car trouble--staccato version
Saturday afternoon, car wouldn't start in a parking lot. Dinner time, so called mom to come get me. Ate, looked up the address, got my AAA card and cellaphone. Went back and called AAA. Embarassing part: telling the operator "it's right in front of the Big Lots."
Jumper man charged the battery, but it still wouldn't start. Has a Passive Security System kicked in? Didn't know I had one.
Called a tow truck. Waited. Chatted. Was blocked in by an SUV. Went into Big Lots; got the cashier to make an announcement. Exiting customer tells me "the speaker wasn't on--no one heard that." Went back in. Using fuzzy memory, managed to find the woman from the SUV. She spoke no English. She called her husband Luis from the next aisle. Got him to understand. He moved their Tahoe.
Towed (actually carried) my car to PepBoys. It was now 8 p.m. on a Saturday, so everything was closed. Talked to the night manager who was sweeping up.
Sunday morning, PepBoys called. They'll need $200 to do a complete Electrical Diagnostic. Sunday evening they called again--Ignition Cylinder has gone bad.
Car still under warranty. Left a message with CarMax, which isn't open on Sundays for service. Monday morning exchanged three phone calls with AAA about moving the car. Also two calls with PepBoys and three with CarMax. Went by PepBoys to pay them off; chatted with the service manager. Monday suppertime, CarMax calls. It's done.
Tuesday morning, Dad drops me off at CarMax at dawn. New Ignition Cylinder is in. Got them to check for Passive Security--there is none. Also, could they make me a Remote for unlocking it? Nope, car doesn't have that package installed. Total damage, circa $300.
Jumper man charged the battery, but it still wouldn't start. Has a Passive Security System kicked in? Didn't know I had one.
Called a tow truck. Waited. Chatted. Was blocked in by an SUV. Went into Big Lots; got the cashier to make an announcement. Exiting customer tells me "the speaker wasn't on--no one heard that." Went back in. Using fuzzy memory, managed to find the woman from the SUV. She spoke no English. She called her husband Luis from the next aisle. Got him to understand. He moved their Tahoe.
Towed (actually carried) my car to PepBoys. It was now 8 p.m. on a Saturday, so everything was closed. Talked to the night manager who was sweeping up.
Sunday morning, PepBoys called. They'll need $200 to do a complete Electrical Diagnostic. Sunday evening they called again--Ignition Cylinder has gone bad.
Car still under warranty. Left a message with CarMax, which isn't open on Sundays for service. Monday morning exchanged three phone calls with AAA about moving the car. Also two calls with PepBoys and three with CarMax. Went by PepBoys to pay them off; chatted with the service manager. Monday suppertime, CarMax calls. It's done.
Tuesday morning, Dad drops me off at CarMax at dawn. New Ignition Cylinder is in. Got them to check for Passive Security--there is none. Also, could they make me a Remote for unlocking it? Nope, car doesn't have that package installed. Total damage, circa $300.