jetta.

My car's in the shop again. It desperately needed a tune up, and along with that (apparently), a new alternator and entire exhaust system. While i wasn't expecting those specific issues, they do make sense, and explain most of the issues i've been having with my car, including the reluctance to start in the morning and the hot, fiery smell i sometimes notice. The alternator's also a whole heck of a lot less expensive than replacing the ignition coil or clutch- the two things i thought might be an issue. As for the exhaust system, apparently it's rotting. Yup- rotting. It didn't sound as strange to me as it might have because tishka had the exact same issue with her vw five years ago. The mechanic told her she wasn't driving it enough, especially for long distances. Everytime she drove it short distances, condensation built up, but wasn't expelled as it would have been had she kept driving. The good news is that i no longer bring it to the dealership since i've found a good guy i trust. Still, this is (i think) the most expensive trip yet for my car. I can only imagine how much more it would be at the dealership. Yikes!