Friday, November 4, 2011

G-d's Mysterious Ways

Last night and this morning, Jerusalem received its first real rainfall.  This is good news for Israel.

Less good news for me:  I got into the car this morning to take Raphaela to Gan, and noticed a small lake on the floor of the seat beside the driver.  That most distinctly is not meant to happen, and I don't need to be a car mechanic to understand this fact.

I drove Raphaela to Gan, and then immediately took the car to the Renault garage.  They told me that it sounded like a "quick fix," and that I would have the car before Shabbat.

They called  several hours later, to inform me that it was a "good thing" that the flooding forced me to take the car for examination, because they tested for its Winter driving capabilities;  they found that the tires were too worn down and that the break pads needed replacing as well.

A quick fix just became a shitload of money.  But if the drainage system had not malfunctioned, Raphaela and I might have been in involved a [G-d Forbid] terrible accident instead.

So I am thankful to go into Shabbat healthy and whole, both of us.

(My bank account will feel less thankful on Sunday morning, when I pick up the car.)

4 comments:

tesyaa said...

Replacing tires and brake pads are standard, predictable maintenance.

Commenter Abbi said...

Agreed, you should be bringing in your car for regular tipul at least once a year, if not twice. Don't wait for a leak in your car to bring it in.

Doc said...

I bring the car in once a year, in February, even though I don't drive it much in terms of commuting.
This flooding was a fluke of sorts.

This morning I went to the garage to pick the car up, paid about $1000 (out of my savings, this has been a slow month), and was told I needed to bring the car back on Wednesday, for electrical works.

Does it never end? I swear, if I had the money I owuld buy a new car today, rather than investing in a 12 year old vehicle.

Commenter Abbi said...

OMG, please stop taking your car to the Renault garage. There's your problem right there. Brand name garages always charge you more, for no reason. 4000 shekel for changing brake pads and fixing a drainage problem sounds a bit high. I have a 14 year old Mitsubishi and the only things I've paid that amount for was replacing the radiator once and overhauling the engine head. I just had my break pads replaced and paid 828 shekel, including an oil change, winter tipul and fixing the parking brake.

Ask around for a reliable non brand name garage and a reliable tire guy. I used to have my tires taken care of the punchar macher in Oranim (the gas station at the bottom Baka, beginning of Pierre Koenig) and I used to take my car to this guy Eitan, in Givat Shaul. Very honest guy and I think he did a good professional job on it. I can dig up his number if you want it.