smurf, count your blessings, at least you have a POS car. ;-)

Where do i begin? My car was diagnosed needing an intake manifold gasket replaced, a one day job yet fairly expensive so I called around to get estimates. I thought about simply carrying around coolant till the days got lighter.

Thanks peddaler on this board who said this is something that I should take care of right away. So I called around for estimates, Gauranteed Auto in Hayward came several hundreds less than others. Dave there was he sure, told him he was less by far than the others. He said yes that was their estimate.

I made an appointment to have the work done.

The day before i was to bring the car in the manager called me, Dave's estimate was a mistake, it was supposed to be closer to the other shops bid. they refused to stick with the original bid but did offer to wave the parts. Still a bit less. Shoulda walked, but they are a CSAA approved shop.

What could go wrong? So I took the day off work and brought the car in.

They said that if I got it in first thing in the morning on Tuesday 12/21 I would have it done at the end of the day. I got in at 8:00 am they confirmed the job would be done by the end of the day.

I called at noon and was told it looked good for the one day work, when I checked again near four they said, no, it would not be finished, several hoses, o rings that needed to be replaced also and they could not get the parts in time, it would take one more day.

I just barely had time to get another day off work (SBC). They offered to take 29.00 off the job to compensate for the cost of a rental car. that would be more than offset by the cost of the additional labor and materials. But it seemed necessary so agreed and burned ANOTHER vacation day.

Now it's Wed. 12/22 again I was promised all would be done by the end of the day I called to double check the ETA and was told by Dave it would be. i explained since I would be riding my bike to the mechanic and then put my bike on the Yakima rack to drive back that I'd set out at 4 for the short ride because it is not safe to be riding at night in the area. He agreed it would be done. He said it would have already been done but they got the replacement parts from the dealer, they were bad, and had to order new ones yet again but says he's sure they can get it done by the evening.

After a nice short urban ride I arrive at the shop a little after 4, they said they were just about ready. I signed a release, signed a check i could see they were still working on the car but they say 20 minutes tops. At 5:30 (closing time) they were still working on the car. It's now pitch dark so I'm stuck, cant bike back I have no lights. It's 6:00, 6:30 finally Dave comes in and says something about stripped bolts they can't complete the job and offers to drive me home, the car will be done Thursday, now a 3 day job.

I'm pretty livid at that point.

First I wait in the truck while he closes up shop, starts an employees truck that needs jumper cables, finally he drives me home. The next day is Thursday, it's too late now to take another day off , too late to get a rental car so i ride my bike to work.

I bike commute regularly but not in winter and not in the dark. Frankly i try to get upkeep on the car done in Spring and Summer because who cares, I can bike to work. My ride to BART was cold yet safe but I'm not equiped with lights. No way do i want to do that on the way back. I ride to a bike shop at lunch and got a cateye light and, reflectors. That was fun.

I'm now out another vacation day, the cost of the lights and I'm still not done on the repair. So after lunch i call Dave to ask him how it's going and he cheerfully informs me that the car is ready and running fine. I explain that i get off work at 5:00 by the time I take BART home it would be past their closing time.

Dave kindly offers to drive the car back to my home and drop the keys (in an envelope) in my patio. He says they'll give me two free oil changes in the future for my trouble. I give him complete detailed directions; the address, distinguishing charchteristics on my patio and building. He's confident that he can do it.

On my next break I double check that the car was returned, Dave says yes, i confirm the address ..... he parked my car at the wrong address...and threw the keys into a neighbors patio! He thinks he can get it back. Sure hope so.

On my (now bike lit) bike ride back home I think "I hope I have a car, I hope i have a car" (see cycling affirmations thread) . I'm pleased to see as I roll up the drive that while the car IS there, it's in the wrong condo parking space but it has not inconvenienced my neighbors and the keys ARE in MY patio at least

I back the car into my space, the car still runs rough, starts rough and the "service engine soon" light is still on, the original symptoms. But I make a note to check that the book that the service engine light maybe just needs to be reset. I check the coolant level, seems fine.

So Friday 12/24 i set out for work, a short drive to BART, less than 2 miles but the car after 3 days of work still starts rough. I make a mental note to call Dave.

On the way back from work, as i drive down West Tennyson suddenly the engine overheat light comes on, the display jumps to "hot' and in an instant my steering froze, I'm on West Tennyson and can't steer! Great. What have they been doing for three days , this is the orriginal symptom?

I stop the car, manage to pull over, allow it to cool down, when i start it again it does steer. It's only 2 blocks so I drive very carefully home and call Dave.

This is Christmas eve, Dave apologizes lamely but does apologize, he makes no offer to cover a rental car, reduce the price. He simply says they will pick up the car at my place on Monday.

Rental car agencies are now closed.

I had planned to go to Sonoma. My mother has recently sold the family farm that she and my late father built and maintained for almost 62 years. She has just at the age of 83 moved to a cute smaller place in Sonoma off the square and I wanted to help her unpack. And my car is not driveable.

I am now 3 days into a 1 day job and looking at at least one more. I have had to equip a bike for night riding (well, that was fun), I've burned a vacation day I had not planned to use for anything other than fun, but worst I'm stuck here when I wanted to help my Mom.

Stay tuned, the saga continues....