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FacebookDuring a baseball broadcast, I heard a promo specifically encouraging Dodger fans to vote. Yeah, that’s what American needs: Dodger fans determining how the country is run. Not every uneducated literate with a criminal record deserves a voice. It’s this sorta propaganda that pisses me off. I hate voting season.
I’m not completely helpless. The Girlfriend might think I am, but there are plenty of things I can do on my own–one of which is basic car maintenance. I took a year of auto shop in high school. I like working with tools. I wouldn’t call myself a man’s man–but I can perform rudimentary vehicle maintenance like replacing air filters, changing spark plugs, and jump-starting a battery.
One of the things I won’t do is change my own oil. Sure, I could do it–but it’s just too darn messy…especially when I can take my car somewhere and get the oil changed by a professional for 20 bucks. It seems like money well-spent.
I needed an oil change and opted to go to Jip-U-Lube. It’s right near work and I had a coupon for a $20 oil change. It was for the deluxe package that includes the 14-point inspection. Personally, I don’t need some schmuck telling me the air pressure is too low on my tires and my wiper blades need replacing (I’m not a soccer mom–I do that stuff myself).
I know it happens all the time and I’m probably making too big of a deal about it, but I hate those quick-stop oil change places. I’ve always felt like they try to rip you off. I saw an exposé piece on television about them a few years ago and it only confirmed my fears: the company motto is markups and suggestive sales. Being one who likes to avoid unnecessary confrontation, I like to combat those tactics by taking care of the obvious repairs myself before I go in for an oil change.
The week before I went to Jip-U-Lube, I changed the spark plugs, replaced the air filter, and made sure everything in my engine block was in tip-top shape. Once the car passed my own personal 14-point inspection, I felt comfortable that no one would be able to push unneeded services on me.
Despite all the precautions I took, the salesman–err, mechanic–told me that I needed a transmission flush that would cost $40 because I drove a Honda (apparently only Honda needs transmission flushes). “I also took a look at your air filter and it looks like it needs replacing,” he said to me.
Immediately, I grew furious. I wish I held my cool so I could hear what other lies he was going to tell me but I didn’t. Instead, I snapped. “That’s quite alright. I don’t want the transmission flush or anything else you’re trying to sell me: I know that air filter is new because I changed it myself last week.”
“That’s okay: I was only recommending for it to be replaced,” he said, trying to back away from his obviously erroneous suggestion.
“I don’t care about any of your recommendations: finish changing my oil and I want nothing else,” I said as I walked away from him.
Obviously I was livid. Yet another example of how corporations do everything in their power to rip-off the American consumer. That sorta fast-talking jibe probably works on simpletons and the ill-informed, but not on me, I hate when a salesman recommends a service, product, or accessory to me and will never buy anything anyone suggests unless I planned on doing it without their encouragement. This is why people are in debt. This is why we have no money. The corporations rip us off and people are too stupid to do anything about it.
I have the work order from Jip-U-Lube. It says “recommended air filter change.” What do I do with this information? Do I contact their business office? Do I report them to the better business bureau? Or do I just sit around at home and complain about it?