Car Follies
Back on December 15, I wrote about the Hellmobile's clock spring following in the wake of its CD player and going kaput, 443 miles outside of warranty. At that point I had already spoken with Service Department Manager Fellow (hereafter, “SDMF”), given him all the make/model details, contact information, etc. so that appropriate replacement parts could be ordered. SDMF was to call me when the parts arrived so I could drop off the Hellmobile; he warned me that it would be about a week anyway but delivery might be delayed because of the holidays. No problem, I understand.
I never heard back from SDMF before Christmas, so between Christmas and New Year I tried calling him to follow up, but never spoke to him or got a call back. After a day or two of this, I decided to let it wait until this week when everyone is back from the holiday break, schedules resume, etc. Then the fun really starts.
Tuesday, 8:15 AM: SDMF acts as if this is the first he’s heard of me and has no idea what parts I’m expecting him to have. I continue to prod him with dates, prices quoted, etc. when suddenly something I say causes the light bulb to go on and suddenly he remembers me and recalls our conversation. However, he can’t find me in the computer. He can find no record of these parts having been ordered, but is having difficulty with the computer and will call me back.
Tuesday, midnight: still no call back.
Today, 11:30AM: I call and SDMF isn’t there. I’m told no one else can help me; like Obi-Wan Kenobi, SDMF is my only hope.
Today, 1:30PM: I call back. SDMF tells me he’s sorry, they have no parts for my car and no idea why they were not ordered when we spoke over a fortnight ago. He assures me that he remembers that I wanted to proceed with the repair; his second-in-command also recalls the discussion vividly because there are both 5 and 6-disc CD changers available for my car and they made a point of checking which one I needed (6 - I only wish it went to 11). He apologizes, can’t imagine what went wrong but will order my stuff. I’m back to square one and frustrated - why is nothing for me ever simple?
Today, 2:10PM: SDMF calls me back and tells me they have the parts for my car. They’ve had them since before Christmas, sitting right there at the dealership. What was the problem, you ask?
Well, I kept calling saying I was Helly Bowman and I needed these car parts. Only the VIN for this particular car is already in the Chrysler database as belonging to Helly Braxton-Hayes because Helly Braxton-Hayes bought the car, ‘way back in 2004 before she got married or even went on a first date with Mr. Bowman. All this time, the parts have been sitting there waiting on Helly Braxton-Hayes’s car.
AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Still, it begs the question why SDMF never called Helly Braxton-Hayes to tell her the parts for her car were in, which I know he didn’t because she and I have the same phone numbers.
Double-AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Back on December 15, I wrote about the Hellmobile's clock spring following in the wake of its CD player and going kaput, 443 miles outside of warranty. At that point I had already spoken with Service Department Manager Fellow (hereafter, “SDMF”), given him all the make/model details, contact information, etc. so that appropriate replacement parts could be ordered. SDMF was to call me when the parts arrived so I could drop off the Hellmobile; he warned me that it would be about a week anyway but delivery might be delayed because of the holidays. No problem, I understand.
I never heard back from SDMF before Christmas, so between Christmas and New Year I tried calling him to follow up, but never spoke to him or got a call back. After a day or two of this, I decided to let it wait until this week when everyone is back from the holiday break, schedules resume, etc. Then the fun really starts.
Tuesday, 8:15 AM: SDMF acts as if this is the first he’s heard of me and has no idea what parts I’m expecting him to have. I continue to prod him with dates, prices quoted, etc. when suddenly something I say causes the light bulb to go on and suddenly he remembers me and recalls our conversation. However, he can’t find me in the computer. He can find no record of these parts having been ordered, but is having difficulty with the computer and will call me back.
Tuesday, midnight: still no call back.
Today, 11:30AM: I call and SDMF isn’t there. I’m told no one else can help me; like Obi-Wan Kenobi, SDMF is my only hope.
Today, 1:30PM: I call back. SDMF tells me he’s sorry, they have no parts for my car and no idea why they were not ordered when we spoke over a fortnight ago. He assures me that he remembers that I wanted to proceed with the repair; his second-in-command also recalls the discussion vividly because there are both 5 and 6-disc CD changers available for my car and they made a point of checking which one I needed (6 - I only wish it went to 11). He apologizes, can’t imagine what went wrong but will order my stuff. I’m back to square one and frustrated - why is nothing for me ever simple?
Today, 2:10PM: SDMF calls me back and tells me they have the parts for my car. They’ve had them since before Christmas, sitting right there at the dealership. What was the problem, you ask?
Well, I kept calling saying I was Helly Bowman and I needed these car parts. Only the VIN for this particular car is already in the Chrysler database as belonging to Helly Braxton-Hayes because Helly Braxton-Hayes bought the car, ‘way back in 2004 before she got married or even went on a first date with Mr. Bowman. All this time, the parts have been sitting there waiting on Helly Braxton-Hayes’s car.
AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Still, it begs the question why SDMF never called Helly Braxton-Hayes to tell her the parts for her car were in, which I know he didn’t because she and I have the same phone numbers.
Double-AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
2 Comments:
And honestly, how many of us have ever met more than one Helly? Not one person could remember getting the parts in for someone named Helly?
The good news!? The parts are in! :)
By
Anonymous, at 2:31 AM
Yes, I know! Particularly since this is a relatively small dealership in my even-smaller POS hometown; it's not a big Atlanta dealer with 15 people manning the phones in the service department.
By
Helly, at 1:49 PM
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