My First Car

My first car was a 1983 blue Toyota Corolla. Well, it was blue and rust. My friends called it the Toyota Corroded. It was my first car so no matter how bad, it was great.
I didn't buy it. My brother gave it to me when he got his first full time job and bought his first new car. He had purchased it second hand. I think I was the fourth driver.

He gave me the Corroded with one condition.

The condition was, when I sell it, I give him the money. No problem, I said. And a fair deal if I ever heard one.

I drove the car for close to two two years. It got me to school, work and to play. In the first month I was nervous driving five-speed so I wouldn't take it on the highway. After a while, becoming more confident, highway or road way, I didn't care where it stalled.

It had an AM-FM radio but no cassette deck. It burned oil. Once a week I would fill up with gasoline. Once a month, I would have to fill up with oil.
Coolant also seemed to go fast, it too was either burning up or leaking out.

One day I was on my way to the downtown campus of Concordia University when my hood flew open. I invested in a some cord so it wouldn't happen again.

Had to scour the internet for a picture 1983 Toyota Corolla

The car had intermittent windshield wipers. What I mean is, that they worked, but only sometimes. When the windows became dirty I would have to drive through a puddle and hope the splash would clean off the grime. I was forever tailgating people praying the spray from the tires would do the same.

When it got too cold out the heater did not work. Worked like a charm during the summer.

One door wouldn't close so I had to invest in a second cord to tie it shut. I knew it was time to get rid of it when I was ticketed twice within a week for that door not closing.

When I finally saved up enough money for a down payment on a new car, the dealer would not take the Corroded as a trade-in. "Take it off the road", I was told, "it's was too dangerous". Was it because the handbrake was not connected?

So, I made a deal with a scrapyard. They agreed to tow it away and pay me $50.

When the scrap guy showed up he refused to take it. It wasn't worth the $50. A scrapyard did not want my car. It was not worthy of their level of scrap. I had to convince him to take it for free. It was my first car. It was awesome.

Short Drive to the Garage

I was punished and didn't even know why. I brought my car to the garage for servicing and to install my winter tires. Unfortunately, my car was serviced by a short mechanic. I do not have anything against short people. At 5'9, to some, I am short.

Truth be told, I never saw the mechanic. But I know he was short. How? My car seat was pulled up all the way to the front, so that his - or her - little feet would reach the pedals.

So, I pulled my car into the garage...

I nearly brained myself when I got into the car. I did smash my knees against the steering wheel which was lowered by the same mechanic. Some sort of karma corporal punishment I suppose.

So, against short people, I have nothing to say. But please put my seat back to where it was.

While waiting in line to pay - and before I nearly brained myself - I heard a quack quack sound. I looked around, as did a couple other confused people, but saw nothing.

A minute or so later, the same quack quack sound. This time repeating for several seconds longer. I turned to see an old man shuffling past, stopping and pulling out his phone.
His ringer is ducks quacking! And not the Daffy or Donald variety but real ducks... quack quack, quack quack.

When Good Mechanics Go Bad

I love the Mile End neighbourhood in Montreal. I have been hanging out in "the hood" for over twenty years. My friends live(d) here, I lived nearby in Little Italy. I frequented the coffee shops, restaurants, parties, celebrations and boxing club.

Mile End, Montreal

Mile End has changed quite a bit since I started hanging around in the area. Rents haven't been cheap for 15-20 years, but the price of a condo or house has sky rocketed in the last ten years. Poor artists, students and unemployed bohemians have been replaced in part by the employed and the hipsters. Business vacancies have become the exception rather than the rule. And cars now fill up the streets.

For the last fifteen years I would fill up my car at the Ultramar service station at the corner of St. Laurent and Bernard. It is a full service gas station with a team of mechanics. The pump attendants were always friendly and courteous.

Even with the increase in the number of vehicles, the station lost much business to the new mega Petro Canada gas station and quick stop. Always one to support the mom and pop shop over the mega-brand, I was happy to go to this Ultramar station to fill up.

I never used the garage but had only heard positive comments. Well, live and learn.

Cafe Olimpico "ODN", Mile End

On my recommendation my girlfriend took her car to the this formerly trusted garage. Georges looked at the car and quoted her over $500, plus labour to replace the gas pump. Excuse me? A new pump is $250 at most, a rebuilt or used pump is $60.
So good old Georgie-Porgie yelled at my girlfriend, insulted her, and hung up on me when I called to find out what happened.

Old Georges has had the garage for 30 years. He told me he does not care what I tell people. So Georges, here I am calling your bluff. If 500 people read this story, if I tell another 50 people, and if four people stop filling up at your pump, and one person stops getting their car tuned at your station, I will be satisfied.

Georges, you fucked up and I will tell everyone. The coffee shop is a good starting point. I will let everyone at Olimpico know, and spread the word.

I thought of different ways of dealing with this.
Go pay Georges a visit. Not worth it.
File a complaint with Ultramar. Not worth the time.
BBB? Association of mechanics? CAA? All take time and has to be done in writing.
I could go to the station, use the bathroom and take a dump on their floor... hmm...

I hate bullies. I break bullies. The guy lied, he overcharged, he bullied, he was rude and to make matters worse, he may be crazy. So, as a consumer you say let's call it a day, I'll pay the 80 bucks for the hour he claimed to have looked at the car and walk away.

I will continue to service my car at the Canadian Tire on St. Laurent in Little Italy. I have always received excellent mechanical service there. And for fill-ups, either Canadian Tire or Petro Canada.

In the end the the car was towed to a different garage. The new mechanic is charging $45 to fix the car. A fraction of the $500 Georges wanted to charge.  And I rest my case.

So, if four people I tell stop using the gas pump, that's $200 in lost revenue every 7-10 days. And $7000-$10,000 per year. At the very least the $1600 I spend on gas in a year will be spent elsewhere. Just because Georges was an asshole.