A couple of weeks ago, we were coming home from a wonderful family breakfast at Cracker Barrel, and the passenger side window on my Kia Rondo fell down. I skipped a baby shower I was supposed to be at, and took it into the dealer, as it was obvious that at least the window regulator was broken. The dealership was too busy to help us that day, but us an appointment for the following Monday. Mr Wonderful followed me over to the dealership and we handed them the little post card they send stating that it was time for the clear coat to be reapplied, told them about my broken visor AND the window was pretty self-explanatory. They called us later and said the clear coat had been applied, but they would have to order the car part and would call me later in the week. Wednesday, they called and had the visor. I asked them about the window regulator and they had to get back to me. Turns out, there is not a window regulator for that Kia Rondo window any where in the US...that we know of, so they had to order it from Korea! It is supposed to be in "sometime the end of this week". I do not know about you, but it is a bit tough to drive around with the vibration from the open window. (They used painter type low residue tape and "taped" the window up.) The tape melted off of my car by the end of that first week. I put a towel over the opening....and watch the weather forecast for rain. Luckily, or not, we live in the desert, are experiencing a drought and rain is not much of a problem. Thieves, however, are. I don't dare park my car any place but my own driveway.
When Mr Wonderful is home, or car pools, I have been using his little PT Cruiser...that I very lovingly call "The Kraut Can". It has severe blind spots and I am a little nervous when I drive it, as used to my "more open than I even care to have" Kia Rondo. I noticed some severe (to me, anyway) brake noise, so even stopped driving Mr Wonderful's car. We went out in it one day when he was home, though, and totally no noise from the brakes at all. He informed me the car does not like to be called "The Kraut Can". Ok, maybe so. He drove it to work a few days and no problems. I drove it, and another child witness informed me that it was so noisy, maybe dad was right, and I shouldn't call it "The Kraut Can" just in case. I whispered "KC" just in case they were right. I did tell Mr Wonderful that whether or not the car was happy with me calling it names, it had a problem--front brakes in my opinion. He started to take them apart on his only day off in about 7 days....and we took the rotors in to see if they could be turned, or whatever they do to rotors with grooved areas in them that are not supposed to be there. Nope, needed new rotors and pads. Mr Wonderful meticulously replaced the rotors, pads, cleaned his rims until they were shiny new....except for the stabbed areas where they were really roughed up. He said when the guys rotate the tires, they use this two pronged metal tool to grab the tires...Ok, they seriously wounded the inside of KC's rims.....MrWonderful spent a long time sanding down the areas until they were smooth again.
I neglected to tell you that on this same day, daughter Kristi went out to her car and couldn't roll her window up that had fallen down the night before. She has had her car into the dealership no less than 4 times, and once she gets there, whatever is wrong is working and she hauls the car home as they can't fix it as it is working. I was hauling her around in the Kia with the flapping towel covering the open window. It was nice to have a passenger, though, as when we did her errands, I stayed and babysat the car....when we did my errands, she babysat the car. Her car is STILL at the dealership, as they had to order a part. I have no clue where parts from Hyundai cars come from, but pretty sure it is NOT Korea. Hopefully that car will be fixed and on the road sometime today.
Last night, Stephanie called and asked to talk to her dad. She was crying. Oh, I was certain she'd been in a car accident, especially when her dad, never taking his eyes off of the ball game he was watching, asked her if she could drive the car, and to limp on home. Limp on home, was he nuts? She was in Tempe as far as I knew! I called her. She had made it as far as 35th Ave and Indian School, was off of the freeway and car was running at that point--car troubles not an accident. I was relieved quite a bit, but my teen having car troubles at 35th and Indian School in that unsafe area? I said a quick prayer, believe me. Mr Wonderful, Stephanie and I jumped in Stephanie's Neon, and told Danielle to pick her sister up from mutual, as her car was working, at least at that point. Other than the engine light being lit up on the dash, the car ran fine. We did take it over to Auto Zone and put it on their computer. There were three possible problems, most likely was a $21 cam shaft sensor was bad. Mr Wonderful told me to try to get it in for repairs. We drove home and found ourselves locked out of the house. Stephanie carries her house key in her purse, not on her key ring. That would have been some useful information, since we had her car and she did not have her purse. Also, much to my surprise, the key pad entry into the garage needed a nine volt battery, which Mr Wonderful asked (really hopefully) if I had in my purse. You have to be kidding? Well, I did have two double A's for the camera....but, no, I did not have a nine volter. Danielle and Breezy arrived and let us in. Mr Wonderful put a battery in the key pad. Good to be prepared for the next time we are locked out.
