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Hi. Just when I want to start liking this car, it does something else to unnerve me. The latest: Tonight I stopped for gas. A huge semi pulled up, idling stinky beside me. Got in my car and moved up to another bay. Filled tank up from 1/4. Tried to drive away. Car dragged, wouldn't move forward well. Wondered if I were driving over a raised curb?? (Wasn't.) Slugged a few feet ahead. Turned off engine. Turned on engine. Stepped on gas. Felt like a gorilla was holding car back. Got onto road and drove heavily in break down lane about 1/8 mile. Car picked up momentum, and from that point, drove normally: Drove to daughter's school. Stopped car. Drove ten miles. Stopped again. Drove home. All as usual. Never would know anything happened. So, what the heck was it????? Meanwhile, in the last 600 miles it has stopped mid-drive twice: both times while turning right after a stop--total death, all red panel lights on. AND, it needed a jump in the driveway a week or so ago. Meanwhile, on these freezing winter mornings, it starts right up! Mechanic tested battery to be fine. There is a mild sratchy/swooshing sound coming from driver's side just after the car starts, before it goes into second gear, and sometimes when turning. Mechanic checked car out, put a muffler bracket in, but couldn't for certain address the sound as it didn't occur for him--it is intermittent. HERE is what has been done to this car since I bought it late summer: REPLACED: Front struts and mounts; front stabilizer bushing and links; REPLACED: ignition switch, fuel pump and main relays, timing belt, water pump, front engine oil seals, serpentine belt; flushed cooling system and refill; INSTALLED: missing tail pipe clamp; REPAIRED: wire harness on right park light; REPLACED front and rear rotors, pads, front tie rods, left front caliper. HERE is what prior owners did: Battery replaced May 2002; Tuneup May 2004; Oil change (regular); Oil pan Aug. 2003; Potentionmeter replaced May 2003; CMP Sensor replaced May 2003; Tensioner replaced Nov. 2002; Fan Belt replaced Nov. 2002; Mass Air Flow Sensor: replaced Sept. 2001;' Starter motor replaced Sept. 2001; Oxygen Sensor replaced Sept. 2001; Transmission replaced Sept. 2001; Rear Main Seal replaced May 2001; Blower Motor replaced December 2000; Fan Belt replaced March 2000. I was hoping that between what prior owners did, and I put into it, I would have a nice future with this car. But NOOOOOOO. Can anyone make any guesses what exactly happened at the gas station? And why the car has stopped dead in tracks twice? FYI, since buying the car, I learned that it was "severely damaged and issued a Salvage title by a Connecticut DMV. It was later issued a Rebuilt title by a Massachusetts DMV, which allows for the vehicle to be repaired and returned to the road." Right now the car has 177,000 miles appx.
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