Me and My Mechanic: A Tragedy in One Act
Posted on March 28, 2007 @ 8:23 am
THE SCENE: A Honda dealership somewhere in America. A handsome young blogger takes his car to the service department to determine why the “Check Engine” indicator light mysteriously turned on a day earlier. After hours of diagnostics, he is confronted by his mechanic.
Auto Mechanic: Sir, we figured out why your “Check Engine” light is on. It looks like you need a new transmission.
Me: Really? Roughly how much will that cost?
Auto Mechanic: Including parts and labor [taps on his computer keyboard]…$4,000.
Me: Ah, I see. Out of curiosity, how much would it cost just to disable the “Check Engine” indicator?
Auto Mechanic: Well, we can do that free of charge, sir, but –
Me: Excellent! Let’s go with that option, then.
FIN.
Posted by Jess | Filed Under Life in a Nutshell |
17 comments so far...
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So you were accompanying said “handsome young blogger” to the dealership? How nice of you to help out your friends.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That’s my kind of repair. The kind that makes the problem go away for now but leaves you on the side of the road in the middle of Nebraska somewhere at 3am wishing you had $4000. That’s how I’d have done it.
Two words: “Second opinion”!
Hey, Jeff makes an excellent point!
Jeff makes an excellent point.
But I would have done the same I suspect.
All I know is that if I’m spending $4000 on a car, it’s not going to be spent on a car that I already own.
Fuzzball: Ouch! How could you?
Phollower: See? That’s my thinking exactly! Now, I just need a good excuse to plan a trip to Nebraska.
Jeff: I’ve considered a second opinion, but since I took it to an authorized dealer and they hooked it up to the computer diagnostic thingie and everything, I have a feeling the result will be the same. Basically, the transmission is slipping when it goes from second to third gear, but the fluid levels are fine. From what I can gather online, that spells out “$$$” any way you slice it. I might get a better deal on the replacement transmission somewhere else, but I suspect I’ll need a new one no matter what.
JP: Yep, my thinking exactly. I’m going to drive this car for a few more months, then it’s time to shop for a new one. Joy.
I have a honda, and the PRIMARY reason for that light is to make you go in for 20,000, 40,000, etc checkups. Did you recently pass a milestone like that?
Jessica: I think it’s the “Maintenance Required” light that lights up for Honda’s milestone check-ups, right? At least I think that’s how it works on the 2000 Accord. This was the “Check Engine” light that came on.
When it flashed on for the first time, I pulled off to the side of the road, popped open my hood, checked to confirm that my engine was still there, and then continued on my way. Turns out the indicator means “check the condition of the engine” rather than “check the presence of the engine.”
I drove my old Saturn around for two years or so with the Check Engine light. It didn’t cause a single problem. Well, until it wouldn’t start… and then when it did it made loud noises above thirty miles per hour… and I don’t think oil lasted more than 30 minutes in it… Hmm, I think that’s why it’s my “old Saturn” and not my “current Saturn.”
Note to self: Do not buy a used 2000 Accord, ever.
That was great. I sent the link to my dad. He got a real kick out of it. It seems every time I turn around, something is going on with my car like that.
I’m in my third year of driving my car with the Check Engine light still on. Haven’t had any horrible problems yet.
I can just picture the crestfallen look on the mechanic’s face after this conversation.
As if by the will of the LOST island, my “maint req’d” light just turned on. 30,000 miles. Woo!
eh, just drive it till the trans drops out under your car. just make sure you have cell service when that happens or you will be in for a long night… trust me I speak from experience on that one.
but for 4000 I would think you could just get another car?
Even if you disabled your “Check Engine” light, one day the car’d be screwed over and you’d have to pull over, swearing under your breath you didn’t know anything was wrong with the car as the “Check Engine” light wasn’t working.
XD
I can just picture the crestfallen look on the mechanic’s face after this conversation. LOL