My son has a 1998 Chevy Malibu and complained that the ignition switch was
getting harder and harder to control.

So...........I prepared to take the car to our local mechanic Tuesday
morning but the ignition key would not turn no matter what I did.

So............I called AAA for a tow, telling them that the car was head
into the garage, was a front wheel drive and the tow truck would need to
bring along some wheel dollies so it could be pushed out of the garage. NP,
the AAA operator said she would pass the message along.

1/2 hour later the tow truck comes.........no dollies. The driver states "I
wish AAA told me I needed to bring them."

He returns and hour later with dollies, but one of them has a wheel that is
busted. We only found this out after he left a 10 foot scrape/gouge along
our driveway.

Back to the garage.

He returns an hour later and the car is finally hooked up to the tow
truck........away it goes.

Later that day I spoke with the owner........bad news.......the ignitions
switch is bad and needs to be replaced to the tune of $350+ for the switch
alone. It could not be rebuilt. At the earliest the car would be ready on
Wednesday. What can you do but say 'go for it'?

After a day on the boat today (boating related link) we called and found out
the car was ready. My wife dropped me off to pick up the car and the bill
was $630..............$380 in parts and $200 something in labor (they had to
pull the entire dash), with the remainder tax.

I hate these kinds of expenses. Kids and cars are expensive.

JimH wrote:
My son has a 1998 Chevy Malibu and complained that the ignition switch was
getting harder and harder to control.

So...........I prepared to take the car to our local mechanic Tuesday
morning but the ignition key would not turn no matter what I did.

So............I called AAA for a tow, telling them that the car was head
into the garage, was a front wheel drive and the tow truck would need to
bring along some wheel dollies so it could be pushed out of the garage. NP,
the AAA operator said she would pass the message along.

1/2 hour later the tow truck comes.........no dollies. The driver states "I
wish AAA told me I needed to bring them."

He returns and hour later with dollies, but one of them has a wheel that is
busted. We only found this out after he left a 10 foot scrape/gouge along
our driveway.

Back to the garage.

He returns an hour later and the car is finally hooked up to the tow
truck........away it goes.

Later that day I spoke with the owner........bad news.......the ignitions
switch is bad and needs to be replaced to the tune of $350+ for the switch
alone. It could not be rebuilt. At the earliest the car would be ready on
Wednesday. What can you do but say 'go for it'?

After a day on the boat today (boating related link) we called and found out
the car was ready. My wife dropped me off to pick up the car and the bill
was $630..............$380 in parts and $200 something in labor (they had to
pull the entire dash), with the remainder tax.

I hate these kinds of expenses. Kids and cars are expensive.

I thought your son was working? When my kids get to driving age, they
are going to work for the costs of car ownership.