Getting Your Car Fixed

Well, it's time. The check engine light has been on for two months so it's pretty clear there's a problem and it wasn't just teasing me. So, I did the responsible adult thing - yes, I'm well aware it's been two months. Maybe I'm a different kind of responsible adult - and took it into Pep Boys because it's on the way to work. After I waited for two hours, they had a ten minute look and diagnosed two things that didn't sound like car parts, more than medical supplies. They also diagnosed it as being $772. Which was $700 more than I had diagnosed it. Which I guess might have been a little off since I've already admitted that car diagnostics are not one of my strengths.

Pretty sure it's not one of theirs either since they completely ignored the fact that I have a crack in my exhaust manifold and my car sounds like a lawn mower. I was fully prepared to talk my way out of the necessity of needing that fixed - after all, it's been 6 years and what's a little carbon monoxide poisoning anyway - but they didn't even notice it. That was my first sign that they were not real mechanics. Plus they weren't wearing a shirt with their name embroidered on it. Every quality mechanic has one of those. And their names are always Willy, Chuck, Bud or Neville. Maybe not Neville*.

Anyway, they told me to call them on Monday so they could order the parts and figure out when I could bring my car in.  I guess they thought I was stupid.  In their defense, I did look a bit stupid that day.  I decided to go to AutoZone and have them look up the price of the parts.  $242 is a lot more than $158 for one part.  Now if I've done my calculations correctly, we're looking at a 432% mark-up.  Give or take.  Again, do they think I'm stupid??**

So, I'm getting a second opinion.  And a third if I have to.  I just need the check engine light to go off and I need it to cost $30.  Anyone?

*I was going to insert one of those Name Generator's here - you know when you need to know your stripper name and it asks you for your initials or your street name. Sadly no one has come up with a Mechanic's Name Generator. So, there's a money making idea for someone. You're welcome. 
**Math is very difficult, it can make anyone look stupid

New Year's Resolutions

Am still very weak and currently dictating this to the cat, but didn't want all 7 followers to leave me. It's taken 18 months to get them and I can't afford to lose anyone else from Latvia. So here you have them - my resolutions for this year*.

1. Never get as sick again as I have been. Which means no more going out in public, socializing with people and definitely no children. 2015 is the year of not leaving the house. Made an excellent start so far. Ordering food is the best - I buzz them into the building and tell them to leave it outside my door so I don't even have to have contact with the delivery person. Goes nicely with my other resolution about not putting my face in the sun. Trading skin cancer for Rickets. Is it the Rickets or just plain Rickets?
2. Invent the next best thing, retire and never do anything again. All from inside the house. Hopefully something can be invented from excessive amounts of cat fur because I don't want to have to go to Home Depot.
3. Stop buying pretty dresses. Except for the ones that I really need. Like ball gowns.
4. Learn how to repair holes in exhaust manifolds. Ignoring it has turned out to be a less than optimal solution.
5. Make more friends**. But without leaving the house. Or seeing them in person. So, basically pen pals. I'm bringing back pen pals. Email is is 2014.
6. Buy stocks in tissue companies. People use tissues like they're going out of style. Tissues have been my closest friend of late. Note to self: invent hands-free tissues.
7. Give less damns.  I don't even care if no one likes this post.  That's how good I am at this one.
8. Learn telepathy.  There's some people's heads I need to get inside.  So far this is working well with the cat.  Commanded him to sleep using just my thoughts and he was out like a light.  He even pre-empted my command and went to sleep before I even thought it.
9. Learn to drive with my eyes shut.  After I've mastered Telepathy so I can use my mind to tell people to get out of the way.  
10. Floss every day.  Why is this so hard?  

 

*I've decided to follow the Medieval calendar which celebrates the New Year from March 25th to April 1st. So technically my year isn't really starting just yet and I have until then to revise these Resolutions. Feel free to join me if your year started off with a cough and a lot of snot and you want a do-over.
**But not friends with kids. They make you sick.