No Dummies for Pam

First, some history you know.

I replaced my car battery at the end of October after it stranded me at the grocery store and Mel had to save my bacon (not really, I just bought cold pills and crackers but it's just not very funny to save cold pills and crackers.)

My neighbor rescued my keys after I left them in the door for two days in a low thyroid hormone induced haze.

Now, some history you don't know (many of you, that is. Some people have has the joy of seeing me in-person and hearing me bitch.)

My car has been acting possessed and locking me in it and setting the alarm off unexpectedly when I try to start it. After a check-up (and a new (thankfully under warrenty) catalytic converter) I was told it was a malfuctioning door lock actuator and would cost $400 to replace. And also my seat-moving springs were broken and did I have an extra $1,600 to replace the seat frames because Volkswagon is incapable of designing a simple part that can be easily and cheaply replaced. And the oil pan and front air dam thingy and the secondary air pump mounts (but not the primary ones) all could use replacing.

Other recent history:
I have been turning on my headlights during the day for some reason (the car has daytime lights so I don't need to).
My super-neighbor let me know my parking lights were lit on Superbowl Sunday.
Apparently my "you left your headlights on, dummy" alarm is no longer functioning.

What does all this lead to? Me with a dead battery, the morning I supposed to go to Good Sam and see the SimEd center.

I was really looking forward to seeing the center. We were going to practice intubating and delivering babies, all on computerized model. But by the time roadside assistence came and Sears replaced the battery, it was too late.

So no dummies for Pam.

I'm in the process of dealing with the dealership to get some or all of these problems fixed at a reduced rate. The car only has 33,000 miles on it and there's no reason for any of it. And if they won't deal I may have to say the magic words "I'm selling this piece of crap and buying a used Honda." We'll see if that has any effect.