Drive-by

[digitaldiscipline]

Finally got my taxes filed. Took 3 hours for federal approval, state is still pending. That's a couple hundred bucks that will be very nice to have, because. . .

I just got off the phone with the Audi dealership. When I picked my car up 3 weeks ago, it had been almost-fixed (the important, bad-breaky things were addressed, small new annoying things had happened, other annoying issues have been intentionally left fallow), but due to some confusion on their part as to how much I would be responsible for, and how much my shitty warranty covers, they sent me on my way without charging me anything. I called to follow up today. . . the discrepancy between what the warranty people are trying to get away with paying and the total balance is something like FIFTEEN HUNDRED dollars (and the warranty fucks are trying to weasel in something about a $100 "deductible" from their coverage. Last time I checked, power seats and door locks were covered by my policy, kids - I know that some of the suspension parts will be out of my pocket, but that's the extent of it. Winning brownie points, the lady at the dealership let me know that they're trying to lean on the warranty fucks to cough up for everything they ought to.

However, this leaves me in limbo, since I still have the small, annoying issues.

And, just because things were starting to go too well on the automotive front, a fairly large part of my car fell off yesterday (the plastic pan underneath the engine bay), presumably because it was not put back on correctly by the 5-Minute Oil Change place I used Wednesday. They have been called and advised of this. . . "You drive a Cavalier, sir?" "No, a 1996 Audi." "Oh." I could -hear- the manager's voice drop as he saw the replacement cost go from $35 to $200. "I'll need to call my supervisor, do you have a number we can reach you at?"

I wish I had twenty grand to put towards a 350Z, in pewter. At least I have a coupon for half a percent off of my next car loan, through my credit union, though I'd prefer not to have a car payment at this point in the game.

On a more upbeat note, K & I found the perfect card for ladysoleil's wedding. Muahahahaha. And everyone who shows up in Vegas that we know and like is getting Mardi Gras beads. Displays of flesh may be negotiated, preferably during and after the assassination of many Jedis.

Comments

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

Between your stories and the stories some coworkers were telling me last week (including one regarding temporary loss of braking on wet roads, which appears to be a rare but widespread problem and hasn't been recalled), I don't think I'll ever get an Audi. Eesh. ={

[etcet.livejournal.com]

i love my car, it's stylish, performs well, and, until recently, hadn't needed anything more dramatic than new tires and scheduled maintenance. but louisiana has not been kind to my car - the sunroof, whatever shattered my windshield, and the blazing incompetence of the only dealership in town. . . it's maddening.

i do, however, have the name and address of the VP of Customer Service for Audi USA, and he's going to be kept apprised of matters. Really, the real shitheads here are the warranty people for not paying for what the warranty says they should pay for, and the general incompetence of the audi technician. K suggested that it's some kind of passive-aggressive backlash because of my bumper stickers, which are sharpy at odds with traditional christian/baptist tenets ("the devil is cute," "satan works for ME now," and "follow me to certain death"). if that's actually the case, i'm going to get a row of pikes and start collecting heads.