Modern autos are absolute marvels of engineering. They are comfortable, efficient, safe and usually very reliable.

It wasn't that long ago, roadsides were strewn with cars that had overheated do to broken fan belt or busted radiator hose, belching smoke from wear or need of tuneup or perhaps simply a flat tire. Even today's tires are remarkably better than yesteryear.

Question:
When was the last time you broke down?

Choices:
I'm on the side of the road now
Within the last month
Within the last year
I don't recall
Never

 

1987 the brake pedal slipped off the connection to the brake system…managed to downshift to a stop with the E brake and figured it out…slipped it back on and went home to fix it.


1988 my 83 mustang transmission blew up while I was on the way home from school. Dunno what the deal was with it.


1990, boat trailer burnt a bearing. Between Steinhatchee Fl and Yankeetown. Funny thing is those government credit cards are for fuel only..had to dig out my cash and buy a bearing so I could fix it on the side of US19.

Only other time was a blowout tire in 2002ish…took a hour to fix it, after moving the motorcycle that was in the bed of the truck

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,

I’ve only broken down twice. Once in the early 2000’s at The college of William and Mary while visiting my girlfriend. My Mustang GT had 180,000 miles and an idler pulley seized.

The most recent time was around 2015 when my 1989 Honda CB-1 melted down a voltage regulator out in the country between VA Beach and Chesapeake. I was coming back from a classic motorcycle rally and thankfully had a friend on a CB650 that was able to give me a ride to my truck so I could retrieve my Honda.

My chucklehead friend even took a pic of me in my moment of failure when I realized I was not going to nurse the CB-1 back home. The rally was The Distinguished Gentlemen’s ride hence the suave and debonair attire.

Well, I didn't vote because I do recall the last time I broke down and it was well over a decade ago.

Multiple times with my '99 Ford Lightning in fact. Three blown engines and one blown transmission will do that to you. It was a love/hate relationship with that truck. I wish I never met her, but the good times sure were good.

I lost a slave cylinder for the clutch in a 2001 Dakota. That was back in 2010 or so. Was able to limp it home and swapped it out in the driveway.
Other than that my rides have been 100%

Don't jinx it!

Jerry Maguire. "You complete me."

Gets me every time.

Not since I owned my one and only / never again VW

1984 Rabbit GTI, broke down several times during the two years (1989-1990) I owned it.

Alternator died while I was out of town visiting a friend in Charleston SC, because the geniuses that designed it made sure that every time you drove through a puddle it splashed on the alternator and voltage went to 10v for about 20 secs...until the thing eventually dies. And you have to remove the AC compressor to get to the alt.

Also driving from NoFla to SoFla on turnpike, sounded like it was throwing a rod, but it was a timing belt tensioner.

Then the overheating problem that never got solved (replaced thermostat, water pump, rad core...) / traded it in. Fuck VW

1988. Water pump went out on my 74 Pinto station wagon. Near north, downtown Chicago on Dearborn. It was January and colder than a well diggers ass. That was NOT a fun job. Got her switched out and running again though...after a few frostbitten fingers.

[Knocks on wood]I haven't had a flat in probably that long as well[/Knocks on wood]. Now I'll get one this afternoon.

I remember replacing a timing belt on my Ford Pinto one cold January morning circa 1982 on an ice-covered parking lot. Just as cold, fingers in the same state.

Didn't fit any of the categories, but in 2019 had a 2011 Outback overheat and spew coolant. A relay for one of the radiator fans failed and the head gaskets were starting to go. Unfortunately we were 800 miles from home hauling two kayaks and a buttload of luggage. Long story short- we managed to make it home.

last I recall was I lost the bolts to the drive shaft, apparently not torqued down very well after a transmission repair,

stopped, had a tool bag, thankfully, and removed the drive shaft (rear) and drove home,

the little HiLux 4x4 was front wheel drive for the rest of the drive

Pondering the question I suddenly realize my breakdowns of the
last 40 years all involved Chevrolet pickups. One on 94 350 Z1, one on my inherited 454, both towing 23' trailers.

