CHRIS
Guest
Reality check for gas guzzlers
« Reply #5 on Today at 12:30am »

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The car has been playing up a bit... slow when starting... so was going
to take it to the garage today for a check up.

Took the kids to school as usual, and went shopping. Came out loaded to
the gills with junk... like those totally essential flashing Xmas
lights for the garden and the flashing Xmas Hats for us to wear once
but without which the holiday simply wouldn't be a holiday... would
it?? But is it *really* almost that time again - gawd?? It only seems
like a year ago it was this close last time!!

While I was there I took the opportunity of buying a load of frozen
gear... one of the kids is 6 next week and she wants a 'pool party' -
in September mark you brr so we have to have it here... oh joy, oh
rapture, oh god... just the *thought* of 25 screaming 6 year old girls
needing to be entertained fills me with horror - I think maybe I'll
call an 'entertainer'... anyway, I thought I'd get in early to save
time next week... as you do.

So, into the car goes the shopping... into the car goes I... and that's
where I stay... why? No power... well not enough to start her up
anyway.

Luckily this car is leased so I call the support line... who tell me
they use NRMA... who tell me there'll be a 60 - 90 minute wait. (see
"oh joy" etc above and repeat...) This was 10:17.

I sit there... not that I could do much else... I read "That's Life",
listen to classical FM cos the radio still just manages to work... and
listen to the sound of frozen food slowly defrosting itself... and
wait.

Suddenly the screen in the car lights up and tells me to switch off
totally or it will explode in 7 seconds... well ok... it tells me the
power will fail totally in 7 seconds... but it's much the same thing...
anyway I was told to switch off **or else**... I didn't learn what the
'or else' would be because at that moment up came the NRMA guy...
arrived at 11:30... not too bad I suppose.

Utilising the vast store of motoring knowledge I've accumulated over
the years, I let him know that I thought the problem may be a dry
battery... of course I've never looked under the bonnet in 3 years so I
didn't even know for sure it even *had* a battery.. but still. You have
to appear in control don't you?

So he humours me... and looks... and of course it wasn't... typical...
but it *was* shot... he told me... though how could I check? Either
way, after 3 years hard work, the battery was replaced. Symptomatic of
modern life I suppose... give all you have and be cast off once you
can't perform as well as you did. Eh? Cynical moi? Never... !!

Anyway... it turns out that *I* have to *pay* for it because even tho
the NRMA guy was called out by the support line... apparently there is
no way I can charge the battery through the NRMA and back to them...
grrr!!!

And that of course is pretty much the end of the story. Ten minutes
later and $140 lighter, I'm back on the road. I get home safe and
sound... end of story. Except of course I now have to try to get the
$140 back off the lease company... and won't *that* be fun!!

Chris