Curses
Hello, my name is Amber and I drive a seafoam green minivan. When I was younger and shopping around for a new vehicle to replace my rusting ancient learning model my parents tried to help me out. My dad even had the gall to suggest that I find a nice minivan, they were pretty reliable you know. I recoiled in appalled disgust that he would even think to suggest a minivan. The horror! No self-respecting twenty-year-old would drive such a mom contraption. I bet my dad still chuckles to himself every now and again when we pull into his driveway.
I have now come to terms with my vehicle. Who can argue with a V6, seating for a slew of passengers, the best blast of AC around, and a sound system that ROCKS? The seafoam green is a small price to pay. The minivan was a smart vehicular purchase, which is why I try to take good care of its maintenance. That and my mechanic father would have a hernia if he found out that I didn’t check my fluids on a regular basis.
Yesterday, I went to get the oil changed during my lunch break. As usual, the lube squad tried to sell me on all sorts of flushes and even a new air filter. Out of curiosity I asked them how much a new air filter would cost. “$17.95, ma’ame .”
Umm…no thank you. Surely it couldn’t cost that much. I’ve bought filters before and never were they more than ten dollars. So, on my way back to work I stopped at a parts store and asked for an air filter. I thought for sure that I was being resourceful by cutting out the middle man. The guy at the counter smiled and briskly walked back to find the correct make and size.
“That will be nineteen dollars and sixty-two cents, please.”
My jaw dropped. The irony hurts doesn’t it?
Editor's note:
Ahh, dear commenters...
But I do know how to change my own oil! (and how to rotate the tires and so on) I have for years and I would continue to do so if it weren't for the fact that the oil filter is a beeyotch to get at. I'd rather just cough up the $25 for someone else to do it than risk a 9/18" wrench being flung through the windshield in frustration. I like to think of it as paying for vehicular nirvana.
I have now come to terms with my vehicle. Who can argue with a V6, seating for a slew of passengers, the best blast of AC around, and a sound system that ROCKS? The seafoam green is a small price to pay. The minivan was a smart vehicular purchase, which is why I try to take good care of its maintenance. That and my mechanic father would have a hernia if he found out that I didn’t check my fluids on a regular basis.
Yesterday, I went to get the oil changed during my lunch break. As usual, the lube squad tried to sell me on all sorts of flushes and even a new air filter. Out of curiosity I asked them how much a new air filter would cost. “$17.95, ma’ame .”
Umm…no thank you. Surely it couldn’t cost that much. I’ve bought filters before and never were they more than ten dollars. So, on my way back to work I stopped at a parts store and asked for an air filter. I thought for sure that I was being resourceful by cutting out the middle man. The guy at the counter smiled and briskly walked back to find the correct make and size.
“That will be nineteen dollars and sixty-two cents, please.”
My jaw dropped. The irony hurts doesn’t it?
Editor's note:
Ahh, dear commenters...
But I do know how to change my own oil! (and how to rotate the tires and so on) I have for years and I would continue to do so if it weren't for the fact that the oil filter is a beeyotch to get at. I'd rather just cough up the $25 for someone else to do it than risk a 9/18" wrench being flung through the windshield in frustration. I like to think of it as paying for vehicular nirvana.
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P.S. I bet you rock the minivan scene!