Half Price

My high beams wouldn't stay on, so I called my service rep to make an appointment. It was right at the end of my five year warranty. The voice mail informed me they were running a half price oil change and it sounded good to me. So I made the appointment for the next day. Showed up an hour early and they still took me. Sat in the waiting area, read a book. Inside of an hour I was led to my car and asked to show the mechanic how I turned on my beams. I showed him and he shook his head. I was pulling the lever toward me instead of away. It never occurred to me to try the other direction.
I felt foolish, but relieved. A phantom problem solved. Then it got interesting. Never let them do a full 88 point checkup because I guarantee they will find things wrong you never imagined. Besides my oil change I needed a complete flushing of my anti-freeze along with a new thermostat and gasket. Plus my rear brakes were shot right down to the shoes. Plus I was due for a timing belt replacement at 60000 miles.
Even with a discount, the estimate could have paid for a weekend in Cabo. I am trying to squeeze two more years out of this beast of a car. My Hyundai hates me. It was never a good fit right from the test drive. I could tell by the acrid smell. No new car aroma. It got itself stolen last year and stayed in a Wal-Mart lot all December covered with snow. It thinks I purposely arranged for its theft, that much is clear. Since I got it back, nothing but trouble.
Later, the service rep informed me bubbles came from my old anti-freeze. He asked if I added something to it, which I didn't. Those bubbles were my car's fury venting itself. Why didn't I keep my 13 year old Corolla? I could have cleaned up the rust. I'm not even certain timing belts exist. That, along with angels.