WHILE OUT OF TOWN SUNDAY JULY 10TH 2011, 300 MILES FROM HOME MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE, OD 90046. WE GOT IN THE CAR STARTED IT UP AND THEN WHEN LOOKING AT THE MAP I LOOKED UP AND SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS I JUMPED OUT THE DOOR CAME BACK AND GOUGED MY NOSE OPEN. WHILE BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE I OPENED THE HOOD AND POURED WATER OVER THE FIRE. THE CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE JUST UNDER THE REAR SIDE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. AFTER EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, I CALLED THE LOCAL SANTA MARIA FORD DEALER, WHO ONLY OFFERED OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER THAT DAY AND WHILE THERE DECIDED TO HAVE MY WIFE LOOK AT A NEW CAR. REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT I PUT THE FLAMES OUT EARLY AND I AS A MAINTENANCE OFFICER WITH 24 YEARS EXPERIENCE I COULD HAVE FIXED THE CAR, I WANTED MY WIFE TO HAVE A NEW CAR SO WHEN I LEAVE HER BEHIND FOR MY NEXT DUTY STATION IN THE MARINE CORPS AND DEPLOY, I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY WORRIES. THE SALES EXPERIENCE WAS WHAT I EXPECTED BUT MY BIGGEST ISSUES WERE THAT, ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED, OUT OF LUCK, YEA RIGHT, THE SERVICE MANAGER STOPPED BY TO WORK ON HIS RV AND ASSISTED IN THE APPRAISAL OF MY 2005 ESCAPE THEN LEFT BEFORE I KNEW HE WAS THERE. DUE TO THE FORD DEFECT, FIRE DAMAGE, THEY OFFERED MY $2,000 FOR A TRADE IN. I TALKED THEM INTO AROUND $4,200. I HAD A CAR THAT COST ME $28,000 SIX YEARS AGO AND DUE TO A DEFECT I GOT AROUND $4,200 FOR IT IN GREAT SHAPE, EXCEPT THE VERY S