Friday, October 26, 2012

Yay, Friday is back!!!

I always enjoy a Friday, the week is finished and we can get back to doing the fun stuff that the weekend always promises.

The news channels are in faux-freak out mode about the The Storm in the Bahamas, as if it was the promised end of the world. Breathless reporters wearing shrimper boots and foul weather gear, standing on breeze swept piers being drenched by a gentle drizzle... you know the stereo-type?

It is a bit cloudy out this morning, I will give you that.

We turned our Jalopy in to the Factory Authorized Wallet Cleaning Facility to check on a buzzing sound coming from the exhaust system. They cleaned out some gravel and called it good, no charge. But the bad news is that they found a fault code on the suspension system that requires pumps to be removed and replaced, pricing at about $2500.

WTF? This work was done six months ago...

So I spent 45 minutes on the phone discussing the past repairs to the very same system, "...and don't you have a warranty for life on repaired systems???" I then read out the receipts and maintenance logs that I had filed by our computer.

We have a new Service Advisor (The old one who knows me vividly is out with injuries and for a month) so I had to bring "Zoee" up to speed on past maintenance and asked the whys and how comes that some of the work needed wasn't done before?

Anyway, it's fun to be the valued customer who has spent many thousands on repairs at one place. The good thing is that this is all covered by somebody's warranty, whether mine or the repair facility. I really ran the poor lady up and down the flagpole, heh. She was a good sport and I told her to not take it personally, but she better do her homework and study the records, because I have. Look, I think about me and mine all the time,  a Service Advisor only looks at your chit for a few moments and considers plans of action without knowing all of the past on a particular vehicle.

This is our regular Advisor;
The Charming Cheri D.  Advisor Extraordinaire!

I am missing her and hope she gets well quick. She knows our car and more importantly, how to understand me. (Cheri knows I will have a momentary melt down while she describes the repairs and costs necessary to keep the Truckster properly running) Our wallet is depending on her... But we do get to use a 2012 Loaner Car that has unlimited mileage and we can turn it in empty of fuel. This is why we use the Dealer for our maintenance, because we get a free car to drive which eases the pain of being car-less while they fiddle around blindly with the innards.

Drive it like ya stole it, right? (Nah...)

I like Friday, but it's going to be a quiet weekend,  so have fun out there!

Update:
I have been busy this morning; Made a run to the local Wine and everything store. It was a zoo in there, today is the Florida-Georgia Drinking Day, so everyone was in there purchasing their libations.

The good beer was all gone so I got a keg of Fosters. It was the only non-light beer available that wasn't Yuengling.

I also got the Spousal Unit two cases of Pinot Grigio and a couple Chiantis and Chardonnays.

All libations are put away in their proper settings. Bruce; Would you come by and help with the beer?

5 comments:

LL said...

The Santa Ana winds will be blowing in the Catalina Channel and that means that out on the Left Coast it will be a fine (warm) day at sea on Saturday. So while the Barco crew rides out the Hurricane, we will be floating in the comparatively cold Pacific, and doing what one does when at sea on the weekend.

P. S. the Charming Cheri D. is welcome aboard out here anytime...

Anonymous said...

I will have to meet this "Cheri D" you type of....Will have to let her look at my pipes.....On the car that is...

Barco Sin Vela II said...

Alright, you two meat gazers; Stay away from her... I'll not have this fine person sullied!

Buck said...

I agree with you on the dealer maintenance thing. The only time I ever broke away from that philosophy was when a trusted friend recommended a Beemer maintenance facility owned and operated by a former head mechanic at a BMW dealer. The guy was trained by BMW and his rates were about two-thirds of what the dealer charged. He did excellent work... and a LOT of it on my car as she got older.

The good beer was all gone ...

What? They were outta PBR?

Barco Sin Vela II said...

..."What? They were outta PBR?"

No. I'm talking about 15 gallon kegs of Sierra Nevada, Grolsch, any German beer, and anything not Bud/Miller (lite or Regular)
And yes, there was no PBR. PBR would work, too.
What is the deal about drinking Lite Beer? Yech.

But they did have bottles of Henry Weinhardt Private Reserve. Haven't seen that in 17 years!

No go have fun.