OT - *mumble* *grumble* >:o/

Grrrr is right, Gemini! Good grief! Here's a ~Snazzle, Frazzle, ffffffttttttt~ to add to your *mumble* *grumble*

Donna in Philly

LOL I like your ~Snazzle, Frazzle, ffffffttttttt~. I could almost hear them!

Man, I tell you though... they did end up putting a used alternator in it. So yesterday's venture (which basically they looked around and ended up just fixing my heater because nothing else was apparent to them while they were looking) cost me $157.37. And then today's fiasco (with the used alternator) cost another $168.59... so doing the math, all totalled it came to $325.96 where it would have been a bit less if they *had* been able to find out that it was the alternator yesterday... and it wouldn't have been quite so bad if the alternator hadn't even been mentioned yesterday, but it WAS!! It's a very good thing that my mortgage guy bumped the payment for me so I could get this fixed... *and* that the van acted up on the way home today before I got a chance to go and pay any bills or I wouldn't have had the money to pay the garage. *sigh*

Gemini

Aak! How horribly frustrating :-( Eggads, it's not like you have a lot full of vehicles to choose from, you NEED this one, that's why you brought it to them... aargh...

Yep, he saw it "I'm your witness that they are definitely on!"... these are things that didn't happen when the mechanics were supposedly checking things yesterday, and I was told "If it doesn't happen when we're checking it, we can't help not seeing it." Yeah yeah, big talk... but it's still going to cost me for another go-round. I sat there in the van for FIFTY minutes, with the motor running so that the lights would be on when the mechanic finished with the other vehicle he was working on... he couldn't just take two minutes to come out and look and say "Ahhh, okay, I see it now!"... and at the FORTY minute mark, the motor suddenly roared loudly and the "Check Gauges" light went out and the battery went back up to the half-way mark that it normally sits at... all by itself. I got out and walked over to the salesman who was by this point shovelling snow and told him what had happened. He said "Well I *did* see it, so I am your witness!" I went inside and told the guy who books the cars in to be worked on, and he said "When Glen (mechanic) is finished with the other car he will come take a look and likely give you a ride home if you need it." YES I NEED IT.... there is a lot of slippery snow down and I overdid it yesterday by walking back up to get the van... I was hurting a lot last night.

Just then Glen came walking through (to use the washroom, I think)... and I mentioned what I was just told about him giving me a ride home... he said "Bruce (salesman) is outside right now, he can give you a ride home." Nothing like being passed around. :o/ I went out and told Bruce what was just said, and he dropped his shovel and said "Let's go! There's no use in you hanging around the garage when you could be home toasty and warm."

I just called a couple of minutes ago and was talking to Bruce... the mechanics are gone to lunch, but he spoke (between phonecalls the other guy was taking) to the guy who books the cars in to be worked on... and today they ran a couple of extra tests (they couldn't have done that YESTERDAY, right?) and they are thinking that it *could* be the alternator afterall. Now, they are going to *see* if they can get a used one from the used - car lot outside of town (which would be the cheapest way... I like cheap!), or if all else fails they will have to get a rebuilt one which will cost more.... and it could be MONDAY before I get the van back! Except that Matthew may have to make other arrangements (last minute and only two sets of clothes (he brought a change with him for the Christmas party tonight) with him) to stay in the city.... I don't care that I won't have the van back before Monday... JUST GET IT FIXED *RIGHT* THIS TIME!!!! Grrrrrrr >:o/

Gemini

Exactly! I need it for medical appointments for myself and for Matthew to get back and forth to work... so that there is money coming in... so that the bills can be paid. *take the hint guys* But... because I got so far behind in payments to them while we were struggling while waiting for Matthew's unemployment benefits to start (while he was looking for work, not just sitting totally on his butt collecting unemployment like some do), the head cheese at the garage decided that I *had* to pay for the work that was done in full before they would release the van back to me. :o/

Gem

- I know if the one who I had signed the agreement with to buy the van had been working this week, he likely would have found a way to just add it to the bill.... unfortunately he was moving this week and wasn't available.

But Gem, they didn't fix it properly the first time, and what you did by taking it back, is called a "come-back" and they are supposed to do that repair work free. My first ex used to be a mechanic, and they all dreaded the come-back, because they didn't get paid for fixing it, because they didn't do it right the first time. At the very least they shouldn't have charged you for the labour, and you should discuss that with them.

Shelagh

I did try to talk to them about it, but I was told "It's not our fault that things didn't show up when they were looking at it, and it looked and tested fine then.", kind of like when you go to see the doctor with a pain, but by the time you get to see him the pain is gone. :o/ Besides, I owe them SO much money you wouldn't believe... I could likely buy a much newer used vehicle with the amount that I owe them. I'm still paying on the vehicle itself as well as all the work that has been done on it (and charged) over the last 2 1/2 years. It almost feels (and it isn't a nice way to think) like they overlooked the problem the first time so that I would *have* to come back and pay even more the second time around. *shrug*

It's paid now anyway... but I swear, if anything else happens to this damned van (*fingers crossed* that nothing else happens), I am going to the used car lot outside of town and ask THEM to fix it instead (they have a garage and do mechanic work on vehicles too). I do owe them a little bit too, but nowhere near half as much as I owe the garage I've been dealing with the last couple of days.

Matthew, of course, is kicking his own butt for not taking auto-mechanics in highschool... he took auto-*body* for one semester. Ah well.. hindsight!

Gem

Gawd Gem I had this happen, needed new spark plugs and leads and touch wood it's been ok since.. nothing worse than things not working as they should. If you have the car maintenance coming on and off, it usually is something electrical, battery hypertension leads plugs etc...

Hope it gets sorted out for you soon..

cheers.......Cher

Gem, I've been adding my own "ruffen-tuffen-schpitten-schpatten" to your

*mumble* *grumble* with trying to determine what has been causing my "Check Engine Light" problem since August or September. The blessed car has had a tune up, oxygen sensors replaced(at local garage), the computer and the ignition replaced(at a dealership), the distributor replaced here at home, AND a new battery.

Today DBF and his oldest son put in a new alternator. Now I have to go test drive it and see if it has stopped the intermittent, 2-1/2 second appearance of the "Check Engine Light" which is accompanied by a surge/stumble. No one could get it to duplicate the problem in the shop while attached to the diagnostic machine; DBF put it on a dwell meter and found it was dropping Amps (or whatever) when it surged, and said it should not and the cause would be the alternator. He's an old school mechanic, rather than one who relies on what the diagnostic computer machine tells him(good thing, we don't own one and they charge a good bit to run a test). If this doesn't clear it up, the next loud sound you hear from my direction may NOT be thunder !

Please keep a good thought for me, and I'll keep one for your car problems to have ended, as well.

-- Carey in MA (dreading the thought of test driving this car in the cold and ice with the idiots that drive around here....)

LOL Love your "ruffen-tuffen-schpitten-schpatten" to go along with my

*mumble* *grumble* (umm... actually in real life it was a *bit* louder than a mumble and grumble... I'm surprised they didn't hear me up at the garage). ;o)

My fingers and toes and eyes (ummm, no, that gives me a headache) are crossed and I am sending out good vibes, good thoughts, and good wishes and a couple of prayers too that things have cleared up for you with your car problems. Thank you for sending out good ones for me and my van too. :o)

*hugs* Gem