Our dear Chevy dies.
It happens just minutes before Christmas.
The missus steps out to drive our daughter somewhere, and steps back in almost immediately. She puts the keys on my desk: the vehicle wouldn't start.
I go outside to see what's wrong. Apparently, the Chevy has absolutely not a single ounce of electricity left. The battery's dead. Since I do have some knowledge of mechanics and engines, I open up the hood for quick evaluation.
Well, honestly, I don't have a clue what the problem is. It's too dark. I try accessing the battery but it's covered with a fuse box that requires too many tools to open. My solid guess is that my wife's reckless driving on a bumpy segment of a road nearby possibly loosened the battery connections. I recall the mechanic informing us merely two weeks ago that given her age, it's in a great shape (the car, I'm talking about the car).
I return home and call a few Israeli friends. Sorry, we don't have any jump-start cables ("if the car is stuck we simply buy another one"); sorry, we don't know of any Israeli mechanic who may be able to help you jump-start the car so we could at least drive it to the garage. The streets are totally empty. The Goyim are opening their holiday gifts. It's Christmas time.
The solution comes about unexpectedly. Why don't you register with Triple-A, asks Yankale (indeed - a former Israeli). Register? Now?! After we're already stuck? No problem, says Yankale, Triple-A will stop by for sure.
We subscribe online ($110 - it's peanuts, especially when you still don't have a job). An hour passes by and a Triple-A towing truck shows up. The mechanic releases the hood (damn; I knew it! The engine is located at the front, not at the back; but hey - I already mentioned it's too dark out there).
His efforts to start the car are finally successful. We sigh in relief. But wait, something is still wrong. He rechecks the engine and and here comes his harsh, updated verdict: the Alternator is dead. Instead of charging the battery, it is not charging the battery. There's no workaround rather than towing Chevy to the garage.
Have you seen anyone working on Xmass? I haven't. Triple-A towed the car up to a nearby Pep-Boys and left the keys in their mailbox. (Makes much more sense than what our friend Reena did. Reena, a successful realtor, woke up this morning, looked outside the window and realized that her 4x4 Toyota is gone. Next time I'm sure she won't be leaving the car keys in the switch all night long).
Bottom line: Pep-Boys ran their tests, fixed something and handed me a bill for $175. It wasn't the alternator after all. It wasn't the Transformer. It wasn't the Radiator. The bill breaks down as follows: a car diagnostics plus a new battery plus labor plus store's regional fee (6% - I'll let you know what it's about as soon as I find out myself). You're lucky it wasn't the alternator, said the store manager, you're lucky it's only the battery.
I nodded with full understanding. His empathy and customer service left me speechless.
I come back home with healthy car. My wife says: we're lucky it wasn't the alternator. A new alternator would easily cost over $30.
My conclusions:
1) Math - and reading comprehension - in the US are nothing to write home about.
2) Eize Hoo Chacham? - Ha'Roeh at Ha Molad.
It happens just minutes before Christmas.
The missus steps out to drive our daughter somewhere, and steps back in almost immediately. She puts the keys on my desk: the vehicle wouldn't start.
I go outside to see what's wrong. Apparently, the Chevy has absolutely not a single ounce of electricity left. The battery's dead. Since I do have some knowledge of mechanics and engines, I open up the hood for quick evaluation.
Well, honestly, I don't have a clue what the problem is. It's too dark. I try accessing the battery but it's covered with a fuse box that requires too many tools to open. My solid guess is that my wife's reckless driving on a bumpy segment of a road nearby possibly loosened the battery connections. I recall the mechanic informing us merely two weeks ago that given her age, it's in a great shape (the car, I'm talking about the car).
I return home and call a few Israeli friends. Sorry, we don't have any jump-start cables ("if the car is stuck we simply buy another one"); sorry, we don't know of any Israeli mechanic who may be able to help you jump-start the car so we could at least drive it to the garage. The streets are totally empty. The Goyim are opening their holiday gifts. It's Christmas time.
The solution comes about unexpectedly. Why don't you register with Triple-A, asks Yankale (indeed - a former Israeli). Register? Now?! After we're already stuck? No problem, says Yankale, Triple-A will stop by for sure.
We subscribe online ($110 - it's peanuts, especially when you still don't have a job). An hour passes by and a Triple-A towing truck shows up. The mechanic releases the hood (damn; I knew it! The engine is located at the front, not at the back; but hey - I already mentioned it's too dark out there).
His efforts to start the car are finally successful. We sigh in relief. But wait, something is still wrong. He rechecks the engine and and here comes his harsh, updated verdict: the Alternator is dead. Instead of charging the battery, it is not charging the battery. There's no workaround rather than towing Chevy to the garage.
Have you seen anyone working on Xmass? I haven't. Triple-A towed the car up to a nearby Pep-Boys and left the keys in their mailbox. (Makes much more sense than what our friend Reena did. Reena, a successful realtor, woke up this morning, looked outside the window and realized that her 4x4 Toyota is gone. Next time I'm sure she won't be leaving the car keys in the switch all night long).
Bottom line: Pep-Boys ran their tests, fixed something and handed me a bill for $175. It wasn't the alternator after all. It wasn't the Transformer. It wasn't the Radiator. The bill breaks down as follows: a car diagnostics plus a new battery plus labor plus store's regional fee (6% - I'll let you know what it's about as soon as I find out myself). You're lucky it wasn't the alternator, said the store manager, you're lucky it's only the battery.
I nodded with full understanding. His empathy and customer service left me speechless.
I come back home with healthy car. My wife says: we're lucky it wasn't the alternator. A new alternator would easily cost over $30.
My conclusions:
1) Math - and reading comprehension - in the US are nothing to write home about.
2) Eize Hoo Chacham? - Ha'Roeh at Ha Molad.
Kapish?
תגובה 1:
This is such a story.
I was left wholly entertained.
You have a knack for bringing out the best in describing human nature at its elixir .
Hopefully, you won't need any services for a while
Yakaleh knows his stuff apparently
We'll just keep that in mind
הוסף רשומת תגובה