Our van has been making a weird noise lately. One of those noises that is not just a quirk of the car, but something that needs to be addressed.
I dropped it off this morning, and waited for the call.
The man from the dealership got back to me relatively quickly.
"Okay, this is what we got..blah, blah...and then there's the...blah, blah... and it's gonna cost _____." (This is where he proceeds to quote a number, so exorbitant, that you wonder if he is saying it with a straight face, or with a big, shit-eating, I've-got-you-by-the-short-hairs-sucker grin.)
"Wow."
"But I have a 10% coupon out that I'll give you to use for it." (Dude, that'll maybe cover the taxes on this deal, how big of you. I wonder if he'd up it to 15% if I flash him? Probably not.)
"I need to call you back."
Because I need to share the joy. I call Mr W at work:
"Are you sitting down?" "No." "You need to be sitting down." "What?" "Okay, this is what they told me...blah, blah, this is what it's gonna cost ____." <dead silence>
"How're we gonna do that?" "Well, I thought I'd turn a few tricks..." "Stop it. I'm serious." (Who says I'm not? jk ;p)
"Let me call you back."
<number crunching, hand-wringing, yanking on hair commences>
<tears are shed, calls are made>
I call Mr W back, and let him know I've got it under control...and call the dealership back, and tell them that yes, they can have my pound of flesh, just fix my van.
I think I hear a cha-ching noise in the background, just as I'm hanging up. I'd say "greedy bastards," but really, now that it's done and over with, I don't see the point.
<greedy bastards>
Some of this is our fault, for shirking on some maintenance duties. <I admit it, we suck at that>
<greedy bastards>
The van is home now, and is running very smoothly. Quietly, like it's supposed to.
But the next time it starts making noise, I'm taking it out back and shooting it.
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9 comments:
oh i SO know what you mean!
Never shirk on maintenance duties - at least the ones that involved bodily fluids. They will bite you in the butt for that!
xoxo
Car trouble sucks. Makes me wish my hubby were more mechanically inclined than he is.
Glad you have it fixed now.
***Monica
http://journals.aol.com/chseroo/LivingLifeandLovinit
I'm guessing timing belt? That's always good for a grand or so. It's a good thing there are five paychecks before Xmas, huh? I guess I'll be seeing Mr. W's name on some of those OT sign-up sheets. I hear you can do those with one leg tied behind your back - LOL
(This from a guy who has a broken side mirror on his vehicle for nine months)
This is why i married a mechanic, so the dealership won't rape me:)
more proof that you and I are one in the same person living in two different states at the same time....our van did the exact same thing this week. The quoted price really didn't surprise me....I was expecting so much more, really so I paid it out of relief. The only kewl thing was the rental they gave me. I drove that baby everywhere and so didn't want to give it up.
Laura
CAN U BRING UR CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC (I KNOW I KNOW ITS A STUPID QUESTION) BUT CANT U GET DIFFERENT PRICES???
Thats one thing i love about my hubby. He's not a macanic but he will find out how to fix it him self, via books, computer ect... The dealership will rip you off big time. and it still my not be fixed right. Espcially when a woman take it up there.
Take care :-)
And just when you get used to it running well, the thing they did to make it break will pop up...at least that's what the mechanics do to my car.... sigh....
how cool that y'all know Remo... I think? :)
Trace~
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