Random Fail: First World Problems

[BaneTheBrawler]

what time is court? could you zip home, pick her up, drop her off, go to court, then go pick her up, then go home and be dead to the world for a few days?

[jmc]

Couldn't even drop her off for the appointment. Court is in superior court downtown Boston, her appointment is in Beverly about 50 miles north of Boston.

[Acevalefor]

Minivan drivers are truly the worst tier of drivers.

Hey! I resent that! I happen to drive a mini-van any time I have all the kids with me and I am a pro driver. I drove all over the city during our last clusterfuck of a snowstorm/ice storm. Never got stuck once and pulled 2 people in cars out of ditches...all in my mini-van! Rock the Town & Country!

Terrible drivers come in many different forms. Most of them are the human variety, so a large smattering of retarded is included in the terrible part.

[AidenCarby]

Had a chicken parm sandwich last night, it was soggy

[Aksannyi]

So I had a flat tire Thursday (as you can all see from a prior post in this thread). Got the tire changed to the donut and took it to the shop in the hopes of having the flat repaired, since it appeared to be a puncture. I asked about the tires and potential cost, and they told me that the tires I would need would not be in stock but if the wound was not able to be repaired, they could easily get two tires by end of business Friday. They were about to close so they gave me a loaner car and sent me along and I figured I would pick the truck up yesterday. Okay, sounds good. Right?

They call me around 1PM Friday, tell me the tire was not able to be patched, give me the quote for new tires. They tell me that they don't have the tires for my truck in stock. I knew this already. "Oh, we won't have them today, it won't be until tomorrow."

Well if you hadn't waited until the day was halfway over to look at my tire and determine that it couldn't be fixed, you would have been able to get the fucking tires by the end of the day, wouldn't you?

Fast forward to today, I'm still waiting to get my fucking truck back. Keep in mind, this is for them to mount and balance two tires. I used to work in a dealership, this shouldn't be taking all fucking day. I called them around noon to find out what the status is. "Let me go check and I'll call you right back."

It's 2:15. They close at 4. I swear to every fucking deity in existence that if I do not get my truck back today, I am going to raise holy hell for being without my vehicle all weekend since they are closed tomorrow, and I'll be damned if I'm going to drive this loaner car any more than necessary, lest I have to spend more money out of my pocket to put gas in a car I don't even own.

IT IS TWO FUCKING TIRES. I DON'T GET WHAT THE HOLDUP IS.

What I do know is that next time, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

[BaneTheBrawler]

siphon most of the gas back out when youre done.

[Aksannyi]

Gross.

No, I just called them again and asked what the holdup was. Turns out both of the guys who were working on it (the service writer and the tech) were out today, even though they promised the truck would be done today, and didn't bother to tell someone else to work on it. Without me calling and checking on it, I would have gone this entire day without hearing a word from a company who first told me Friday evening, and then Saturday morning.

I told them that if they couldn't have it done today, I would need it by 8:30 Monday morning at the latest so that I could make it to work by 9. When he realized that he couldn't very well put it off that long because most of the techs don't get in until 8 on Monday and it might not get done (mount and balance, really? really?), then he changed his tune real quickly and said he would have someone get on it today.

Funny how being firm and not taking anyone's shit gets things done. Also really tired of people thinking that because I'm a woman, they can steamroll me.

[Souj]

Didn't shop around other tire places? Asking if they have my size in stock is the first thing I ask. If they don't, I move on to the next place. But maybe I'm just spoiled for choices. several walmarts, Sears, farm and fleet, and a dozen other tires places within ten miles of me.

[Aksannyi]

I've worked with these guys before so I trusted them, they've been good in the past. Waiting a while for my vehicle was a small price to pay for what I thought was good customer service. I won't return.

I also like that they have loaner cars so that I don't have to rely on others to get me to/from work. I value my independence. Then again, it was a simple nail puncture, I thought for sure they'd be able to just fix that, but I guess not.

[BaneTheBrawler]

gross? maybe if you're an idiot. i'm not talking about sucking on a fucking hose, that's the most retarded way you could ever siphon anything, especially gas. get an actual siphon. they make them; i have one. it's a tube with a little rubber bladder and a one-way valve. squeeze bladder, generate suction. i suppose you could call it a hand pump, too, so maybe look for that.

[arus2001]

I've worked with these guys before so I trusted them, they've been good in the past. Waiting a while for my vehicle was a small price to pay for what I thought was good customer service. I won't return.

I also like that they have loaner cars so that I don't have to rely on others to get me to/from work. I value my independence. Then again, it was a simple nail puncture, I thought for sure they'd be able to just fix that, but I guess not.

