When to jump ship?

Remember back in March when there were gremlins in my car? Well, they're back. I'm not happy.

I had some earrands to run on this hot and humid day. My car's air conditioner hasn't worked all season. I planned to get that checked out as soon as was convenient (for me, not them). As I was driving on a sticky, sticky afternoon, my battery light came on. I called my husband from the road to put him on alert. I cut my errands short and tried to make it home. My car had other ideas.

My car got stuck in first gear and the tach was showing 5000-6000 (and that's not good). I tried to manually shift to third, but the car was having none of it. I pulled into a grocery store parking lot, shutting my car off and hoping that restarting would help. Hey, it sometimes works with my computer so what do I have to lose? I now know the answer to that question was 'my mind.' I did just that.

My could wouldn't start so I called my husband to jump my car and follow me to the mechanic. I had parked at the empty end of the lot to give a tow truck plenty of room to work, just in case. I don't enjoy hot weather and the parking lot gave off this wonderfully toasty heat. It was very fun waiting there. I watched a police car drive through the lot checking on the cars and the businesses in the plaza. Do you think he came over to check on the distraught woman parked with her hood up? You guessed it, nope. Chivalry is indeed dead.

Mr. Man arrived and went to work on my car. After 20 minutes or so, my car finally started. My husband followed me as I headed for the mechanic's shop. I made it about 4 miles when the car got stuck in first gear again. The traction control kept blinking, and then the brakes got scary. I decided to try and take the car home (closer than the shop) and wait there for a tow truck. During the 5 mile drive home from there my dashboard stopped working. The car shifted gears at random and then the fuel injectors stopped injecting. When that happens, the car 'putt-putts' a few times and then DIES. So my car died. My husband and I pushed it off the road and I called the towing company again.

My American-made baby car with over 100,000 miles on it is in the shop again and we're thinking it may be cheaper to replace the darn thing that it would be to keep repairing it.

I dislike decisions like this. I'm always certain I'll choose wrong. Grrr.

Do you know what would help me with this? Diet Dr. Pepper.