OT The pen is mightier than the sword?

I need to try that with the folks at Meineke. Corporate called back this morning and said they they called the shop in question, and they said that it was all my fault for using the emergency/brake in my driveway.

Followup: Got refund check in the mail today and cashed it. Bought "Napoleon Dynamite" on DVD to celebrate. :-)

Oh, yeah... And called my friend I went to school with who owns his own AC business and he came out yesterday and found a very minor leak in my evaporator coil (whatever that is), recommended only recharging it for now, and did. Only charged me for the refill, not for "diagnostics." AC working great. (for now, and should hold for the duration of the "air-condiditioning season")

Okay, action time. First, find the place in the manual for your car where they tell you to set the parking brake, and also get that Meineke statement in writing and then you will have one terrific case to take to small-claims court. I can't imagine a count not crushing Meineke like a bug in vise-grips.

Sucky situation. If you need help make up the day's loss of pay to go to small-claims court, count me in. That's snipped-for-privacy@droffats.net (user and domain spelled backwards to thwart spammers.)

small-claims

but, but, but john wasn't it you that claimed ford didn't suggest setting the "parking" brake when parking?(my ford manual does, remember i posted it?)

No, that was my evil twin. :)

I'm not saying it's the best thing to do, and I do believe a cable can stretch. What I am saying is that if Meineke made the justification Bill mentions, then they are big boys and should know better, be less petty, and be made accountable. Squash them like a bug in vise-grips!

Oh, BTW, I found my wife's 99 Taurus wagon manual and you were right. It does state that one should use the parking brake. I still don't use it.

I agree...Bill should educate them....

i only use it when parked on a decent incline....but that is mainly due to being a handbrake between the seats of my workvan....obviously that is precious space in a work vehicle so finding the brake is a tough deal....LOL

Chris, you also turn and nudge the front wheels into the curb. Right?

I can't tell how freaked-out I was the first time I parked my 66 VW van on a San Francisco hill... but then, way back then it woulda just run over hippies, so...

you betcha...and i also set the parking brake while in neutral before shifting my workvan to park(better on the trans and trans linkage)....

not a bad thing, eh?