Best Mechanic in #Victoria #BC #Canada - How to Find a Great Garage for your Vehicle #CarRepair #Garage #Mechanic

Li'l Update: My Car Battery pegged out, the other day - or, wouldn't start, BCAA (CAA) came and gave me a jump-start.. little bit of a sexist explanation for me, to 'help me understand' how my battery would've lost it's charge... anyway, that was mostly about high heels getting worn down - uh, no - you can talk to me like a normal person - pretty sure the men aren't getting the'high heel' explanation...(He was a nice fellow, doing his job... and a little reminder to make sure you give lots of space to any tow-truck operator at the side of the roads - we were in our garage, but there are far too many accidents involving two truck drivers - slow down, give them lots of space : )

Anyway, we were told to go and get the battery charged at the local garage, so I went over to Gorge Vale, and totally felt like i was being ripped of - the ONE thing I despise when you're just trying to solve a problem with your car - wanting to run unnecessary tests, when, really, I should've just gotten a new battery...

So, cut to the next day, we drove away from that garage, and I won't bother going back - I don't like the wool being pulled over someone's eyes - that's not okay... you be honest, I'll be honest, let's get this done - jus' like a regular relationship - hahahaha!

So, yesterday, we went down to make sure the car would start, first, then took it around the corner, where we had accidentally seen a Battery Store, the day before that, when we were just driving to get the charge back up on the car battery, you know... and we had been told to do a highway drive, but, frankly, I didn't really want to leave the city limits when I felt like the car might not start, again...

So I was just following my intuition when we pulled into the Battery store... I was thinking I thought it might do car batteries, but at the very least, I felt like they were a little store, and more likely to be honest, which is all I wanted, yesterday...

So it's:

Island Batteries 
Peter Bird
493-F Burnside Road East,
Victoria, BC, Canada
250-385-8658
Toll Free: 1-888-385-8658
islandbatteries@telus.net
www.islandbatteries.com

Sooo nice! Friendly, so helpful - super-helpful - we got Peter, and we went and checked my car battery, I asked him if he knew a reliable garage, and told him a little of what had happened the day before, and he recommended Williams Garage (something like that, on Finlayson and Quadra, if you're in Victoria...), and then he said, you know what? I could change that battery for you - yay!!!!

I ended up getting the whole thing done for $160 - a great price, in Canada, and especially in BC (B.C. - the joke is, BC stands for Bring Cash - haha!)

We were soo thankful for Peter - that was so super nice of him to change our battery for us, so we went and got the ingredients for Shortbread, that Peter had said was one of his faves, came home, made a big batch of Shortbread, boxed it up and took it back over to Peter at Island Batteries - he was a Good Samaritan to us, and we were Good Samaritans to him - see how great it is to be nice? I loove that! And I reward Kindness - lol!
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The other place where we had excellent service was at The Great Canadian Oil Change - they were fantastic, got all the fluids flushed and renewed, car feels like a dream! Yahoo!!

So it pays to be nice! (That's my bottom line! lol!)

 Yum! That's a nice way to say Thank You, right? lol! Shortbread! 

So I had to take my car in to get some work done, and I wasn't completely sure what needed to be done, but that little , very loud, crazy-loud, red light that looks like a little thermostat, came on in the car, right after I had gotten my oil change and car 'check up' for the summer, right?  And then this crazy little loud red light kept coming on, but when I was slowing down, or at a stop light... so crazy.  But that noisy little red light had to be taken care of, and asap...

But here's the thing when you're on your own, and female... or anyone who isn't completely sure what's going on with their car, but they just want to take it somewhere they will be treated well, treated with respect, (not spoken down to, like they're a mowon... that's not fun... and a lot of women know what this feels like...), and know and feel comfortable that the garage and mechanics are going to tell you the absolute truth about what needs to be done, and how much that will be... and not feel like you're being taken advantage of... you'd think that would be all garages, all shops, right?  Noooo, it's few and far between, so when you do find a great garage, you'll stick with it - better for you, and way better for your car : )

