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Date:         Fri, 11 Aug 2000 11:02:58 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill Davidson <wdavidson@thegrid.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill Davidson <wdavidson@thegrid.net>
Subject:      Re: My Vanagon Visits the Gynecologist
Comments: To: PSavage <psavage@saber.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Seems that KY Jelly was that mechanic's most used 'tool' :) Get outather fast!!!

Bill

----- Original Message ----- From: "PSavage" <psavage@saber.net> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Friday, August 11, 2000 10:40 AM Subject: My Vanagon Visits the Gynecologist

> The landscapped parking lot of the German Repair Shop so resembled that of > my Gynecologist, I was momentarily confused. > But no, there was my courtesy loaner car, parked just outside a glass > enclosed reception area. I blinked. > The Receptionist smiled efficiently at me across a cutglass bowl of > individually wrapped peppermints. I was promted to quickly read & sign the > insurance disclaimer, then handed a list of Courtesy Car Loaner Do's & > Dont's. > Anxiously, I clutched my list of questions for The Mechanic, > whom I'd yet to meet. For my first appointment, I'd requested a thorough > examination of the vehicle & all its parts & systems. > I wanted a complete report, so I could prioritize work to be > done, parts to be ordered, costs to be considered. > Shop labor charges: $75 per hour. > I tried not to wince. > I could see they did everything possible to make the experience as painless > as possible. If I was a good girl, & didn't squirm, I might not even feel > a thing. > I asked to meet The Mechanic/Shop Owner. > A tall, well-built, middle aged man--handsome enough for a Midas > commercial--appeared behind a sparkling display case filled with shiny new > VW parts. 'We keep all parts in stock", > he said, "it's rare we have to order parts." > When I'd called for this appointment, I'd made a point of asking if > customer-supplied parts were permitted. I had been told that they were. > "Not so," according to my Gynecologist, I mean Mechanic. > Twice I interrupted his animated rant on loss & profit margins to remind > him to look for possible causes of my van's intermittent power loss/cutting > out problem. The Reason I Was There. > Like a Kaiser MD with one eye on the minute hand, he drummed the glass with > his immaculate fingertips. > He was of the AMA board certified school of car care. > And he could see I was not his sort of customer. > I blinked twice. But the white lab coat, surgical gloves, & big tube of KY > jelly were only a hallucination. > Feeling a little sad & anxious, all the more so for having driven two hours > to reach this shop, I left my Vanagon alone for her first > examination. > Upon my return, I was handed my bill: Inspection $150. > I was given a long typed list of recommended repairs. > I read down the list. I gulped. > It noted that my Aux battery was found to be *totally dry.* > Just to be sure, I asked the Mechanic/Owner if he had added > water to the dry battery. > "Oh no," he said, "you asked for examination only. That would constitute > a repair." > He wanted to give me his sales pitch for the Interstate batteries > he sells & installs, but I was already on my way out the door. > I grabbed a fistful a peppermints from the cut glass bowl. > There was a bad taste in my mouth. > > Phaedra > '85 Westy-Wolf > "Hester" >


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