In a Jiff

Amazingly, I had almost forgotten about my trip to Jiffy Lube until I re-read my last post just now. Haha, and what a trip it was.

It only took me 6 months to get there even though I promised The Jeep and myself before we departed that I would take it for service promptly upon our arrival in CA. Can I help it that there isn't a particularly "LOCAL" Jiffy Lube?

Well, anyway. OF COURSE, my "CHECK GAUGES" light came on over the weekend while Heather was here. So then I REALLY promised The Jeep I'd take it first thing Monday morning; after we dropped Heather off at the airport and between my interviews.

Bolstered with a pep talk from Nicholas, I had promised myself I WOULD NOT be convinced I needed ANYTHING more than the BASIC oil change. I am NOT a very good promise-keeper.

I foolishly felt a little victory when they opened the air filter and found it practically new. No, I do not need your Jiffy air filter. HA-HA. But then Dave (Why is the guy always "Dave", maybe they just embroider a bunch of shirts with the same few names and if you're not "Serge" you're "Dave"???) said, "Ma'am, (KILL.ME.NOW.) see this (pointing, clipboard in hand) Serpentine Belt? It holds your WHOLE MOTOR together- it's gonna go at any moment. See how dull it is? And all these cracks?" It did look dull. It was pretty cracked. But did it REALLY need to be replaced? Aw, crap.

SO after approximately 4 phone calls to ANYONE with even mediocre Automotive/Mechanical knowledge, including Neal the cook at the cafe who I barely know, I gave Dave the go-ahead.

He told me to have a seat inside and it would be about 35 minutes. (Apparently 35 minutes = Jiffy) After about 35 minutes he found me inside to tell me that while they searched high and low they didn't have the belt I needed on-hand. They could run over to their other shop, in a Jiff, and get one if I wanted to wait. Why not? I was already having an anxiety attack over it, I didn't want to work myself up like that a second time nor risk having the belt "go at any moment" on the 405. It's too bad that Jiffy Lube doesn't have a "30 minutes or less" policy.

So The Jeep's been serviced. In addition, Neal's since given the rest of it the once-over and an "everything looks pretty good" and me the name of a local reputable garage and mechanic here in SB, Ralph @ 16th Street Garage. My fingers are crossed that it's a while before I need to meet Ralph.

I'll keep you posted.