Our Subaru is dead! Help us salvage our car crisis

Good day folks! I am a working musician and my wife is a freelance graphic designer. After a much needed but chaotic vacation, my wife and I have found ourselves in need of financial assistance!

Meagan and I bought our used 2013 Subaru Outback just two years ago, right before we got married. Unfortunately, it has given us nothing but trouble from the start. After several expensive repairs, and learning the art of DIY maintenance, the Subaru is now out of commission, and we are without a working vehicle.

Here’s the story:

This last weekend, we were on a camping trip in the mountains, when the engine coolant started overheating. Though I thought we had fixed this problem two weeks prior, the check engine light came on, followed by white smoke, followed by a complete engine failure. We were stranded on the side of I-70 at 9pm, right outside Rifle, Colorado. After the insurance was “having trouble” with roadside assistance, we had to shell out over $200 for a 5 mile tow to a nearby hotel.

The next day, we set up a AAA account and towed the car to a local repair shop. After assessing the damage, including large melted holes in the radiator, our hero of a mechanic gave it to us straight: the engine was dead and would not start. He had seen this exact problem with another Subaru the day before. After researching the issue, he found that this type of Subaru engine essentially dies when it overheats, and he was not gonna let us waste money on parts for a lost cause. He extended his kindness further, and is keeping the car at his shop. On top of that, he gave us a ride to the Enterprise in Glenwood Springs (HERO), so that we could rent a vehicle to continue our trip and return home to Denver.

This event has essentially left us without a working vehicle, which I need to transport myself and my music equipment to gigs and classes.

Luckily, we do have a 2013 Honda Fit at home, which needs a new windshield, battery, insurance and updated registration before it’s driveable.

So, between the cost to get our Honda up and running, and transporting the Subaru home, we are reaching out to our greater community for assistance. Anything you can do to support, whether it’s a few dollars, a few prayers, or just sharing this cause, we are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts! Thank you!