IkeRay

Just venting...

Went in with the wife's daily driver, a 1997 Dodge neon (piece of shit), and it had already failed once due to the fact that the EGR valve had a gaping hole in the top of it. I replaced the EGR valve and all that jazz, and took it in for re-inspection. they told me it failed because my check engine light didn't come on when the car is turned on, but not started...

so, the people working there, one started 3 weeks ago and the other started this previous friday, no overhead boss, just these 2 people, at a place called Mr. Sticker. The one that started 3 weeks ago, assuming she would be considered the "boss" is only working inside, the guy who had only been working there for 5 days now is running the tests by himself.

So I explained to him WHY the check engine light doesn't come on, I removed the bulb because I was tired of looking at it, the only code it throws is "End of Codes", I'm 100% serious, its annoying. I told him I reset it, but whenever the battery is unplugged, this code comes back, so I removed the bulb since I was tired of it. He goes on to say, "I don't know nothing 'bout cars, I just type in stuff on the computer and let it go, if it's just a bulb, it shouldn't have come up, I don't think." I tell the guy, "give me 5 min, I can do it here in the parking lot if you want, you can watch me, all I need to do is put the bulb back in." he tells me that I can't get another re-inspection because "the computer won't let me."

So, I'm pretty pissed, this punk kid, probably just got out of high school, is sitting here telling me he doesn't know how to run tests, he only knows how to type up the computer. I go inside and plead my case to the woman working there, the "boss" and she immediately opens the window to the bay and calls the guy over. good, she'll tell him how to do it manually and I can be done. "He says its just the bulb, and that he has it, can we run the test again?" run it again? come on, is that all you people can do is turn on a computer? He explains to her that the computer won't let a car on there more than once a day....blah blah blah...

I tore out of the garage in a hurry and in the rush forgot my daughter's sippy cup she had left inside. I'm just going to call up there some time later today, or tomorrow, and get a hold of some kind of owner or manager type person. I really don't feel like forking out another $50 to have them test a light bulb, that will make this a $200 inspection that I could've gotten a phony sticker to start with for $75...

sorry all, just ranting, needed to vent, I am livid about the whole thing.