So I took my car, a Buick Rendezvous, in to get a new Water Pump, which I had researched online, like everyone does, now - and you should - it's better to Google whatever you think might be wrong with your car, so you can understand what's going on when you do get into the garage... you'll feel better, and feel like you can have an intelligent conversation with your mechanic, so you can both understand what you feel like you need and want, and they can let you know what all needs to be done - an even more importantly, what doesn't necessarily need to be done... that can save you a lot of money, and make you feel like you and your car are gonna be juuust fine : )

So, yesterday, after a lot of research, we took my car into Gorge Vale Automotive (www.gvauto.ca), and talked to Dave, the owner - (David Christison), and he was really helpful, very nice and a very reasonable person, which is what you want, for sure, so you immediately feel comfortable, right?  And then one of the mechanics came up to the Front Desk, too, Bob (who, it turned out, had also built his own house, so I got to see all the pictures of his recent build, and we had a great conversation... how often does THAT happen at the garage? lol!  That's one of my favorite topics, as you might know - I love building houses! lol!) ...

Anyway, so Bob the Mechanic was talking to us, too, and I felt very comfortable leaving my car for them to check to see what really needed to be done.  We walked home, since I thought we were 'just around the corner - turns out, 'just around the corner in the car is a really long walk on your own - haha!  They were soo nice, they came and picked us up so we didn't have to walk back to the garage... so nice!  Great Service, for sure!  AND, they washed my car, after the work was done - Thanks, Nigel!

So it ended up that I DID need a new Water Pump, and they changed out the Serpentine Belt, too (whatever that is... but glad it was changed out), and the whole thing, including the diagnostic fee, which Dave knocked back for me - wasn't that nice?  Thanks, Dave!  Anyway, the whole thing came out to $411. - a good and fair price, and I knew they had done a great job.

We were soo happy with how everything went, and how well we were treated, personally, and the car feels great, no more crazy ping high pitched sound from the thermostat going crazy...the problem is completely solved and fixed, so now Gorge Vale Automotive, over by the Petro-Canada Gas Station in Esquimalt, BC, will be our new home garage.  Yahoo, a Home Garage!  I love when I know exactly where I can take my car, and trust that the right things will be done, for a good price, and you know your car will be all nice and safe for you to drive - can't get any better than that, right?

I popped in and got some good deals for you, too, if you want to just go ahead and sell your car, or buy a new car - we love Autotrader - works like a charm... and then lots of deals on car parts and fancy things for your vehicle.. and Father's Day is coming up, and lots of dads love their cars - lol!

Okay, so if you're in Victoria, BC, and in need of a good mechanic, Gorge Vale Automotive is the place to go - they're fair, they're nice, they know what they're doing - and they'll even wash your car - AND, they have the best price on an Oil Change in the area - wish that's where I'd taken my car, all along, but am thrilled to find a new Garage Home, now - yippee!  Treated well at a garage! It's the best feeling!  Ailsa : )




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Oh, and my favourite Mechanics in Los Angeles are the fellows at Pep Boys, on Manchester Avenue in Westchester - close to where I used to live and teach... those guys were soo good to me - you'll love them, too : )

Pep Boys Auto Parts and Service

6136 W Manchester Ave

Westchester, CA 90045

United States-




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And I love Les Schwab in the States, too - especially the Les Schwab in Port Angeles, Washington - those fellows are soo super-nice... they'll treat you well, get your car on the road, all safe and ready for a long drive, and at a really good price - see, that's all we want - a good job for a fair price, right?  Right! lol!



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#RoadTrip! Yay!! #SafeDriving: Lighten Up Your Keychain to Save Your Life #Keys #RoadSafety #Keychain #RoadTrip #AutoInsurance #CarBullies

#SafeDriving: Lighten Up Your Keychain to Save Your Life #Keys #RoadSafety #Keychain #RoadTrip #AutoInsurance #CarBullies

Don't Fall Asleep at the Wheel...

