Car problems...any ideas?
 

Okay, so in the last two days, my car has developed a weird grinding noise while I'm driving.

While in 1st gear, and only in first gear, as the revs pass through 2000-2200 RPM, there is short, but not particularly loud grinding noise that occurs. It doesn't occur in any other gear, and if I get the car to change gears before reaching the mark, I don't get the noise.

I'm pretty confused by the fact that it doesn't happen at any other RPM's or in any other gears.

I've learned from previous experience this summer to pay attention when something makes a sound out of the ordinary, but the problem is that I have just replaced the alternator (about $700) and the fuel pump (over $900), both of which my parents payed for. They are also buying me a new mattress set, so I've spent about 2g's in the past three weeks.

I really need my car this week as I'm moving to Omaha, and then two weeks later. Like seriously, no fooling. I won't get my student loans until the 22nd, when I'll have enough money to pay for any repairs on my own.

Does anyone on GC have an idea, of what might be going, how much it might cost to fix, and how long I can keep driving with it before I get it fixed. Having had my car die on me twice in the last three weeks is just too big a hassle, and given the amount of time I'm going to be on the interstate the next couple of days I don't want to have it die someplace really inconvenient. (I've been really lucky so far in where it has died).

Unfortunately, the only advice I can give you is to call your trusty mechanic. Good luck.

Can you tell where the sound is coming from?

Sounds like you drive a car like mine. Foreign. Everything is freaking expensive to fix.

good mechanic. i've had luck with pep boys. but try to go with someone you know. good luck.

I know nothing about cars but you should call Car Talk . It's a radio show on PBS radio on Saturday mornings, I want to say around 9 or 10 am. The guys are funny and know their stuff about cars, they'd be able to tell you if it was serious or not.

I was thinking the same thing. It's incredible how they can pinpoint the exact problem and give a rough estimate of the cost just by someone describing and imitating the noise of their car on the radio.

Do you know what time they're on? I can never seem to remember.

Here's their website.

http://www.cartalk.com

Fabulous! Thanks ;)

It's different times on different stations. The calls aren't live, they're recorded.

ride a bike.

When they're taping a new show the calls are live, obviously not if you're catching a rerun or the second show of the weekend. Here it plays twice, once on Saturday and then they play the recording from Saturday on Sunday. If they never took any live calls they wouldn't really have a show.