(yes, I haven’t posted much recently, but here we go!)

So MissDancingAstrophysicist, how did your week go?

Well, in looking back things, it was a good week, but in thinking harder, it had some parts one could consider majorly sucky.

( Why whatever do you mean?? )

So, for the past week or so, I had a belt squealing in my car engine. Upon visual inspection while the car was running, I could not find the cause (besides, it's kinda scary to be poking around belts when they're whipping around). Upon inspection while the car was not running, I also could not discern the cause - apparently I wasn't looking hard enough.

Last night (Tuesday), on the interstate, I heard a pop, a little thunk, then smelled burning rubber. When such an event happens, one would think one would have to stop, but I made it home as the little car was driving just fine. However, there was a somewhat intermittent but definitely strange metallic sound (high-pitched). As it was dark outside, I had to go get my big ol' MagLite to take a gander - yup, a belt gone, quite shredded and 3 silver gear/pulley surfaces visible. I decided to take a page from Miss Scarlet O'Hara and think about it tomorrow. So I went out dancing :)

This morning, I decided to figure out what it was (what if it was the alternator belt?) before driving. After mostly fruitless internet searches for diagrams of the belt configuration, I decided to borrow MissAngela's car to see if the Auto Zone or Barnes and Noble were open to get a Haynes/Chilton for me car (I have ones for other cars I've had, but not this one). Then I thought, hey, what if there's such a diagram in the car manual?? THERE IS!!! Fancy that.

It's the A/C compressor belt. There is also a power steering belt (I knew it wasn't that as I still had power steering) and an alternator belt - thank goodness it's not a full serpentine!!! I can live without it for the time being.
The strange metallic pinging? One of the three wheels the belt goes around CAME OFF!!! What the heck?? So it was rattling around, hitting the other very-quickly spinning wheels in there. This is why I say I must not have looked hard enough - I should have found that it was wobbly :(

As it turns out, all for the best!! My car is running SOOOOO SMOOTHLY right now :) I had previously noticed the engine seemed a little unhappy, I figured I needed to go in for a tune-up. Also, when I made my visual-inspection-while-car-on, I noticed the engine wobbling quite a bit. Well, doesn't happen now; my car purrs like a contented kitten :) Perhaps, just perhaps this is a reason my A/C hasn't worked in a great while. We'll see when I get it looked at.

So for my rental car (which I had to return today), Progressive gave me a silver 2006 VW Jetta :) Sweet.
4 doors; 6 speed automatic transmission; leather seats; power windows, locks and seat; AC; tilt and telescoping steering wheel; CD/MP3 player; cruise control; daytime running lights; airbags all around (including side curtain)

Overall verdict: I don't think I'd buy one (even if I had the $$ which I don't :) )

( A breakdown of what I liked and what I didn't )
I need a car-related icon... I'll have to create one...

My little new-to-me Civic has been determined to be a total loss.

Goddammit.

Apparently there was extensive damage to the floor and the trunk areas - kinda sounds like frame damage. Now before you go telling me "that's a unibody car, it's not actually a frame, emmeh-blah-blah" I DON'T CARE - I'm going to call it a frame. Grrr.
I haven't actually gotten to talk to the people who evaluated it - my insurance chicky is surprised I haven't been contacted yet. She was going to tell me more but the answering machine cut it off. Dammit.

So, yeah, now I have to go looking for a car again. I liked this one though - my seester found me a great deal on it and it was happy. Nice stick-shift, A/C, CD player, sunroof, low mileage... Sigh.

Maybe I shouldn't get Civics anymore ;) As my seester said, my cars don't fare well when I'm not in them :)

Updates as events warrant.

Today I went to the Progressive "Concierge Level of Service" Service Center up in Marietta to get my little Honda taken care of. There is a dent in my back bumper, my trunk does not line up with the car body anymore (but I can close it) and we have determined that the buckle on the back rear quarter-panel was indeed caused by this accident. See, I thought it was caused by that as I don't remember it being there so I just wanted to be sure.

For the "Concierge Level of Service" it is a one-stop shop - estimators, body shop and car rental on-site. Since it's all coming out of the impactor's insurance (which is with Progressive) so that's who I'm working with.

As my rental car, they gave me a 2006 VW Jetta because they try to rent you equivalent size. You know, the Jetta is a big car. I think it's bigger than the family's old 1990 Honda Accord. It's pretty tricked-out - the CD player plays MP3s and the radio adjusts it's volume depending on cabin noise it seems (although I think this ones adjuster is a little bit off). Power everything AND it has an auto-stick! I'm going to play with that :) I already miss my clutch-driven Civic though...

Tomorrow they're going to call me with what the estimate is and how long I might expect to be without my car.

