I think my G needs a New Years Resolution more than I do

[smockers83]

So as most of you know, I was planning putting my car into storage today. In order to do so, I was going to have to travel north into the snow, which meant I needed new tires on the rears. Change in plans due to unforeseen circumstances.

So I went to Belle Tire to get new rears and have the fronts swapped side-to-side. The general manager was doing me up and I asked how long it would take. He takes a look back into the garage and says, "Looks like you came in at the right time, should be about 45 minutes." "Great, awesome." I hand over the keys. I start walking away from the desk and then turn around and ask for my keys back so I can get my book that I brought for something to do. He handed me my keys, I got my book, and I gave the keys back. I make a phone call to my brother who was going up north with me to let him know it's going to be about 45 minutes at the shop. I get off the phone and I start looking around and find the customer waiting area as I see the shop guy going to my car to bring it into the garage. He puts his big plastic seat cover on, gets in and starts her up. Puts in reverse and starts moving. He keeps going in reverse and an oh **** look comes across my face. The guy backs my car into another customer car!"You have got to be kidding me," I say softly and the guy standing next to me asks,"That was your car?""Yeah." I crouched down like a football player in disbelief who just lost on a last second field goal. "F****." The guy gets out and looks at the damage with this horrified look as if someone had a gun to his head and came running into the shop."Steve! Steve," he yells at the general manager I spoke to earlier even though he's on the phone. Another guy, probably an assistant manager, asks him what's going on. They go into the garage and he tells him and I go out to look at the damage as does the owner of the other car. The assistant manager comes out with the mechanic to look it over, pointing out the damage done on both cars. My G's back bumper is caved in on the passenger corner and the other car's door is caved in slightly. He says to the two of us owners, "These your guys' cars.""Yeah.""We're sorry. Come inside, we'll get this taken care of."So we go inside and the other owner doesn't care (his car was a $500 Grand Am), so he just wants his window taken care of. He turns to me and asks what I was having done today and I told him and proceeded to tell him what my plan was for today regarding the car and heading up north to store it. He says that they want to get it taken care of as soon as possible and can't wait until spring. So I was like fine and he asks if he can take it down to the collision shop just down the street for an estimate. So he takes it in for an estimate and I make my calls to let the respective parties involved in my plans know what happened and that I'll be a little longer than planned. The two of us owners are hanging out in the waiting area and he's telling me that someone broke into his car last night and stole his stereo which was why he was there, to get his window fixed and possibly having his shifter fixed (it was jammed and wouldn't shift into P). While I'm waiting for the estimate to come back, I change my plans to not bring my G up north for storage and not to get tires because I really didn't want to get tires anyway; I wanted to wait until spring and the only reason I was there was because it's supposed to snow along the way. The manager comes back and says they can have it fixed within two days and I explain to him that I'm going up north. We work out the details of how its going to happen and I leave. I get back to my home and look it over again. They were able to pop the plastic out but its still noticeable that there's something there and there's some paint missing. Not as bad as I thought it was because it looked cracked the first time I saw it. So I'm bringing it to them on Monday when I get back from up north and they're going to take of the body work for me. I'm not exactly sure what is being done whether they're going to repaint the bumper or put a new one on, didn't think to ask.

Either way, it was an unfortunate incident, one that anyone would prefer not to happen. But I was very pleased at how accommodating and quickly management worked to get it resolved and they accepted full responsibility, which was why I was able to keep calm with them.

So, onto the New Years resolution. My G needs to make a resolution to try and get rid of its bad karma. This is the fourth incident with my G this year (none of them being my fault) and never before had I had any incidents with it.

[zozoka1212]

Man that suck. At least he was cool about it and ready to fix it for you. Hope she'll be as good as she was. Finger crossed for ya.

zozo

[Jacko3]

Smockers, sorry to hear about this. Its going to be alright.

[smockers83]

And now my winter vehicle is having transmission issues. Won't shift past 2nd once its warmed up. Looks like the car gods don't want me leaving. Headed to a transmission shop for the winter vehicle.

