woes

I finally got my car back on Monday of last week. You'd think that would be the end of the saga, right? No. Wrong.

When I picked my car up from the body shop, five weeks exactly from the day the vehicle was delivered there, it was filthy. Granted, I don't know much about the policies of auto body shops, but you'd think that if you had to remove and replace an entire door on a vehicle, plus paint it, that you'd clean it up a little bit. Fortunately the fabric on the interior was okay for the most part, but every non-fabric surface inside my car had to be wiped down. There was dust from the air bags, and paint dust, all over. I was furious. I have always kept my car impeccably clean, and the fact that they had inconvenienced me even further...I cannot explain to you the anger that I felt. Plus my seatbelt wouldn't retract, so that was just an added bonus. I had to leave work to pick up my car in the first place, but I couldn't stand the dirtiness so I went to Walmart and bought some Armor All and cleaning rags, and I cleaned the car out. I cleaned so much grime off of the interior, plus the whole seatbelt thing that was going on, that I decided to go back to the body shop and complain. I had them fix the seatbelt first, which took all of five minutes, and then brought the claims guy over to my car with me to show him the rag that I had used to clean the car. I told him how upset I was, and he took the rag to his supervisor to show him. They gave me a coupon for free detailing. I wasn't really happy with that. (They didn't detail the car in the first place, so why would I just assume they would do it, and do it well, if I took it back up there?) But I didn't pay a dime for any of the repairs done, so there was really nothing else they could have done to appease me. Fine, whatever, I thanked the guy and tried to shrug the experience off. After I returned to work (two hours later) and complained to anyone who would listen, that is.

So, then, Friday I took the car to the dealership for its 15000 mile check-up. When I had picked up the car from the body shop on Monday, the fuel gauge showed a full tank. I knew I didn't have a full tank when I wrecked, so I just assumed they filled it and didn't think twice about. Didn't think about it on Friday either. Then on Saturday I drove to Lawrenceburg to visit a couple of the bourbon distilleries. On my way back into Lexington, I realized my gauge was still on full, which was impossible. I hadn't driven all that far between Monday and Friday, but all the way to Lawrenceburg? There was no way it was still full. When I went out for coffee Saturday night I thought I should fill up. Maybe the gauge would reset? Anyway, it cost me $41.26 to fill up my car, and my fuel tank capacity is 13.2 gallons. I put over 13 in the car. I got so lucky that I didn't run out of gas.

This morning I dropped off my car at the body shop so they could have they fuel gauge checked out. That was about a quarter after 9. Six hours later, and I've heard nothing. But I don't suppose I should be surprised. I'm in another rental car, but at least this time I don't have to pay for it. *sigh*