Roger's Problem Diary #4 - 6/14/99 thru 7/30/99

    So, as you all know from my last diary edition, I was slammed in the back end while waiting for a simple light to change. After the runaround to the various auto shops & insurance companies to bring this crackup to an end, I was notified that my car was totaled.  I decided to keep the Jabbamobile non the less since it was still in perfect running order.

    With the $$$ I collected from the insurance company that the blind driver that hit me had, I decided to have a little repair done to my transport that had gone bad throughout the year. This included a front License plate holder which had rusted and fell off, the driver side door lock, the driver seat which broke free from it's brackets during the mighty smash that left me in the back seat, and the turn signal/cruse control bar that my leg hit on the way to the back seat, now loose and not functioning.

    Fine. Should come out to about $200 I figured which included parts & labor.

    Although your faithful narrator didn't realize he was taking his transport to a shyster to be repaired.

    Thus the following is a lesson well learned.

Red Flag # 1 - Repairs took 4 weeks.

    After these 4 weeks of waiting for this place to repair this minor damage to my car (they claimed that they had to order parts and that because I had an 87' Chrysler New Yorker that it's 'really hard to find the parts'), I finally received a call that my trusty Jabbamobile was ready to be picked up.

Red Flag #2 - Total comes to $650.00 !!

    Swallowing my pride and accepting the ridiculous amount, only glad to get my trusty vehicle back, I paid the toll and went on my way.

Red Flag #3 - One mile from the repair shop the entire steering wheel comes apart in my hands.

    It did feel a little tight on the way home, and as I stated that didn't last long as tiny ball bearings fell from the loose steering wheel that had so much play in it that the Rolling Stones could perform a concert in it.

    Never mind what that's supposed to mean.

    As I pull up to my apartment the horn suddenly goes off - by itself!

    I bang on the wheel a few times and silence finds it's way back. I run upstairs, get on the phone, and notify the so called repair shop of the new problem. Bring it back they say.

No da!

Red Flag #4 - They say 'Oh these things happen, it's an old car.'

    Fix it I say.

    I decide to do some detective work and call the Chrysler Dealership near me. They, very helpful I might add, claim that these things just don't happen. The only way that a steering wheel could come as loose as it was while crapping out tiny ball bearings would be that if someone who didn't know what they were doing didn't put Jabba back together again right.

    Most of the other people who heard of this agreed.

    A week goes by.

    Yes....A week!

    Phone rings.

    The Jabbamobile is ready.....It'll be $200.00.

WHAT!!!!!!!

    Here's where I saw red.

    'Don't you think that it should already be covered since it happened right after I left the shop?' I asked.

    'No,' he claims, as he stated before, 'it's an old car and these things happen'.

    Then I was totally honest with this guy. I told him how I called around a few places and asked they're opinions, just to be sure, and that's when he lost it.

Red Flag #5 - Owner of a repair shop starts to curse & yell at a customer.

    "I know what your problem is," he yells, "you just want to get off not paying the bill!"

    "Well yes", I answer, "especially since your the one who didn't put the car back together the right way."

    The argument continued.....Then ended with the owner yelling...

    "Look, just get down here and pick up your car, I'll eat the labor, but your going to have to pay for the new part we put in, then don't ever bring your business back here again!"

Click!

Yes - Click! - He slammed down the phone and hung up on me!

    I was fuming...But I wanted my Jabbamobile back. And now that this asshole has it helplessly in his shop I was afraid that he was going to do something to screw it up. I immediately got a ride and rushed out there. Paid the $50 toll (new ball bearing casing - I checked out the price on that too when I was talking to the Chrysler Dealership), and sped out of that repair shop without looking back.

    Thus a lesson learned. Trust no one.

    Sure, maybe other customers never had a problem at this establishment, but I will never forget this two month nightmare.

    Car runs fine now. Steering wheel is fine. Turn signals work. Seat is comfy. Back to happiness.....for the time being.

    So now is time for my revenge....

    When in Chicago, do not ever..EVER....go to this place to get your car worked on!

Remember! That's Fender Mender's at 5742 West 63rd ST. in Chicago!

Aint I a stinker?

Copyright ©1999 Roger B. Domian