Happy Birthday To Me!
So, About 5:00 today I got a call from Howdy Honda, returning my call. My car is all fixed. I can come pick it up!
So I cut out of work about 5:30 and drive to the dealership to pick up my car, with it's sparkly new engine.
I stand (they didn't have a chair for me) for 45 minutes or so while they fix the bill (it had me being charged for sparkplugs, instead of a battery). They explain that it was out of warranty when I brought it in, and that they replaced the engine at no charge because of a "special program". The new engine comes with a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty. I'm not to go over 70 for the next 1000 miles, and I need to wait to change my oil until the wear indicator gets to 15% - usually 7 or 8,000 miles.
Eventually, I get my car back. I check the trunk, and the 2 or 3 thousand dollars in photo gear I left there hasn't gone missing. Whew. I was worried about that.
So, I get about 2/3 of the way home, and the engine sort of stutters a little. Suddenly I have no power.
I just turned onto Mopac, and I can't go faster than 50, so I turn on the emergency flashers and call Honda as I continue to drive. Shit. Service closed at 7:00. It's about 7:01. I spend a bunch of time on hold, while they try to find ANYONE to take my call. The guy I'd been working with's phone was busy, so there was hope. I spent 5 or 10 minutes on hold, but when his phone went un-busy he didn't pick up when they tried to ring him.
I continue to limp home. I turn onto Davis Lane (speed limit 40). I manage to get up to 30 miles an hour before I have to turn. I get up to 25 on the next street and put it in neutral since it's a slight downhill to the stop sign. By the time I get home I'm wondering if the engine could even manage the uphill nature of my driveway. I park on the street in any case - easier for the tow truck, and I can get my jeep out of the driveway in the morning.
You see, I was going to take the jeep in to the mechanic because it's got a bad wheel bearing.
So... I'm pretty well fucked at the moment.
At least my Macbook Pro is supposed to arrive on Friday. Shiny toys may distract me a bit.
So I cut out of work about 5:30 and drive to the dealership to pick up my car, with it's sparkly new engine.
I stand (they didn't have a chair for me) for 45 minutes or so while they fix the bill (it had me being charged for sparkplugs, instead of a battery). They explain that it was out of warranty when I brought it in, and that they replaced the engine at no charge because of a "special program". The new engine comes with a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty. I'm not to go over 70 for the next 1000 miles, and I need to wait to change my oil until the wear indicator gets to 15% - usually 7 or 8,000 miles.
Eventually, I get my car back. I check the trunk, and the 2 or 3 thousand dollars in photo gear I left there hasn't gone missing. Whew. I was worried about that.
So, I get about 2/3 of the way home, and the engine sort of stutters a little. Suddenly I have no power.
I just turned onto Mopac, and I can't go faster than 50, so I turn on the emergency flashers and call Honda as I continue to drive. Shit. Service closed at 7:00. It's about 7:01. I spend a bunch of time on hold, while they try to find ANYONE to take my call. The guy I'd been working with's phone was busy, so there was hope. I spent 5 or 10 minutes on hold, but when his phone went un-busy he didn't pick up when they tried to ring him.
I continue to limp home. I turn onto Davis Lane (speed limit 40). I manage to get up to 30 miles an hour before I have to turn. I get up to 25 on the next street and put it in neutral since it's a slight downhill to the stop sign. By the time I get home I'm wondering if the engine could even manage the uphill nature of my driveway. I park on the street in any case - easier for the tow truck, and I can get my jeep out of the driveway in the morning.
You see, I was going to take the jeep in to the mechanic because it's got a bad wheel bearing.
So... I'm pretty well fucked at the moment.
At least my Macbook Pro is supposed to arrive on Friday. Shiny toys may distract me a bit.