Fortunate endings from irritating beginnings.

We're back on our summer schedule, so a few days a week I drive K out to my in-law's house to have her hang with them while we're at work.  It requires me to leave an hour early for work, but we are thankful that they watch her.

I was running a little close on time yesterday, got about a mile away and realized that my tire pressure sensor light was on.

Drat.

I pulled off in a housing development, got out, checked to see if all tires were round, they were and I pressed on.  I phoned Hubs to let him know.  He called back and said that since he is on a shifted schedule this week, he would meet me at work, trade cars and deal with the tire situation.  He phoned later to say that he found a big nail in one of my tires and he was going to drop the tire off for repair.  (Hooray for road hazard purchased with the tires!)  Since my RAV was due for an oil change, Hubs told me to have them check the steering.  He said that it was making a loud sound and he wanted it checked out.

K and I had an early day today, but it ended a bit earlier than I anticipated.  I phoned the dealership, made an oil change appointment and asked if they could check my steering.  "It's making a 'clunking' sound and my husband asked that I have it checked."

When we arrived, the people in Toyota service at our local dealership know me.  We got on to chatting back and forth and kidding around a bit.  We got ourselves settled in.  An hour later, Aaron came to speak with me.

It's the steering shaft.

I've been on the phone with the warranty company.

We have the part.  It'll be about an hour and a half.

"It's been clunking for a bit of time, but there was no play in the steering, so I thought I was okay."

"When the steering shaft goes, you have no steering.  We want to fix this tonight."

"We're happy to hang out.  Do what you need to."

We sat there for about an hour and Aaron came out again, apologizing profusely.  "The shaft was installed, but the bolts weren't lining up right and he placed the other shaft in and he's having trouble getting it in."

"Please tell him to take his time.  We have no place to be.  It's all good."

We left out of there at the hour and a half point that Aaron promised.  Aaron was the gentleman involved in my December dealership holding.  Warranty work was done on my exhaust system and took an additional hour and a half, leaving me to have to find someone to get K from the bus stop and still run to the school to collect a non-driver mom so she could get home for her kiddo.

Aaron had his bag on his shoulder and they had been buttoning everything up for the night.  "Aaron, thanks for staying.  I'm so sorry it took so long.  You know, if it wasn't my vehicle fighting you tooth and nail all the way, I don't know what you'd do."

"I wanted to stay to make certain that it was fixed.  It was no longer safe for you to drive."

I may not purchase another car from that dealership again, but they have my service work forever.  They've always been wonderful to me in the service department and they are honest.

Thank goodness for that nail.  Thank goodness for my husband who had my car and insisted that it be checked out.  Thank goodness for a dealership that took me seriously and put themselves out, staying open late so that my vehicle could be returned to me in a safe condition.  We were there for a total of three hours, but K was an angel and it was time well spent.  All we were responsible for was the warranty deductible.

Hooray!