Woe is Me

Just got the car back from the shop. Got it inspected. Passed emissions and all. Got new wires. Changed K&N Air Filter to a OEM. I had stopped at a gas station and my card didn't work so I drove to another and realized the guy forgot to put on the gas cap. Drove a few blocks back and got cap and put back on. I Have a clutch that's not too happy but seems to be working now. I drove 48 miles yesterday highway and city - no problem. Stopped at a shopping mall and tooled around the mall stopped a couple places. Got out of K-Mart and lo and behold the car is idling all messed up and engine light is blinking. Guy comes with tow truck tells me no problem I can drive it. Car is bucking like a bronco. I made him take it back to place I had it inspected at and had do water pump, timing belt and all and have had no problems with those repairs. That's why I took it back. They also don't try to sell me things. But I'm a little concerned since I'm upside down by over a grand and that's if the things working if I trade it in. This is about the 5th time in 4 years I've been stranded. Lucky I was near home but at 69,000 miles I'm worried about the longevity of this car. I do severe maintenance schedule. new gas filter at 33,000 miles K&N at 40 and new filter at 69,000. new plugs, wires, oil every 3000 and filter. etc. etc. A guy wouldn't treat a Maserati better than I've done with this car. Had a Dodge did oil every 5,000 and basic maintenance and lasted 170,000 when odometer broke. Head gasket died on hot day with AC on. Had about 200,000 on it. Not a high end car either Dodge Spirit 1990 and 10 years old. Makes me wonder. Any ideas? :screwy:

Nothing major thank God. Wire was loose or bad. Just replaced with new ones. One was loose. Not being a tech I wouldn't know that. To me that is a blue screen for a Computer Tech. Time to call in the diagnostic equipment. Clutch is working fine now. Going to try to drive it upstate to my friend and have him take a look but now clutch isn't slipping at all. Just when it heated up at the bridge for over an hour of bumper to bumper. Probably will need a new clutch soon but it's working today and I could get hit by a bus tomorrow so got AAA and I'll take my chances since it's not a warrantable part anyway. Glad it wasn't a sensor or anything major. Have had wires problems before and use NGK plugs etc. Had 3 of my breakdowns over emissions problems from misfired plug. I'll just check wires on my own if I have problem again and see what happens. If engine runs smoothly - I run on. Anyway - happy trails all. Keep your fingers crossed for me and my ride. :smokin:

Hopefully nothing else happens. Keeping fingers crossed for ya.

TS out

Drove 500 miles and had it checked by three AAA techs. Clutch that is. Not slipping. Best they can figure is that the fluid heated up and caused it to malfunction a bit after excessive use. I will drive like Grandma from now on. No problems at all with shifting or slipping in 500+ miles now. Looks like the crossed fingers are working.