Friday, January 18, 2008

Mini Hoopala

On the way to work Wednesday a sensor appeared on my dash. I had not seen this light come on by itself before, only at start up. It has been a year since I read the manual and I have forgotten what that symbol means. Two curved dash lines inside a circle. One on the left, and one on the right. The car felt different, but it could have been the recently potholed roads from the rain the week before. I carefully make it to work and grab the car's manual out of the glove box to take with me upstairs. A coworker asked me, 'Your car manual comes in a leather case?' to which I just blinked, then answered in the affirmative. Finding the correct page took less than a couple of minutes, would have been quicker but I started reminiscing all the features of this little beauty. Apparently when this symbol lights up red, you suppose to contact the dealer immediately. Braking system. The curved dashed lines are suppose to resemble brake pads hitting inside the wheel. I'll remember that from now on. Well, it did not light up red, just yellow, so I dawdled. Eventually went to the dealerships website and filled out a service form describing that my yellow lit symbol was not in fact red, but I was contacting them, nonetheless. I exchanged a few e-mails later with the service writer and we decided to that I should bring it in Friday morning before 8:30 AM. Not a problem, it is my Friday off just glad I knew a shortcut to there around rush hour traffic. Took a paperback with a bookmark in it with me and waited around the dealership after listening to the previous customer and the service writer both using Newcastle accents. Not that I know what one is, but it sounded British and they both talked about touring around Newcastle. Seating myself in a comfy chair in the waiting area, I realize that this is the same paperback I was reading the last time I was here for the 9000 mile service. Cool, for such a great story, how did I not finish it before? No worries, after an hour and a half of waiting, and being again engrossed in a book, and ignoring the other customer's cell phone calls as much as I could, which was easy since they were in chinese, farsi, and spanish, and I was not feeling up to interpreting today, the service writer came by to let me know that the brake pads had been replaced, the car vacuumed and washed, and ready to go parked out front, all they needed was a signature since it was a no-charge call. Cool. Have I told you that I really enjoy motoring? Well, I do.

2 comments:

Robin said...

O M G!!! A leather case??!!

I took my car into the dealership after owning it for about 5 months....I can't even remember what I took it in for now...I dropped it off and went to work....later, I saw it on the street...someone was driving it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why?????????

There isn't anything more gut twisting as to see your car being driven by a stranger!!! I think I would have taken it better if I had caught Roy in bed with the neighbor. I know it took it better than when my daughter ran away!! She was safe my car wasn't!!!

They put 12 miles on it!!!!!!!!

Why??????
Do you know how fast that car goes in a mile??? And they drove it 12!!!
And sin of all sins....they changed the radio station!!!
Why???????????????????

You know I think it was just a light on the dash was on!
They sent me one of those surveys...and I ripped them!!!

Now when I take it in...Like you...I stay! I listen for it to start up and I watch it every minute it's there. From the time they pull it in to the time they take it out of the garage!

And you have a leather case!

Anonymous said...

Gotta love those cars!!! Specially the 'intelligent' ones... its a good thing I'm friends with my mechanic, hit the speed dial and ask the silly questions, lol. I do know that if the light is just on, its ok...get in for a check BUT if its flashing...umm, yeah...hurry your butt up into the shop. Ok, gotta run...dang work.... if I didn't enjoy living sooo much ;) Take care Proto!