Last night my car's check engine light came on. Within half a block or so, it started flashing. I nervously drove to my friend's boat without incident, other than not have as much acceleration as usual. I checked the driver's manual and discovered that a flashing light indicates high potential of damage to the catalytic converter and imminent loss of power. When I headed home a couple hours later, the check engine light was still on, but it had stopped flashing.
I took it to a local shop this morning before work and told them what happened, along with some of the symptoms I had noticed over the past few months. I didn't know how much catalytic converters cost, but I figure they're pretty expensive. I figured I might have to drop a thousand dollars to fix my car.
The shop called me late morning and faxed over their list of recommendations. I still don't know what a catalytic converter costs, and at this rate, I'm not going to find out soon. But I do know what it'll take to make my car "safe."
$5,700.
Including tax, if that makes it better.
That's for a 1996 Intrepid. I love my car, but even if it were in top-notch shape, the Kelly Blue Book says a dealer would only ask $4,700. I don't suppose anyone ever really wants to buy a new car, but I most certainly had no intention of getting one right now.
Trying to look at it positively, at least I found out about all the problems at once instead of paying two thousand here and a thousand there over the next two or three years.
Still, I'm kind of wishing it had just been the catalytic converter.
Posted by jonhanneman at January 12, 2006 9:11 PM | TrackBack