Women and Car Repair: The Hilarious Conclusion

In my last post, yours truly was waiting for her car to be repaired. I took it to "One Stop" for a starter but was informed that it was the ignition switch--not the starter that I would be needing and "Once we order it online, the earliest it could be delivered by UPS is January 5th." Now this is where customer loyalty and trust can be costly. I had been treated well by these people in the past and had no reason to question them so...like a fool...I didn't. I have to confess here I thought they would do the best they could because they knew my car was my only transportation and I had just begun weekly chemotherapy. I let them fix the car. My mistake.
When I got "the call" from the owner on January 12th that my car was fixed, I was relieved! Yes, I had to reschedule my chemos and yes, I had gone without a car since December 29th but so what? That was then this is now!!
Got to the shop, paid the bill, got in the car and NOTHING. Wouldn't start. The mechanic got in it and even though his hands were suddenly shaking--he got it started. "You gotta sometimes grease the new key when you put in a new ignition switch" was his explanation. "Will you be available if I get home and it won't start?" I asked--somewhat joking. "Aw, that won't happen again, Little Lady." Famous last words.
Three days later, the car wouldn't start at the grocery store. I called the owners, the mechanic came to help and started the car. "I came to you guys because I needed a new starter but you put in an ignition switch, right?"
"Oh yeah, you didn't need a starter."
Tuesday Jan., 20 was chemo day. Got up, got ready, got dressed, got into the car and NOTHING. The car wouldn't start. Granted, I was upset so I called the car shop again and again, the mechanic came out. Now the owner felt that I should just "Calm down and be glad the mechanic will come to you--a lot of places won't even do that" he said. Okay. When the guy got there, he looked under the hood and said, "It's the starter."
"What?"
"Your car needs a starter." he said. Then, the man said, "I put an ignition switch when I should have put in a starter like you said you needed."
"So for the record," I said, "you 'fixed' something that didn't need it and I was right that it just needed a starter. Right?"
"Right. You were right. I'll go back to the shop and get you a starter and give you a call" he said.
Fortunately, less than three hours later, a guy I know took it upon himself to call HIS mechanic, get a starter, fix the car and have me on the road again for...forty-five dollars! Needless to say, I haven't heard a peep out from the "One Stop" folks but I do have hilarious story, an actual confession and a new catch phrase I can attribute to them:
         "Sometimes You Just Gotta Grease Your Key!"

Women & Car Repair: Some Things Never Change

Despite all the hype and hope for 2015, I am experiencing the "same old same old" when it comes to getting my car fixed. My car has only been in the shop since December so the 'new year' hasn't really gotten started I suppose but then again...neither has my car!!
My car is a Saturn and I needed a starter. I took it to a local shop and 'wouldn't you just know it'? Saturn has stopped making "my particular kind of starter." The mechanic had to go online and order it to be delivered. The mechanic said, "It doesn't take more than a day or two to get a part delivered and UPS is really good at bringing us our orders." Well, "wouldn't you just know it"? The earliest they could get the part I need was January 5th! Of course this was explained to me after I called to check on my car's 'status.' "Sorry Little Lady, there's nothing we can do 'til that ignition switch comes in but as soon as it does, we'll have you back on the road."
Wouldn't you just know it!
I always have bad luck when it comes to getting a car fixed. The parts aren't there, the 'only guy who could fix it is unavailable', it's almost the weekend or the problem is worse than they thought. I get the 'Little Lady' treatment and that patronizing smile whenever I tell mechanics what is wrong with my car. How dare I? THEY will decide "what's really going on" with my automobile. My cousin Frank never has this trouble. He goes in, tell the mechanics what to do and the work never takes more than a day. Wonder what his 'secret' is?
My cars also seem to breakdown around a major holiday. My last car trouble happened just before Labor Day so it shouldn't have been a shock when my car decided to conk out around Christmas/New Years but it was.  Like millions of people, my car is my only transportation so when I have to be without it, it is almost traumatic.  I am still getting chemotherapy and I had hopes of 'getting a break' from the universe so I wouldn't have to put the treatments on hold. (Pardon the self-pity there, please.) But alas, twas not to be. Besides, everybody's got their troubles, right?
So it's tick-tock and watch the clock.  Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks and still no car. Maybe the universe is trying to teach me patience.
Unfortunately, life kind of stops for me when I have no car. (Again, please pardon the self-pity) At least now when I call the shop I get an "any day now" or a "Just stay positive" from them. Stay positive? Yeah, right.  I can't even call in favors. Everyone I gave rides to, babysat for and took to their various appointments in the past is suddenly out of reach, sick or swamped. Don't you just hate when that happens? Whatever happened to "getting by with a little help from my friends"?