To be honest, I'm feeling more like they're swindling you into buying 2 new tires. Do you know where in particular the puncture was and the size of the nail? I used to fix tires and an alternative to a patch on the interior was jamming a tar strip into the hole, pulling it back up a bit, then snipping away to let heat and pressure from driving do the rest.

[BaneTheBrawler]

also, you should mention that you won't be coming back and why. they might give you something to keep you around (if they do, give them a second chance, but don't take any shit), and shape up. the toyota dealership passed my scion on a brake check when it very obviously needed new brakes; my mom was furious and let them know. they are extra careful to make sure our cars are well taken care of, now. iirc we also got a bit of free stuff; the shitty brake check, for one.

if they don't offer you anything, no harm no foul.

[Aksannyi]

gross? maybe if you're an idiot. i'm not talking about sucking on a fucking hose, that's the most retarded way you could ever siphon anything, especially gas. get an actual siphon. they make them; i have one. it's a tube with a little rubber bladder and a one-way valve. squeeze bladder, generate suction. i suppose you could call it a hand pump, too, so maybe look for that.

The "gross" was not serious, lol. How was I going to siphon gas after I they checked to make sure I had left enough? Jump in over the fence after they lock the gate? I didn't drive enough for the gas gauge to tick down. That was my point, avoiding driving the damn thing, even though I had shit to do.

also, you should mention that you won't be coming back and why. they might give you something to keep you around (if they do, give them a second chance, but don't take any shit), and shape up. the toyota dealership passed my scion on a brake check when it very obviously needed new brakes; my mom was furious and let them know. they are extra careful to make sure our cars are well taken care of, now. iirc we also got a bit of free stuff; the shitty brake check, for one.

if they don't offer you anything, no harm no foul.

They gave me a pretty big discount after they saw how angry I was. Undecided if I will give them another chance at this point, I will see what happens next time I need some work done. Which better not be for a fucking while, I'm about tapped out now. But I missed my baby and I'm so happy to have him back.

To be honest, I'm feeling more like they're swindling you into buying 2 new tires. Do you know where in particular the puncture was and the size of the nail? I used to fix tires and an alternative to a patch on the interior was jamming a tar strip into the hole, pulling it back up a bit, then snipping away to let heat and pressure from driving do the rest.

It was at this weird angle in the tread, so when I saw it I wasn't sure if it would be able to be fixed. The treads were getting kind of low anyway so I was probably going to need to replace them soon enough.

[BaneTheBrawler]

oh, i misunderstood about the gas. i thought you put a bunch in because you couldn't estimate how much you'd need, and were lamenting putting all that extra gas in.

[Aksannyi]

Nah, they just want you to return it with the same amount that they give you. I barely drove it, so I didn't have to put any in. If I'd had the car all weekend, I would have, and that would have pissed me off. Well, more than I was already.

[arus2001]

It was at this weird angle in the tread, so when I saw it I wasn't sure if it would be able to be fixed. The treads were getting kind of low anyway so I was probably going to need to replace them soon enough.

Should've been salvageable, but if the tires were on their last legs anyway, oh well.

[Moss]

Nah, they just want you to return it with the same amount that they give you. I barely drove it, so I didn't have to put any in. If I'd had the car all weekend, I would have, and that would have pissed me off. Well, more than I was already.

but... then you would have used the gas... idgi

[Aksannyi]

Um I don't know how much clearer I can make it.

It had half a tank when I rented the car out. I drove it as little as possible and did not use enough gas for the gauge to tick down below half a tank. So yes, I did use some gas, but not enough to where I would have had to go to a gas station and spend extra money.

If I had needed to keep the car today and tomorrow morning, all of the errands I had to run and the drive to work would have used up a good portion of gas, thus making me have to put gas in or pay the gas surcharge. Since I got my own truck back, I didn't have to worry about that.

I did not want to keep that little rental all weekend and spend more money on gas after already putting money into tires.

[Blubbartron]

I think the point was that if you're going to be driving, it doesn't matter what vehicle you're driving. You have to pay for the gas you use to drive regardless of whether you're driving your own car or a loaner. Unless you were suggesting that you don't have to refill the loaner you got unless you used "enough", in which case you're essentially driving for free up until the point that would push it over the limit. That's sort of taking advantage of the loaner, which is debatable ethically.

[Aksannyi]

I drove it like 10 miles total, I don't think that's taking advantage of anything.

I budget gas. I had already spent gas money on my own vehicle. I had no problem using gas on my own vehicle because I had planned on its usage. But having to throw another $10 at gas when I didn't have that in my plan (and yes, goddammit, I am a cheapskate) would have annoyed me. Driving my own vehicle for errands today meant that I wouldn't have to spend money on gas again until the end of next week.