This story continues where last week’s blog ended.

Mike and I were in a completely dead loaner Honda on the side of the road near Williamsburg, Va. Our car expert, Josh, was determining how to solve this problem from his location in Creedmoor, NC.

Josh decided to send his tow truck to pick up the dead loaner Honda. He said it made sense for the tow truck to also bring our Honda to us. Amazingly so, the transmission replacement on our car had just been completed. Since we were ten minutes away from our destination in Williamsburg, he ordered a Lyft to pick us up, transfer our luggage, and transport us to our destination.

We were picked up by our Lyft less than thirty minutes later, and deposited at the Marriott at Ford’s Colony in Williamsburg, arriving there at approximately 6:30 pm. Josh ordered the tow truck to pick our Honda CR-V up at his facility in Creedmoor and bring it to us in Williamsburg, which was approximately a three hour drive. The tow truck arrived about 11:30 pm that evening. After bringing our vehicle to us, the tow truck driver then went to pick up the loaner car that we had left on the side of the road,

The next morning, which was Saturday, I texted Josh and verified that since it was the weekend, we would talk about my car on Monday. On Monday, I received an email with the final zero balance on the loaner car. In a conversation with John, Josh’s assistant, I was told that the only balance due on my car was the $100 warranty deductible. I was pleasantly surprised since I had been told previously that some of the costs might not be covered by the warranty. I can’t help but think that the amount of time Josh and John spent lobbying with the warranty company on my behalf is time that no one paid for. I was also suspicious that Josh covered some of the costs of the repair, and when I asked him about that, he replied “I feel really bad about all that happened.” Josh did what was best for me, the customer, and it is because of this kind of service that he will get my car repair business every time.

After all of this with my car and the loaner car, I was nervous about driving my car. I worried that it might not be fixed, although I trusted that it was. Still, I had uncomfortable feelings about driving. My fear felt like I imagined PTSD feels. I told a couple of friends that I thought I had PTSD from this! I do not mean any disrespect to anyone who truly has PSTD, but I imagine I had a minor dose of it.

I learned several important lessons from this experience.

1. Life can change on the dime, and when we least expect it. To be driving two different vehicles three days apart, both Hondas, which are supposed to be virtually trouble-free vehicles, and for the transmission to need to be replaced in one and the alternator in the other, is amazing. I have been driving for fifty-seven years and have had many different kinds of cars. I have never had a major problem with a car, car accidents aside. I have bought new cars and used cars, and have never had a major repair problem before now. I have never purchased an extended warranty before the 2021 Honda CR-V, nor have I needed one. But for some reason I purchased the extended warranty when I bought the 2021 Honda CR-V, so it was there when I needed it.
2. Since life is unpredictable, we need to prepare as best we can for the unknown, especially when it can be expensive. While that does not mean that we should always buy the extended warranty, when we have the thought that we might should, we need to act on that nudge.
3. We need to do business with those we trust, and who will have our best interests in mind. For me, that is Champs Performance in Creedmoor, NC.

As difficult as my car experiences have been, they pale in comparison to those affected by 9/11. Today marks the twenty-fourth anniversary of 9/11. May we never forget.

Also, the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk this week and the loss his young family he left behind suffers, puts my problems in clear perspective.

I am grateful for my blessings.