Stupid Car Died. . . Again.

Noo!  My car decided to die this morning on my way to work...

I'm driving along and I notice it smells weird.  My temperature gauge is ALL the way to RED.  Not just touching red... it's ALL THE WAY!   

See??
(Don't worry, I'm parked.)

 I pull over and park the car. I text my husband (who is at work) that the car is freaking out. I call work to tell them I'm not going to make it in.  I call the mechanic and tell him what's going on. He tells me to wait about half an hour to an hour for the gauge to get out of the red before driving anywhere... or call a tow truck. About an hour later, the temp gauge is still in the same place. We call the insurance company, who calls the towing company.  I wait until about 9:30, when the tow truck driver calls and says he doesn't see me. I'm on the side street. Right by the main road. He had pulled into the parking lot of the town homes next to where I was parked. *sigh*  He finds me and he gets the car hooked up to the truck.  

Once I've been dropped off at the mechanic's and the car is unhooked from the truck, I drop the keys off and get a ride home. It was freezing.  Today I did not want to walk.  (They usually offer to give me a lift, but being they aren't far from home, I just walk.)

I hang out at home, wondering what is wrong with the car and feeling bummed.  

Around 3 o' clock, the mechanic calls and tells me he would rather not be calling me.  The car is super dead. 
Ugh...  

The intake manifold broke. It caused antifreeze to mix with the oil. The engine sounds ok right now but they don't know how much damage had really been done to the engine. That also made the radiator hoses soft, so they will need to be replaced in the near future, as well. Everything to fix it will end up costing upwards of $1000.  

Not to mention the $300 is will cost when the problem with one of the tires (I believe he said that the shocks were wearing out on one tire?) finally decides to happen. 

Considering the trade in value of the car is maybe $950 in good condition, $700 in fair condition. About $1200 for the private party value in fair condition.... Basically, it's not really worth sinking more moolah into this car.  Unfortunately, I think it's time to find a new car.  

Arrrggghhhh!  (Very angry pirate, I know.)

I'm still making payments on the car for other things we have had to fix!  The driver's window went out in the middle of the winter before last and had to get a new motor to keep the window up. The serpentine belt went out when we were completely broke. That was not terribly long after getting the window fixed. 

If we had money, that car likes to make sure that it doesn't stay that way for long. There are other things I would rather be focusing on.

Looks like we get to go do the dreaded car shopping thing again...

Anybody want to go buy me a new car?   ( -_-)

Not a devil car.  I want working windows (they go up and down and do not leak!). Cup holders. This new car must not be a clown car. I hate driving in little cars. It scares me.

Yeah. If you could just do that for me, that would be great. ~Thanks