First, you must start a few months before by taking your beloved mini van to the dealer for a "Honda Certified Oil Change". You do this because you love your van, and want to take care of it well, even though you know you will pay more for the "quality" service. You assume that they will treat your car better than a typical oil changing place.
Fast forward a few months, to an out of town trip. Be competely ignorant, assume that since you have a 2005 Honda Odessey EX that has recently been serviced you don't need to check the oil level.
NEVER DO THIS AGAIN.
After a fun filled weekend of dance competitions, shopping and swimming, pack 4 tired girls and 3 exhausted adults into said mini van.
But not before you eat at your favorite buffet; Sweet Tomatoes rocks.
So at 8pm on Saturday night, head off to find a Holiday gas station because they have horchata on tap.
What, you don't like horchata? This is my tutorial, I'm doing it my way. Have a Coke then.
En route to the gas station, feel van lurch.
Hear awful engine noise.
See a "malfunction" light come on your dashboard.
Quickly pull into any gas station, no longer needs to be a Holiday.
At the gas station, have husband check oil. Hear husband say that there is almost NO OIL in you van. WHAT? Spend $25 dollars on outrageously priced oil to fill your oil tank with 4 quarts of oil.
There really wasn't any in there.
Get in the van, praying that you haven't done serious damage to your engine. Begin wondering if the Honda place had anything to do with this, because you never had trouble with your van before. Also remember a slight amount of oil in your garage, which husband told you not to worry about. But also remember that your van never leaked oil before the afformentioned oil change.
Start drive home. Get slightly out of the city, and since the light hasn't gone off, decide you should check the oil level again. Pull into a gas station.
Have hubby check oil again, level is low. Get down on the ground, observe oil dribbeling out of van.
Panic.
Calm children in van who think the van is about to explode.
Have husband reach under to feel where the oil is coming from, and procede to observe as the very loose oil plug pops off.
Watch as your $25 in oil pours completely out of your van, making a huge mess on the ground.
Remember you don't swear.
Listen as husband, in a heroic attempt to save the escaping oil by trying to replace the plug, shouts when the hot oil hits his hand. "HOT! its HOT" you hear him say.
Because you are tired, grumpy, and worried about your engine, tell your husband in a slightly condescending tone that OF COURSE the oil would be hot, what was he thinking?
Realize that the Honda place may have just cost you your engine buy not properly tightening the oil plug. Really get steamed.
Go inside to tell the store clerk that there is a huge oil spill outside, because you are responsible and want to inform them.
Get snipped at by the ungrateful store clerk.
Have husband put the oil plug back on, as tight as he can get it, buy some more oil, and go looking for a Wal Mart to purchase a socket wrench to properly tighten the plug, and also some more affordable oil because hubby only bought a little at the gas station.
Spend 45 minutes looking for a Wal Mart, after having very unhelpful directions from Wal Mart employee.
Get to Wal Mart. Have hubby buy necessary items, jack up the car, fix plug and fill oil.
Go inside yourself and buy a Coke. Even though you are nursing and NEVER drink caffine while nursing, never in 4 kids. But it is 10:30 at night and you still have a way to go.
Tell kids to stop whining and go to sleep.
Get back on road, after asking very nice but poorly dressed couple for directions to interstate. (Woman was wearing winter boots and pajama bottoms.)
Notice that van is operating well, and indicator light has gone off.
Say a prayer of thanks.
Have one more stop so hubby can relieve himself, because he drank a gallon of Coke trying to stay awake to help you stay awake, but he fell asleep anyway. Oh, and check oil then. Find everything ok.
Dance, sing, slap face, generally do anything to stay alert and awake on drive home while hubby snoozes next to you.
Don't get resentful.
Get home at 1:30 in the morning, exhausted, but grateful.
Because you still get up two more times with the baby, have your wonderful husband let you sleep in until 10:30 am.
Do not repeat.
2 days ago
6 comments:
Thank goodness for husbands who know how to take care of us and the cars we drive!
OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am glad you weren't alone. What an aweful trip. if it were Josh, he would have sworn.
Wow, you guys are troopers, DO NOT REPEAT!
I love the part where you say, "Remember you do not swear." It sounds like that would have been a very hard thing to remember given your circumstances.
I couldn't help but laugh at your story. Not because of your undesirable circumstances, but becuase of your wonderful story telling abilities. Thanks for the (very sypathetic) good laugh.
I don't think I could have remembered that I don't like to swear does not sound like a fun trip home, but you sure do make it sound good! ;-)
Aren't trips the best:) We have never had one quite like this. I don't know if I would even have attempted to fix it on my own. GREAT JOB!!! I think I may have had a hard time remembering not to cuss when I called the Honda dealership the next day to let them know they could refund me for the oil and that perhaps they should have a refresher course on tightening the oil plug:)
Wow, what an experience Gina! But one that I would agree, DO NOT REPEAT!
Post a Comment