Sounds like a commentary on a recent movie I watched or something, but it's not. It's about Jodi's car a 1999, Oldsmobile Intrigue. This might be a long one so go potty before you read it.
Anyway, I've been chasing a problem with it for a while. The right, front passenger side keeps filling up with standing water. I've taken it to 2 places and consulted with two others.
The first repair shop said that I had a leak. $200 later a plastic piece on the passenger side called a "cowl louver" or something like that could have been "cow lover" for all I know. Two weeks later the problem returns. I call them they say, "well you definitely had a leak; anything else we find will cost more." Won't be going back there.
Take it to an air conditioning specialist. He looks it over and says he can't find anything. He suggests that we should try not turning on outside air for the AC and only use recirculate. He claims it could be because of all of the humidity in the air. I don't agree with him, but I don't argue either because he didn't charge us a cent. The reason I don't agree with him is that it started all of the sudden. I figure either something is broke with the AC or it must be something else entirely.
Well we try his suggestion anyway. Here's what sucks. Jodi's car defaults to "outside air" every time you start the car. So we might forget to turn on the recirculate or have doubts as to whether or not we did once water starts filling up the floor board. We watch the problem for several months anyway. It seems to be working, other than when we "forget" to turn on recirculate.
Fast forward last week. I have the car for a couple days. I'm religiously checking to turn on recirc. Sometime during the week I make a hard left and water starts gushing onto the floor. I know it's not the AC now. I call a body shop thinking it must be a seal or something; they send me to a windshield place. After talking to them I get "9 times out of 10, it ends up being a 'body shop' problem." They tell me it will be $30 for a leak check. My appt. is Monday at 12:15.
Well here's the point of all of this. Today I Google a search for my problem. I click on the first link, my problem is described exactly in a forum thread. A few moments later I found a possible solution.
I go outside. 15 minutes later I pull a hook-shaped tube from behind the tire well. Water comes gushing out; I flush the tub with water to clear the gunk that had built up...Problem Solved.
Here's a question, why wasn't that in a repair manual on-line or otherwise for these mechanics. And should I go get my money back for that "cow lover"?
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6 comments:
YOu know I think you should. Ever since I've started working at Bath and Body Works, I'be decided that everything in the world should be 100% guarenteed. I mean, geeze if you're gonna pay $30 for something for you car, or $12 that promises to get ride of cellulite and they don't work, you should get your money back.
It should be like that at Dr.'s offices, too. I mean, I went to the Doctor 3 times in May before they finally told me I had mono. And the whole reason I went to the Dr. the 3rd time is because I had an allergic reaction to the penacillin he misdiagnosingly gave me (Shakespear made up words, so can I) I feel like the $450 I spend to find out that all I needed to do was stay out of work for a week, after I had allready missed plenty of work ( and no, I get no sick pay) I SHOULD GET BACK!!!!!!
Sorry. Charles got me started on something there.
I just think everything should be guarenteed. It's just good customer service.
Unfortunatley, most things aren't.
Chuck, first I gotta tell you that it's great knowing you're out there. I had thought you were going to starting giving Stubbs a run for his money is staging disappearing acts. You need to at least write the guy a letter of some sort. If it sounded like there was some sort of legal threat there might be some sort of financial apology coming your way. Use words like conferred and ascertained and it will sort of give it a air of legality also tell the guy that you may be seeking some sort of compensation which could be as much as you asking the guy to pay you back. If it's a hick shop he may budge, if it's national chain you must send some sort of letter to the corporate office. I would recommend an actual letter rather than an email. Yes I'm dead serious too.
The owner is a member of the Church...maybe that could be good leverage.
Dude, good story. See you should do original blog stuff more often.
As for getting your money back, good f'ing luck.
Brew, I agree it's a good story and I know that Jamison will appreciate your encouragement.
Rachel used to have a Honda Accord that had that same problem. I found the leak and fixed it myself. I hate taking vehicles to the shop just to be over-charged. Don't know if you'll see the money, but you could confront the dude and see what happens. Good luck!
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