Today I took the car for it's Contrôle Technique, (French MOT) ... and it PASSED! I have to say I was completely surprised as it had failed on various things last time and being a Renault it is prone for all sorts of things breaking. The front left indicator regularly needs re-adjusting to work, Simon has had to do a botch job on the electrics to get the number plate light to work, the driver's seatbelt sticks at times (thank goodness for WD40), the bit of very expensive electrical kit that makes the windscreen wipers work died ... and so the list goes on.
As I sat waiting for my turn, the owner of the car before me was told his car had failed ... and it looked in much better nick than ours. I continued to sit and wait. I noticed the number plate light was on (phew) and the horn worked, which had been a failure on the previous car but I still imagined a fail and then the joys of trying to understand what the garage man was saying had caused the fail - something I probably do not understand in English let alone in French. But my worries were unfounded and it passed. OK there were a couple of things that will need sorting soon but no need to return for a Contre-Visite and I left as fast as I could before he changed his mind!
So why a picture of the back of the car?
Last week the boot suddenly refused to shut. I removed the stone that may have been blocking the locking mechanism. I tweaked the lock with a screwdriver and Simon applied a generous spray of WD40. It still steadfastly refused to close. So now, as well as a boot that would not shut I had the endure the internal lights being permanently on and the car doors going clunkity clunk clunk each time I slowed down, in their vain attempt to lock which of course they couldn't because the boot was open. The following day I took it to our local friendly garage. The man there looked at me - looked at the boot lock and tried to close it.
Yes (sigh) you guessed right - THE BOOT CLOSED PERFECTLY!!
I was so embarrassed.
And that, my dear readers is why you have a picture of my car boot! It may not have been a Magic Moment for me ... but I am sure it was for the garage man!
LOL, sounds like something I would do :) glad you got your MOT though, always a big relief.
ReplyDeleteIf only I had checked it one more time before I went to the garage!
DeleteIt's always the way, though!
ReplyDeleteIt just serves to further support my case for sending Simon to the garage on all future occasions. I always feel so out of my depth when confronted with mechanics.
DeleteHaha, well at least you passed!
ReplyDeleteVery true!
DeleteAlways teh way. i took my youngest to the Dr when he was 10 months as he wasn't rolling or moving, he just sat there. As soon as I put him on th floor to prove it he crawled!
ReplyDeleteOh no and typical!
DeleteNearly snorted there Rosie, that's the sort of thing that happens to me and I feel like such a fool! You must have been so relieved it's working and your car passed its MOT. I can't imagine having a conversation in French about what's wrong although I'm sure you get the idea! Lovely post, thank you so much for sharing with #whatsthestory. Sorry was a bit later getting to you :)
ReplyDeleteIf you need to laugh at someone else's embarrassing moment, I have a post on the blog entitled maxi dress vs escalator! Thankfully I didn't end up in my pants!
I have just read your maxi dress vs escalator post - classic! And what a brilliant gentleman to come to your rescue :)
DeleteThat's exactly what would have happened to me. I always end up looking like a dapsy woman driver, with no idea how are car works, whenever I go to a garage. It least it did pass though :)
ReplyDelete#MagicMoments
Not just me then!
DeleteThat made me laugh.... I am sure these cars do these things to spite us! I had never taken into consideration things like garages when becoming an expat, it can be quite a traumatic experience at times can't it?.... :D
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that cars do it to spite us ... as for garages, I didn't like going to them in the UK - going in France is even worse!
DeleteYou made me laugh! Mel
ReplyDeleteI can laugh now!
DeleteThat sounds about right............. Great post - really made me giggle #magicmoments #whatsthestory
ReplyDeleteI can giggle too - in a still slightly embarrassed sort of a way!
DeleteGrace says - oooohh how embarrassing but when Mummy read this to me, I did have a little giggle to myself #magigmoments
ReplyDeleteGlad you could have a giggle, Grace, even if it was at my expense!
DeleteSounds like me! I always have something not working and as soon as someone else looks at it, it is fixed!
ReplyDelete#whatsthestory
I am sure cars are hard wired to do things like this!
Deletehoney this is so something that would happen to me!!
ReplyDeletethanks for linking up with #MagicMoments xx
I think it is something far too many women have to suffer!
ReplyDelete