This morning we headed over to Calgary Trail and met Val and her Daughter Jessica for brunch at IHOP. They each had their little ones with them too, so there were 9 of us in all :) Food and service were again not great...in fact it took ages for them to take our order and a LIFETIME for the food to come...but this time at least the coffee was good!!! And the company was wonderful - and thank you sooo much Val for treating us!!! xxx It had been far too long - lets not leave it as long next time!!
After IHOP, we headed to Sherwood Park to Park Mazda. I had a coupon for a free oil change and 21 check service with them. It had to be used up by May 1st and as I am heading out of town I figured it was a good time to get the truck checked out!! They are fully booked up up between now and May 1st with people using up their coupons, but said they'd fit mine in over the lunch time period as they had finished all the morning services. I was soooo grateful!! I explained that I had NEVER taken a car for an oil change or service before and knew nothing about cars/ services etc. They talked me through the WHOLE thing!!! The guy was amazing!! (amazingly cute too...far too young for me sigh....but very cute lol) He explained about when to book the truck in to have the tyres changed, about how often to have it serviced, what they do....everything.
We left the truck there and headed up to run a few errands and look around a few stores....and we stopped in for frozen yogurt...before my phone rang to say the truck had a dirty air filter and did I want them to change it. I said yes. They also said that the free oil change only included up to 5 litres of oil and my truck may need more than that but it would be about $5. more....and the coupon had said that so that was fine...he said the truck was ready apart from that so we headed back....
When we got there he explained that the air filter hadn't arrived yet so they had sent someone to get it....and it wouldn't take long, so we sat for a little while and then I walked Sam around the dealership and we looked at all the cars....one of the salesmen overheard Sam talking about horsepower and prices and various things and laughed and said he knew more than most of the salesmen in the showroom :)
After about probably less than 30 minutes they explained that the air filter hadn't arrived - they apologised for having us wait so long (??? I didn't think they had) and said because of the wait they would return my coupon but cancel the expiry date of May 1st - so I can use it for my next service in August or whenever I next take it in....they also said they wouldn't charge me for the extra oil.....AND they said just to call in any time and they will just pop the old air filter out and the new one in because it's an easy job. They can probably do it when they do my tyres. They said it isn't so bad that it NEEDS to be done urgently, so it's fine :) They did say that it might just make it run a little less economically - I laughed at that because of the cost of gas going up...sigh.....
I was soooo nervous about going for an oil change and going to a drive through place and whatever....but in the end I think I picked a really good place - they treated me sooo well and were so friendly and helpful. Best of all it didn't cost me a penny and neither will next time!!! :) Fabulous!! :)
All this probably doesn't sound like much to many people, but a year ago I didn't even know how to pump my own gas!!! I wouldn't drive in the dark or in bad weather.....OR downtown or to much further than Sherwood Park. Now I don't even think twice about where I'm going - or when - or what the weather or traffic or parking is like. I just want to go somewhere and I go :)
Now I've done a car service....that's another step towards independence I can tick off ;) LOVE IT :)
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