Yesterday I had a pretty bad day.

It started out OK. I went to the property tax office to make sure I'm getting my over-65 exemption for 2013 transferred to our new place. All the correct paperwork is in place.

Then I decided to get my car washed since the grackles had crapped all over it the other night when we went out for dinner.

I sailed into Blue Wave and got the $6.00 basic wash. When I got home I was cleaning/drying the back when I walked around to the front, and found out I no longer had a "front". My 2013 Ford Edge was now missing a Bumper Grille, the Lower Grille Chrome, and a license bracket, complete with license.

After I got over my shock, I went back to Blue Wave and they said, "we knew you would be back". They gave me my parts which were destroyed beyond re-use, but didn't volunteer any financial help. I went to the local Ford dealer's collision repair shop and they quoted me $804. I went back to Blue Wave and showed them the bill. They got more serious quickly.

After a lot of discussion they decided they would buy the $270 worth of parts and install them themselves, saving themselves another $227, and I wouldn't repaint the front-end (very small scrape mark). I also told them that after they were done we would get another $6.00 basic wash and see if the new parts stay in place, or whether we would do the entire process again.

Disappointing day in two respects. One, that an express car wash could disassemble your car; and two, that everything on a car these days is made out of cheap plastic snap-on parts.

What's a car wash?

A few years ago I was in the Snap-On tool truck + noticed a box kit of plastic pop rivets.I asked what they were for + the guy tells me that is the new Pontiac body parts kit. Really! All of the quarter panels etc. are put on with plastic pops.Also a while back one of my customers came to pick up a product. I had a rather aggressive dog at the time who bit through the front bumper of her new Ford pickup.She was mad of course,but I did'nt charge her for the product I informed her that she should be more concerned about the quality of the bumper if a dog could bite through it.

Excuse my ignorance; but what is a 'grackle'? By the way, when I visited Texas I was told never to go to a car wash as they are a death wish for your vehicle. Here in the Seattle area there is a computerized car wash that is 'touchless'; that is there are no brushes; just 'wands' that rotate around your car. It does a fantastic job of cleaning your car without damaging same. Any of those in your neck of the woods?

A grackle is an over sized blackbird that shits like a junior flying elephant.

I was inspecting a 16 passenger dodge van mid 90s I think and I notice the head lite covers had Velcro holding them in place.

??My grackles are always well behaved , never a problem.

Pop-rivets and plastic wire ties are the basic repair for body parts of rally cars.Don't have photos as my computer made them disappear.

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Originally posted by NormanConquest:
A few years ago I was in the Snap-On tool truck + noticed a box kit of plastic pop rivets.I asked what they were for + the guy tells me that is the new Pontiac body parts kit. Really! All of the quarter panels etc. are put on with plastic pops.Also a while back one of my customers came to pick up a product. I had a rather aggressive dog at the time who bit through the front bumper of her new Ford pickup.She was mad of course,but I did'nt charge her for the product I informed her that she should be more concerned about the quality of the bumper if a dog could bite through it.

He did what? Was he a Chevy fan, then, or did you neglect to feed him that morning?

To close this out. Blue Wave did alright by me. I paid them $6.00 for a car wash and they spent $250 putting my car back together. The grill-works in front went together like a Lego set. Pop, pop, pop, and it looks good as new.

The more I look at the license plate bracket, the more I think Ford installed it upside down originally. For now it and the license plate are riding inside with me. I think in Texas it is illegal to not have a license plate on the front of the car, so I may deal with that later.

Yes it is illegal.You might get away with it riding on your dash but then again maybe not.Not worth the hassle although since it is not a moving violation there should be no increase in your insurance premiums.

In Idaho, it's mostly the illegals who have a plate, front or rear, on the dash/package shelf. It makes switching them around on twenty or more uninsured vehicles much easier and more convenient.

Insurance fraud was so rampant here, an illegal would buy a car, get plates, and insurance, and then next day cancel the insurance. The premium $$$ went to the next guy in the house, and so on. The state finally passed a law that requires the insurance company to notify the state immediately.

Obviously a racist thing...

The insurance Buy / Cancel is a Texas tradition also.

A really bad day? Depends on your perspective, I guess.

When I went into the hospital for help, they said I had 3 days-to-3 months to live and pawned me off into hospice with a $56,000 bill to pay. That was a pretty bad day for our household.

What's a really good day? Every morning is....that was almost a year ago now.

Thank you all of my friends who asked God to relent and help me, together with those who encouraged me to keep on goin' on. It all helped me out, big time, and my wife tells me "being too evil to die" may have done a little bit too.

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Thank you all of my friends who asked God to relent and help me, together with those who encouraged me to keep on goin' on. It all helped me out, big time, and my wife tells me "being too evil to die" may have done a little bit too.

Keep on chugging AC, your words of wisdom are a gift to us here!


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What's a really good day? Every morning is....that was almost a year ago now

Now there is great advice! At times one may think he has it tough, but in reality, health and your family being well is better than anything!!