I drive a 1989 240 wagon (automatic, if it matters) that was just serviced a week ago and declared in excellent health. Everything has been running fine since.

Today, I drove into a parking lot at about three MPH, went over the wee little speed bump... and everything cut out. After twenty seconds or so, I was able to start it again. When I started it again ten minutes later, it started on the third try, cut out again after ten seconds, and the engine would crank, but it refused to start after that. I called my friends at Triple A.

The AAA fellow hooked up his little portable battery thing... and the car started fine. As soon as he unclipped it, it died. He did this three times just to rub it in.

"It's your alternator," he said.

It was late on Friday, I couldn't reach my ordinary mechanic, and he let me drive (with his portable battery thing still connected to my battery) to the nearest Volvo/Saab place, where they were just locking up. They directed me up the street.

There, although the mechanics seemed perfectly nice, the owner gave me powerful "Ah... a sucker who's a girl! Cha-ching!" vibes. I explained what had happened and asked if it was possible that going over the bump had somehow jarred something loose? Could it be a fuse?

He waved away the AAA guy's alternator theory, and told me that it was my fuel pump. When I said that the car had just been given a clean bill of health, he said that it was my muffler. (...?)

He's calling me tomorrow with a diagnosis and estimate, and I will of course try to reach my regular mechanic and see if they can fit me in. However, in the meantime, does anyone have any insights? I'd like to at least have some idea of what's going on here before I have to talk to the guy with the muffler theory.

Thanks so much, and sorry this was so long. I'm trying to educate myself on this stuff, but I don't know enough about it to be concise (as I'm sure you've noticed.)

~Ella