You couldn't make it up ......

[TheOstrich]

Took the car into the local garage this morning for a booked MOT and service.
By 4:00, heard nothing from them, so I phoned them up.
MOT's been done and they're just doing the service. Asked them when I should come down to pick it up, they said 5:30 - but I thought at the time they sounded a bit flustered.
At 5:00, they phoned me. Somewhat apologetic.

The Ostrichmobile is stuck on top of a ramp which has failed and they haven't been able to lower it ......

When am I going to get it back? No idea

[Suff]

They're actually not allowed to try and bring it down they have to contact the company. This happened to my Uncle in the TA workshops. Being ex regular they just stripped the mechanism, found the interlock and unlocked it to let it down. Then put it back together and waited for the company to come and condemn it.

[JoM]

Oh no Ossie!
Hope you’re not without it for very long.

[meriad]

Ooops... As Jo says, hopefully you'll get it back asap

Suff; you'd think that ramps would have a manual override, like a crank handle that can be turned. The garages must lose so much money if they have to wait for an authorised engineer

[cromwell]

Os, are you going to get a higher car in the meantime??

[JoM]

Os, are you going to get a higher car in the meantime??

[JanB]

[jenniren]

Os, are you going to get a higher car in the meantime??

On form today Crommers

I hope you don't have to wait too long Ossie.

[TheOstrich]

LOL @ Crommers

Got it back this morning, after I wandered down there around 9:30 to see the state of play.
Transpires it was someone else's car on the ramp, not ours.

Reading between the lines, I think they were "all hands to the pump" late yesterday afternoon trying to sort out the recalcitrant lift, and they didn't want the usual 5:00 scramble by punters coming in for their cars back distracting them.
So I was "put off" and probably wasn't the only one. When I went in this morning, S., the owner, was up to his eyeballs in sorting out paperwork from yesterday, so I'll let them off, no harm done. I've used them since we moved down here, 8 years ago, and they've always been very good.

MOT (pass) and full service was £383, although there were 2 MOT advisories on tyres coming to the end of their lives, one perishing and one worn down on one side, so it'll be going back in for those to be replaced on Tuesday; that'll be around another £100 I guess. I usually get the advisories done straight away for peace of mind.

[Kaz]

Well that's a relief then, Ossie!

Crommers!