the saga may almost be over. i got a call from my mechanic today saying that my car seemed to be working fine, and that he drove it around and it runs great, and that all he needs to do is the safety inspection (it passed emissions! whoo!) and test it again, and i can have it back tomorrow!

i can hardly believe it. me? a car? a *working* car? i'm not sure i remember what that's like.

about a week ago, he told me that a fellow mechanic (in texas, they're members of the same online mechanics group) had suggested my fuel pump was gone. the "windings were too hot." so he ordered a fuel pump, telling the parts guy that if it didn't work he was sending it right back. put it in, and voila! seems to have worked!

'course, it may all come crashing down and leave me stranded on the highway aGAIN. eh, whatever. that's what cellphones are for.