen before a long time ago to another car, so i get very worried, and i get my mum to pull the lever in the car which unlocks the bonnet/hood, and i touch the edge of the bonnet carefully to make sure it isn't hot, and it wasn't hot at the edge, so i lift it up, and i see two-foot high flames shooting up from the engine!!!
i immediately panic, and have no idea what to do, as i'm in a supermarket carpark!
Well, this guy who was about to enter the store comes over, and looks and says to me that i should maybe get a fire extinguisher from inside the store, so we both run inside, and i ask at the customer service desk (which is right inside the door of the store) for a fire extinguisher, but the guy who ran in with me spots one by the cashier's section, so i grab it, and luckily it is one that sprays foam, so i ran back out to my car, and spray foam over the engine and the fire stopped! Woohoo!
Now the guy who told me to get the extinguisher said to keep an eye on the engine, as the fire may start up again. i thank this guy for all his help and advice, and wait by the car with the extinguisher in my hands. Meanwhile my mother had called the emergency services, and a fire truck came and sprayed more foam on the engine and checked out the car to make sure it is safe, and they tell me that the car is pretty much dead, as the air filter, carbourettor and electrics and other cables and stuff have been burnt through, or melted!
So i call my brother and he picks us up and when i get home i call my insurance agent, and he gives me a number for the emergency towing service which my insurance policy is covered by to pick up my car if it is not driveable, and i get the car towed back home.
So my poor little car is sitting in the driveway, and will sit there until the insurance company send an assessor out to examine it and figure out if the car is worth repairing or not (My car is a 1987 VW Polo, and is pretty rusty, so if repairing the damage would cost more than my car is worth, then they will just write it off, and give me the monetary value of the car, and i will have to buy another one...
i'm not too worried whatever they decide, as i could probably do with getting another car, as mine was getting a bit old, and had problems starting if it was too cold, but if the insurance company get it repaired, then i will be happy also...it's just a bit annoying to not have a car at the moment. Hopefully it will get sorted out soon, and i will either have a fixed car, or a new-ish one...
Anyway, that's my latest news...
My poor car is not working anymore...
i went out onThursday night to pick my mum up from work (she doesn't like to walk home alone in the dark, so she asked me to pick her up, as my dad was out). So i get to the supermarket where she works, and she is waiting outside, and as i pull up, i notice, what i thought was steam coming up from the bonnet/hood of my car. It was cold and wet, so i just thought that the engine getting warm was evaporating any water on the bonnet/hood...but then i noticed a burning smell, and the steam started looking a lot like smoke!
So i get out of the car, and i see an orange patch appearing on the white bonnet/hood, and the paintwork on the patch starting to bubble up...well i'd seen that happen before a long time ago to another car, so i get very worried, and i get my mum to pull the lever in the car which unlocks the bonnet/hood, and i touch the edge of the bonnet carefully to make sure it isn't hot, and it wasn't hot at the edge, so i lift it up, and i see two-foot high flames shooting up from the engine!!!
i immediately panic, and have no idea what to do, as i'm in a supermarket carpark!
Well, this guy who was about to enter the store comes over, and looks and says to me that i should maybe get a fire extinguisher from inside the store, so we both run inside, and i ask at the customer service desk (which is right inside the door of the store) for a fire extinguisher, but the guy who ran in with me spots one by the cashier's section, so i grab it, and luckily it is one that sprays foam, so i ran back out to my car, and spray foam over the engine and the fire stopped! Woohoo!
Now the guy who told me to get the extinguisher said to keep an eye on the engine, as the fire may start up again. i thank this guy for all his help and advice, and wait by the car with the extinguisher in my hands. Meanwhile my mother had called the emergency services, and a fire truck came and sprayed more foam on the engine and checked out the car to make sure it is safe, and they tell me that the car is pretty much dead, as the air filter, carbourettor and electrics and other cables and stuff have been burnt through, or melted!
So i call my brother and he picks us up and when i get home i call my insurance agent, and he gives me a number for the emergency towing service which my insurance policy is covered by to pick up my car if it is not driveable, and i get the car towed back home.
So my poor little car is sitting in the driveway, and will sit there until the insurance company send an assessor out to examine it and figure out if the car is worth repairing or not (My car is a 1987 VW Polo, and is pretty rusty, so if repairing the damage would cost more than my car is worth, then they will just write it off, and give me the monetary value of the car, and i will have to buy another one...
i'm not too worried whatever they decide, as i could probably do with getting another car, as mine was getting a bit old, and had problems starting if it was too cold, but if the insurance company get it repaired, then i will be happy also...it's just a bit annoying to not have a car at the moment. Hopefully it will get sorted out soon, and i will either have a fixed car, or a new-ish one...
Anyway, that's my latest news...
