Monday, July 18, 2011 at 06:18PM We installed the new radiator and belts and all seemed well...the car continued to over heat, acted like it was mis fireing and theri might be water in the oil.
It would seem I did in fact blow the header. >_< Now I guess I'll be lookinf for a reputable place to get a "head job" no pun intended.
If you know of somewhere or would like to help shoot me a message or donate here:
Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 03:26PM I was trapped. In Atlanta...with my car, in a bind. I had no cash, and just enough in the bank to get myself back to Chattanooga,TN from what was to be a day trip to Atlanta,GA.
Weighing my options, I turned to my social network. Through Google +, Facebook and Twitter as well as the previous post on my blog, I asked. I asked for help. Help I needed. I wasn't that I have no income or no job but I HAD no money for the immediate need. I haven't quite been able to build up a "rainy day emergency fund." THis was my plea.
"If just a small fraction of my online and real life friends could help me by sending me $5 on Paypal it will help me be able to motre quickly recover and fix my car situation."
In just a few hours, donations started coming in to my account. Many with notes with well wishes and commendations for the help I have provided others in the past. It was a very humbeling experience.
The help of freinds and even many strangers allowed me to more quickly get my car from Atlanta back to;)
Radiator Removed. Chattanooga and address the problem myself (with the help of dad). The main problem, though the outlook was grim based on the dealerships assessment, was that I couldn't begin to look at the car with it over 150 miles from my tools and resources.
WE, all of you that helped, got my car and me home! Once it was here, my dad and I dove in, grease to our elbows. The prognosis looked a little better. Upon our inspection we saw that the radiator was busted but only the plastic resivior. So we pulled the radiato out, replaced the drive belts and ran a water hose into the engine, charged the battery. Low and behold the engine turned right over! No ;)
New Beltswerid sounds, no smoke! As far as we can tell once we get the radiator in the '03 Kia Spectra, tank that it's been, should be back to life.
A few other small maintenance procedures and should be good to go!
I want to thank everyone for the help!
Car, Friends, Kia Spectra, Social Media Good Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 07:44PM
*UPDATE*
Thanks to the help of many friends and strangers I was finally able to get the car home and get it looked at without the pressure of it being at a car dealership. It may, *fingers crossed* just be a blown radiator a few belts and gaskets. Still not particularly cheap but its a few hundred dollars rather than a few thousand.
I'll know a bit more tomorrow if we can find a radiator locally. No chain auto part stores seem to have them without an order. Radiator shops are open from 7:30am-Noon or closed so I have a small window in which to find one. Wish me luck. Funds have been graciously donated so I want you to know that it is going to the use I say and to what. Thank you.
EXPENSE SO FAR
$300 starter (not counted in the total)
_______________ Car blew up_____________
Initial Tow from gas station to dealership at 3am 3miles: $100
Dealership Diagnostics (Which I think were bogus): $65
Uhaul and gas to and from Chattanooga: $108.65 + $70 (still cheaper than the $338-$450 I was quoted by records with no guarantee on price)
Something to eat on the road for myself and my dad: $23.22 (Cracker Barrel mostly because its good and cheap but secondly because the parking lot is big and we were towing a car.)
New Belts + 50/50 Anti-freeze $61.15
TOTAL EXPENSE to date (7/15/11) $328.02
Still to be covered.
RADIATOR: $80+ +S&H (online) up to $194.98 (we can intall it at my house)
Not sure what else, I'm sure there will be small things and this is just the best case senario fix.
I don't want to go much further than this befor I look for a replacement car. If its used from an individual I'll likely need a couple of thousand dollars up front but I CAN GET FINANCING so the goal is to raise and save $1500-$2000 as fast as possible. Thanks to all of your help I am 1/3 of the way there.
*UPDATE*
Tuesday Morning I took my car to have the Starter replaced. It cost me $290. In just about 12 hours and 200 miles down the road; my engine blew on the way back from a trip to Atlanta, with friends, to see my favorite anime on the big screen.
Many of you know that I try and do a lot for others and help people in all sorts of ways and I rarely ask for anything in return. But now I am asking. If just a small fraction of my online and real life friends could help me by sending me $5 on Paypal it will help me be able to motre quickly recover and fix my car situation.
*I am currently stranded in Atlanta Chattanooga, waiting to figure out what to do:
1. Have the car towed back to Chattanooga by tow truck or Uhaul car hauler. (Got it home)
*(Didn't happen)2. Have the car potentially fixed by purchasing a motor from a local Miata/Kia shop and helping them replace the engine tomorrow.
*(Didn't happen)3. Buy a 1993 Acura Vigor for $2500 from a used car dealership. (So I have something to drive.)
I have had a trip to Chicago schedulerd for about 6 months and it cant be rescheduled and I was down to just the small amount of cash for the trip next week. But I am 100% using your help to fix my car. Any remaining funds will be donated to charity. I usually give to the Food Bank.
For just $5 (or more if you can spare) you could help out a friend in need.
What can I do for you?
I will send to each person that sends me a $5 donation.
•1 original art poster on 11x17 paper and a personalized thank you card.
THANK YOU
Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 01:10AM 
Last evening I was joined by my friend Burns, to go and preview the new offerings at Chattanooga's newest Downtown restaurant, Urban Stack a burger lounge with wide selecting on burbon and whiskey.
There menu was very interesting and had lots that I wanted to try but I was instantly drawn to what they call the Asian Q, an American Kobe-Style Waygu beef burger with 5 pepper dry rub and wasabi savoy slaw, ginger BBQ sauce and homemade cucumber kimchee. It was amazing, but to start it all off we tried some delicious potato skins and finished it all off with an Orange Cream Milkshake.
The entier atmosphere of the restaurant was a flurry with energy and excitement. The menu and signage was beautiful and added much to the aesthetic of the establishment and was created by the talented Steve Hamaker.
This may seem like some mindless ramblings but I love food and am proud of the Monen's for their new addition to the Chattanooga food scene. Hopefully you will all get out and try it when they open to the public some time in the next week.
Steve Hamaker, Urban Stack in Design