The Adventures of Andrew Maurer

Most car owners have encountered a car mechanic during some part of their car-driving life. Early in January was my chance to test how accurate the stereotype of a car mechanic really was. As I drove home from school on a cold January afternoon, I felt the steering wheel begin to tremor. This was slightly more violent than the typical puttering of my ’94 Dodge Colt. I continued to drive along the highway and noticed that the steering was getting loose – it took a fair deal of force on the steering wheel to turn the car. I decided that I was close enough to make it home and arrived home five minutes from when I first noticed the tremoring. I called up my local mechanic – Bud, who works out of his garage a block down the road from me, seeking his professional advice. He told me that he’d quickly look at the car to tell me what was wrong. Immediately, after feeling the metal of the wheel – he told me that my callipers had probably failed, thereby allowing the brake pads to close on just the front left wheel. Bud let me know that a new calliper was going to cost about $60 and if worst came to worst the drum would have to be replaced for a total of about $90. We agreed that he should take a look at the car and would let me know what my options were. I got my car back the next day fixed and functioning, he told me that I would receive an invoice shortly with the total cost. Never did he tell me my options as we had discussed. I decided that I would not drive the car until I received the invoice.

I waited nearly two months without driving the car until the invoice finally arrived, the total – a staggering four hundred dollars. There was a $200 charge for 2 callipers, a $100 charge for labour, and $100 in extra charges including an oil change and new spark plugs. I looked at the bill in shock. This was rediculous. I called up Bud and as I expected, he said that the work was done and asked me what I thought should be done. He told me that he’d drop the labour charge – but the bill would still be $300. There is also the possibility of giving him the car as payment, but that would mean I would have to give up driving until the end of school.

Indeed, I am in quite the predicament. I look forward to resolving the issue, but every potential outcome looks to be weighed against me. This is truly a test of the ‘real world’.