[kmckis1029]

wow... could you maybe get 4 new tires at a discount in the spring? or is that just pushing it?

im glad it got fixed promptly... what happened to the mechanic driving the car?

when i used to work autobody of my co-workers did the same thing to two customers cars... he didnt get fired but he got reduced to only washing finished cars... and had to ask me to drive the car to the detailing area lol.

[ArizonaG35]

Sheesh Smocky! You definately need to give something up to the car Gods to satisfy them!

Here's an offering from the Wapani chief of prized boobaroo to help stifle the God's wrath...

(Circa 1989: Joe Vs. the Volcano for you fans)

[SVTCOBRA]

Please do not take the trip up north!!! Somebody is trying to tell you something!! And, it will get better.

[smockers83]

Well I need a transmission rebuild on the Monte Carlo, my winter vehicle. My younger bro had the transmission flushed a year ago without knowing about the consequences of doing so after so long. So the transmission pump is clogged with metal so there's not enough fluid going around eating up the clutches and what not. $2000 for a rebuild, about $1500 for a used one. Question is, is it worth it anymore.

Yeah, I'm not going anywhere until closer to Christmas whether that's with a new transmission or a rental car.

[tollboothwilley]

are you savvy with cars? how much time do you have on your hands?

you could drop the transmission and get a rebuild kit and probably only cost your 500-600. It will take a day or two depending on your skill level.

Just an option...

Sorry to hear about lame people who don't know how to pay attention to things and how you keep getting the raw end of the deal. Next year is a new year though, so things will be different.

[smockers83]

I could but its cold and I don't have a place to do it.

[eZg001]

Are you sure it's your cars's Karma and not YOURS

just kidding.......as much as I love my cars..........at least you don't have a serious illness or something. Your luck will turn!

[pae9132]

WOW...I thought I was the only person with bad luck when it comes to my G...but I've stuck it out and it's been worth it....love my G!

[smockers83]

Well, here's a pic from the body shop...

What's the white piece and can someone tell me what the vent-looking thing directly behind the wheel is for? I know there are vents going into the trunk where that gray rectangle is at, but what are the other ones for or do they work together to achieve a common goal?

Oh, and in case any of you were wondering, my rental car is a PT Cruiser. Hell yeah!

[zozoka1212]

Smockey,

Have no clue what they are. Never seen a G as naked as yours. LOL

PT Cruiser ha. That sucks balls. Noit many cars are uglier than that. Never drove one tho. How is the driving in it?

Hope someone smarter can tell us what those are. I kind of want to know that too.

When will you get your baby back? Before Xmas?

zozo

[LuckyLuke]

that is what you call bare a$$..

[zozoka1212]

LMAO

[smockers83]

PT Cruiser is ugly and terribly designed inside as well, however it does ride nicer than what I was expecting, but then again I wasn't expecting too much. I told Tariq that as soon as I sat in it for the first time, I was like WTF about 7 different things. The shifter is 2-3" too short, the radio station shows up on the instrument cluster as well as the radio, the satellite radio station name shows up on the instrument cluster while the station number shows up on the radio, the selectable forward gears are 1 and 3, the cup holders are seriously on the floor, the door handles and lock buttons are placed very oddly, and the window up-down controls are placed on the center cluster. So basically nothing is within reach.

I'll be getting my baby back either tomorrow afternoon (technically this afternoon) or Thursday. As soon as the other car is done getting the transmission fixed, the G is going in storage for the rest of winter. Still have to figure out how I'm getting home for Christmas.

that is what you call bare a$$..

Or a white, pasty one.

[smockers83]

wow... could you maybe get 4 new tires at a discount in the spring? or is that just pushing it?

I could probably get something going. My circumstances changed from the original deal in that my other car went in for work as well, so I had to get the rental car. I'm paying for it since Hertz doesn't have a direct bill to Belle Tire. So I'm hoping that I can go there when its done and ask for the amount of my rental off of my work order if I promise to return in the spring for new tires. If so, I'll be getting it in writing.

Are you sure it's your cars's Karma and not YOURS

haha I'm pretty sure its the car's karma because I haven't been in the car for any of the incidents this year.

Or maybe the white piece is the G's tighty whities?

[av8or]

What's the white piece ...

i believe they are foam inserts to absorb impact...