Car trouble

Monday, 14/12/09
I’m driving down Jason Moyo Avenue, Thursday after work. It is the peak hour and everyone is heading home after a busy working day. I’m quite happy because I replaced the shocks on my car just yesterday and it really feels stable. I stop by the robots and suddenly the most exasperating nightmare motorist’s nightmare hits me. The engine just goes silent and the car stops. I try to restarts but it just won’t budge. I could almost feel every nerve ending in my body converging for an outcry but I just kept my cool; amidst the other cars hooting behind me. Luckily I was with two of my friends, and they quickly got out and started pushing the car to the side.
I call my mechanic who gets to the spot in about 30 minutes and starts working on the car. He says it’s just a blown fuse and replaces it. I kick myself for being so ignorant about cars.
Friday the next day, I knock off work mid afternoon and I’m in the mood for a bit of shopping. I cruise through the streets of Harare, hit a few shops, buy some snickers and a DVD player. As I’m heading home the car suddenly gives up on me – again. Immediately, I channel all my anger to my mechanic. But I calmly pick my phone and call him. He gets there in about two hours time. It’s about 7pm when he starts working on the car. He can barely identify any problem, and after two fours hours of this and that, he notices a licking pipe in the fuel tank. He replaces the small pipe closes everything and bills me $50. I think it’s exorbitant but we had just spent so much time and I had no time to negotiate. I just drive off home.
The next morning is a friend’s wedding day. I’m supposed to pick up the groom and take him to the wedding reception. I manage to do that confidently. The wedding goes pretty fine until lunch time, when the couple is now supposed to go for photos. I transport the groom’s companions. And well for the third time the car gives up on me. I feel so embarrassed because this time I have some passengers who are crucial in a wedding – a once off special event. There is no time to be angry I just fell defeated. I hit the key and the car starts. At least it’s moving I tell myself. The whole journey the car is just starting and stopping. Despite the disappointments, the car accomplishes its mandated task.
I call the mechanic again. He comes to the church (wedding venue) and starts working on the car. He doesn’t have any explanations for why its behaving the way it is and just says he will do his best. I calmly agree and he gets to work. After about two hors he takes it for a test drive and comes back smiling. He starts explaining that the only problem was a dirty sensor that was now inactive. All he did was just clean it. He is confident that this time it will not break down. He charges me $30. I have spent so much on a car in a short space of time over minor issues that I start thinking the mechanic is milking me. I express my disappointments and concerns and he tries to console me by telling me that sometimes cars do these sort of things. I pay him and drive off partly disgruntled and partly satisfied.
Earlier on this year I could go on my business without even thinking of a vehicle. When I bought my car, I thought I would only use it when I needed to and it wouldn’t really affect my usual life. How wrong I was. I can barely cope without my car now. When it breaks down it’s like a lot of things stop working.
Ends