For those of you not following along at home, on Tuesday, my car decided it wanted to shut itself off, while driving. I didn't find this a particularly palatable behavior, nor did I feel it was, in fact, a very safe behavior.
Wednesday morning I took it to the local (insert car make here) dealer to be looked at and repaired. I described the problem: when I started the car, all sorts of random warning lights, bells and whistles came on. This isn't that unusual for this car as it's always had wiring harness issues. Well, after driving about a mile, more lights, more dings, so I pulled into a parking lot, and it simply shut itself off. Restarted it, and all was good.
Nice guy at the dealership service department said "probably a battery issue". I signed the "yeah, I'll pay $80 so you'll look at it" piece of paper, and caught a ride to work.
Later that day, I call and he tells me "the PCM needs updating, something (I forget what) was corroded and needed to be cleaned, and the coolant housing was cracked and leaking". Total damages - $500. Go for it, I tell him. Though to be honest, none of the above sounded like it would fix the initial problem, but I am not a mechanic, nor do I play one on TV.
At the end of the day, I call - they need to keep it overnight because a "cylinder head under the coolant housing is pitted and we need to fill it". (What the hell are cylinder heads doing under coolant housing?) Fine. I get a ride home from work, and arrange for a ride in.
Today. I call. It's ready, I can come pick it up. I arrange for a ride to the dealership. Get the car, drive back to work. Drive over to the base bowling alley for a fundraising afternoon of good, old fashioned bowling fun. Drive back to work to drop off a coworker, then headed to a craft shop to look at frames. Didn't find what I wanted at that one, drove home. Left the car in the driveway, because I figured I'd get the picture I wanted to frame and head to a different store. Got back in the car, it won't start. Nothing. No lights, no cranking sounds, no nothing. Dead. Doornail dead. Except.... the CD player is flashing it's lights on and off trying to eject a CD which is permanently embedded inside of it. This is with the key out of the ignition, by the way.
I call the dealership. The service guy says "it's probably a battery issue". I say "Didn't you guys check that out in the first place, in response to the initial issue?" "Oh, I'm sure they did!" he says. He told me to call their towing service and they'll come get it. "But ohbytheway, Enterprise closes in 20 minutes so we can't get you a car. Can you get a ride to the dealership in the morning and we'll see if we can find you something to drive?"
Phuque.
I tell the guy I want to hear from their used car guys because I would like to sell them this car. About 10 minutes later, a used car guy calls, but has no interest in buying the car if I don't want to buy something else in return.
And I still have no way to get to work, no way to go shoot this evening, and no way to get back to the dealership.
I did, however, have a great time bowling this afternoon.
DMAN Bummer Deb. I hate dealerships. I love the use of the new word I just learned Phuque!
What did you roll? :-)
Best was a 181, worst was a 153. Didn't have my ball or my shoes - they're on the way to Germany. I won't mention that it was nine pin no tap, so those scores really aren't that good....
I do so wish they'd spin off the Jeep line, since I still like those.
If you recall, we were driving a 1993 Jeep on the Cape, and it was working just fine, thank you :-) You can take heart in knowing you're soon to be in Germany, where they still know how to make cars...
DMAN Bummer Deb. I hate dealerships. I love the use of the new word I just learned Phuque!
What did you roll? :-)
Best was a 181, worst was a 153. Didn't have my ball or my shoes - they're on the way to Germany. I won't mention that it was nine pin no tap, so those scores really aren't that good....
And while I'm ranting, and in a wicked nasty, nasty mood, I'll bring this back 'round to photography. In the last 10 challenges, I've scored below the 50% mark six times. That's 60% of the time I'm below 50% of the competitors here.
I am a proud member of Team Suck, and deservedly so, but I'd still like to know what it is I need to do to be reasonably (above 50% at least half the time) competitive in this joint. Learn more PS? Move to Iceland? Give my camera equipment to Timfythetoo and live vicariously through his ribbons? What?
It has been mean in the voting around here lately. My only advice Keep on Keeping on. That's what I am doing. Maybe we should just go back to SP's ...
Nah, I don't want to look at pictures of me anymore, thanks.
And the scores aren't the problem - it's the percentages. No matter how you look at it, I still end up below 50% whether or not the scores are high or low.
You know, one way to look at it is that every healthy ecosystem needs bottom feeders. :-) We serve a very important purpose here at DPC - we keep the top 50% from sinking into the mire!
Oh, and since I'm in such a good mood and can't go anywhere, I think I'll go vote on a challenge.... mwhaaaahhaaahaaahaaa!!!!
I don't troll. I never give anything lower than a 4 if it remotely meets the challenge. But since I really am totally and thoroughly depressed at the moment, I'll kindly resist from scoring challenges. Instead I shall concentrate on just how totally and thoroughly depressed I am, then go to bed early. After all, it's a long phuquing walk to the dealer in the morning, in the dark, with all that traffic....
Serious question - unless a miracle occurs and the mechanic has a "voila!" moment, I cannot sell this car. What are my options? Is it just junque, and I have it hauled off? Can I sell it for parts? Is there any recourse to recoup any money out of it whatsoever, or am I just phuqued? (It's out of warranty, of course.)
I think some used-auto-parts yards (junkyards) will pay something for dead cars. They can sell the parts then, or scrap them, or whatever. After one of my friends totaled her second car (don't ask) the local junkyard gave her $200 for it. It's not much, but maybe better than nothing...
Actually, I can pass on the $200. If it weren't for the fact I'd probably get arrested, I'd like to have it hauled to the middle of the deserted parking lot and set it on fire. Just think of the photo op.
Actually, I can pass on the $200. If it weren't for the fact I'd probably get arrested, I'd like to have it hauled to the middle of the deserted parking lot and set it on fire. Just think of the photo op.
No kidding! How about a live fire exercise? 20mm lighting it up!