You know I love Homer Simpson - haha! All those scenes of Homer falling asleep at the wheel - hilarious, but you don't want that to happen to yourself, or anyone else : ) #TheSimpsons #Homer

One of the best things you can do for your own and others Car Safety, is get off the road, if you feel yourself getting even remotely sleepy... it's never worth the risk. Pull Over, Refresh Yourself, Take a Np, or get a Hotel, if you're on a Road Trip. #SafetyFirst

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So did you hear about the danger of your keychain with too much weight on it, potentially pulling your key down, and causing serious, sometimes fatal, problems with the ignition?  I just saw the story on NBC Nightly News, my favourite news, next to our local Vancouver Island News - highly entertaining for me, we have the prettiest weather girl, for sures, and often she says it's gonna be SUNNY, so I really like that - lol!

Oh, and here's something I say to myself, when I'm driving, and to my son, who is about to learn how to drive, Don't let someone else's crappy time-management skills make you feel pressured into taking that turn before you know you should... that's their problem - they need to learn proper time management, and it's unfair of anyone else, usually some loser, definitely no one you know, )or not), so don't let those jerks behind you make you feel like you have to take an unnecessary risk in your car, just because they're pushy and an idiot. Easier said than done, though - it's hard, when you're at the wheel, and some idiot is bearing down on you, but, hold true to yourself, you life or anyone else's life, is NEVER worth the risk of pleasing that moron behind you - and you can never please a moron - let that idiot fume or be crazy, all they want, don't let that have ANY impact on your life, or anyone else's, right? It's like a car-bully... nope! lo!

And I would love to see Driver's Ed back in the High Schools - remember when every High School had a Driver'sEd Teacher, and the old joke was, the one with the twitchy eye? hahaha!

But if they are serious about having Safer Drivers, start them young, teach all of our students Defensive Driving, and it needs to be a Free Course, and maybe even a mandatory class to Graduate from High School? Hmm? Something to think about. Put your money where your mouth is, Politicians.

Speaking of money... if you are a Safe Driver, and I'm sure you are : )... shouldn't your Auto Insurance really reflect your great driving? 

So, save your money, here... 

  High Yield Savings Accounts  (A great idea! Make Money on your Money, right? right!)

 I just saw this on Meredith Vieira - great idea - don't forget your AAA batteries, too : )
 Stay safe, if, God Forbid, you ever find yourself stranded...

  And have a cell phone charger handy - for regular use, too, but for any sort of an emergency - you forget how quickly your phone can lose it's charge, and this will just give you lots of peace of mind, and you won't lose connection when you need it : )


 I have an emergency bag in my car, just in case, and it has the Jumper Cables, but this seems like a really good idea, too, then you're not dependent on another car coming along...

 There you go - that's a nice little Car Emergency Kit - just a good idea to keep in your car : )

Discover Bank CDs 6-month CDs I like to keep my money more liquid, just in case me wants to build another house, or I happen to see something I really want o buy... real estate-wise - lol! We all know how me feels about Real Estate - me loooves it! lol! Or, if I want to buy a new car... Really, I'm far more likely to buy a Used Car, let someone else take the hit of buying a Brand New Car, right off the Lot... that car loses so much of it's value, just driving it off the Car Lot, right? I would have to have sooo much money, to buy a Brand New Car... you can get a great car, for a great price, if you shop around.. I did buy a lovely car off the Lot, when I was very young...I think it had been a demonstration car, maybe? The car they let people take out on a test run? Anyway, I got a great deal on the car, AND a Free Trip to Disneyworld in Florida - wow, that really WAS a great deal, way back then! lol! Wheelin' and Dealin' Baby! Even way back then! lol! Always get the best deal for you! : )

But you'll want to check the Interest Rate, get the Best Interest Rate you can get for the Time Frame you're comfortable with... longer if you know you're fine with locking your money in, or shorter terms, if you need more flexibility in your Money : ) Happy Savings!!

You know a great way to Have More Money? Spend Less of it - for real - lol! See where you can shave some money off your regular expenses, and don't forget about your insurance... Renter's Insurance is so important, too - too many people could prevent major loss in their lives, if they knew how inexpensive and easily accessible Renter's Insurance is... Better to be covered, and know you're in good hands, right?
Protect your stuff with Allstate Renters for as low as $4/mo.

