the best deal ever

[snorkel]

I am called on a late-night drop-off mission.

The first sign of trouble is when I start my car, which takes considerable effort (I know next to nothing technical about cars but it seems like all the cylinders aren't going and the engine doesn't begin 'cycling' as it should). It stalls in my driveway as I'm reversing, I start it again with much effort (need that $60 goddammit).

All is well on the highway, but the exit I have to take curves around onto a low-grade hill, with a traffic light at the top (I need to go through the light down into a shopping center). I arrive at the top of the hill, stop for the red light, and everything dies. NOOO  

I put it in park, crank the starter, and wait for anything to happen as it churns. Occasionally the engine sputters half-commitedly into action, and finally I get it to start, revving the engine in Park as I wait for the light to change (it's already gone through 3 cycles, I keep having to wave people on). It changes, I throw it into drive as quickly as possible, and it dies as soon as I hit the gas again. FUCK

After a few more light cycles, I devise a strategy.

I wait until several seconds before the light should turn green again. I start cranking it, get it to sputter again, give it gas and rev it up to 2-3k immediately. I rev it WAY up, switch to neutral (doesn't have enough time to stall again as it comes down while I brake), and start revving with my right foot, braking with my left (I'm on a hill).

The light turns green, I switch down to Drive and floor it. it goes put put put, I fear I will be stalled in the middle of this giant 4-lane intersection, then catches and I get through the light!

Now I call my buyer, and rapidly explain the situation. I cannot stop moving. I come up next to him, speeding crazily in the Target parking lot to keep the engine alive, as he runs next to the car and we exchange goods.

On the way out I have to rapidly devise a course that involves no traffic lights, which I successfully do. I take the ramp going east, clover-leaf around back west at the next highway, and get all the way home with no lights and only a couple stop signs to deal with.

Does anyone know what the fuck is wrong with my car? it's either the engine or the transmission, or both. In the past I've been stopped at a stop sign/light, and when I apply gas the car kind of lurches/bumps a few very brief times, without the characteristic hum of the engine responding to gas, before something 'catches' and everything becomes normal.

[Nyerp]

it must be an automotive poltergeist

GHOST CAR!! VROoOoM VROoOoOm!

[Selkie]

Very crafty.

Though I have no clue why your car is a fagg

[BlackDS]

Lol, this is why you should drive and automatic

[snorkel]

Lol, this is why you should drive and automatic

I do drive an automatic, would have been much easier with a manual

[burzumfan420]

did you fix your car

[snorkel]

did you fix your car

It hasn't done anything weird since that night 

I suspect there is some mechanism in the transmission linkage which periodically becomes loose/disconnected, causing the engine to die when it cycles down to near idling

[Aracde]

That's pretty cool and stuff.

[BlackDS]

I do drive an automatic, would have been much easier with a manual

Lol, this is why you should drive a manual