Based on advice from the service manager, the bunny needed to go. I looked around a little, I wanted something new, something with a warranty. I was working for a small family owned development company that treated me like family, stingy family. The money was always there, but not a lot of it. On the way to the weekly staff meeting I stopped by an American Motors Jeep Dealership. Renault had bought an interest in American Motors, trying to figure out how to rescue American Motors, and trying to get a solid foot in the US market. That idea was abandoned after a few years, and Nissan partnered with Renault, I think the interest was finally bought out in one of the Chrysler reorganizations.
It was amazingly fun to drive. I drove it to New Orleans to the World's Fair. About 18 months later, after the warranty has expired, the brake failure warning light came on. I had the brakes replaced, and it started leaking brake fluid. Two different shops worked on the brakes, and no one could find the problem, I was adding brake fluid every couple of days. The mechanics hated the car, the service manager at the dealer I had bought it from begged me to not bring it back again.
It had some quirks, Renault had stuffed a larger engine in it for the US market, you couldn't change the rear spark plug without removing the engine, or cutting a hole through the back of the glove box. Most of the markings were in French, it blew a fuse, and was using a French/English dictionary to decipher what I needed to do to fix it.
Still I was young, it was a fun car. I really enjoyed it. When I traded it I made a car salesman cry. I will explain that someday. Not the last time.
Oh the bow, I bought a couple of days before Christmas.
We have a Peugeot and a Citroën. They, along with Renault, are the cars that every mechanic here knows how to work on. The Peugeot is 20 years old now and still running fine. Diesel engines, both.
ReplyDeleteI needed your mechanics, I have rented Citroen a couple of times, they were fun cars.
DeleteEven allowing for the decades, you seem to specialise in really ugly cars, enhanced with a bow notwithstanding.
ReplyDeleteI never really paid much attention to what a car looked like.
DeleteI have never had a mechanic beg me NOT to bring my car back.
ReplyDeleteThat must'a hurt.
Frustrated, angry, pissed off, a typical day for me in my mid 20's.
DeleteI had a friend who had one and had similar problems.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest challenge was finding someone who wanted to work on it, I replaced it with a Toyota,
Delete"company that treated me like family, stingy family" -- hahahaha, good turn of phrase! Always beware any group or employer who promise to treat you "like family." It means you'll be royally screwed. That's what I've found in life anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe real surprise was when they sold the company, cashing out for several million, and most of the staff was not welcomed by the new owners. I landed in one of the best paid jobs I ever had. Still I was shocked at how poorly people who had been there for years were treated.
Deletehohoho
ReplyDeleteAll I got was underwear.
I was a good little boy. I didn't want a pony.
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