It was hot and humid. My car was blowing cold air on me from the vents because I thought I would pass out otherwise. I had just pulled off the interstate and onto a busy highway. Suddenly, though the air was still cold and the radio still bopping out tunes, my car shut off. Literally, everything went down and it was silent minus Adele crooning in the background.

I pushed on the accelerator, but it was obvious it wasn’t working. I hit my flashers and pulled over to the left by the median where there was just enough space for one car to park by the grass. I sat there somewhat confused for a second then tried turning off my car and turning it back on. It wouldn’t turn on. My first thought was that the battery had died, partly because that was my non-professional opinion and mostly because the battery light was on in the dashboard. But that didn’t make sense since my radio was still working.

I grabbed my purse, locked the car, and dashed across the three lanes of traffic to the Sears Auto Center. I walked in and waited until someone could help me. I explained, quite frankly, that my car had died and was right there across the median. Was there anything they could do to help me?

Never take those Sears Auto guys lightly. They loaded up a battery pack and wheeled it right across the highway to my car. After trying to jump the car with nothing working, they went back for a second battery pack.

Still nothing.
A hammer even became involved (for what, I don’t know), but in the end, it was determined that there was nothing they could do. They had spent a good 30 minutes trying to get it started, but by that time, the motor had flooded so it was a lost cause anyway.

Enter the lifesaver: my iPhone. I called State Farm in Ankeny where our insurance used to be until a week ago to see if they still had the information or if it had been transferred. Then I called the Coralville State Farm to check on towing coverage. One hundred percent coverage…ba da bing, ba da boom. Then I googled the engine shop in North Liberty and called to tell them the deal and that I was going to have my car towed there. Then I called the towing company to arrange to have my car picked up and delivered. I called Kevin to tell him the scoop and have him come pick me up.

Aside from the frustration of it all, Kevin teased me on the way home, claiming that the Sears Auto guys wouldn’t have done that if he had walked in with the same story. Apparently, chivalry is still a factor in automotive and I was the “damsel in distress”.

We were a one-car family for a week while we waited for the diagnosis on my car. Everyone was stumped. On Wednesday, they figured it out. On Thursday night, it was ready to be picked up. I had never been so glad to see my car again. During that interim, we had contemplated having to get a new car and, let me tell you, cars are not cheap! Neither was fixing mine, but at least it was less than a new car loan.

The car shop told me that my car is the reason they drive Toyotas. At over 210,000 miles, it still “purrs like a kitten.” Which is a weird analogy for a car if you ask me, but, hey, they said it, not me!