Car Trouble

Tomorrow I bring my car in for the THIRD time in two weeks to have the brakes checked. They were squeaking…so I brought them in and got them replaced. They squeaked again…so I brought them in and had them reconditioned. They squeaked AGAIN! At some point, I have to wonder “are these car mechanics trying to screw me over?” Just stop the squeaking! That’s all I ask!

I learned my lesson in dealing with car mechanics at an early age. In high school, I always had my dad with me when I had to bring the car in. He knew the auto body shop guys well, so I knew they would take good car of him…and thus, me. But, when I went to college in Iowa City, I didn’t have the same luxury.

I bought my very first car, a red soft-top Geo Tracker, after my sophomore year of college. When I went back to school that fall, I knew there were some repairs that needed to be made. I told Dad what was wrong with the car over the phone and he coached me in what to say to the mechanics when I brought the car in. Basically I needed two new tires, my air-conditioner was broken, and my 4-wheel drive wasn’t working correctly.

I marched myself right into the auto shop, feeling assertive and fully knowledgeable about what was needed for my car. I wanted to tell them exactly what I needed so they wouldn’t tack on a bunch of extras things like, “Oh, you also need a thingamagiggy for your zoomawhagot or else your car might explode.” (Kind of how, every time I go in for an oil change they manage to pull some nasty-ass thing out of the hood of my car and tell me I need it replaced because it might make me sick. “It’s only $20 to replace,” they say. Okay, whatever. $20 so I don’t get sick. Fine, replace it.)

So, I said to the mechanic in Iowa City, “I need two new front tires, and my air-conditioning isn’t working and needs some Freon. Also, will you check to see why my 4-wheel drive isn’t working and call me before you do any work to repair it? That’s all I need done. Thank.”

The next day, I got a call from the shop. “Your vehicle is ready, Ashley. We got the new tires on for you.”

“Great!” I say, “And did you also get the Freon for the air conditioner and check the 4-wheel drive?”

Long pause.

“Well, actually, we didn’t put in Freon because you don’t actually HAVE an air conditioner in your vehicle. And the 4-wheel drive is fine. You just have to lock your hub caps. There’s a little switch on them that activates your 4-wheel drive.”

Gulp. How was I supposed to know the blue part of the temperature control wasn’t the air conditioning, but rather the “cool” part of the heat?

“Okay. Thank you. I’ll be in to pick it up.”

After that episode, I kind of gave up trying to get too technical explaining what is wrong with my car. Now, I merely describe the noises my car makes and don’t bother trying to figure out what needs to get done.

So, my conversation with the mechanic this morning went like this…

“Hi, Dave. Remember me, Ashley. You rode around the block in my Saab last week so you could hear the squeaking in my brakes. Remember you heard it and said it was my front brakes? (I don’t wait for his response) So, I left my car with you AGAIN to fix it. Well, they are still squeaking. And I drive clients around in my car for my profession, and when my brakes CONTINUE to SQUEAK at every stoplight…AFTER I’ve had them “fixed”, it is reflecting poorly on you, because I am going to start telling them who is doing the work on my car unless you get rid of this noise. I’m dropping my car off tomorrow and I don’t know what you have to do…I just need you to make the squeaking STOP!!”

I probably sounded much sweeter than what I am portraying…but it sounded pretty cool, huh? Too snobby? Well, you know what they say: Saabs are for snobs! Hopefully it should get the job done. Lesson learned: I should’ve gone to Midas.