Car Dealer's Little Bit of Heaven
The New Waiting Room
Sitting and waiting. In the past, that's all you did when your car needed repair. Of course if you were lucky enough to have a really good friend to follow you when dropping off the car and then take you later for picking up, well... you didn't have to wait. I guess one could rent a car but it sure adds to the repair bill. SO, If you didn't have someone to chauffeur you around... you waited. You waited in a small, stuffy, crowded, overly warm room while sitting on a metal folding chair. Every five to ten minutes a leisurely walk around the room was required to relieve the stress on every joint in your body. Of course we disguised this activity as a bathroom break or a review of the magazine rack. No need to tell you how long those magazines had been hanging there or what an "Indiana Jones moment" the bathroom jaunt would become. The most exciting event would be getting a slightly edible reward from the vending machine.
Today we still wait but the experience is so very different. This morning I arrived at the service department about nine-thirty, my pre-arranged appointment time. My car door was opened by the curbside valet as the service writer came sprightly to attention and welcomed me into his office. I confirmed the service order, then strolled to the coffee bar for a cappuccino and warm chocolate chip cookie. With goodies in hand, I selected a comfy chair in the waiting room with a good view of one of the wall-mounted big screens and settled in, beginning my wait. After a quick read of the complimentary USA Today I logged on to the wifi hot spot and began catching up on a little work. It wasn't long before nature called and I found myself in what I can only describe as a replica of the Taj Mahal, with urinals. A gentle hand washing and warm moist towel later, my palatial visit was completed. I returned to my comfy chair. Now I was offered a loaner car but this was to be a short wait so I didn't feel it necessary. After all, waiting would also allow me to have a manicure, neck massage or shoe shine since today was courtesy spa day.
Its hard to believe that two hours had passed when the service advisor nudged me from a light snooze. "You vehicle is ready sir". They are washing it now and will bring it to this door whenever you want to leave." Well its about time I jokingly said to myself. I gathered my belongings, visited the cashier, then on to my waiting car, door opened by valet with motor running, sat in the driver's seat, door closed by valet, and off I drove. This is just the Honda dealer I thought, can you imagine if I had a Lexus. I bet they get full body massages and hot tub treatments on spa day. And not by Helga the Destroyer either.
Maybe I'll try on a few jackets in the clothing department while I wait at my next oil change.
