We got a nice snowstorm on Wednesday afternoon and through the day on Thursday. So my husband left his old 98 Malibu in the garage and took my Explorer to work on Thursday morning. The roads were still icy on Friday so he drove it then as well.
Yesterday while he was doing some painting around the house, I decided I would be a good wife and take his car, which was filthy from driving home in the snow on Wednesday night, to the car wash.
I grabbed the keys, opened the garage door and sat in the driver's seat. Literally, the second that I placed my ginormous body into the driver's seat, I heard a very loud pop. It sounded like the world's biggest balloon had just been popped in my ear.
I immediately got out of the car and started checking the tires because I couldn't think of anything else to check. I had Dan come out and he checked the tires and everything looked fine so I continued on my merry way.
As I was backing the car out of the garage, I could tell something wasn't quite right with the tires. I called Dan to come back outside and he drove the car down the driveway and said he was going to take it for a spin to see if he could figure it out. He only got halfway down the driveway before he hopped out of the car and started looking at the front tire on the driver's side.
He had found the problem.
The metal coil/spring that attaches the tire to the care had split in two! In two!!!
The weight from my gigantic body sitting in the driver's seat caused the coil (the thick metal coil!) to break in two!
There was no way we could get the car to the shop so I called them this morning and had them send one of their tow trucks.
The mechanic asked me what was wrong and I showed him the broken coil. He asked how it happened and oh, the laughter and hooting and hollering that went on after I told him it happened as soon as I sat in the driver's seat.
And then after a few minutes of laughing, he composed himself and said he felt bad that it happened when I sat in it. Yeah, right, kid! I'm sure everyone at the shop is getting a huge laugh right about now!
But, in all honesty, it is pretty funny. And I'm just thankful that it happened while I was backing out of the driveway and not while my husband was driving down the interstate.
And just to give you an idea of what exactly I broke in case you aren't familiar with coil springs, here is a picture of a coil spring and strut that was used on the Chevy Malibu from 1998-2003:
6 comments:
Oh no! While I am sure it has more to do with the 15 year old car, (I am driving an Explorer from the same year so solidarity!) I would be an very unhappy camper if that happened to me.
Oh my goodness, that is scary! (And no, I don't think you are that big...seriously, there is a reason I don't post belly pictures on my blog. I think maybe I posted 1 or 2 of Elizabeth and they were more group shots than anything.) Anyway, my point is, I still can't believe that you would be the cause of that breaking...I mean it is a 98'...could it just have been corroded with a lot of wear and tear and you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Otherwise, I don't think I should plan on driving my husband's car (01' Pontiac grand prix) at all during this pregnancy. I am scared to know what kind of damage I could do to his car. Glad you are okay!!!
My family now thinks I'm crazy because I'm looking at my computer and laughing like crazy. I'm sure it has more to do with the age of the car, than you. I'm glad you have a good sense of humor though!
You crack me up. You so did not break that, it was just bad timing. Funny bad timing but bad timing nonetheless.
So glad you were still in the driveway and even happier it can be fixed.
Now, put your feet up and rest. You deserve it.
haha! That makes such a great story!
That is hilarious!!! Surely it had a weak spot and you were the straw that broke it. :)
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