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My car broke down in June and I had it towed to a repair shop, they said it will cost over 1k to fix it and I owe towing fee and they charge storage fees as well. I lost my job in May and fell behind on my auto loan payments and definately dont have the money for repair or to pay off towing fees. I spoke to the finance company and they said there is nothing they can do to help me get my payments caught up since I have used all those options in the last 12 months. I told the finance company where the vehicle was if they wanted it since im not going to run into a financial miracle to pay all this money. It has been over a month and they have not picked the car up from repair shop. The repair shop is saying if someone does not come for the car within 30 days they will get a magistrates title and auction it. I dont even know if thats legal and I am just stressed to the limit. Does anyone know if it is legal, or have any advice? I hope this makes sense!
I owe for storage and tow fees only, I told them not to repair since I did not know if I could come up with the repair amount. I knew they could put mechanics lien on it if they did.
The total amount owed to finance company is 8k im behind 3 months which is 1500. The tow service was 50 to tow and 35 dollars a day it has been there since June 23rd..The cars value is a measly 3k as well../sigh

Your vehicle’s engine may refuse to operate as expected for several reasons. The culprit is always related to the three things your engine needs most: fuel for combustion, sufficient compression within the cylinders, and a spark. Without all three, the engine will not perform as it was designed. The problem is, each can be affected by other parts and systems, making it difficult to diagnose the root cause of a problem.

In this article, we’ll focus primarily on the factors that can cause your engine to crank (i.e. turn over), but not start. We’ll begin with the items that are easiest to troubleshoot, and advance to the more difficult items toward the end.

Inspect The Fuses First

This step sounds intuitive, but a lot of people neglect to do it. Whenever you’re experiencing issues with components that rely on your vehicle’s electronics, check the fuses before anything else. The reason cars have fuses is to protect the electrical circuits from an overload. If a particular fuse burns out, the part or assembly controlled by it will stop working. This includes your engine and parts that influence its operation.

Look in your owner’s manual to find out which fuses affect your engine. Then, open the main panel, remove the fuses, and inspect them. If the links inside are broken, the fuses are bad. If the links are intact, they are fine.

Pull The Trouble Codes

When your engine experiences any deviation from its normal performance, it will produce an OBD-II trouble code. This code is logged into your car’s computer. This allows a mechanic to retrieve it and have a better idea regarding where to start looking for the root cause of the deviation. If you have an OBD-II scanner, you can pull it yourself. You can purchase a scanner at many auto supply shops for less than $40.

Pulling codes from the computer is easy. A diagnostic connector is usually located in your vehicle’s cabin underneath the dashboard. You can plug the scanner into this connector in order to pull the codes from the computer. These OBD-II codes are alphanumeric (e.g. P1086, P1822, etc.). Once you have pulled them, look for their definitions online. This may provide helpful clues regarding why your engine refuses to start.

Examine And Test The Spark Plugs

Recall that one of the three things your engine needs is a spark. Hence, each cylinder has a spark plug (sometimes, two) that ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture within each cylinder’s combustion chamber. This results in a mini-explosion within the chamber. The explosion produces vapors that expand rapidly and push the piston downward, which turns the crankshaft.

Unfortunately, spark plugs become fouled over time. Deposits can accumulate on them and make it difficult to generate a sufficient spark. This can cause your engine to crank, but refuse to start properly. If the spark plugs appear fine, it’s time to test the pressure within the assembly.

Check The Combustion Chamber’s Compression

In order for the air-fuel mixture to ignite within the cylinder, it must be sufficiently compressed. This means the cylinder should be free of severe compression leaks. Often, the exhaust valve will fail to close properly, and thus allow air to escape during the combustion process. If a leak is severe, it can prevent your motor from starting.

You can purchase a compression gauge for less than $40. If the compression within the cylinders is fine, you’ll need to test your ignition system.

Is Your Ignition System Operating Properly?

There are several components that comprise your ignition system, and a failure that affects any of them can impair your engine’s performance. These include the spark plugs, distributor and distributor cap, rotor, ignition coil, and other pieces. Unless you’re experienced with automotive diagnostics, it’s a good idea to have a mechanic test these parts.

If your engine cranks, but will not start, follow the troubleshooting guide above. If you are able to isolate the problem to the fuses or spark plugs, you’ll be able to easily resolve it on your own.

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I have a question regarding my title. About 10 months ago I took my car to a auto repair shop Aamco transmission to have some work done, after 45 days of BS, long story short the bill went from 00 to 00, so I had no way to pay for the work and Aamco told me if I could not pay the cost by that Friday then my car would be impounded and auctioned and thats all there was to it. Leaving it at that, this whole time I just thought my car was auctioned to pay the bill and nothing more I could do.