Oh. And a 23' B+ motor home.

Yes, over the same pass.

It's all becoming clearer now. There was a few Fords
and a Dodge or 3 in there.

While still a Chevy fan, I avoid that pass
for other reasons now.

Not truly a mechanical issue, but if it's about sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow, I ran over something on the freeway that took out a tire last year, if that counts.

-700 mile trip from home to my daughters college
-she rocked her grades 1st semester freshman year so we let her take the truck to school for 2nd semester
-mom would not let her drive alone so I drove with her and would fly back.
-had her Ford Ranger completely checked out prior to the trip, new brakes, new water pump, etc.
-near Morehead KY, the truck died on the highway, no apparent cause, all gauges were ok prior
-called AAA for tow, it's cold, and dead truck
-AAA diagnosed seized idler pulley, applied lube, truck started, he called ahead to a shop to have them order the part as the shop was closing in 1 hour
-started to drive up the hill to the exit, lost all power, so the driver towed us the remainder of the way
-shop could not even manually turn over the engine as it had completely seized
-the sole rental car agency was closed, the taxis services were closed, so had to hire a limo/van drive to take us to the nearest town with an airport and car rental
-emptied her truck as best we could and paid the $100 for the ride

Was a very interesting trip, cost us about $5k for new engine, and definitely makes for a great story.

Early 2000s, but I was driving a 1972 BMW.

I voted never because no other category applied.

The only roadside delay I had was when I got a flat tire on my Tacoma 10 years ago. Changed it in 20 minutes and was back on the road. Otherwise, I never had a car breakdown in the middle of a drive. But then I've only had Hondas and Toyotas.

Lost a fuel pump 20 miles outside of Gillette WY in my suburban 2 years ago on the way home from vacation. Normally I fix stuff myself, but that's kinda hard to do when you're on the side of the highway 20 miles from anywhere and the truck won't run. Had to get it (and the camper) towed back to Gillette, and paid the wrecker company to replace it. The bill was steep, but they got it done in a day and even dropped our trailer off at a campground so we had somewhere to stay while they were working on it. Can't really complain about the truck either...afaik that was the original fuel pump and we were just over 400,000 on the odometer at the time, so I'd say it out its time in. If the new one lasts that long I'll be doing good.

I've had plenty of other stories in the past....changed a water pump on that same suburban in the parking lot of the Medford, OR Autozone in 2015, and the wheel bearing on my minivan in the Joplin, MO one a couple of years before that. I did a power steering pump on my truck (which has hydro boost breaks, so that was exciting when it went out) in the Oriley parking lot in London, OH, and the starter on my old '90 G20 van in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut in Goshen IN. It's like the great American tour of busted down crappy vehicles, lol. It always seems to happen on either the hottest or the coldest day of the year, too.

Bought a beater 1992 Tercel with a 5 spd to commute with when gas prices spiked back in the 2000's. Made it a week when the timing belt broke and left me on the side of the highway. Sad thing was that I had already ordered a new belt along with a bunch of other maintence parts, but hadn't had the chance to work on it yet. I scrapped the car as it wasn't worth the cost of repair.

In college I had an 87 Jetta GLi that liked to eat accessory belts and the throttle cable would occasionally unattach itself, but it never really left me stranded as I was able to fix these on the side of the road.

I also had 95 Mitsubishi Montero that I loved (wish I still had it) but I had terrible luck with tire punctures while I owned it. I got really good at swapping tires on that thing.

Blown battery in the Basin campground in Big Bend. Cracked case, leaking acid, no cell service and no way to leave. Circa 2000. Weirdly, a neighbor from a block away in our hometown was there unknown to us both, saw us, let us use their car (another Ford Explo-der) as they were going on a four day hike the next day, and we drove to Alpine and got a new battery. Other than bad tires on our RV (China bombs) the only other issue has been bad coil-on-plug ignition issues on a 2011 F-150 which wasn't bad enough to stop our towing the RV to Inks Lake State Park and back. Just had to use the auto trans in manual mode to keep the revs above 2500. Since around 2013 no problems.