Then save  your money, here... why shouldn't you get a rebate, a fancy reward, for being such a great driver, right? lol! 

I switched my Auto and Home Insurance, this year, and saved at least $300 - that adds up! Wherever you can, look closely at your bills, see where you can trim them down, or make better purchases : )
For every six months of accident-free driving you can earn a check from Allstate Auto! Quote Now!

 A Very Good Idea! : ) Look how comfy and happy - that could be You! lol! : )

And paws off your phone, when you're in the car - please! For everyone's safety : )
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So here's the deal with your keychain. If you car key has a more open space on the rubber part - I had never taken note of this, before, and would never have thought of looking at it, or thinking my key was any different from any other key... but see how large the space is? About a half an inch of space. Apparently, the GM dealers have a little insert they can give you to correct the problem, but I just immediately separated my keychain into two parts - one part just for my car key (and my St. Joseph thing...and the 777 from Vegas!



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But they are VERY light, and give me something else to hold on to - the St. Joseph thing is something to hold on to for many reasons! lol!), and then the rest of my keys will have to come along, separately. I'm not thrilled about that, is certainly much easier to have everything on one single keychain, but if that extra weight on the keychain can actually cause an accident, or damage the ignition, why take any chances, right?

Okay, so I went in and found the right page for you to get a keychain, if you can't find a good one in your drawer - you know, in the everything drawer, where you toss all the little knicknacks and whatnots in there - lol!  And, we used to get incredible deals on jewelry at Kohl's, and Kohl's was very, very good to us, with my students with Special Needs - they were wonderful with my students, providing a place for my guys to learn work skills, and they were very kind to me, too : )
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Better to be safe than sorry, always, and I take a million other precautions, so now I will do this, too. I'm just really glad I happened to see this story on the NBC Nightly News - so glad they covered this story - I wonder how many lives they will save from spreading the word on this very important safety issue, and one that is so easy to solve. So, go have a wee look at your car keys, see how much your keychain really weighs - you'll be used to the weight in your hands, and probably like that weight, since you can feel that you definitely have your keys in your hand before you close the door, but if you can make your car key lighter, please go ahead and check that, fix it up however you can : )  Safe Driving!  Ailsa xox

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Okay, so here's what happened after I 'separated' my keys on my keychain, to make my ignition key much lighter... I found that now my ignition car key was too light for me, and I didn't like how light it was when I got out the car, since you know how you hold the keys in your hand before you lock and close the door?  You want to be able to feel something, and now my car key was just way too light, so I ended up searching through the drawer in the kitchen (I was a'gonna say, searching through my drawers, but, well, errr, ah... that sounds terrible, don't it?? A little low-end humour for ye'! hahahaha!), and I found a 'connector from the old keychain I had taken apart to make the whole keychain lighter... so I found a good connector that was super-easy to use, so now I just remove the car ignition key for driving, put the rest of my keys in my purse, re-attach and detach, as I need them, that way, I can still feel like I am sure I have all my keys together before I get out the car and lock the door... feels a lot better, and I've still solved the problem of having too many fancy, lucky, things on mah' keychain! lol! Problem Solved! : )

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When we go on a road trip, which we looove to do, we book while we're on the road, so we'll have a destination in mind, and have already searched the hotels, right, to see what's out there, and decide how far we want to drive, that day, but sometimes you want to drive a bit further, or not as far, so we just pop into the sites to see where the best deals are, book it.  So much easier than it has ever been, to get a great hotel, for a great price, when you're out on the open road - lol!

See the 'connector' piece? Hello, Easy Solution - my favourite kind of solution - well, sort of... makes me think of some sort of lovely concoction, but that's a whole other story... lol!

There we go - all back to normal, feels like a good weight in my hand, no more worries about forgetting or losing my keys...is much better, and I can easily remove my car key for the ignition - safer driving! Yahoo! 

Enjoy each and every one of your trips! Ailsa : )

#SafeDriving, #Keys, #Keychains, #KeychainSafety, #Keychain, #RoadTrip

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 Ha! Check out the Hunger Games Keychain - now that's off the chain - bah'hahahha!

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