So 2 days ago, I get a Certified letter in the mail stating my car has been sitting on they’re lot and if I can make the payment of 00. I can have my car back and avoid any of the costly storage fees that could total now over 00 all together. So I call to ask questions about this situation, and they tell me the only way now to get my car back is to "Make an Offer" with the owner of my vehicle. But this makes no sense since I’m still the legal owner, I have never recieved any other information on this matter untill just now. They said they have sent me 3 letters within this last almost year, which I have never ever recieved, better yet they said they were certified, so there’s proof right there I never received them. And the guy basically told me on the phone if I don’t pay up or make an offer now "to the owner of my vehicle" he can just go to the bank and buy the title back. I told him the bank didn’t own the car I do, and he was basically stuck.

My question is: Is my car stolen? What do I need to do to get my car back, and do I need a lawyer?

Some people are always complaining about having to get their cars fixed, but that is usually do to the fact that they neglect their car systems most of the time. Taking good care of your vehicle is not difficult and only requires you to get regular and schedule maintenance. Looking at the systems of your car the most important is your brake system, so it is good to keep up with the need for any brake repair. If you can’t stop your car, you shouldn’t start it in the first place.

Not paying attention to your brake system can, in a worst case scenario, turn in nightmare results. For instance, the brakes failing while you are in the car putting yourself and others in danger; this can be prevented with check-ups and brake repairs.

Outside of just being able to stop the car, brakes give you the ability to control your car. If there is squealing when the brakes are applied, or it results in the sound of metal scrapping these are definite signs of needing brake repair.

With noises, the usual brake repair needed is a change of brake pads. However, there are other problems that could be happening such as the surface of our rotors needing to be smoothed out. Brake calipers can be loose which will cause your car to drag when you press down on the accelerator. Also, your car can pull to one side when you take your hands from the steering wheel. All of these scenarios and any other things you notice that are different about your car can translate into having your brakes checked.

What is it that makes brakes get weak? One of the biggest reasons is overuse. Many people live in traffic congested areas with lots of stop and go driving that can put excessive pressure on the brake system and cause brakes to harden and affect the other components of the system like the rotors.

Regular fluid inspections, flushes, and oil changes are all important to keeping your car running smooth and neglecting your fluids can result in grease and oil clogging the components of your brake system. You can choose when to have your brakes inspected since it is like a body physical, in that you only have to go once a year.

When you go in for an inspection it could be found that your brake pad depth is shallow, which usually just means getting the pads replaced. If there is a combination of uneven wear with fluid leaks this can mean something to do with calipers. Visual inspections may point to needing something more in depth, so it is important to go to brake specialists for your brake repairs based on a dynamic brake test looking at the force of your system and the balance it brings to your car.

The worst thing that you can do for the health of your car is to ignore it, so do your brakes right by getting brake repairs when you need them so they don’t mutate into something worse.

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There is an old joke about a man who is outraged at $100 bill his auto mechanic presents to him after the man sees that all he did was tighten a screw. Exasperated, the man cries, “How can you charge me a hundred bucks for just turning a screw?” The mechanic calmly replies, “Because I knew WHICH screw to turn.” Knowing just a few basics about auto repair can often help you avoid the plight of our angry customer.

When it comes to tires you should be able to change a flat yourself, rather than pay someone to do it. The procedure is described in detail in your car’s manual. If you do not have one, print out the instructions from an auto repair website and keep it in your glove compartment. Be sure the proper tools are in your trunk and it is a good idea to have a few flares on hand to mark your car’s position should the flat occur at night.

Speaking of your flat tire, now that you’ve put on the spare and stored the flat in your trunk, drive to an auto shop that works on tires. Rather than buy a new tire for seventy, one hundred, or one hundred plus dollars, ask about a plug. Usually, for about ten dollars, the person at the shop can detect where the puncture is and install the plug. This is a particularly good option if there is a lot of tread left on the tire.

Most drivers have found themselves behind a gravel truck and had a pebble kicked up and hit the windshield. Any crack in the windshield that is left unfixed can be dangerous. Buying a new windshield can be expensive and may not be necessary. Many cracks can be fixed. If the crack is less than 4 inches, it may be fixable by you with a simple windshield repair kits. Such kits can be found in most auto parts store and will save a lot of money.

In addition to a cracked windshield, sometimes flying pebbles can find a headlight and shatter it. Again, you can find a repair kit at an auto parts store and fix this problem yourself for a fraction of what it would cost to have it done for you.

Replacing the battery yourself is also a money saver. Just visit the auto supply store and tell them your make and model. An associate will be able to point you in the direction of the proper battery for your vehicle and can give you tips on installation.

When you think about it, so many auto repair and maintenance activities can be done on your own, from changing your car’s oil to touching up that ding on the fender. Research the Internet or visit your local auto parts dealer to get started on saving money.

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