She canna run, Cap'n...

So, I dropped off my truck late last night, and left a long, detailed message on the shop's answering machine. I told them I had this exact same problem fixed by them not long ago, and left specific symptoms of the problem, including the fact that it would run fine while it was cold out, but not during the heat of the day. I asked them to call when they got in if they had any questions. The previous day the woman at the desk mentioned that the head mechanic was taking off for the weekend, so they only had until about noon to get it fixed. I mentioned in that message that I thought it would be a quick fix, that I needed the truck, and could they please call me and let me know if it was still do-able.

They opened at 8:30, and I did not hear from them, so I called at 9 to see what was up. They hadn't gotten the message (apparently Woman At Desk didn't check them yet), but she said the mechanic remembered the truck and the problem from before, and they would work on it and let me know. She said they could probably still have it for me that day. I spent some time working remotely, and spent some time with my kids. The kids were very understanding about the whole thing, and even though they were disappointed, we had a great morning sharing a meal, working (they picked up their rooms while I worked) and playing Quorridor and Gobblet.

I still hadn't heard from them by 11, and started to worry, so I called again. I spoke again with WAD, who said they had been running the engine for two hours and were not seeing what I described. I nearly screamed, I was so mad. I tried to reign in the anger, and spoke very succinctly that I had described a problem which only occurred in the heat of day, not in the morning when it was cooler, and therefore they would *not* see it by running it. She said they could not fix what they didn't see, and I asked (trying not to lose my temper, and I think I mostly succeeded) if they didn't have a simple diagnostic they could run to test the ignition module. She said they could only fix it if they saw it fail. Which in my mind means, 'drive it until you are stranded somewhere, and then pay $100 to have it towed here, and we will test it in the morning and call you again to tell you we can't figure out what's wrong with it.' Argh. I asked them if they could give me a ride from my house to the shop so I could pick it up and at least have it for the weekend to grocery shop (early in the morning) and so forth, but they couldn't spare anyone.

They called again--after 12 noon--to say that they were seeing what I was describing. I asked if they were going to have time to run some tests and actually get it fixed, and they of course responded with what I already knew--the mechanic was leaving for the day, and they weren't going to be able to fix it. My plans for camping now ruined, I was trying just to get the vehicle back to my house. The ex was kind enough to loan me the van for a few days so I could at least get around. Late tonight Helene is going to give me a ride to go get the truck and bring it home. Argh again.