This thread got me thinking of additional related questions...
1) What is the most cost-effective way to dispose of a car that has actually died? Especially if it requires a tow ... and the tow costs money. How would I know where to tow it to? Is it best to just tow it home and figure it out later? I don't even know of all the possibilities or how to accomplish them -- sell for parts, sell to junkyard/salvage yard, sell to low-end dealer, sell to private party through Craigslist ... ? Should I have places lined up in advance so I know what to do if this scenario occurs? How do I find such places? Is it possible to just call around and ask who will take it and how much they'll offer for it, without them seeing the actual vehicle?
2) What is the most cost-effective way to search for and obtain a replacement vehicle? I want to be able to shop around for the best deal on a used car (with good gas mileage, reliability ratings/reviews, etc.) and test drive it and then take any serious contender to a mechanic for both an analysis of the vehicle's condition and a quote for fixing everything (so I know what to expect and can use it as a bargaining chip as needed). If I'm on my own and my former means of transportation is no longer available though, it's not exactly like I can hop from dealer to dealer or easily visit people with ads on Craigslist or AutoTrader. If I ask friends to take me, then I might feel pressure to hurry up and make a decision even though it might not be the most cost effective. Public transit isn't great around here but I could possibly take the bus and/or walk to a few places. Is it worth renting a car for one day and then going around on the most optimized/efficient route from open until close at all the local options?