An Expensive Day
May. 6th, 2023 09:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeToday I had plans for some errands, most importantly to prepare the Astro for this summer's road trips. But first, after getting breakfast from the Wigwam, there was an attempt to get a haircut.
I called my regular barber, and from the voice that picked up, figured that my regular barber here had, as she told me she was planning to do, had sold her one-stool shop and moved to Arizona. But when the New Guy said I could have an appointment for 9:30 AM today, I decided to give him a try.
I got there a few minutes early, and waited outside until the person in the chair left. I then came inside and found someone else sitting down. I pointed out that I had made and appointment with him for 9:30.
He admitted that he had done so, but said, "I take walk-in customers, too."
I told him, "Well, never mind, then," and left. I do not intend to return, either, although it was highly convenient have a barber who was about a five-minute walk from my house. Either honor your appointments or don't make them.
Now I need a new barber. However, the need is only pressing, not urgent, and I'd already planned to take the Astro to Sparks to get the oil changed and the tires rotated.
It's a good thing that I had an offer from Jiffy Lube for a discount off not just an oil change (high-mileage synthetic; the shop as usual gapes at the >500K miles on the odometer), but also on "ancillary services." That's because it was also time for a transmission fluid service and a coolant system flush and refill. Both of these things are good to have done before a long road trip to Winnipeg. But even with the discounts, the services weren't cheap, costing nearly $400. Still, it's better than breaking down halfway across the continent.
With the fluids changed, it was on the Big O, where I was due for a free tire rotation. As I drove into their parking lot, I realized that I would be around a promotion that I'd heard on the local sports radio station with University of Nevada, Reno. (The "Wolfpack.")
The cheerleaders from the UNR squad (and also the mascots, "Wolfie Jr." and "Luna" not shown in this shot as they were getting dressed) were getting hot dogs from the stand at Big O prior to their official public appearance. I didn't actually see their show, as I'd gone to look for a barber in the area while the shop worked on my minivan. I did get one of the free hot dogs they were giving to all customers.
I found a barber shop, but I was five minutes too late as he was already working on his last customer of the day and had the closed sign up. Also in the area was a barber college, but I'm not yet to the point where I was going to volunteer to let them learn on me.
The tire rotation was routine, but while doing inspections, they found that there was a lot of wear in the bearings and suspension and recommended a lot of work. I asked them if they could do it today while I waited. They said it would be several hours, and I said I had nowhere else to go, and besides, I live in Fernley, thirty miles east of Sparks. They said they could do it, and they also said that they had all of the necessary parts. The estimated cost of all of the repairs: around $1,400. But again, it's better than being stuck part-way across the continent trying to get to Winnipeg or back, possibly in a place where repairs would be far away and more difficult. I agreed to the work, and settled in for the wait, glad that I'd had that hot dog and a soda for lunch.
I wish I'd brought a book. I was there so long that my mobile phone ran down, and I didn't realize until later that I had put the outboard battery in my tote bag, and that I could have sat at a counter they have with USB charging outlets as well.
Many hours later, they came to me with the bad news. It turns out that one of the parts wasn't what they thought it should be and that they couldn't finish today. They also had my minivan in pieces, and it would be difficult to return it to a state where I could drive it home. When I asked what they could do for me, they said that inasmuch as the issue with the parts was their mistake, they could get someone from their team to drive me home, which was a big relief. I told them that at that point, it's better that they get the work done right, not necessarily fast, so if it takes a couple of extra days, that's okay.
A while later, one of their team used the shop truck to drive me home to Fernley. They will call me next week when the Astro is ready to be picked up.
So that's around $1800 in repairs and maintenance. I keep telling myself it's better than a breakdown on the road, which we've had before, and that a major failure in the vehicle suspension would likely be much more expensive than this level of preventative maintenance. But I don't have to like it.
I had not called Lisa (who knew I was planning to go get the oil change) because I thought she might be asleep. She wasn't, and when I got home, she asked where the van was and what happened to me. I brought her up to speed. Our current plan is to use the Rolling Stone to take us to Sparks next week when the Astro is ready, and (if they have the US-made tires we want) to take the RV to have new tires put on it. But there are many "ifs" in that statement, the biggest is whether a dealer can get the non-Chinese tires that we want.
