It was an odd feeling when I drove my trusted El Camino to another mechanic.  Ever since I bought the beast, I have been seeing the same mechanic.  He knew her inside out and treated her really well.  I even got a discount on different services, and sometimes a freebie.

But, having moved 20 miles away, I felt it was difficult to commit to a long distance relationship, and had to look at alternative offerings.

Recently I was forced to going to another mechanic.  One of my tires was flat and it was clear I needed new tires.

I frantically searched for local mechanics and read all the reviews, before finally deciding to go meet the new prospective mechanic.  It was almost like a real interview during the first visit. I simply had to get a feel for the new place before trusting them with the beast.

The date was settled and I brought the El Camino to the shop.  At first I was reluctant to hand over the keys, and I suddenly burst out “change her oil too“.  Not too sure what happened, but I dropped my guards and opened up.  The mechanic smiled and I went home.

A few hours later I got the call.  I could pick her up.

It was like I had cheated on my mechanic, who probably was wondering what he had done wrong since I hadn’t been back from months.  Is it normal to feel guilty about changing mechanic?

I consider this a one-off affair and hope my trusted mechanic will take us back!  It was just an oil change and new tires on the front.  It wasn’t serious 🙂