Car broke down on road trip. What to do?

Post date: 2021-09-18 13:33:09

We just bought a used car in Bozeman, MT and we're planning on driving it to San Francisco. The car is having difficulties and we think it can't make it, plus all the auto shops are now closed for the weekend (and potentially longer). We're trying to figure out our options.

Please no scolding, emotions are running high and I realize it's possible we didn't make the greatest choices.

The CEL came on and the codes look like they're related to the rocker arm. It won't get past 2800 RPMs. We took it to the dealership and they can't check it further until Monday, and obviously we don't know when it could get fixed after that. Other local shops we checked are booked out for weeks.

We have Geico roadside and are actually on the phone with them now, but they can't do much for us now except cover one tow. We could drive it to the airport and get long term parking, then fly home / get a one way car rental from there, and have it towed to a repair shop once they're open... ? Is that a thing?

We're just looking for ideas, basically. Obviously this is a bit of a boondoggle and we would have to come back at some point, or get it towed around, or whatever. It's not a super great car, we're not married to the idea of keeping it, but we aren't sure what is the smartest way to basically get back to our lives until we can either get it repaired or unload it, and how much of that we can do remotely.

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