Long time readers will remember my 2006 Mazda Miata. I bought it in 2013, because I needed something besides my motorcycle for picking up my younger son at school.
It was a good little car.
good little car
Eventually, I stopped riding my motorcycle altogether and drove the Miata full time.
It rattled and vibrated. It leaked rain. The ac quit working. The right side stereo speakers quit working. It sat low to the ground.
But I enjoyed it. It was nimble and light. It was reasonably quick. It was more comfortable than the bike. It was a good daily driver.
Until it wasn't.
Yeah.
Two weeks ago, on my way home from work, on the interstate, the check engine light came on.
Weird, I thought. I've never seen this car's check engine light come on.
Then I smelled coolant. Then I saw the temperature gauge was maxed out. Uh oh.
I pulled off the interstate, and, while looking for a place to pull over, I noticed the oil pressure gauge had dropped to zero.
Oh that's not good.
I found a big, empty, parking lot and pulled in. The car was still running despite everything. I shut it down, popped the hood, and saw coolant mixed with engine oil spattered around the coolant reservoir.
That looks like a blown head gasket, I thought.
And it was.
The shop I had it towed to confirmed my suspicions. With over 160k miles, it would've been cheaper to replace the engine than repair it. Unfortunately, even with a used engine, the total cost to get the Miata roadworthy was more than the value of the car.
So that was that, just like that. No more Miata.
Goodbye, Miata. (this was actually from a different tow when I had a blown tire)
I rented a car, sold the Miata, and went car shopping.
By that Friday, I landed on and purchased this car:
Go Speed Racer!
It's 2020 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Premium, in Oxford White. It has a 2.3l, four cylinder turbo engine with 49k miles. It has a ten speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It makes 310hp and 350lbs of torque. It has a push button start, keyless entry and remote start. It has five drive modes and three steering modes. It has heated/cooled leather seats. It has Apple car play.
And…it has a lit check engine light.
damnit
Four days after I bought it, the Mustang's check engine light came on while I was driving to work.
I got it scanned and it found the fault is likely with the evaporative purge valve. That's part of the emissions system and isn't going to destroy my engine or anything. Still, it makes the engine idle a little rough and makes the throttle response a little janky. I've got an appointment to get it fixed, under warranty, tomorrow. I could replace the purge valve solenoid myself, but they're pricey and that might not be the specific problem. I'll let the car dealer fix it.
Despite this issue, I'm enjoying my new-to-me ride very much.
I'm not really a Mustang guy, but I like what I like. Hopefully the warranty repair will smooth out the performance. I'll let you know how that goes.
sleek
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