Car update

10 Dec

Even though it hadn’t given me a problem since Black Friday I dropped my car off yesterday at the shop across the street from the decimated C-P office to have it looked at.

The repair guy (to whom I take my car often, and like a lot) couldn’t find a darn thing wrong with it, but after three “load tests” to the battery, it looked a bit low. He didn’t charge me for anything, but politely asked that I come back to him to get the battery changed. Then he warned me that because Saturn Ion batteries are in the trunk, they require a battery with a certain type of ventilation, and he can order it from his parts provider, but “be prepared” for a large parts fee.

After I left, I picked up WM from home and we went to Wegman’s for shopping and dinner. The car acted up again as we were trying to come home. But like the first two times, after about 10 minutes it started up like a champ. (But my Wokery Bar food was cold. Blah.

So should I:
1) Do what I feel is right and get the battery through him;
2) See if AutoZone or Pep Boys has the battery, buy it and bring it to him to install, or
3) See if AutoZone or Pep Boys has the battery, buy it and have WM put it in, since he’s done that before.

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6 Responses to “Car update”

  1. dr. dave December 10, 2008 at 9:52 am #

    your battery is in the TRUNK???

    i can just imagine someone not knowing that and staring under the hood blankly with jumper cables in hand…

  2. Jennifer December 10, 2008 at 10:03 am #

    I was at Wegman’s last night, I almost called you to see if you wanted to join me. I had my dumplings and creme brulee upstairs from 630-730.

  3. ella December 10, 2008 at 10:34 am #

    i just tried to comment and it was eaten by the interwebs…

    buy the battery from wherever it’s cheapest and get WM to install it. why volunteer to pay more for something than is necessary? who does this make sense to other than the auto tech?

  4. Dave aka d.mo December 10, 2008 at 10:50 am #

    Kudos to the guy for not charging you a cent for his time. That’s rare these days.

    However, I’d go with Option 3.

    My Lincoln also has its battery in the trunk not only for better handling, but because the dang engine is so huge it won’t fit under the hood. Pretty scary.

  5. Kristen December 10, 2008 at 2:55 pm #

    Well, it makes the most sense to go with option three. However, are you going to find a new mechanic? It might be awful awkward if you go to him next time with a new battery already installed… So maybe option two? And not to doubt WM, but I had someone simply change my headlight who had done it loads of times before, and he ended up breaking my harness and costing me a pretty penny.

    So I guess I change my mind to option two. Safest and nicest!

  6. Tommy December 10, 2008 at 6:01 pm #

    You may want to spend a little extra and go to a Saturn dealer. Yes, more pricey but they do understand the car a little more than a generic dealer.