So upon leaving for my new duty station from Fort Lee, VA to El Paso Texas, I had my car serviced for the trip and weather change. Half way through the trip I had the oil changed and then I noticed there was a loud ticking noise from under my hood. I checked everything out over and under the vehicle couldn't find a cause right away, had a few friends listen as i drove it down the street.

After another month of "old engine" explanations form two mechanics, one of Firestone, and the other of Alpha Auto in El Paso. My car continued to sound like a bag of quarters was being dragged around. One day I am traveling down the Highway with my infant daughter, and my wife was in the vehicle when the engine light comes on then it blows, BOOM, went from 60 mph to 0 mph in seconds and I can no choice but to coast to the side of the road with my flashers on. We were almost killed by a semi! Not what I pictured for a perfect trip.

The Subaru was smoking! Upon evacuation of the vehicle I opened the hood and was blown back by some flames, I told my spouse to grab our daughter and run, I had never been so scared for them. I was able to beat the flames out with my jacket and a jug of water and called USAA, the car was towed by El Paso towing to the first shop off of exit 19 on 1-10 West. I was told a new engine would cost 8,000 dollars because the block was cracked and a piston was blown. Another mechanic in the same shop ask if we could afford a used one for about 4,000 dollars.

Let me tell you moving cross country, I was almost broke so we had it towed back to our hotel and at the end of that day I put out 1,800 dollars to move, get food, gas, and a hotel... not including the $60.00 it cost to have it taken to our hotel. It was a scary, humiliating, and aggravating experience. Since then the car has sat at a worthless shop that claimed through USAA that it could be fixed and no luck, so what do I do? I am in the U.S. Military and got there car on such good standards, never failed before, no accidents, no nothing and now have nothing to show for what I worked for. I bought this thing for 20,000 dollars and I just paid it off! I have a house-hold to support and a job to keep... without a car the burden has been more then rough in a new city, so what do I do now...