The motorhead gene must skip generations. My dad was always one to work on the car, change his own oil, do something that involved me pressing on the break when he told me to....and such. Me, on the other hand....well, I know that gas means go, break means stop, and where to put gas into the car. So, when I press gas, and something other than normally going happens, that means I'm going to need someone else to look at the car.
So, some time ago, probably a month or so by now, one morning as I parked the car, and turned off the engine, smoke started pouring out from under the hood. Hmmm....that's not good....I think they only put so much smoke in there, and you don't want to lose all of it. So, I popped the hood, walked around to the front, and confirmed it....yes, that is definitely smoke. I don't know why I bothered to do this, as always I had no idea what I was looking at. So, it was time once again to bring it to a mechanic.
Now, just down the road from where I work, is an auto repair shop. Which is very convenient. However, I had a problem with them in the past. I had some work done there...they did a tune up once, changed the starter a few times, which was all fine and dandy. But, some time ago, I had a problem where the car didn't want to start when it had been sitting, and the check engine light came on. I took it to them, and they dicked around a few days unable to find a problem. The best they could tell me was the code said it was running lean. So, after a few days of back and forth, they decided changing the o2 sensors was the way to go. This was a few hundred bucks. So, after they change the sensors, I picked up the car, and they mentioned "oh, by the way, this connector here was wearing out and leaking, so we taped it." I asked about getting a replacement, and they suggested yes, I should definitely do that. They were unable to find the part. So, I asked, what would this part leaking cause? Oh....it would make it run lean, and difficult to cold start.
"YOU MEAN EXACTLY THE THINGS I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU ALL WEEK MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING?!?!?!"
That's right, a $15 piece of rubber was all I needed, and here they took a guess, and changed out a few hundred dollars worth of sensors.
Fuck that!
I had decided, I'm never going to these jerkwads again.
But, then a year goes by, and here I am, staring at smoke, and....they're just down the road. Hey, sometimes someone just misses something the first time. Maybe I should give them another chance, after all, they've changed my starter twice now, have given me a tune up...and I had no problem with those jobs.
So, I called, and as luck would have it, they're closed on Mondays. So, I found someone else nearby. Not as near, but near enough. He determined I was leaking coolant from a difficult to get to spot, plus noticed that the belt was squeaking so that needed to be changed, and also was able to fix the rubber part that was taped and was starting to wear which turned my check engine light back on that same day, as luck would have it.
Ok, cool....I should come back here.
So fast forward to now. Smoke started coming out of the hood again, this time smelling of burning oil. So, after doing my part of confirming that, yes, that's smoke, it was time once again to bring it in to someone that is better at decoding smoke signals. But, where to go? Well, that guy I brought it to last time did a good job....but....the other guy is just down the road. And, I mean, I was going to give him another chance. And it is Tuesday, so they're open. It's just more convenient. Ok, since I'm a fucking dumbass, and can't be bothered to drive an extra mile or so while making sure my co-worker doesn't get lost following behind, I will go to the mechanic I had issues with in the past, instead of the guy that provided superior service last time.
And so, for this choice, I paid dearly.
Later that day, while heading out to lunch with a visiting Brian Blues, and co-worker "Neil" (who's real name is Nik), I saw the car was up on the lift. Oh good, they have time to look at it, it'll get tended to. Over a half hour later, on our way back, it was still on the lift. Oh good, surely they've found the leak and are working on it.
So, 4:15 rolls around, 15 minutes after my normal quitting time, and finally the amway song starts coming from my pants. I take the call, and it's the auto repair shop. They were unable to find the leak, they need to clean the engine and transmission, because with all the leaky oil they can't find where it's coming from. Uh...ok....do that. Well, it's raining, we can't do this in bad weather. Ok....tomorrow? Yeah, if the weather is good tomorrow bring it in. Ok...I'll come pick it up then.
And so I get a ride with Neil, and pick up my car. He's all like...we do not have time to fix the leak tomorrow, but we can find it tomorrow, and you can bring it back next week.
Uh....I need it fixed this week.
We are still working on cars from last week.
So, we talk, and decide I'll bring it in tomorrow for them to work on, and see how far they get, it all depends on where it's leaking from.
Ok, fine. I get in my car, start it up, and....it doesn't feel right. Has it had that slight shake before? Hmmm....ok, lets get it on the road and see what it does.
And on the road, it's rough, and shaky. And then I notice an orange blinking coming from the check engine light. Oh dear....what did they do to my car?
So, I brought it back to them, since I recall reading that a blinking check engine light means don't drive it. And, they're like....ugh, ok, we'll look at it. And look at it they did. They pretty much did what I had done previously, except without the smoke. Yeah....that's a shaking engine alright. Then they connected the computer to it and determined it is misfiring. Well, I'll say it is. They blew some compressed air on it, and said give that a try. I started it up to a shaky engine and said, nope. Is the light blinking? No, but this isn't right. Try shifting it into drive. Yep, there's the blinking light now.
So, then they're like, you'll have to bring it back in next week. Next week? Look, I can drive with the oil leak, I need this fixed. Ok, bring it back in tomorrow, and we'll fix that, and we'll deal with the leak another time. Maybe we'll try changing the spark plugs and wires.
Ugh....I want to just get everything taken care of here. Can I even drive it home like this?
Oh yeah, sure. This one here we're working on is misfiring worse than yours, and he drove it here from (insert place further than where I live here).
They were like, laughing it off....oh silly non motor head, scared of driving with a blinking check engine light.
I'm not going to do any further damage, will I?
No, no, you'll be fine. If you want to leave it overnight, that's fine, but you'll be fine.
Of course, one google search later once I get home tells me that I could damage the catalytic converter driving it in this state, and that is far more expensive than a tow. Ugh....was not happy, at all!
So, today, I decided, fuck those guys! I'm going back to the other place further down the road, that gave great service. Besides, these guys are too busy, they don't want to work on my car today. Well, fine, I can help them out by taking my business elsewhere, and lighten their load.
A few hours later, I get a call, they found the cause of the misfires is the ignition coil (not the spark plugs or wires like the asshats were going to try changing today), and they found the leak, and will have it all ready at 5:30 today.
All right! This is my kinda place. Do some diagnostics, find the problem, and fix it that day.
Well, I know what I'm doing next time I have car trouble. Take it to the mechanic that does a good job. Those guys down the road? I'm done with them. Fucking idiots.
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