"Money can't buy happiness, but neither can poverty." - Leo Rosten
logo

Go Back   Saving Advice > Financial Chit Chat > General Discussion

General Discussion Please read our Forum Rules before posting
Feel free to talk about anything and everything about money.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 10:20 AM
Like2Plan Like2Plan is offline
$ Saving College Sophomore
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 819
Points: 4360.00
Donate
Default Weird Car Trouble...

DH drives a 2008 Sienna (has 50K miles on it) .

We took a drive yesterday and the engine started to idle a little fast when waiting for a stop light. A little while later, the check engine, VSC, Trak off warning lights came on and the engine temp gauge went to zero.... We were a little bit surprised (and annoyed--this being relatively new and a Toyota--usually a pretty reliable brand ).

So, we took the vehicle right over to the dealership-did the night drop off (it has an extended warrantee on it).

Apparently, a squirrel decided to make a nest right behind one of the headlights. When they opened the hood, the squirrel jumped out (and startled the technician! ) The squirrel also chewed through the wiring harness--$700+ repair not covered under warrantee. But, apparently is covered under our auto ins.--with zero deductible.

Hopefully, the squirrel will find some nice tree to make a new nest and our vehicle won't be in the shop too long getting fixed.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 10:56 AM
Joan.of.the.Arch Joan.of.the.Arch is offline
$ Saving Post Graduate
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,878
Last Blog Entry: Wedding shower question
Points: 24665.20
Donate
Default



I joke about how our Hyundai always sounded as if its engine were powered by chipmunks in an exercise wheel after about 80,000 miles. But we did not literally have chipmunks under the hood!
__________________
"There is some ontological doubt as to whether it may even be possible in principle to nail down these things in the universe we're given to study." --text msg from my kid

http://kiva.org/invitedby/margaret2299 My octogenarian mother invites you to join her in making international micro-loans to alleviate poverty. It's cool!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 11:15 AM
bjl584's Avatar
bjl584 bjl584 is offline
$ Saving Post Graduate
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,544
Points: 15492.20
Donate
Default

My cousin had a groundhog under his once one. It climbed up in there to get warm.
__________________
MODERATOR

Brian
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 11:25 AM
Like2Plan Like2Plan is offline
$ Saving College Sophomore
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 819
Points: 4360.00
Donate
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch View Post


I joke about how our Hyundai always sounded as if its engine were powered by chipmunks in an exercise wheel after about 80,000 miles. But we did not literally have chipmunks under the hood!
DH was thinking along the same lines when the technician called about "the squirrel under the hood"--it took several minutes for DH to realize he literally meant a squirrel.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 12:21 PM
disneysteve's Avatar
disneysteve disneysteve is offline
$ Saving Guru
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 16,309
Last Blog Entry: March 2012 Survey Income
Points: 99391.30
Donate
Default

Never had a squirrel in the car though we did have a squirrel get into the electric transformer outside our house and blew out power to 20 homes. That squirrel didn't get away, though.
__________________
Steve

* Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
* Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
* There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 12:52 PM
Like2Plan Like2Plan is offline
$ Saving College Sophomore
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 819
Points: 4360.00
Donate
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bjl584 View Post
My cousin had a groundhog under his once one. It climbed up in there to get warm.
I wonder if the groundhog saw his shadow?
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 01:34 PM
kork13 kork13 is offline
$ Saving College Senior
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Japan
Posts: 2,249
Points: 12510.00
Donate
Default

The worst my family's had was maybe 10 years ago, a stray cat got into my father's car and proceeded to give birth to something like 5 or 10 kittens in his back seat. He stopped leaving his windows rolled down at night after that one (hey, what a novel idea!)
__________________
"Praestantia per minutus" ... "Acta non verba"
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 03-07-2011, 01:43 PM
GREENBACK's Avatar
GREENBACK GREENBACK is offline
$ Saving College Senior
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,537
Points: 8455.00
Donate
Default

I had a cat jump from under the hood my pickup truck one morning this winter. Definitely got my attention and his.
__________________
"Those who can't remember the past are condemmed to repeat it".- George Santayana.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 03-08-2011, 09:41 AM
feh feh is offline
$ Saving College Freshman
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 719
Points: 4120.00
Donate
Default

I've heard lots of stories similar to this; usually cats.

Thirty years ago when the engine fan was mechanical, metal, and not well protected, the animals often ended up being diced.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 03-08-2011, 10:01 AM
khosta khosta is offline
$ Saving HS Freshman
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 109
Points: 590.00
Donate
Default

That is so funny! Poor squirrel was probably so scared - and I can imagine the technician's surprise as well!!! I had a friend that had a dead bird stuck in the front of his car once... didn't notice until the smell got really bad!!
Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off



Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC6 © 2006, Crawlability, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 SavingAdvice.com. All Rights Reserved.