The Command Start
Winter in Canada is like a plaque of cold for most of us. While some pretend to love winter, I doubt they’re out there on those -30C days plus the wind chill having a great time. Really, this is probably why some god inspired man to create command start. That or we’re just lazy. Anyways, I decided to put one of these magical command starts in my car about 4 weeks ago. This is my story…
My first stop was the dealership. While they are crazy for prices, they seemed to want to give me discounts on anything I got done relatively soon after purchasing the car. So I thought I would at least find out if they can do it. Turns out they don’t like that idea at all, but suggested I goto a place I shall call “OK Electronics” (OKE for short) to protect their horrible asses. So, off I went to OKE.
OKE was alright the first time around. Mazda had suggested a guy who used to work for them or something to that effect. So they guy seemed to know exactly what I needed and all that jazz. Fantastic I thought, so I purchased and pre-paid for the install. Booked it for the 18th, since that was the earliest possible date to get in at the time. And so I waited three weeks.
In that time I had to get a spare key cut for my car. Ordinary people would think this would be a simple process, but for the elite few who own a Mazda it’s a very special process. First you have to purchase a $35 blank ( thats the discounted price for new buyers ). They don’t cut keys at the dealership for some reason, so I got the key cut at Canadian Tire on the way home. Now I’m not entirely sure why I took it there, when I knew that taking it to a lock smith would most defenatly ensure a good job. That’s in the past now, so lets move on.
These keys need to be programmed. Being naive/lazy meant that I didn’t bother looking into it too hard about how to go about doing that. Since the guy at the shop said he would do it for free while installing my car I just left it. Perhaps I would of been… wise, to of checked into it a bit more myself. As it turns out, on the day of installing the command start, the key doesn’t turn. Thus preventing it from being programmed and used in my command starts magic key thinger.
With much disappointment I picked my car up that day, with a half installed command start. It was too late to get another blank, so I resolved to get one the next day and take the car in to have the install finished. The next day was filled with more grievous news, as Mazda told me their shipment of keys blew up in an unfortunate accident between a courier and wild buffalo. They assured me they had some more coming in the next day, and that they would phone me ASAP when they did come.
The next day I was sleeping around 9:30 when the phone rang. I ignored it because I thought I was in a really annoying dream. 20 minutes later the phone rings again and I realize that it wasn’t an annoying dream, but an annoying ring tone on my phone. Mazda informs me the key is in. Brief moment of rejoicing before going back to sleep for an hour. On the way to pick the key up I get a refund for the incorrectly cut key at Canadian Tire. Thats when I find out they should of never cut the key in the first place; which, was why they were refunding my money apparently. At any rate, they made me slightly less mad at them for making me drive in a cold car that morning.
I pick the key up for Mazda, drive to an actual lock smith and then to the installer place. They tell me there’s no time until like… 4:30. It’s almost noon so I can cope with that. I go out for lunch with a friend and have a nearly amusing adventure getting various instruments of plumbing. Around 4:15 we find ourselves ( my friend and myself) at the store again. 15 minutes early, but I figured better early than late. They told us it would be 20 minutes to do the job.
Nearly hour and a half later we’ve watched all the crappy parts of starwars episode 3 a few times and every HD TV they have for several minutes. They finally had the stupid thing installed and working. Bloody amazing I say! From that point on happiness was in my heart.
Some of this was very much exaggerated for dramatic effect. The general story is for the most part true. I typically make myself look like the good guy in all my stories; even if I’m not. Always take what I write in this blog with a grain of silicon dioxide.
