The Loaner Car

I am due to return to work in 2 weeks - part time. So, it is time to make sure that I am crossing things off the "List" of things you need to get done before you go back to work. Like, car maintenance.

Yes two short posts ago I talked about the new, well, new to me, car. My husband wanted me to take it to the dealer to get it all "checked" out... Say whatever you need to say to get them to hook it up to the machine... Okay. So that appointment was scheduled for 9 AM today.

The check engine light came on last week and then went off. Yes, I checked the gas cap. For those of you who don't know, whenever the check engine light comes on in your car, everyone says its because the gas cap is loose. So I did that. It wasn't loose. And the light didn't go off right then. It waited until exactly 30 minutes after I made an appointment for service.

Why don't they just make a light that says "Check the Gas Cap"? That would be much more simple, but I guess maybe German for Check the Gas Cap is Check Engine. I don't know...

There is a little plastic piece on the overhead control panel (OCP for those of you techies out there) that was cracked and I wanted it replaced. Another thing to add to the list. Oh yes, and of course, there is the Melody got a lipstick stuck in the storage compartment so now the door wont open issue. Not a long list, but hey, better get it fixed now, so I don't have to worry about it later.

We show up - me with Hunter and Kenzie in tow. Hailey was at drill team and Cutter was at daycare. They have the loaner all ready and the service advisor goes through my list of complaints. Great. No problem. We move the stroller, cell phone charger, etc. into the loaner car and drive away. The loaner car is a little C-300. Significantly smaller than my car. Way lower to the ground, but, it is free. Off we go. To run errands.

We stopped at Fry's and made a computer accessorie purchase and got back in the car to go home. I started the car... and whoooosh... the air conditioning started blowing full blast. Accompanied by a strange odor. Yuck. What's that smell?

It went away after a minute or two and I didn't think anything of it. Until, later that afternoon, we got in the car again. This time I added a passenger - Nicolas, a friend of Hunter's, that was coming over to go fishing in the ponds by the house. Chad had given him a fishing pole for his birthday and he was going to come try it out for the first time. So, Nicolas' mom (Iz) was helping me load Kenzie in the car and Nicolas with his fishing pole and accessories. I started the car. Hunter said, "See Nic - it smells." Iz said "Ooo... it smells like vomit..."

Great. I didn't know what the odor was until she said it. And she was right. It did smell just like vomit.

I am driving a Mercedes Vomit-mobile. Hopefully my car will be ready soon. The Mercedes Minivan is WAY better than the Mercedes Vomit-mobile.