I sense much distrust in you...

Hi all,

Hope you're doing well. I've emerged from the car repair nightmare.

I get a similar feel when I go to the post office (but on a much smaller scale).

Here's what I mean.

I drive out to the post office with a package containing stuff that I've created or carefully purchased, packed all nicely and whatnot. I walk in to the post office, carrying my package. I give up my money and the box or envelope of stuff. And then I walk out empty handed with nothing but a receipt in my hand.

It's like the reverse of buying stuff. At least when I buy stuff, I have something to show for it (most of the time).

Car repair is similar in a roundabout sort of way. Work with me here.

I drive my car into the dealership. As far as I know, it works fine. I'm a good car citizen and I follow the owner's manual. It's due for service. As an added bonus, the service dude tells me other stuff is wrong. After another call back, I find out more stuff is wrong. I pay a ton of money, and I get the car back. Car still drives as well as it did when I took it in.

(shrug)

Besides the piece of paper that I get that says what's been done to the car I have no idea what they've done to it for real. Are my new fluids as new and squeaky clean as it's claimed to be?

Who knows.

One main takeaway from my one thousand dollar service - my car emits an unhappy odor when it's running. It smells like burnt chemicals and burning coolant. Lovely.

I feel bad for those that drive behind me. I often offend myself when I'm sitting at a stoplight.

So the pain is over. for now.

-Kirk