today's utterly random statement

[geekchick]

Today is Sweetmorn, day 2 in the season of Bureaucracy, 3270.

I am completely and utterly charmed by the idea of a stuffed camel that sings in Arabic.  Want.

[Edit: Speaking of adorable plushies that I must have: Gilly! We wants it, we does.]

(I need a good mechanic, BTW; preferably someone who will do exactly what I ask them and not tack on other random crap. I got quoted $720 this morning to replace the alternator and a couple of belts on my Protege.  Why on earth you want to muck with anything having to do with the power steering when I just asked you SPECIFICALLY to replace the alternator and nothing else, I don't know. Now I'm down to a mere $500 after telling them "um, no, and I'm coming to pick up my car", and I'll pay it just to not have to deal with going to get my car and finding someplace else and going through all this crap again.)

Comments

[winterbadger]

I can heartily recomend the garage at the Nutley Street Exxon. These guys have been operating there for decades and do good work. I was annoyed with them about amonth ago when they wouldn't look at my car when I brought it to them, but they were pretty sure it was an alignment problem and they don't have the gear to deal with that, I guess. Anyway, they sorted out my battery problem really fast the other day, and they gave me some free advice about upcoming maintenance issues. And they've done a good job of diagnosing and fixing problems in the past (though communicating advanced automotive concepts to me when I don't speak Thai is a little challenging sometimes). So I'd say give them a try next time you need something done. Plus I see they've only had one complaint filed with the county against them in the last two years, whereas some have had as many as 7 compaints. Craven isn't listed with the county, but they do have an unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau (NSE are listed with the BBB, which atl east means no one's ever complained there of them.)

Nutley Street Exxon
9130 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031
(703) 573-3555

[geekchick]

Craven isn't listed with the county, but they do have an unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau

I just looked that one up, and the branch I went to has a satisfactory record.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Curious... C rebuilds Toyotas as a hobby. Wouldn't he be capable of replacing an alternator on a Mazda?

[geekchick]

Yes, he's capable of it, that's not the issue; in fact, he did it last time I had to replace an alternator a couple of years ago. It's not that he can't, it's that it's a huge PITA, and was enough of a hassle that he'd rather not do it again. Apparently it's much more of a PITA to replace the alternator in my Protege than it is to replace the alternator in the MR2.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Wanna go see Weeping Camel with me? :)

[geekchick]

Yes! =) I wanted to see it, but it appears to have come and gone from the area already.