Ok here is the situation, I borrowed a car and within just a few exits on the highway getting out of the city it overheats. I take an exit and stop at a service station. I wait for it to cool and buy antifreeze. This car swallowed 2.5 gallons! It was completely empty. No coolant, no water, no nothing.

While under the hood I decided to check the oil and trans fluid, I checked the trans fluid because the car was revving at 6k rpm at only 50mph. Both were low, oil was shy by 3 quarts and the trans fluid was half empty also.

Some of the coolant hoses were loose to I checked them, they were well worn and ripping apart, duct tape held most of it together. Inside was severe rust and the nipples from the engine were severely calcified.

If you know anything about engines you would know all of this is very bad. Basically this car was on it's last legs and it just happened to show it when I borrowed it.

The friend I borrowed it from claimed the car was in excellent condition, he never had a problem with it and it's my fault. Oh he also clued me into a vital piece of information when I first called him to report the problem. He said he doesn't know what to tell me because he NEVER DROVE THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY BEFORE! I should have yelled right then and there.

Anyway I turned the car around, knowing it would not take me to my destination and it overheated again within 30 minutes, I pulled over again, refilled the coolant and called a tow truck. Getting it home cost nearly $400.

So my question it, am I really responsible for this? I know I'm not I would just like other people to say it, of course everyone I ask agrees with me, and if you saw this car you would also, it is not a great car, it is falling apart, I have seen better cars in junkyards. The drivers side door doesn't lock, the passenger window doesn't work, the mirrors are glued onto the car, the exhaust is held on my metal wire hangers, the ceiling lights hang by wires. I mention this so you can visualize the severe decay this car is under.

Thank you for your time, I await your opinions.

Next time you want to borrow a car check all that out before you go anywhere. You shouldn't be responsible but the owner might insist that the car ran great until you got it. Some people are really unreasonable, but for it to be that low on oil and tranny fluid and overheat again right away makes me think it has to have been a progressive problem. But as I said many people are unreasonable and run on pure emotions and they tend to be the ones who people tend to side with.

You can go to the following website and put the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the box, and they will give you the cars history. I think the car is a lemon, or it might have been in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina. I haven't used this service in a few years, so I don't know what the cost is now. I paid $20.00 when I used it, but for all the money it is going to cost, maybe the owner can get some satisfaction from the dealer who sold him the car, if it was under false information. Good Luck→
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