Blown Gasket

My usual trip back to Birmingham ended in misfortune on Friday evening. About fifteen minutes after setting off from work, the engine overheated, so I pulled over, let it cool down again, and tried setting off again, with the heater on full blast to try and take out the excess heat off. Needless to say I didn't get very far before I was forced to pull in and call my breakdown service. Happily I managed to make it into a pub car park, so the 45 minute wait was made very comfortable.

After poking about with my car for a bit, the breakdown bloke towed me back to Harry and Margeret's house, and I had to call Lou to let her know that I wouldn't be home until Saturday. I was gutted.

Next morning I took the car to a garage, who diagnosed a blown cylinder head gasket. I had been hoping it was just the water pump or something cheaper to fix. I'm looking at at least £270. I had to take the weekend to decide if it was worth it, as the car probably isn't worth that much.

It didn't take long to realise that we'd have to just pay for it though, as we can't afford a new car at the moment. I just hope that this doesn't mark the beginning of a series of expensive break downs. My old car went for years, and then within the space of a few months everything started going wrong with it. I think this car will be okay though as it still feels like it drives well. My last car had felt 'ill' for a long time before the engine died.

I dropped the car off at the garage this morning. I still haven't heard back from them. Fingers crossed they don't find a load of other things seriously wrong with it.