Wednesday, July 09, 2008
It happened again (Car Trouble)
A couple of years ago, Kate got into PA school and moved to Las Vegas. I was still stuck in Irvine, and made a plan to visit Kate for the weekend. As I hit Baker, I got a call from her - her tire had blown out and she was stuck. She was safe - parked at a non-descript parking lot in a safe part of town.
Luckily, I know how to change a tire, and I told her I'd get there and help her. I started to change the tire, and things did not go smoothly. One lug nut had a key, and upon trying to take it out, I ended up wrenching off half of the face of the nut. Another lug nut was simply very tight - I was able to remove the nut, but I also removed a portion of the actual rod it was connected to it. As a result, I'm left with a lug nut I cannot remove, and a lug nut I cannot replace. It's been a long day and a long drive and it's late - I vote to lock the car, go home, and get the tow truck in the morning to get it taken care of.
The next day, it's the hot Vegas summer, and we call to get a tow truck. We are new to town, and tell the tow truck company we are at the Jones exit off of the 215 freeway. Apparently, there is another Jones exit off of the 215 elsewhere, and we called the tow truck company to confirm - we are at 215 and South Jones. The dispatcher/operator said that's what they had down before, and we were sure it would be fine. WRONG - we waited for over an hour with no truck and called back. The dispatcher confirmed that the truck had gone to 215 and N Jones, and was on their way to us (link to maps showing difference in distance).
The Vegas heat had been getting to us, and we waited patiently. Eventually someone comes - some lanky dude in a car - not a tow truck. He comes out with a tire iron thinking he'll save the day. He sees the problem we had and said that we needed a tow truck. NO SHIT SHERLOCK - we asked for a tow truck. Another hour or so in the heat pass and a tow truck comes. They say they cannot tow the car because the busted tire is a rear tire and it's a front-wheel drive car. Well great - we have to wait an additional hour or so for the flat-bed truck to pick us up.
After a day of waiting we get to Pep Boys, where they tell us that the Toyota dealership tightened the lug nuts way too tight. We complained, and received compensation from Toyota, but it is not without losing 4-6 hours of my Vegas weekend in the god-forsaken heat.
What an ordeal. But the crazy thing is - IT JUST HAPPENED again:
This damned bad luck and incompetence is ridiculous. As insult to injury, when the tow truck comes to save us, he asks which car needs to be towed. It's a legitimate question because now my car apparently has a flat tire. I rush over to change my flat, and upon doing so, realize that my hazard lights have been on for over an hour and my car has died. The flatbed took Kate's car away, while the tire guy jump started my car after i changed my tire.
I will say this - I feel lucky that it did work out that way - if the flatbed came right on time, my tire might have blown out while driving.
We ended up getting home around 9pm last night, stressed, annoyed, dehydrated (vegas heat damn you), and filthy (my shirt and pants had asphalt stains all over).
Just once, I'd like to be able to save my girl - get the distress call, go there, and change her tire and be the man. Both of these situations, I've been the guy who fails to change the tire due to Toyota's incompetent mechanic servicing.
Luckily, I know how to change a tire, and I told her I'd get there and help her. I started to change the tire, and things did not go smoothly. One lug nut had a key, and upon trying to take it out, I ended up wrenching off half of the face of the nut. Another lug nut was simply very tight - I was able to remove the nut, but I also removed a portion of the actual rod it was connected to it. As a result, I'm left with a lug nut I cannot remove, and a lug nut I cannot replace. It's been a long day and a long drive and it's late - I vote to lock the car, go home, and get the tow truck in the morning to get it taken care of.
The next day, it's the hot Vegas summer, and we call to get a tow truck. We are new to town, and tell the tow truck company we are at the Jones exit off of the 215 freeway. Apparently, there is another Jones exit off of the 215 elsewhere, and we called the tow truck company to confirm - we are at 215 and South Jones. The dispatcher/operator said that's what they had down before, and we were sure it would be fine. WRONG - we waited for over an hour with no truck and called back. The dispatcher confirmed that the truck had gone to 215 and N Jones, and was on their way to us (link to maps showing difference in distance).
The Vegas heat had been getting to us, and we waited patiently. Eventually someone comes - some lanky dude in a car - not a tow truck. He comes out with a tire iron thinking he'll save the day. He sees the problem we had and said that we needed a tow truck. NO SHIT SHERLOCK - we asked for a tow truck. Another hour or so in the heat pass and a tow truck comes. They say they cannot tow the car because the busted tire is a rear tire and it's a front-wheel drive car. Well great - we have to wait an additional hour or so for the flat-bed truck to pick us up.
After a day of waiting we get to Pep Boys, where they tell us that the Toyota dealership tightened the lug nuts way too tight. We complained, and received compensation from Toyota, but it is not without losing 4-6 hours of my Vegas weekend in the god-forsaken heat.
What an ordeal. But the crazy thing is - IT JUST HAPPENED again:
- Kate's car breaks down
- She just got it serviced from Toyota a couple of days ago
- Her lug nuts are fucked up and can't be removed manually
- Tow truck company sends guy to wrong location (this was a confusion between i-15 and i-215 link
- Company sends tire guy who can't do shit and calls a tow truck for us
This damned bad luck and incompetence is ridiculous. As insult to injury, when the tow truck comes to save us, he asks which car needs to be towed. It's a legitimate question because now my car apparently has a flat tire. I rush over to change my flat, and upon doing so, realize that my hazard lights have been on for over an hour and my car has died. The flatbed took Kate's car away, while the tire guy jump started my car after i changed my tire.
I will say this - I feel lucky that it did work out that way - if the flatbed came right on time, my tire might have blown out while driving.
We ended up getting home around 9pm last night, stressed, annoyed, dehydrated (vegas heat damn you), and filthy (my shirt and pants had asphalt stains all over).
Just once, I'd like to be able to save my girl - get the distress call, go there, and change her tire and be the man. Both of these situations, I've been the guy who fails to change the tire due to Toyota's incompetent mechanic servicing.
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