Car breakdown this morning

[SecedeTX]

My wife dropped me at the dealership this morning to pick up my car that was getting some major warranty work done (34k miles with major issues, car caught on fire yesterday). Anyway, I got in the car and headed downtown to go to work. I was going north on 288 and hit the exit. The car started to shudder, and all of the sudden it just shut down. I had to pull over to a side street. Car was DEAD, and would not start.

Here is the situation.

I am parked with dead car on the outskirts of 3rd Ward (not really a good part of town, in fact a REALLY bad part of town)
My bright blue sports car attracting attention.
Me in a Hart Schffner and Marx suit and tie (not exactly the local dress code)
I am surrounded by houses that look like they are uninhabitable, but people are comming outside to see what is up with me.
Luckily, I still had the wrecker drivers phone number on my cell, so I call him, he can be there in 15 min.

I have my 9mm on my hip, and extra mag in my pocket, and a 357 revolver in the center console.

I have never been so happy to be armed. Even the tow truck driver commented on the neighborhood. By the time he got there, probably at least a dozen people were sitting on front porches "keeping an eye on me"

Talk about a stranger in a strange land. You never know when you are going to be forced into a potential bad situation.

[gigag04]

What kinda car?

[ELB]

What kinda car?

Yeah, so the rest of us don't buy one of those...

And it caught fire too?

When I was a teenager, my buddy's family had a car that gave them lots of aggravating problems. One day some wiring in the engine caught fire while the car was idling in the driveway. My buddy, like me a well prepared boy scout, knew exactly where the fire extinguisher was, grabbed it, and put out the fire in seconds -- just in time to hear his dad and mom running out the door yelling, "LET IT BURN! LET IT BURN!" Alas, he had put the fire out so quickly the repairs didn't even meet their deductible. (This was a long time ago).

And yes having some friends name Smith and Wesson, Glock, Ruger, or the like can be comforting when you least expect it.

[cougartex]

Nice to have friends with you at all times.

[SecedeTX]

It's a Mazda RX8 that has been "modified" a bit (ok, more than a bit) for racing. The catalitic converter clogged yesterday, which made it get really hot, and the o2 sensors which have plastic connectors caught on fire. Yesterday could of possibly nuked the motor and it did not manifest itself until this morning. It is at the shop right now getting a compression test.

That is why I am at the house this afternoon on texaschlforum posting rather than being at work!

The car is bright electric blue, custom rims, custom brakes, roll bar, not stock looking at all.b

[Dragonfighter]

It's a Mazda RX8 that has been "modified" a bit (ok, more than a bit) for racing. The catalitic converter clogged yesterday, which made it get really hot, and the o2 sensors which have plastic connectors caught on fire. Yesterday could of possibly nuked the motor and it did not manifest itself until this morning. It is at the shop right now getting a compression test.

That is why I am at the house this afternoon on texaschlforum posting rather than being at work!

The car is bright electric blue, custom rims, custom brakes, roll bar, not stock looking at all.b

Man if I could publish the number of Mazda coup fires without a libel charge...no one would buy one.

[SecedeTX]

They are big fun when they run right. Not exactly a mass market car though. I knew I was buying more of an experimental car, but did not expect the FIRE. Luckily I got it to the house and hit it with the fire extinguisher.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

MAZDA = Must Always Zoom Down Asphalt,
but I guess not so much with this example.

Time to trade it for an Infiniti G37?
They are fast, good looking, and I don't think
underhood flames are standard equipment. :-)

SIA

[.45mac.40]

If N, it had been a lame HORSE, you could have shot it ?!! (( Or is that Old Texan rules ? ))

Mac .45 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $$ %%%%%% $$

[E150GT]

I hope its not all Mazdas! I have a Mazda 3 that I just bought in August and its been pretty good. I am however taking it in to the dealer tomorrow to have the LCD display for the radio replaced because it looks like it is growing mold or something in there. Very unsightly. So if anyone ever sees a silver Mazda 3 rolling around town with two mud flaps only and some funky mold in the dash, its me.

[Shorts]

It's a Mazda RX8 that has been "modified" a bit (ok, more than a bit) for racing. The catalitic converter clogged yesterday, which made it get really hot, and the o2 sensors which have plastic connectors caught on fire. Yesterday could of possibly nuked the motor and it did not manifest itself until this morning. It is at the shop right now getting a compression test.

That is why I am at the house this afternoon on texaschlforum posting rather than being at work!

The car is bright electric blue, custom rims, custom brakes, roll bar, not stock looking at all.b

"Not stock at all" and if you're talking about underhood go fast mods, how have you not done work on the exhaust? Man, take it from the diesel perf guys, EGTs are BAD! Your stock cat soaked it all up and poof.... You didn't have a dummy light go off on the dash??

[Fire1141]

Your lucky. There's not a "good" place to break down on 288 north of 6, IMHO

[ericlw]

the only exit that isnt ghetto ville is orem on 288. otherwise do not stop for any reason.