Car Repairs

Why is it when you need to have automobile repairs the service company has you bring your car in at O'dark-thirty, basically before God gets up, only to let your car sit there all day until they get to it? About a month ago we noticed the Honda making this squealing noise. We were both worried that it would be a major repair, or time to trade her in. With the baby coming we didn't want to add another car payment to our budget. I called the only Honda dealer in town and made an appointment to have the Honda looked at. Since they were already going to be looking at the squealing noise I asked them to also diagnose why my "SRS" light was on. As is the norm with service centers they had me bring the car in early, but I knew they wouldn't get to it until later. Knowing this I had Hero pick me up after his PT that morning. Fortunately, the squealing we were hearing turned out to be a fairly minor repair. After almost 7 years and 90,000 miles the Honda finally needed new brakes. The SRS light was because the sensor in the driver's seat belt was faulty and needed to be replaced. They were able to replace the brakes that day, but had to order the sensor for the seat belt. When we went back to pick up our car that evening they wanted to schedule an appointment to fix the sensor for the 27th of February. They thought but couldn't be sure the part would be in by then. HUH? You want to schedule an appointment without even being sure the part will be in? Anyone see the logic in that one, because I sure didn't! We told them to call us when the part arrived and then we would talk about making an appointment. Two weeks go by and I had forgotten about the part we were waiting on when I get a call on a Friday afternoon from the service center, a friendly reminder of my 7am appointment on Monday. What?!? I am NOT a morning person, and would not have scheduled my cranky morning heiny to be anywhere in public at 7am. Come to find out the part came in, they made us an appointment, but forgot to call us to let us know. As I had an appointment already for later that morning I told them I would need to reschedule. They kindly rescheduled the appointment for a week later at still an early hour, but one that was a bit more conducive to ensuring my morning monster would be under control. When I made the appointment I made it VERY clear that I would be waiting for my vehicle and that I would not stand for sitting there all day for a repair that would take them 30 minutes. The young woman assured me that they could have me in and out in less than 2 hours. Appointment day arrives. I leave the house dark and early to arrive at my appointment on time. I ended up being fifteen minutes early, I am still not used to the lack of commuter traffic here in Alaska. (It exists, but not like I am used to from growing up in Portland, Oregon.) The young woman who checked me in says in a voice that is way too cheerful for 7:30am, "There are six customers ahead of you who have opted to wait for their repairs as well so we should have your car done by 2pm. Okay?" I informed her that when I called I was assured that they would get me in and out within 2 hours and that I made it very clear that I would be waiting at the time I made the appointment, so NO waiting until 2pm would not be okay. That was when she said, "Well, ma'am we had no way of knowing the six people ahead of you would want to wait for their vehicles as well." Wrong answer chica! So, those of you who know me well know that there are times I can keep my cool and then there are times that I can blow my top just like Mt. St. Helens. This would be one of those times I am like old flat top herself. Nothing irritates me more as a consumer than being told one thing and another actually happening. I can feel my face get red and the steam building up to explode out my ears; I try to count to ten before I respond so as not to spew too much frustration at this poor girl. A quick glance in the waiting room shows that it is empty. So where are these other customers waiting on their cars? Is there a potty convention in the one woman bathroom? I think not! Are they hiding under the chairs? Nope. As there are no coffee shops or restaurants in the area I doubt they have gone to breakfast. Want my educated guess? Too bad you are going to get it. They say they are waiting to ensure their vehicle is attended to faster but take the shuttle service out of dodge as soon as possible. I once again make it very clear that waiting until 2pm is not acceptable, not okay. I informed her that I made it VERY clear when I made the appointment that I would be waiting. Somehow I don't find it appropriate that a customer who makes it known they will be waiting when they schedule the appointment be the one whose vehicle is seen last just because other customers decided on a whim to wait. Especially when those other customers are no where to be seen, maybe there is a potty convention after all. After voicing my irritation I trudge to the empty waiting room to wait out my sentence cursing myself the way over for not thinking quick enough to leave the cell phone with Hero so that I can get a hold of him if needed. (Hero moved to a new flight within his squadron and the phone line in his office doesn't work.) After about an hour the young lady apprehensively approaches me to let me know that it should be much longer because they are pulling my car into the shop right now. I smile and thank her. Forty-five minutes later I am driving away with my repaired vehicle. In the almost two hours I was sitting there in the empty waiting room they paged three other customers to tell them their cars were done…not a one responded.