for god sakes, just stay current on your oil changes.

Enter into the world of seeing customer's cars. The joy of seeing how crappy one person can treat a car. Oil changes? Who needs 'em?!? Right now at work I am the scrub that mainly just does oil changes. It's ok with me, but you definitely get a glimpse of some interesting stuff when you hop into the driver's seat of a stranger's car. I hadn't really thought about the variations between how people treat their cars until this week. And what I saw was nothing....just the tip of the iceberg. One had a thick layer of pet hair. On everything. Every surface. Hair. Lots. Ick. Then there was the car that had a Barbie straddling the shifter. For those got-to-play-with-dolls-NOW urges. Ok.

Beyond oil changes I've started repairing and replacing tires on cars. I changed out a worn out tire for a new one where the old tire was TOAST. There was steel coming out of the tread. The customer only bought one tire but upon further inspection needed another front one. Ever seen a balled tire? Did they buy another new one? Nope. Anyone heard of fix-a-flat? The shit is supposed to....ready for this genius.....fix your flat. From the inside of the tire the shit looks like watered down elmer's glue. I don't really see how something that looks like it should be used for paper maiche is supposed to hold together thick rubber at high speeds. And, then there are the people that use it on tires that are completely separated into all its little pieces. The tire looked like a cutaway diagram of the layers of the earth....."this layer was formed 20 million years ago with pressure and heat." Not going to work.

Then there was the car that was my peak of under maintenance for the week. When I checked the dipstick it was dry, and when I drained the oil, barely any came out. The tire pressure on each tire was in the teens when it should be in the thirties. The best part was the result of this abuse to the car. One of my co-workers took the time to point out valve clatter on the engine. Valve clatter is a sign of under maintaining your vehicle and goes to the heart of breathe-ability of your engine. (Engine basics: fire goes boom to move car. Fire needs air and fuel.) Without going into the mechanics of what it is, lets just say it's something that can't be fixed by adding more oil, weird additives to your fuel, or driving the car differently. This is damage that can only be fixed by overhauling the engine. Read: $$$$$$. The car was a VW Passat with 72k on it. Crazy to me that a car with mileage like that can be damaged that much. But, don't do oil changes, or even worse, run your car to the point of having no oil and you can kiss that money you paid for the car bye-bye. The customer told our manager that he figured it was time for an oil change when the oil light came on for a little bit. FOR GOD SAKES DUMBASS! Stop the car!!!!

OK, so I know not everyone has knowledge about cars inherently in their brains when they are born. Education is needed. Some people have to learn lessons about cars the hard way. So this led me to ask my co-worker about how much education they do with customers. "None." I was disturbed by this. I mean, if you're a medical doctor (Erin?) do you let your patient walk away without information to prevent major problems? Don't you at least try to explain the basics so that you can hope they make informed decisions? What people do from the point of knowing better is their problem. But do you just assume that every person has the knowledge already? The girl that bought one tire but really needed two....couldn't someone explain to her that she is close to blowing out the other bad tire. And that the blowout doesn't always happen pretty and easy. How enjoyable is blowing out a tire while you're flying down the interstate? An interstate with no shoulder to move onto. Granted, I think the manager at my shop is creepy and I probably wouldn't buy a tire from him, but there are other people that work in the shop. Other people that aren't so creepy.

You are my friends and I am going to be straight with you. Do your car a good deed and get regular oil changes. Check the air pressure on your tires (air pressure low = lower gas mileage, premature wear of the tire, excessive load on the engine). Check the dipstick on your car when you fill gas. Basics. These are the tiniest things you can do that will keep your money in your pocket. Don't be embarrassed if you didn't know....I don't think I've always been the best at it.

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I got into an argument with a friend's husband about unions and workers about a month ago. He's a manager at a big box store and has been pumped with anti-union BS since day one. He said if people don't like their job/pay they should quit and get a new job. Not form a union. I asked him if he could quit his job tomorrow. He's got a kid and a house. This would be a problem? His statement is in the same category that if people don't like their job doing hard labor for little money and getting no respect then they should go to school and get a better job. I'm single, no kids, no house payment, and I'm telling you that I am struggling with going to school full time and working for $10/hr. How is a person who is trying to raise a family, keep a roof over their head, and food on the table supposed to find the time/money to do all that and go to school to "better themselves"? Why should someone have to leave a job rather than making the job sustainable? And for god sakes, where is compassion for other people and their struggles? On the flip side of that, if you hate your life, I do believe work can be done to make it better. Some people are lucky and privileged enough to be able to search for a better life. I am one of those people. I have very little holding me back. Thank god I'm single, have no kids, and don't own a home. And have access to a great education and a supportive family (thanks mom!). Phew.

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On a lighter note: The engine my lab partner and I have been rebuilding reached it's moment of truth. The big thing started up and ran! For only a few seconds but just long enough for me to start jumping up and down with glee!