Okay...
So, over the years, I've been learning more and more about cars. I know VERY LITTLE compared to many of the people on this site. I know tons of "specs" of cars, could tell you what features each car offers, can recognize a car and a year by it's taillights or headlamps shining in my rear-view mirror, but know almost nothing under the hood.
No one listens to me when I say "Something doesn't feel right" regarding my car. This has been going on for YEARS.
Turn back to April 2002, I said to my friends and family, "You know, I was driving today and I heard a slightly different sound when accellerating--a tinny sound. Very faint." People sat in the car, dismissed it.
A week later, after an oil change, my mechanic told me, "I honestly don't hear the sound you're talking about. Everything seems fine." I told him, it's cold out still, make sure you have the engine warm when you run it--that's when you can hear it. Sure enough, he calls me back 5 minutes later saying the engine practically blew up. It was engulfed in flames. Car was totalled.
Take mom's LeSabre out a few years ago... drive it. Now, I've only driven it a handful of times, but I said, "Mom, there's a shimmy sensation at highway speeds that you should have checked."
No one listens. A few months later, during an oil change, mechanic finds a bubble in the tire--one he said was fairly bad.
A few months ago, I take my car in for an oil change. I told the mechanic about a noise I've been hearing and a "newer" noise that literally started happening that morning when I went over slight bumps. Friends and family told me, "Nope, it's your imagination."
Car had to have front struts replaced and a wheel bearing was shot (hence the two types of noises I was hearing).
So, I have been complaining of "fumes entering the cabin" and this "loud, airy noise" when I accellerate in my 92 Century. Everyone said it's my imagination, people said, "The car is 15 years old, you can't expect it to sound like new." I've complained about this for months.
SO... today... the mechanic calls me (getting an inspection, oil change, and front brakes), and says, "You have an exhaust manifold (think that's what he said), that's shot. I'm surprised you didn't notice... it's making your engine louder."
Who do I kill now? So then I asked, "Would that be why I'm getting fumes in the cabin?"
Yes.
WHY DOES NO ONE LISTEN TO ME?! I know how my car sounds and feels and I'm extremely sensitive to slight changes in anything.
Seriously, I know cars are complex machines. I know there are a ton of people out there who know a lot more about them than I do. But why is it no one trusts my senses?
Does anyone else run into these types of probs?