Tuned-up for love

In mid-June I decided it was probably about time to take the X-terra in for a tune-up.  I was way past the three-month reminder sticker affixed to my windshield. This indicated that my oil should have been changed in September 2007.  I was also roughly 4,500 miles past the recommended 16,194 mileage cap for a change.  My odometer read 20,664.

I cruised over to Glendale Nissan for my 11 a.m. appointment. Service Advisor Luciano Carbone greeted me, and after some friendly small talk, things took a southerly turn. He was not impressed when I told him in the most blasé tone I could muster, “to the best of my recollection, it’s probably been a year since my last oil change.”

After I picked Luciano’s jaw up off the floor, I decided to ask some questions, starting with the obvious. Why is getting an oil change such a big deal anyway? The XT was driving like a dream. Luciano thoroughly (and technically) explained that oil gets “gloppy,” and not changing it can ultimately lead to engine failure, blah, blah, blah. Gloppy didn’t sound good to me, so  I decided that I’d get the 15,000-mile service that I’d zoomed right past months ago without so much as a glance in my rearview mirror.

Then Luciano decided to enrage me. He did so by telling me that the service, plus the tire alignment I agreed to, would take about three hours. The claws came out. What pray tell, did he think I was going to do with myself in Glendale for three hours? With no car? In four-inch heels?

For the first time that Friday I got to revel in the chivalry that some men apparently do still uphold. Luciano offered me 10 percent off my service and a rental car on Nissan’s tab. How gallant! But as my luck would have it, he next informed me that Enterprise Rent-A-Car would be picking me up and driving me to their office to obtain my rental. Gulp. I used to work for ERAC. 

I find the word “fired” a little off-putting, so I prefer to think of my termination from ERAC as more of a layoff. You know, like when companies lay off employees for crashing company cars while driving them to parties on the weekend? 

Because of the circumstances surrounding my layoff, I was pretty confident that I was going to be on something akin to the “No Fly” list at ERAC. So I did what any reasonable person would do; I spent a few moments deciding which alias I was going to use before realizing I was toast. My license has my real name on it. And unless things had changed radically in the six years since I’d been in ERAC’s employ, I was going to have to pony up a valid license before they’d rent me a car. 

With heavy feet I shuffled into the rental office, which looked identical to my old office in upstate New York. Green and gray, with rental agents dressed in shirts, ties, and friendly as all get-out. Mike Lesaca, the assistant rental manager, was efficient in drawing up my contract.  Best yet, by the time he asked for my credit card for the deposit, it became clear that I hadn’t popped up on any national “Do Not Rent” registry. 

With wishes for a good day, Mike turned me over to Sean, who did a walk-around with me on the 2006 Chevy Aveo. Once again, chivalry prevailed. Sean offered to upgrade me at no charge, and placated my OCD by making sure that even the minutest speck of dust on the car was clearly marked as damage on my contract. Sean then opened the car door for me (gush) and sent me on my way.

The Aveo was fun.  I felt very “green” driving it, even though it’s not a hybrid, per se. It is however, much smaller than the XT and that made me feel righteous as I made my afternoon rounds. After several hours I picked up the XT at the dealership, paid $422.55 for what seemed to be a glorified oil change, and called it a day.

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to all of the fellas working in the automotive industry that I came in contact with that day. I hear that when it comes to dating, chivalry is a thing of the past. But when it comes to car service, it’s good to know chivalry is alive and kicking, for the bargain price of just over $400 bucks. 

Jen Hadley is by her own admission a terrible driver, inept at reading a map and was a former used car saleswoman. Give her the finger or tell her to buy herself a nav system at jmhadley624@yahoo.com.