Local Auto shop takes advantage of frumpy mother

About a week and a half ago our check engine light came on. Since this is the first car I've owned with a functioning check engine light I thought I ought to pay attention to it. Josh asked me to make an appointment for a few days and I kept forgetting so at 8:40 am on our way to the park I pulled in to the shop where we usually go to see what they had available. We go there cause it is a mile and a half from our house and I can ride my bike to pick up the car if I need to.

I had both boys and the dog in the car and we, as I said, were on our way out for a walk. They said they could take the car right then and did I want to wait? I asked how long it would take and they said, "at least an hour for a check engine light." I said, "well I've got 2 little boys in the car and a dog so I don't think that we should wait, but we were planning on going for a walk, so we'll just walk home cause it's not that far." They offered to ride home with me, but I said it would be a nice walk.

So I got the boys all set in the stroller and then realized that I had forgotten Gertie's leash, so I found a bungee coard in the back of the car and wrapped it around her collar and set off. Keep in mind there are no sidewalks and at 8:45 a lot of SUV's and large trucks are making ours a pretty busy street. When we got to the road that leads up to the school I teach at I thought it isn't that much further and it would get us off the main road, so I headed up the hill. It is a steep hill and by now I realized the reason it felt like I was underwater while pushing was due to a flat front tire. I'm calculating the stroller and the boys at about 70 lbs and feeling good to be getting so much exercise. We reach the school at about 9:20 and there are 7 new baby lambs in the pasture. (For those who don't know the school is located on a working farm.) The boys were so excited and we stood and watched them and talked to them for about 15 min. before we started getting cold and headed home.

We got home around 9:45 about an hour exactly from when I dropped the car off, and there was a message on my machine saying the car was ready. I left the boys with my mom and rode my bike down the road assuring her I'd be back in 20 min. When I got to the shop I parked my bike and went inside. I told them I was there to pick up my car and the lady at the desk found the paperwork and handed me my invoice. It said that I owed them $100.67. I was trying to figure out where it said what they did and I asked, "So what was wrong with it?"

She looked at the paper and read "Check engine diagnostics...Fuel cap loose... Hazardous waste fee."

I said, "What does that mean?"

She asked one of the techs to confirm it and he said, "The fuel cap was loose." I asked, "Like the gas cap where you put gas in the car?"

"Yup."

"So you're charging me a hundred bucks to tell me my gas cap was loose?"

"Well your paying for the labor I guess."

I wasn't sure what to do. I could leave the car there and have Josh go duke it out with them when he got home, or I could pay it and send him back to argue later or I could argue now.

I took a quick reading of the situation. Me: yoga pants and a helmet. Them: office, lots of expensive cars in their shop and awards on the wall. I decided to pay and have Josh go back.

After she runs my card and gives me my receipt I ask where the car is, cause I didn't see it and she walks over to the wall with the keys and says, "Hmmm... I'm not sure where it is? The key isn't here... Let me ask around."

I thought "Uh ... Ok.. you go see if you can find my car and I'll just wait here feeling powerless and victimized."

She comes back bright eyed and bushy tailed saying, "They took it up on the back hill to wash it!"

Like that is supposed to make me feel better? I'm here to pick up a car that you said is ready and now it isn't and I had to pay $100 for you to tighten my gas cap. I've lost my sense of humor.

"How long is that going to take?"

"Oh only about 5 more minutes. Is that OK?"

"Ya."

15 min. later. By now I've taken my helmet off.

I walk back in the office and say, "I have someone watching my kids who can't stay there for very long.. Do you know when my car will be ready?"

"Oh are you still here?! I thought you would have gone by now. Let me find out what is going on."

As she says that my dripping car is delivered to the front lot with obvious smudges all over where they forgot to wash it.. Seriously it looked like a 7 year old had washed my car. They guy gets out and it is all I can do to not say, "uhh looks like you missed a spot."

I get home and tell my mom what happened. By now it is 10:45 and I'm so mad I have wasted 2 hours on this stupid problem and the only redeeming part of it is ironically my flat stroller tire and all the exercise I got along with the quality time I spent with my boys. But it gets better.

I call Josh and he doesn't answer so I leave a message and explain how because I'm a frumpy mom wearing tight pants and a helmet with 2 kids and a dog I've been taken advantage of and he better come home and fight for my vehicular honor. I tell the story to 3 other people who are all outraged. When Josh comes home I ask if he got my message and if he's going to go down there and talk to them. He said, "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Well get some money back or something," I say.

"That's just the way it goes baby cakes. It's an expensive lesson." Is his nonchalant reply.

"What is wrong with you!? Everyone else I've told this story to is outraged!"

"Were they all women? You guys are probably all on your periods and irrational. Go tell your dad what happened and see what he says."

So I do and my dad says, "They charged me $125 to tell me my gas was low. There is a sensor that goes off if I let my gas get too low that turns on the check engine light. Same situation honey... it's an expensive lesson."

WHAT!! "Baby Cakes and Honey"

What is wrong with them? So after talking with my sister in law we decided that I should put a sign in my car that tells where I got my awesome car wash and how much it cost. I am planning on writing a letter to the shop too telling them I'm irate and will never come back. Sad part is that they won't care at all. They have so many customers with such expensive cars who don't care about paying out the nose for bogus services it won't make a dent. However I've already gotten one note on my car saying that someone else had the same experience and where they take their cars now.

My sign reads, "Bainbridge Island Auto repair charged me $100.67 to tell me my gas cap was loose." I thought of much more inflammatory things I could have written but decided the truth was the best. I've had lots of people giggle when they read it and I think I'm going to leave it up for a while cause I think we take for granted our power for change as consumers. As for the power for change in the "baby cakes" department that could be a different story.