Ok, bright and fairly early today, I call the dealership. They want a $99 diagnostic fee even though we already have a print out of the diagnoses. Even a doctor will usually use some already done x ray or scan to diagnose....but not this place. I read the teeny, tiny ant poop sized print and found out that the car warranty on that car does NOT cover diagnostic charges. Ok. then. The dealership will at least accept the warranty.
I call Bob's Auto which is now Luke's Auto in case you want to know. Bob retired and Luke is running it. Debbie is still there answering the phone. Good to know. I told her the car's problem. They do not have time to mess with car warranties, I have to pay and be reimbursed. I have now totally read that ant poop sized print three times, and I can't get reimbursed--THE MECHANIC has to fill out the paper work, he has to get authorization first, then get this: Authorization number, which warranty company will give only the mechanic, agreement holder's name, current mileage on the car, mechanical complaint, itemized estimate, then there is the part about me having to pay for the mechanic to "disassemble" the car, as they are not paying for it, then a bunch of writing smaller than ant poop that I can't even read, if they decide to give you an AUTHORIZATION NUMBER and that is typed bold so I can actually see that word, and this sacred AUTHORIZATION number needs to be on all paperwork submitted to the warranty company, or that will result in non payment and cancellation. You know, I was reading over this BEFORE and I write again BEFORE we decided on this car and this warranty. I was ASSURED by the salesperson that EVERYONE takes this warranty. I just can't have my uncle do the work, it has to be an authorized mechanic.
I then decided to call the dealership where we bought the Neon. Keep in mind that the sales person, Jason, ASSURED me that if I had any problems at all they would LOVE to do my warranty work. Just bring the car in any time. Apparently, they forgot to tell their mechanic, as I talked to him a while ago, and he was less than pleasant. When I NICELY and politely asked when I could get an appointment to bring my car in to have the cam shaft sensor repaired, In no uncertain terms he informed me that he was booked for two to three weeks. I just kind of responded, "Two to three weeks?" (thinking of the Kia Rondo that is going on two weeks and not repaired....and we kind of need a car here for Steph)....then, he got ignorant with me. He said "What do you think you are special and you can just cut in front of someone that has an appointment and is waiting their turn, yadda yadda yadda, then he hung up on me. Well, I will not be buying my next new car from Used Car Auto Sales on Glendale Ave, even though the sales person, Jason we used, is the guy Mr Wonderful car pools with: his future son in-law.....
I emailed Mr Wonderful. I stated that I hoped he was having a good day. I said I had tried Bob's who is now Luke's, tried the dealership, and that will be at least $99 plus tax, and won't be returning to Used Car Auto Sales in this life time....was making brownies topped with cookie dough to help my emotional scarring that occurred today. You will be happy to know Mr Wonderful called. He is repairing the car on his next day off....and hopefully, for the $21 plus tax cam shaft sensor.
Kristi's car is still in being repaired and I am still waiting for a call from Kia. Checkers checked to see if they had the elusive window regulator and they do not. Auto Zone does not have it, either. It is currently being manufactured in some plant in Korea...or shipped express mail on some plane. One can hope, anyway. My next car will not be a Kia unless they start manufacturing cars here some place in the US like the other supposedly foreign cars do....Live and learn.
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