I called my regular barber, and from the voice that picked up, figured that my regular barber here had, as she told me she was planning to do, had sold her one-stool shop and moved to Arizona. But when the New Guy said I could have an appointment for 9:30 AM today, I decided to give him a try.
I got there a few minutes early, and waited outside until the person in the chair left. I then came inside and found someone else sitting down. I pointed out that I had made and appointment with him for 9:30.
He admitted that he had done so, but said, "I take walk-in customers, too."
I told him, "Well, never mind, then," and left. I do not intend to return, either, although it was highly convenient have a barber who was about a five-minute walk from my house. Either honor your appointments or don't make them.
Now I need a new barber. However, the need is only pressing, not urgent, and I'd already planned to take the Astro to Sparks to get the oil changed and the tires rotated.
It's a good thing that I had an offer from Jiffy Lube for a discount off not just an oil change (high-mileage synthetic; the shop as usual gapes at the >500K miles on the odometer), but also on "ancillary services." That's because it was also time for a transmission fluid service and a coolant system flush and refill. Both of these things are good to have done before a long road trip to Winnipeg. But even with the discounts, the services weren't cheap, costing nearly $400. Still, it's better than breaking down halfway across the continent.
With the fluids changed, it was on the Big O, where I was due for a free tire rotation. As I drove into their parking lot, I realized that I would be around a promotion that I'd heard on the local sports radio station with University of Nevada, Reno. (The "Wolfpack.")
The cheerleaders from the UNR squad (and also the mascots, "Wolfie Jr." and "Luna" not shown in this shot as they were getting dressed) were getting hot dogs from the stand at Big O prior to their official public appearance. I didn't actually see their show, as I'd gone to look for a barber in the area while the shop worked on my minivan. I did get one of the free hot dogs they were giving to all customers.
I found a barber shop, but I was five minutes too late as he was already working on his last customer of the day and had the closed sign up. Also in the area was a barber college, but I'm not yet to the point where I was going to volunteer to let them learn on me.
The tire rotation was routine, but while doing inspections, they found that there was a lot of wear in the bearings and suspension and recommended a lot of work. I asked them if they could do it today while I waited. They said it would be several hours, and I said I had nowhere else to go, and besides, I live in Fernley, thirty miles east of Sparks. They said they could do it, and they also said that they had all of the necessary parts. The estimated cost of all of the repairs: around $1,400. But again, it's better than being stuck part-way across the continent trying to get to Winnipeg or back, possibly in a place where repairs would be far away and more difficult. I agreed to the work, and settled in for the wait, glad that I'd had that hot dog and a soda for lunch.
I wish I'd brought a book. I was there so long that my mobile phone ran down, and I didn't realize until later that I had put the outboard battery in my tote bag, and that I could have sat at a counter they have with USB charging outlets as well.
Many hours later, they came to me with the bad news. It turns out that one of the parts wasn't what they thought it should be and that they couldn't finish today. They also had my minivan in pieces, and it would be difficult to return it to a state where I could drive it home. When I asked what they could do for me, they said that inasmuch as the issue with the parts was their mistake, they could get someone from their team to drive me home, which was a big relief. I told them that at that point, it's better that they get the work done right, not necessarily fast, so if it takes a couple of extra days, that's okay.
A while later, one of their team used the shop truck to drive me home to Fernley. They will call me next week when the Astro is ready to be picked up.
So that's around $1800 in repairs and maintenance. I keep telling myself it's better than a breakdown on the road, which we've had before, and that a major failure in the vehicle suspension would likely be much more expensive than this level of preventative maintenance. But I don't have to like it.
I had not called Lisa (who knew I was planning to go get the oil change) because I thought she might be asleep. She wasn't, and when I got home, she asked where the van was and what happened to me. I brought her up to speed. Our current plan is to use the Rolling Stone to take us to Sparks next week when the Astro is ready, and (if they have the US-made tires we want) to take the RV to have new tires put on it. But there are many "ifs" in that statement, the biggest is whether a dealer can get the non-Chinese tires that we want.
