People suck- so does my van
 

The van- the van from hell- the van that wanted to go to the mountains to die.

I hates it my precious.

When I bought the Honda last year we kept the van for two reasons- the main one being our vacation to Disneyland. We also wanted to keep it for the boys to drive.

So when the time came we took the van in and told the shop that we wanted it to be road ready. The biggest issue was the temp gauge. It would go wonky all over the place- telling us the engine was overheating then it would bounce down and be fine. So this was a big one for us- it had to make it on this trip.

So they worked on it- fixed the rear brakes, some seals and other small things to the tune of $529. They told us with no reservation that the gauge issue was electrical. They tested it over and over and no matter what the gauge said- the system tested in specs for heat and pressure- no leaks, no air in the system etc etc.

Going to be fine.

Right.

We loaded up the van and headed out and less than 2 hours into the trip the car lost all power- no acceleration at all. The temp gauge was peaked out- and we stopped on the side of the road. We managed to limp it into Vail where we found a lot of condos and ski slopes but no service stations. So we bought a jug of coolant and decided to head home. We would get it back to the house- get our two cars and head out again.

Wrong again.

Van would not go more than a half mile, maybe less, before dying again. Eventually it would not budge at all. A guy with CDOT towed us to a truck parking area and from there we made it a rest area. It was dark- it was starting to snow and our day was shot. We had to get back to the house!

Luckily I have a wonderful friend who left a birthday party and drove up to get us. She rocks! So she picked up R, little R and I and drove us home. We grabbed a few things people wanted- threw the stuff and us in the car and bolted back to the boys.

Once we got back to the rest area we gutted the van and put it all in the two cars and took off-


.....skip pleasant vacation details....

On the drive back we noted that the van was gone. So on Monday I called Highway Patrol and they told me who they had tow it away. Tuesday I called them- and was informed that my van was in Breckenridge and it would cost me $315 to get it back.

Well holy hell.

Then it turned out that Rose had left several special and pricey toys in the van- so I was even more desperate to get it back- well, get the stuff back anyway.

So we got the cash, then we rented a dolly to tow the car. We borrowed a truck from R's brother. He did not put the ball on the hitch, so we had to rent that as well, AND some kind of converter thing- so poof goes another $100 on all that. We also had to put $60 into this has guzzling truck.

I'm going broke over this stupid van.

We made it up into the mountains fine- found the lot. R pulled in- and the truck got stuck in the ice.

Stuck.

Now we have the van and the truck that is supposed to tow it home is stuck. I had to run little R to a bathroom in the van and it started overheating again- I barely made it back to R to help get unstuck.

Oh, getting unstuck.

We used the busted a** van to pull the truck loose and to pull the trailer around (we had taken it off the truck so we could manuver the truck out)- and when R backed the truck up to grab the trailer- he got stuck again. So we used the van again only this time it would not come loose.

We pulled and fought until the VAN got stuck too. We were nose to nose- we literally used the van to try to slam the truck out by hitting the bumpers together.

Nothing worked.

I noticed some people nearby with shovels- so I called to them and asked for help. They said they would come push, would come in a minute-and then we watched them sled, take pictures of themselves- go inside and never came back.

WTF????? Seriously!!

R scavenged some tire chains from a totally destroyed car (what luck) and they fit the van- and we were finally able to get the van free (after dark) and just when we had almost given up I managed to also pull the truck free.

This time we pulled it to pavement- no snow and ice. Then we used the van to tow the trailer up too. Irony huh? Using the van for all this- it kept needing a rest between attempts.

So together we finally got the trailer back on the truck, and loaded the van (scary part) and got back on the road home by 9pm (we left home before 4pm) and we got home just before midnight.

Van is now back at the shop- I want to get rid of it- sell it for junk- whatever- and recover some of the costs. I am so sick of this. Trailer is returned and at least we are all safe and accounted for- and at least I had the funds to get the car back at all.

What misery!!!!

...and people suck.

Saying "that sucks" is an understatement, but that sucks.

That's a big 1,000,000,000,000 on the suck-o-meter of life

But glad you all got home safe & sound (and were little R's precey toys still in the van of hell?)

yes- her Disney mix stick loaded with music (mom and dad bought it for her and even bought her larger storage for it) and her Nintendo DS and SP and games as well.

AUGH :(

I think this van needs to get the same treatment that the fax machine in Office Space received. Take it out into a deserted field somewhere and go at it with baseball bats. Sure, you won't be able to sell it afterwards, but it will feel really good.

Seriously though, so sorry to hear that you had to deal with all of this.

OMG - What a freakin' nightmare! And it sounds like it is not quite over yet. ARGH!

I was wondering the same thing - glad they were still there.

Ouch. :eek:


So sorry to hear about this- I feel your pain. I'm limping through with my 15 year old Honda until I get a few bills paid off, and it's hard when every other month something horribly expensive seems to come up in the repairs department. Maybe you could sell tickets to people to beat the **** out of it with a bat? You might recover some of your lost funds.:D

Let's just take it out to the desert and take a Browning M2 to it?

Let's just take it out to the desert and take a Browning M2 to it?

Wow, this makes my day look good! Thanks! ;)

I think the Seinfeld stinky car might be a better way to go. Leave it in a place where it is likely to be stolen with keys in it and the door unlocked.

Should'a- saved the $500 on the repairs
Would'a- driven two reliable cars and had more time
Could'a- had an extra $500 for the trip

Should'a- Tested the car in the mountains
Would'a- known about the problem before hand
Could'a- saved all the time hassle and money on the loss and recovery of the van

I'm so exhausted from all of this that my emotions are running really high. If I could sell it for parts and even get $500 out of it I would be happy at this point.

It is at the shop- they have not looked at it yet. Will know more soon.

:(

Not pour salt on the wound, but the dollar amount is actually much more than $500:

$529 - initial repair work
$315 - getting the van out of jail
$100 - ball and converter thing
$60 - gas for the guzzler

$1,004.00 - Grand Total (PLUS next round of repairs).

Have a nice day :D

Yeah Kevy I knew that- :p

We do not plan to repair it again.

Little Kevy Sunshine, aren't you?

Well, it is customary for at least one thing to go bad for a wedding, and I'd say this is that one thing. It could actually have been much worse. But, your van took that one for the team! ;)

Our wedding day was perfect.

Ok- so the shop is saying the water pump is not circulating the cooling fluid through the engine- that the radiator is staying cold. Not the case on the road as the radiator was HOT then- so I say this is likely a new problem or maybe the end result of whatever the problem was.

They changed it out two years ago-lifetime warranty- only labor $100.00

Not going to do it now though.

stuck thermostat?

I was thinking either that or the water pump. Thermostat is relatively cheap, so I would suggest that.

Yep, try the cheap easy things first.

That's what my wife did. That seemed to work for her.

squeeee!! Happy dance happy dance!!!

Sold the van. Listed it on Craigs list- had 4 emails of interest when I got home- sold it for $800 and recouped my losses on the thing.

Yip yip yahoo!! Not only am I rid of the albatross but they bought it KNOWING it has problems. My insurance will drop and that saves me money too!!

Ahhhhhh- happy dance!!!! I am going to the ball this weekend after all!!!

Van-B-Gone!

Must feel like an exorcism or something...

The Power of Chrysler Compels You!!!

Apparently I have to smear it around a bit before I can mojo you, iSm. Visible mojo for making me LOL at work!

Anyone wanna buy a Buick?

Congrats Nephy!

I'm very glad that people suck. Particularly my wife.