how to get a free oil change from sears

as a preface, let me tell you that if you wish to pursue this process of getting a free oil change, please make sure to request that the 'new guy' do all the work. because it is him that was blamed for the whole following bit.

last saturday i got my oil changed. i figured i'd been doing really well by my car. got the 80,000 miles tune up (replaced two drive belts and got a small crack sealed), got the oil change, and in a month, i'll probably get some new tires. nice to get it all out of the way before the summer becomes really insane.

this week, while leaving the opera for a lunch meeting, there was an usual sound from under my car. sounded like a rock had bounced up and hit it from underneath. one of the passengers in my car, who does a lot of her own car mechanics quickly figured out that the silver cylindrical thing we saw rolling behind me was my oil filter. i left a wonderful trail of oil as i turned around to park.

i made a call to sears. i reminded them that i had just gotten my oil changed on saturday, and that my oil filter had popped off in the parking lot. they asked me how i knew it was my oil filter.

'well, it's silver, cylindrical, and it has oil filter written on the side.'

i had to have the car towed to them, which they would pay for only if they were found to be negligent. i called them as the tow truck pulled away. i let them know that the driver had the key, and the filter was in a plastic bag sitting on the front seat. they let me know that they would call me shortly to tell me how everything went.

i got a call back, a bit later than i expected. it was from someone that wasn't even in the auto center. he didn't know too much, but he regretted to inform me that while being looked after, my car had been in an accident at sears. supposedly, while parking my car, some mechanic had swiped into another customer's vehicle. there would be an accident report and i talked to the police officer as well. still unclear about what the damage was, or who would be held responsible.

oh, and the 'new guy' had put on the wrong oil filter, which is why is popped off, and i got an oil change and new filter at no cost.

so i called my progressive insurance, to cover my own ass. within minutes a claims agent called me back to discuss everything. . . it took much longer to hear back from sears. towards the end of my work day, one of my coworkers drove me out to sears where we met up with the progressive guy, picked up the accident report, and took a quick look at my car. the damage didn't seem to be too much. mostly on the driver's side covering the area of the headlight. but it crunched part of the fender, part of the hood, and maybe a bit of the interior that holds the radiator. . . possibly a $3000 fix. . . but sorta drivable, as long as i don't have to drive at night.

i really had loss any ability to articulate, and to simply ask. . . 'who pays?'. the progressive guy totally had my back. we all walked into the auto center and when i explained that i was the owner of the car involved in the accident, i was offered my key. WHAT? no explanation? no immediate call to a supervisor? no, just a mundane conversation pitted with the bits of food flying out of this dude's mouth. . . really classy. only after my progressive guy outright asked who would be liable for the damage did the auto center guy say, 'oh, we'll cover, but you should talk to the store manager. would you like to?'

ummm. . . let me think about this for a bit. . . YES-YOU-MORON! finally, we get a store manager, who also is a little vague, but finally says that i need to get an estimate and they will cover it as well as a rental for myself.

the next morning went MUCH smoother. got the car to a shop, and a rental within the early morning, though i have no idea about the estimate, and with the long weekend, i'll probably be in a rental for a while. there seemed to be very little resistance in getting what i needed. all in all, not too bad. the progressive guy completely rocked. i only wish that sears had seemed to be a little more on top of their game. and the rental i have it all new and fancy. i'm not at all used to automatic locking/ unlocking doors, windows, seat placement, and side mirror control. plus, it's got a couple more cylinders, which is really nice on some of the hills out here.