Tone Parsons

$29.95 = $500.00

I’m back at work today. I still feel like crap (all sweaty and clammy and stuffs), but I have work to do and there’s no point in staying home (I’d just be sick there too).

On the way in to work, I dropped my car off at the shop to get the oil changed. I went for the $29.95 deal (change the oil, lube the chassis, top off all the other various fluids).

The shop just called me. Apparently, my alignment was out and it had eaten the inside edge of both front tires. I’d noticed that they were wearing differently from the rear ones (and I rotate my tires every 6,000 miles). Unfortunately, I have all wheel drive, so if you replace any of the tires, you have to replace them all (so they all have the same amount of tread).

Now, to get my car out of there, it’s going to be just over $500.

I’m not too stressed over it, as I had planned on getting new tires this year and I have the cash right now. It’s probably a good thing they noticed this, as I’m driving to Portland, Oregon next month (my Dad’s getting married), and I’d hate for there to be a problem on the road (it’s a long damn drive).

Other news: well, there really isn’t any other news. My life is pretty damn boring.

Update:

I picked up my car.  The bill was only $431.00, so that wasn’t so bad.  It does ride much nicer than before (gotta love new tires!!).  They also got the alignment right.  I had to drive down to the Harley dealer to get tickets for the upcoming “Fun Run”.  The car went in a very straight line all the way there and back, so I’m happy.

4 comments

4 Comments so far

  1. Bob Loblaw May 23rd, 2006 9:39 am

    I got burned on the AWD deal a couple years ago too. A 6″ screw went in to the tire and back out the sidewall. A $500 flat tire. What can you do.

  2. Tone Parsons May 23rd, 2006 12:09 pm

    That’s the downside to having a car with AWD.

    The upside is your car does exactly what it’s supposed to do in the winter. I take Up River Drive to and from work every day. In the winter, that road can become pretty nasty from ice. I’ve never had a problem with it in this car (as opposed to the day I did a 360° spin in my last vehicle).

  3. Bob Loblaw May 23rd, 2006 3:05 pm

    Very true, I’ve never had a problem slipping or getting stuck, and that’s commuting to Spokane every day from the mountains above Coeur d’Alene Lake. If I’m going to bitch about the $500, I should thank the car every time it effortlessly glides through 6″ of icy muck without slipping (Subaru Legacy GT).

  4. Eve May 25th, 2006 5:24 am

    I’ve finally crawled out of my hermit-like solitary reading ORGY and find that you aren’t well!

    Hope you’re feeling MUCH better!

    (sux about the car though!)