ash_blackwell (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ash_blackwell) wrote2006-04-26 11:53 pm
ash_blackwell) wrote2006-04-26 11:53 pm
(no subject)
This has /not/ been a good week so far. I needed a jump to get back to this side of town from St. Mary's hospital on Monday. Well, the battery's almost 4 years old. Out here in the land of the baking sun, that's all but ancient. It was under warranty still, so I went straight to Checkers Auto Parts where the previous owner had bought the last one at just after selling the car to me. The employee came out with their little electronic test box and said that no, the battery was fine. It's the alternator. It's overvolting. I happened to glance at the screen when she told me that. It read 14.6 volts. I know next thing to nothing about car electrical systems, so I took her at her word. I asked if the car would be okay through Friday since- those of you who are reading this would know what a large amount of gaming stuff I picked up /last/ week- I was only 3 days from payday and I didn't think the $140 I had left in the account was enough to get the alternator fixed. She assured me, yes, the battery was fine. Just get the alternator replaced soon, before the alternator fries the battery.
I got home and went to take a nap for work. A few hours later I go to try to start the car. Nada. I end up having to call out from work. There's 10 hours of pay, gone. I managed to get a hold of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
great_cthulhu and made arrangements for him to give me a jump in the morning before he went to work. Still Nada. The van didn't want to even /try/ to turn over.
After trying for 1/2 a hour I gave up and called my mechanic and got a tow..... A few hours later (he was busy) I got told:
The battery has a dead cell.
That's why it wouldn't even jump. The battery was interfering with the attempt. Not only that, but when I mentioned the alternator and the "overvolting" he said that volt reading was normal. Nothing is wrong with the alternator. Total bill: 139.56 (After he cut me a deal on the tow).
I took that battery right back to Checkers and informed the manager of what happened. After a little running around to get the paperwork proving I missed work, he's started to write up a claim for corporate to review.... It might take a bit, but hopefully I'll get my $225 I lost on this mess back (lost wages, the tow, full price on a battery that I had come to claim the warranty on the day before). Thankfully he had been there the day before and saw me, so I /didn't/ have to insist he review his tapes to prove I had been there. But still, very aggravating. Then my higher ranking boss fussed over me missing work when I came in the next night... He was getting to the point I really wanted to deck him.
I'm really getting to the point where I don't need anything else stressing me out this week. Life has just been too high strung of late.
I got home and went to take a nap for work. A few hours later I go to try to start the car. Nada. I end up having to call out from work. There's 10 hours of pay, gone. I managed to get a hold of
great_cthulhu and made arrangements for him to give me a jump in the morning before he went to work. Still Nada. The van didn't want to even /try/ to turn over.After trying for 1/2 a hour I gave up and called my mechanic and got a tow..... A few hours later (he was busy) I got told:
The battery has a dead cell.
That's why it wouldn't even jump. The battery was interfering with the attempt. Not only that, but when I mentioned the alternator and the "overvolting" he said that volt reading was normal. Nothing is wrong with the alternator. Total bill: 139.56 (After he cut me a deal on the tow).
I took that battery right back to Checkers and informed the manager of what happened. After a little running around to get the paperwork proving I missed work, he's started to write up a claim for corporate to review.... It might take a bit, but hopefully I'll get my $225 I lost on this mess back (lost wages, the tow, full price on a battery that I had come to claim the warranty on the day before). Thankfully he had been there the day before and saw me, so I /didn't/ have to insist he review his tapes to prove I had been there. But still, very aggravating. Then my higher ranking boss fussed over me missing work when I came in the next night... He was getting to the point I really wanted to deck him.
I'm really getting to the point where I don't need anything else stressing me out this week. Life has just been too high strung of late.