Shot of the Day #285: Thorn in my Quarter Panel

Shot with iphone. Click to enlarge.

This goddamned light.

Ive had to stare at this "Check Engine" light for almost a year now; even when I brought the Golf in a year ago, the dealer said 'Oh it must just be a fuse short, we dont see anything." Well, a few weeks back i got a notice saying I needed a Smog Check to complete my backup car's yearly registration, and I knew this little light was gonna be one pain in ma' ash.

So, 2 weeks ago, I went in for a smog check. Surprisingly, everything went great...but that goddamned light prevented it from passing. The gent at the local SC station was nice enough to reset it for me when I told him what the dealer told me and said "come back on Monday" (it was Saturday) "-and if its not on still I can pass you". Sure enough, Monday rolls around and not 2 BLOCKS from the SC station and the light flickered back on, smiling at me like a dick. Fuck. Well, I had 3 weeks from the fail date to get it fixed, which meant...going back to the dealer.

Now we've moved away from the Dealership in the Valley, so going over the hill on the 405 was already leaving twists in my guts. I knew the only time I could do it was first thing in the morning before work, so last Friday, I went in, left it, and they told me later that it would cost me roughly $1500 smackeroos to get the catalytic converter fixed and then, the light would go Poof like Keizer Soze. So, down goes 1500 bones and as i drove it away, ready to get it rechecked and dealt with so we could have a relaxing weekend...not a block away and "PING!" that fucking light comes on again. You. Gotta. Be. Shitting. Me.

So I first go back to the dealership, where the manager actually chuckles at my plight (and I called him out on it too, making red-faced...dick) then after making one more appointment, I drive home, steam shooting out of my ears. Thankfully, the moment I stomp in, pissed to high heaven...Remy just wakes up from his nap, we lock eyes and his smile/wave one-two punch just melted my heart. Hooray for Babies!

Too bad I still have to get in the car to look at that goddamned light...again.

Joe