Like a lot of men I think I am capable as a man when it comes to cars – when I was a kid I could change the oil, rebuild a carburetor, replace a starter - pretty much anything my 76 Chevy Nova required I could do. Times have change and I got a real dose of reality recently.
The battery in my 2011 sedan died in Frisco last week. So I got a jump-start and drove to the closest auto repair shop (the shop will remain nameless). They quoted my $125 for the battery and another $100 to install it. Being a “man” I decided there was no way I was going to pay $100 to have someone put a battery in my car.
With my car still running I drove next store to O’Reilly Auto parts and purchased the battery and headed home to do the install myself, and save $100. So far so good.
I got home and after 10 minutes I found my tools and figured out how to open the hood on the car. The manufacturer of the modern luxury car must assume if you can afford the car you are never going to open the hood. That is the only reason I can come up with for how well hidden the release was under my dashboard.
Now with the hood open, a new battery at my feet and my tools in hand I am ready to do my manly deed for the day. Then I realize that I can’t see the battery. I know where it should be but it is not there. After checking the owner’s manual I decide that this is a project that I do not want to undertake so I use my wife’s car to jump start my vehicle. I am too embarrassed to go back to the un-named service station in with my tail between my legs so I go to Driver’s Edge in Frisco – at the corner of Legacy and Lebanon.
After explaining my dilemma to the guy at the counter I got a very welcome surprise.
Driver’s Edge installed my battery for free. They did not charge me a single penny – they did ask me to please come back to their store when I was ready for an oil change. Needless to say I will do exactly that.
In a world where it seems everybody is trying to nickel and dime you it was nice to have someone offer this incredible customer service for nothing more than a chance to earn my business in the future. I plan to return to Driver’s Edge in Frisco – my man hood in check and their oil change coupon in my hand. (what can I say, I am cheap.)