Who Loves Auto Repair!? We Do!

(Pardon the lack of identifying details, but we want our options open if we, say, go to small claims court. Which we won't.)

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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Attributed to Albert Einstein.

Funny story about that quote....(and by "funny," I mean "$4000.")

So.

My Check Engine Light went on after a trip to the mountains. It was three weeks later that I had a opportunity to take the car in.

I go to a non-dealer shop. They change the oil and turn off the CEL. "We don't really know what that was about." That's weird, but whatever. The light's off, so they send me on my way.

Two days later, the light's back on! WTF.

It feels less urgent this time, so I wait until the next oil change to have it looked at. Now it's June, and this time, we go to the dealer. Actually, my mom goes. They change the oil but forgot about the light, so she goes back that same day.

They "pull the codes" on the CEL, fail to give cause for further inspection, turn it off, and send her home. (Again.)

So...two mechanic visits and even the dealer shrugs it off, I get the hint.

"The car's fine," purred the Universe. "It's probably the Check Engine Light itself." Works for me.

"Good point, Universe, that's happened to me before. Am I wiser than the mechanics? NO. Being a sane person, I shan't repeat this malarkey."

Now, it gets awesome! (By "awesome," I mean "fist-clenchingly annoying.")


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My sweet, sweet car, in happier times.







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So, months and months go by, and now the car is idling harder. The engine is timid. The light is blinking sorrowfully. Back to the dealer we go.

First of all, the dealer has no record of checking the CEL over the summer. Weird. Paperwork is signed. I go to work.

Two hours later: "Hi, it's the auto shop. Your engine is essentially crushing itself due to misfiring pistons. You want us to see if it's salvageable at all?"

"Wait, what?!?!?" She wasn't kidding. We authorize further exploration, which somehow gets postponed the next day.

Thankfully, someone at the shop goes to bat for us and the manufacturer's rep agrees to cover half the repair costs. This is good! Meanwhile, we check the web to see where we went wrong.

Hey, look! Our make/model/year has a lengthy history of faulty engines. Something about bad aluminum at the engine plant? I know someone with the same car, and the dealer covered 100% of her repair. Our case worker responds that the automaker's local rep offers rebates based on "what kind of mood he's in." Classy!

Furthermore, the interweb is full of stories exactly like ours: CEL comes on, no clue why, oh well. Miles go by, then "Whoops! Your car is dead. You shoulda had that looked at sooner!" Talk of a class-action lawsuit litters the message boards. People are pissed, in large numbers. Sara's fury is intimidating and kinda cool at the same time.

Back at the shop, the labor/parts bill is soaring. My mom got wind of the car trouble, and offered up the last of her meager inheritance from her own mom's passing to help us out. Which is great!

But, how soul-crushing is it that grandma's money is going to solve a stupid car issue? Regardless: beggars, choosers....we're deeply grateful for her help. It's a Christmas Miracle (with a depressing undercurrent)!

Days pass. I bum rides. We stew. We research. They work on it. Charlie stays home every day, sullen and depressed.

"You're probably not getting your car back until after Christmas," they say. K and S generously lend me their car while they're out of town.

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The day after Christmas, the shop calls. "Your car is ready." Sweet!

The shop total is over $4ooo. My mom (actually, her deceased mom) absorbed much of the discounted cost. We're still out of money, and now we're even "outer" of money. At Christmastime. Whatever. It's only a car, and I'm so grateful to have it back! I drive away, glad that it's in the past.

Lessons learned:
1. The light goes on for a reason, even if the mechanic doesn't know what it is
2. You can get by without a car, but regular maintenance is better
3. The Universe is a slacker
4. Selectively ignore Einstein, who might not even be the source of that stupid quote

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So, I got the car back on Saturday. Today, (Monday), my Check Engine Light flickered back to life.