Yes, I’m aware I’ve been woefully negligent regarding posting here. But really there haven’t been many blog worthy moments in my life lately. The notable exception was the breakage and (eventual) repair of my washer. I always buy the warranty. I know better than not to. . .my luck with things mechanical, expensive, or badly wanted before gotten is shall we say not the best..? Better yet, let’s just say it like it is – horrible. And this isn’t a new occurrence, it’s been going on for years…
Back in 1999, my Firebird got wrecked, again (neither time my doing, I’d like to add) and I decided it was time to replace her. She’d seen better days. I ended up selling her to my sister-in-law. I went to the dealership and found a nice little 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. Only two years old, and less than 30,000 miles! It was the newest car I had even owned. After a week, I noticed the stereo controls on the steering wheel were getting hot. VERY hot. Almost to the point of blistering you if you touched them. I took it to the dealer, found it need not just new steering controls, but a whole new stereo. Two weeks to order in parts, so into a rental car I went. When the kid showed up with the rental car, I think I may have frightened him a bit…I have been told that I am a bit intimidating on the best of days. That wasn’t a “best” day…I had worked 8 hours, had sat at the dealership for 2 more hours, waiting on a diagnosis for the car I had bought ONE WEEK ago – hadn’t even made the first payment on it! and the kid from Enterprise showed up in a roller skate. Yeah, you read the right, a roller skate -
So, two weeks later I got my new car back. I drove all of 1/2 a block and found the front was wobbling & clunking. I turned around and went back to the dealership, just to have some redneck mechanic *****try to tell me that it was caused by tar on my tires. ?! Are you serious..? Now I know I have bumps in my shirt and so couldn’t possibly have any kind of mechanical knowledge, but really? TAR? On the TIRES? of a car that has been sitting at your dealership for the last two weeks? That wasn’t doing it when I left it..? Ok, for the sake possible, I took it home, let Hunny drive it. I checked the tires for possible tar…uhhhh, no tar. But definitely clunking & wobbling. The next day back to the dealership I went. To sit. And wait. Again.
And again I got the redneck-talking-slowly-to-a-person-with-bumps-in-the-shirt spiel about tar on the tires. Now I’m pretty tolerant (what..? I AM!) and pretty well blew it off the first time. However, not happening twice.
Redneck: Yeah, that there wobble would be from where you done run it over some freshly repaired road & picked up a little bit of tar on the tires.”
Me: “Really? You think that’s what it is..?”
Redneck: ”Oh yeah, I’m sure of it! See it all the time!”
Me: “Wow, that’s funny, because it’s been HERE for the last two weeks while you repaired the stereo.”
Redneck: “Well, you musta picked it up after you left.”
Me: “I went 1/2 mile down that road (pointing to the NOT RECENTLY REPAIRED six lane rod that runs in front of the shop), then brought it back because of this.”
Redneck:” Well there had to have been something out there..”
Me: “Well, let’s go for a ride and you can show me the new repairs…”
Redneck: *starting to look uncomfortable*“Nah, can’t do that, gotta stay at the shop.”
Me: “Okay, well then let’s walk over to the car, and you can show me where the tar is at, so I can remove it & make it drive correctly..”
Redneck: “Well, a lot of times, it gets stuck up on the inside of the wheels where you can’t get to it.”
Me: “?”
Redneck: *looking even more uncomfortable, and starting to realize the bumps didn’t affect the brain in this instance**“Well, it happens all the time…”
Me: “Where’s the manager..?”
Redneck: “Ahhhh, he’s not here today.”
Me: “Really..?”
So I took myself up front to the sales service department and asked for the garage manager – who btw WAS there. After a 15 minute conversation, during which I gave him the gist of the previous conversation, he went out to the shop and drove the car a short ways. When he returned he indicated they would need to keep it to determine the problem. And yes, there was a problem. Turns out, in addition to the stereo stuff, it also needed new brakes, rotors & the rack & pinion replaced. Another four week stay. Another four weeks in a rental car.
And so it goes. After about a year of owning this car, I decided once and for all that I don’t like little cars. Did I mention I was backing out of the garage and hit Hunny’s truck..? In my defense, I had three teen-agers in the car with me…insurance fixed it, but a friend that owned a body shop did it as cheaply as possible so I didn’t have to pay the deductible…
Anywho, I went back to the dealership & traded it in on a 1998 Monte Carlo. Much bigger, more comfortable, price about the same. Three months after the purchase it started knocking. Loudly. Essentially overnight. It was “chugging” rather than purring. Down to the dealership I go. It was something to do with the coil pack. Not covered by the warranty (yes, I bought it) as it was considered general maintenance, part of the tune up process. $500 to repair…
Ok, gotta go beat the boy (joking!) who has managed to lock himself OUT of his room, and get ready for work. I will be back – and it’ll be less than 2 months, I promise. so, to be continued…..
See ya laterzzzzzzzzzzzz
* **** Know you, I have nothing against rednecks in general – Hell, I am one, as is my Hunny, most of our friends, my older children, and the boy is a redneck-in-training. The redneck men around me know not to talk down to me just because I have bumps in my shirt…The ones who have to interact with me may underestimate me initially (an advantage for me!) but soon learn their mistake. Usually I blow it off, but occasionally, as in the above example, it rankles…
;)
Edit: Yes, I know, this has nothing to do with HH Gregg - I'll get there, eventually - LOL
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