A Brand New Day - And a Good One

Oh, the title is just a hat tip to Al Kooper, (and if you don't know who he is, you should, we're talking Blues Project, the Original Blood Sweat and Tears, so click on his name and see what you have either missed, or enjoyed without knowing he was behind it)

Had the day off today due to scheduled doctor, dentist, and therapist appointments in the morning and an appointment for scheduled maintenance on the “new” buggy. [Yes, I will post a picture when I have the time and the weather cooperates. Stop asking!]

The three morning appointments were much needed for my physical and mental health and well-being, but it was the afternoon appointment that really threw me off.

This is the first vehicle I have owned alone, the first time I have had any maintenance done at a dealership and I was prepared for the worst.

OK, so I got out my trusty road atlas to find the fastest, most direct way possible. Did a “mapquest” search by the address in the phone directory and plotted my course. Gave myself what I thought would be enough time in the event of a snag in the directions and off I went. Winding my way over back roads and feeling very proud of myself as I listened to a CD and thinking I would be there in plenty of time. (Ahem!)

When I arrived at the address the dealership name was right where it ought to be according to mapquest, but the building and parking lot were empty. There is grass growing through cracks in the pavement. Not a sign of life anywhere, so I parked and went up to the door.

They moved! It wasn’t far away but the notice was worn and rain erased most of the print giving the exact location. All I could decipher was “two miles north” --- and so I drove off in that general direction only to find myself, well, lost.

By this time I was late for my scheduled appointment so I pull off the roadway and, having been aware enough to remember to bring along their phone number, I called…by now I am not a happy camper and I am late…which makes me very annoyed. I hold it in check as the person who did the scheduling answers the call. She’s very sorry about the mix up and there is no problem about being late. Turns out I was less than a mile from the new location and I arrive in just a few minutes.

As an aside, there was a cement truck bearing down on me to the point that I thought this scheduled appt. would be unnecessary. But he finally passed me on the left and blasted his horn repeatedly as he did so. Guess he had someplace to be in a hurry.

As I pull up to the service doors they open for me and I drive right in. (I am ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille) I gather up all relevant papers and enter the service department. She (Janet) looks up and says I bet I know who you are – you’re my 1:30 appt. and I am so sorry that you had to drive all over the county to get here.

I say nothing but give her the scheduled maintenance booklet so they can check off what they do and put their stamp on it. I am very skeptical.

People are friendly. They ask if I need anything. I am on guard. Not used to this kind of treatment. And NEVER from an auto dealer. Jeez!

She enters info to generate the paperwork for the 5,000-mile maintenance, shows me to the “owners” lounge, and disappears.

In the lounge area there are 7 or 8 other Toyota owners watching TV (Fox New is on and one person is watching, which does my heart good) or reading as their buggies are being serviced. None of us know one another, but there is chatter going on that after about 5 minutes I am as involved in as all the others. They love their cars. They love this dealership. They love the maintenance staff – even know some by name.

This is amazing to me. I am so effing naïve!!!

In a little over an hour the car is ready and I was at the cashier’s corner paying up. Well, it turns out that all the work done cost less than if I had taken the car to a place like Jiffy Lube.

Yes, it’s a bit of a drive, but well worth it to do business with friendly folks who get to know you and your car and its history.

Hey! Could Spielberg make this up?

All in all, a very good day.

And now it’s martini time. Prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised…Cheers!

More later.

*