So I'm over-due for the oil to be changed in my Pacifica (well, in the van too even worse, but I don't drive it much). The place I've been going for years to have my cars serviced has recently closed down. Yes, I'm very upset about that, but the owner's wife has cancer & he changed jobs for benefits - which I completely understand. I just hate to lose them because I trusted them & they always took VERY good care of me.
I don't trust mechanics to not screw over a female so I'm very careful about my cars & who touches them. Anyhoo, I decided to get it changed at an Express Oil between work & home. I was on my lunch break & they have a 10 minute change, plus the owner/manager comes recommended. Well, mid-oil-change, I'm informed that I need my tires rotated & balanced and will get a $10 discount with oil change. Ok...I knew it was probably time for that too so I went ahead & told them to go ahead with that too. It'll take about 20 minutes. Ok, I'll have just enough time to grab a sammich & get back to work. This is gonna cost me about $60.
As they're on the 2nd tire being removed, one of the lug nuts is stuck. Evidently, before I bought this car, the lug was put on with a power tool instead of by hand & was cross-threaded. One of two things will happen. Either it won't come off & will have to be broken off, or it will break.
Either way, I have to have the stem replaced & a new lug nut. Oh, & he can fix it for about $50-60 - more! Yeah, I bet you can! He doesn't have the tool there today because he loaned it out, but will have it back tomorrow. "Just come back when you have a longer lunch break as it'll take about 30 or so minutes to fix it."
When does one have a longer lunch hour? Mine is the same every day. He says it's ok for me to drive around with 4 instead of 5 nuts holding my 17" wheel on (front, of course) but only around here.
I live 25 miles from work - 50 miles a day. I'm supposed to go to see mother this weekend & the hospital is about a 2 1/2 - 3 hour drive. I can't believe I'm now having to fork out another $60 for a broken stem. $60 that I don't have extra to spend. Of course, Murphy's Law follows me around quite a bit lately.
Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow on my lunch break - or after work. I think I'll call first. I'm off Friday, but I'd rather not spend my vacation day off at a mechanic's shop if I can avoid that.
Anyway, back at work & my purse weighs MUCH less....
Hope you're all having a great day!!!
I picked him up about 10:30 the next morning. He wants to have a few of his friends over in a couple of weeks. I told him I wasn't about to have another mixed party at their age now!