Judgment on 30 min of driving the Jetta - I wouldn't buy one. I like other cars better. And it's just gotten too big for my tastes these days. I now lust after the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris Hatchback ;)

Let's see, interesting things I came across... While I was there, a guy brought in his Prelude and I couldn't see anything wrong with it. He went in to the lobby and the helper chicky asked him at some point if it was vandalism. He replied affirmatively, that his ex-girlfriend did it. She asked, "What did you do?" and he said, "Nothing!" I kinda laughed at this, I couldn't help it. I think it made him a little upset but whatever. I found out later that his ex, after he broke up with her cuz she was psycho, took a sledgehammer to his rear window (with all the defrosty stuff in it) and also to some places on the trunk. Damn. A sledgehammer. Turns out I only had seen the front which was fine. Dayyymmmmnnnnn - psycho hose beast for sure. Man, as mad as I was at Justin at various times after it was all over, I would never take a sledgehammer to his car. Maybe that makes me not psycho??
:)

For the most part, today's been a good day :) I had a good time, I had a good workout, I had a good supper...
My car though - I was on the interstate and suddenly, a rock that was probably 4 centimeters across hit my windshield!! It was a really loud popping sound and I almost swerved when it happened (I woulda gone into the wall after a bit of shoulder). But now there is a nice star at the base of my windshield and there is a big crack going right up the center of the passenger side part of it. Heh, the hot weather sure helped extend the crack right up to the top...

I got home, noangelshere and redshirtedgradu fed me enchiladas (I made tacos for us all last week) and then I went to clean up because they were going to watch "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" on TNT (I am so not a Stephen King fan).
All of a sudden, Angela says, "Erika! Call 911 right now!"
"Why?!?!?!?"
"Someone just hit Hugh's car and I think they're drunk!!"
So I called and the lady said she'd send police right over. Well, it took a while - probably 20-25 minutes...
Meanwhile, Angela suddenly ordered me to give her my car keys - Hugh's parked car had hit my parked car and Hugh's car was leaking gas and there was an open flame from the impacting car. Luckily, nothing came of that.

The gal who hit the cars was not drunk at all - she was just really shaken up when she got out of the car.

OOOO, ADVICE!! If you get in an accident and you are blocking traffic, get your tow truck there before the police's tow truck!! The police tow it to City Impound and it costs a ton - ImpactingChicky had AAA so they got the car towed back to her place instead.

Hugh's new Civic Hybrid is likely totaled - the rear bumper is basically pushed up into the trunk - we have a very nice view of the rear tires...

My car has a dented back bumper which doesn't look bad at all. But the trunk does not line up with the rest of the car now. I'm going to see what the estimate is. Perhaps we can just yank the back bumper back out and it will be fine - I do have friends who can help. My insurance is Progressive - I've reported it and I'm supposed to get an estimate tomorrow; they have a service where I can take it to this center of theirs and they'll provide me the rental car (that is in my policy) right there, estimate the car, repair the damage there and then give it back. My deductible would be due at that time. The impacting chicky has insurance and it will pay for it I'm sure but that reimbursement again. Sigh. I suppose I really need to get a credit card sometime here... I'm going to discuss it with my claims representative tomorrow.

Perhaps I'll just drive one of my OTHER TWO CARS for the time being - I still have the Saturn and my dad got the pickup fixed up for me (Justin left it here). However, neither has AC...

We'll see how I feel about it tomorrow :)
I didn't get to go dancing tonight :( Alas.


UPDATE:: Hugh's car is officially totaled

I thought I was going to experience ice last night after dancing but it was only rain :)

However, that "only rain" seems to have gotten in my car as my door has developed a leak :( I ended up with a soggy butt. Then I had to stand at the MARTA station with the breeze blowing on my soggy bum. Then, as I was walking from the station to my building, I started to experience a shocking coldness upon my foot. At first I thought, "Have I stepped on a nail or razor blade or something??? O_o" But no, I have a hole in my sole. Right at the ball of the foot. Crappity crap crap. Now I have a soggy foot.
My bum is no longer soggy, but my foot definitely is. I wore wool socks today so that is good (they keep wet feet warm still - yay!).

On a less soggy note, my super-awesome advisor brought in a space heater and it doesn't seem to draw as much power as that other one I borrowed so YAY!!! It's so much warmer in here!! The little maybe-accurate-maybe-not thermometer on the heater said it was 56 degrees in here!!! Damn. Now it is up to a toastier 67 degrees and I can let my foot and shoe dry out without developing hypothermia :) YAY!!!

I got home 3 hours early (it pays to ask at the ticket counter!).

While in Tucson staying with a friend, I got to drive this (the white version):

It's a Nissan 350Z.
He does autocross with it - boy it shifts so smoothly (6 gears!) and the brakes are very touchy... I was helping him transfer another car and so got to drive this - the only requirement was that I be able to drive stick - yay for me!! So sweet... After he got in, he showed me how totally sick that car really is - it handles very, very well (even without the racing slicks) :)
I also got to ride a motorcycle - only as a passenger though - one day I'll learn to drive one...

It's nice to be home. My kitty is totally thrilled :)

After an eventful 12 hours with noangelshere's car (see her journal), things were looking up so I decided to wander across the street from the Advance Auto Parts to get my oil changed. I'd been putting it off and stuff for a bit, but it needed to happen.

My car is SOOOOO much happier now!! It is running much more smoothly and is purring like a very loud kitten (due to the fact the muffler is physically non-existent). Very much happy-making :)
However, I wonder, did Justin EVER change the oil like he said he did??? Dammit.