Just got back from an oil change

[Imogene]

And, geez, that sounds like the start to a really bad joke... anyway...
This is the second time that I can remember that this particular garage has not bothered to call and let us know that the car is done and ready to go. Thus why Mom & I went anyway since we'd been quoted half an hour, and it had been an hour and a half... So, on top of that, call me crazy, but: Do NOT leave the car key in the unlocked car! Particularly if for some unknowable reason you've decided to leave the passenger side window down in the freezing cold (and consequently have the heater on full blast to compensate, I guess?)
Niggling here, but: Could you please return the steering wheel to the position it was in when you got in the car? Also, please use the parking brake if it was on when you got in.

[bhskittykatt]

I love my mechanic dearly, but his shop is in the most notorious neighborhood in town, and on occasion he's left the car parked on the street with the keys in it. Eek!

[raw456]

I share your pain

It always used to amaze me that the simple act of moving my car from the parking spot in front of the mechanics, into the service bay, and back again always seemed to involved them adjusting the seat, steering wheel, mirrors and radio???

One "dodgy-brother" mechanic I went to once returned my car with at least 50kms on the clock, a quarter tank of fuel gone, the radio set to earsplitting rap, the ashtray over flowing and both front seats reclined so far they were practically a bed. I proceeded to tear him a new one, get payment for my fuel and never went back (after reporting him to fair trading for dodgy business practices, of course)

[HYHYBT]

On the niggles, it's possible, even *likely,*that the person who put the car in the garage is not the same as the one who took it back out, so they wouldn't know where you had the wheel, brake, etc.; and even if it was the same person, if they're moving many cars a day I don't see any way to expect them to remember how any particular one of them was set.

[Imogene]

On the niggles

Thus why they're niggles. I was more confused and disturbed by the key being left in it with a window rolled down in the cold.

[PepperElf]

eek that is yucky.
i usually just stay there until it's done and read a book or something like that..

[Pagan]

Also, please use the parking brake if it was on when you got in.

This! Drives me nuts!

On the niggles, it's possible, even *likely,*that the person who put the car in the garage is not the same as the one who took it back out, so they wouldn't know where you had the wheel, brake, etc.; and even if it was the same person, if they're moving many cars a day I don't see any way to expect them to remember how any particular one of them was set.

I don't care about the other stuff, but the parking brake should always be set.

[protege]

Could have been worse...

One of the mechanics who was "restoring" my MG, soon earned my wrath. Seems that he was trying to repair the hood latch. In the process, he forced the hood down...and left a nice big dent in it Because of the way the car was parked, I didn't even notice until I got it home. When I saw that, I was furious!

Furious because I'd had the entire car repainted, furious because the garage did it, and refused to own up to it. It was pretty obvious what had happened--the "mechanic" had attempted to shut the hood by pushing on the middle of the hood, and had creased the panel. (For those who don't know...the proper way to shut the hood on an MGB, is to gently lower the panel, and then gently press on the *corners* to latch it.)

Took several months of calling, and eventually a rather threatening note telling them I'd get them busted for inspection fraud. While I was at it, I got them to fix some of the other things that hadn't been done

[HYHYBT]

I don't care about the other stuff, but the parking brake should always be set.

As a general good habit, yes; but not necessarily when you're moving somebody else's car. For all you know, there might be something wrong with it; if the owner doesn't use the brake because it doesn't always release properly, for instance, you're not going to know about it. And somebody who for whatever reason doesn't normally use the parking brake may not realize it's on. Either way, because you chose to be pedantic about your parking, you could be the cause of their brakes overheating and failing.

It's not likely, of course, but then unlikely things do happen, and if the way the owner parked the car kept it from moving, then the same method will work for you.

[Chromatix]

All cars that I've seen have a light to remind drivers if the hadbrake was left on. Indeed, if it's on hard enough for parking, it'll be pretty difficult to drive away.

[EricKei]

That's one of the little touches I like about my behemoth-mobile -- As soon as you shift into Drive, the Parking Brake automatically releases.

[HYHYBT]

All cars that I've seen have a light to remind drivers if the hadbrake was left on. Indeed, if it's on hard enough for parking, it'll be pretty difficult to drive away.

Yes, but that's not the only thing the light can mean, the light may not work, or the owner who never uses the parking brake may not know what the light is for. And some parking brakes aren't as strong as they ought to be... and there's still the possibility that the reason it wasn't on in the first place is that it doesn't release all the way. That would put the light out and leave the car easily drivable; you wouldn't know there's a problem until you get off the interstate and can't stop. It happened to my grandfather in a brand-new car; they couldn't find why it hadn''t comlpetely released, and wound up replacing everything related to be on the safe side... but if that happens to someone whose car is no longer under warranty, there's a good chance they'd just stop using the brake; after all, Park holds the car perfectly well.

That's one of the little touches I like about my behemoth-mobile -- As soon as you shift into Drive, the Parking Brake automatically releases.

I learned to drive in a car that hid the manual release up behind a panel; the brake released itself when you moved from park to *reverse.* I have no idea why the system has never really caught on, nor can I figure out why, in newer cars that have it, it only releases for forward gears. After all, the first gear you use is nearly always reverse!

[ta2ooed1]

All cars that I've seen have a light to remind drivers if the hadbrake was left on. Indeed, if it's on hard enough for parking, it'll be pretty difficult to drive away.

You must not have been in many older cars, I've never seen one newer than the 90's that had that feature ( I worked in a Midas for 2 years ) Many people never use the parking brake in an automatic, if it's been years since it's been used and then gets set it can cause serious problems so it was the norm to not set it at our shop (totally flat lot).

And just as an aside i regularly gave the parking brake adjusts the rear brakes speech and you'd be amazed how many people never ever used it.

[Chromatix]

AFAIK, the late-1970s Renault my dad drove for quite a while had that light, and that was hardly a high-end model. The new Corsa I had driving lessons in had one too.

I can understand a 1950s car not having it, but I would expect people driving something that old to have some idea of how to keep it running.

The automatic transmission is not something I would rely on to hold a car in place. Not only have I heard all the horror stories about transmissions jumping out of Park and into Reverse, but I knew someone who bought a rather run-down car for restoration, and upon testing it, discovered that the footbrake and handbrake didn't work at all, and the transmission took roughly 10 seconds to change - including into and out of Park!

[Andara Bledin]

All cars that I've seen have a light to remind drivers if the hadbrake was left on. Indeed, if it's on hard enough for parking, it'll be pretty difficult to drive away.

I can't see the light for my parking break. The designers of the model of Tercel I own were complete morons and set the dash so that if you are taller than about 5'5" tall, you can only see the temperature and fuel gauges, and not even the uppermost edges of those. All off the lights are completely obscured by the steering wheel.

And I can drive, albeit with resistance, with the parking brake on. I've done it. More than once. Although, not very far. Hell, it won't even keep the car from rolling unless I make certain to pull the lever as far as it can go. One click less, and it'll roll away without me setting it in gear (manual tranny), too, which I always also do.

^-.-^