It Only Hurts When I Blog

It's Tuesday! Hooray! Monday is behind us and not coming back for days and days...

Here's a photo of my CRV, sorry it's kind of dark but I wouldn't open the garage door in my robe and fuzzy slippers with cars going by!

As you recall, my vehicle is scheduled this morning for one of those several-hour-long 'major services' at the car dealership. Major services cost a lot and follow a long, detailed checklist any woman would be proud to have created. ;-)

I don't mean that EVERY woman has a detailed nature, but on another posting I'll tell you about planning trips with the gals from work. We plan things to the 'nth' degree...

I absolutely LOVE my Honda CRV-4-Door-Color-White. (Yes, that's the way I say it.) It deserves the best, and if that means paying for dealer service, so be it. You think I'm going to do any of that myself? Ain't gonna happen.

My checklist for going to the car dealer for service:

• I have double checked that my little coupon discount book is safely in my purse.
• I will be certain to ask for additional discounts for the unemployed. (It could happen!)
• I will be certain to ask for the complimentary car wash. (You only GET the complimentary car wash if you ask for it.)
• I need to use up some of my window washer fluid so it can get refilled with 'fresh'.
• I scheduled my car service on a Tuesday when they are open late, just in case it takes longer than they think it will.
• I scheduled my car service at 10am so I can take advantage of their 'courtesy transportation' service and be dropped off at the mall for several hours of glorious shopping.
• I scheduled my car service so the bill will be on next month's credit card statement, not this one. I am already looking forward to all the reward points I will 'earn'. (yeah, right)

Some people have a terrible time with car dealerships, and mechanics in general. I haven't, because I NEED them, I appreciate them, and they know it.

Here's a few stories from the past...

I dated (not regularly) a few people who I remember by their car, not their names. (Oh fine, I guess I could remember if I tried, but it's not important to the Blog.) One had a Barracuda, one had a Roadrunner (with a quad), and one had a Corvette (and he let me drive it!).

Years ago, I had a White, 2-door Mercury Grand Marquis. I loved that car dearly too. At Christmastime one year, my trunk lock jammed with a trunk full of presents and THANKFULLY the dealership I frequented had service hours till MIDNIGHT. They thought the situation was pretty funny - a car full of presents and no way to get to them. They fixed my trunk lock and I was on my way home with them very quickly.

I had another, regular (not Grand) Marquis for a while. It needed over $1000 worth of work, and I was ready to get another vehicle rather than pay to fix it. One of the mechanics at that same dealership paid me a fair price for it, fixed it himself for his father, and his father drove it for years afterwards.

I had an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon for a while - WOW that wagon had a great ride. It needed a new exhaust system, and the shop I was going to at the time didn't have pipes the right size for such a big vehicle. That didn't faze my mechanic. He took a look, started pulling pipe off rafters in the ceiling, and MADE me an exhaust system. No sweat. He was proud of it. By the way, when I was ready to get rid of the Vista Cruiser, I gave it to a guy to use for the Demolition Derby. I thought the wagon would enjoy 'going out fighting'.

What's the worst vehicle I ever owned? A ford Maverick! That car drove me crazy. It had the worst carburetor. Even when replaced - it just never worked properly. Grrrrr...

By the way - I must give honorable mention to a couple more cars.

First - my mother's push-button transmission Plymouth Valiant wagon. That was a good car. The engine (a slant six) was so quiet you could hardly hear it running, and the push button transmission was way cool.

Second - the first car I ever drove - a 1955 Chrysler Windsor that weighed 5500 pounds. I had to stand on the brakes to stop it. It had ELECTRIC SEATS! In 1955! On the ash tray it said 'Ash Receiver'. Quite the posh car.

Have a nice day everyone! I'll give you an update once I get back.

Hi there, I'm back! It's now 6pm and I've had my car serviced, shopped at the mall, grocery shopped, and now I'm home. Almost time to go make dinner but first I'll give an update.

My car is doing great (137K miles) but needed a battery, which I told them to go ahead and do along with my service. Total cost (after all discount coupons applied, tax, etc) $594. Ouch, but I've seen worse. Karen, you ask, did you get an unemployment discount? Well, kinda! When I winged (that means whined) about being unemployed and that my coupon book was about to expire - I got a new, improved VIP coupon book that NEVER expires. Awesome!!!!

I got some nice stuff on clearance at the mall, and bought myself lunch at Subway (grilled chicken and baby spinach salad). I'm sitting at the computer wearing a new sweater I bought for $3.99 at Sears. The original tag says $56. ;-) I guess I'm thankful we're having a cold snap.

Nothing memorable to tell about the trip to the grocery store except I lucked into a GREAT parking spot without waiting for it. It's nice when that happens. ;-)

That's all for now folks, more tomorrow!