Tale of Two Drivers

On the 12th Day of Christmas the Universe gave to me ……… a jeep that would not start after the morning workout, necessitating a tow to the local dealership — not my dealership of choice due to years of bad reviews.

Any port in a storm so, because the dealership was sure to be a lot less busy —because of so many dissatisfied customers than my far away dealership of choice, and easiest to get to, I went out-of-pocket and got a $130 tow in 30 minutes.

The tow would have cost $0 had I gone with the service my auto insurer wanted to send, but their ETA of 3 hours was a turnoff.

The disappointment on the face of the service advisor at the dealership was palpable when, looking me up in the computer, he saw I had a Lifetime Warranty — "The best warranty there is", said he.

I’d asked for a diagnostic six months ago, at the preferred dealership, when I’d taken the jeep in for its recommended multi-point inspection because it had been exhibiting little quirks.

"We’ll have to keep the car for seven days", said the service advisor.

"Bull Crap" thought I, knowing full well it takes about two hours for a diagnostic test.

I think it’s a situation of the Lifetime Warranty biting me in the butt.

Mr. Service Advisor, realizing it wasn’t going to bring in any money, didn’t want to take a technician away from a money job. He was just going to park the car for a week, get around to having the test run when business was slow — which it rarely if ever is at that dealership. They have a good rep, so everyone takes their jeeps there for service.

Not wanting to be stranded far from home, I let it slide, settled for the multi-point inspection and now here I am with the jeep being towed to the local dealership.

At least this service advisor offered someone to drive me home.

I didn’t have to worry because, being close to home base, Trainer had offered and Twin 2 was standing by, but I took the offer and was driven home by a Fair Haired All-American type.

What’s interesting is that Tow Truck Guy, with whom I rode to the dealership with, looked like the kind of guy a woman would be afraid to be in a car alone with.

All tatted up, he had a gruff gangbanger look about him — much like Trainer. The kind of look that turns those with no depth of vision off; but for me — just like when I first lay eyes on Trainer, I felt Tow Guy’s warm energy, friendly nature, liked him immediately.

We had a fun conversation on the ride to the dealership.

On the other hand, I felt the cold dead energy of All American Ride Home Guy the moment I sat in the van with him and, by the time Ride Home Guy dropped me off back at the complex, I was experiencing a raging headache.

Ride Home Guy made me think of Jeffrey Dahmer, both in appearance and as he talked about how much he hated working for the dealership, how much he hated his immediate supervisor and the big boss — i.e., owner’s son; he also had nothing nice to say about the bigger boss — i.e, the owner, saying the dealership ripped customers off.

He regaled me with a tale about the owner currently suing a customer for posting something to TikTok warning people about the dealership ripping him and others off.

I later checked TikTok, did not find the video in question.

Ride Home Guy lives with his grandma — hates it. Has a baby by a girl in Pasadena and often gets up at 3:00 AM, drives to Pasadena to help the girlfriend’s parents out with some kind of Farmer’s Market thing.

No surprise, he hates having to do that, but they pay him — I forget how much he said, which isn’t enough per him.

He once "beat up" his supervisor at a previous job. Actually got into a fight on the parking lot where an argument turned into the supervisor throwing something at and damaging Ride Home Guy’s car, whereupon Ride Home Guy beat the boss "bloody".

"Did you get arrested?" asked I.

"Told we could bring charges against each other, nothing happened" said he.

Of course not ….. Fair haired All American Good Looks Privilege. No one will see him as suspicious or a threat until after the fact. After he un-alives his grandma, his girlfriend’s parents and all the bosses at the dealership, while people like Trainer, Tow Guy and People of Color in general get hassled for breathing, thought I.

In fact, on the ride to the dealership, Tow Guy told me of a recent incident where, walking out of a business with his baby in his arms, he’d been surrounded in the parking lot by cops brandishing guns.

Is was the same ol’ trite "You fit the description" excuse ……… "of a guy who just robbed the bank".

"With a baby in his arms?" asked Tow Guy.

On the 13th Day of Christmas ……

No car in the carport, which might have been a good thing because I heard the voice of Talker's little granddaughter coming from near my walkway. No car in the carport, indicating I wasn't home, probably saved me from her knocking on my door.

So, anyway, the jeep was ready for pickup around 4:00 yesterday. I picked her up after this morning’s workout — Twin 2 drove me to the dealership.

Inasmuch as Ride Home Guy, said the dealership "rips customers off", I was suspicious and looked into the $497.35 for "Test, Removed and replaced battery, cleared 43 Codes, Retest and Test Drive".

Having only had the car for three years, it didn’t seem possible for a battery to die so soon, but nooooo.

They just don’t make ‘em like the used to — "A Jeep Renegade battery will usually last between 3 to 5 years" and it is not covered in the lifetime warranty.

Furthermore, "the average cost for a Jeep Renegade battery replacement is between $262 and $275. Labor costs are estimated between $53 and $67 while parts are priced at $209".

So, all in all I think the charges to be about right.

On the 14th Day of Christmas ……

Back in the Saddle Again.