After 3 weeks Europe, we returned to find my wife's car a jungle of spores and fungus. Everywhere. The seats, the carpets, the seatbelts the steering wheel, the gearlever. And it stank.
It seems that some water had dripped into the passenger side footwell and I guess the moist, close environment over 3 weeks had allowed this stuff to go mad.
The car was practically undriveable unless you were prepared to get covered in the stuff and really smelly. So we set about some internet research to see how to fix it. Suggestions included:
1. Drying the car out by leaving doors and windows open and running the heater
2. Vacuuming
3. Sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on all surfaces and leaving for a day or two before vacuuming up
We tried all of these and then took it for a Valet. We dropped it at Universal Valet Service in Commercial road. After phoning around, they seemed reasonable (R375 for full valet) and said they would take the seats out which sounded quite thorough.
My wife dropped the car there at about 11 on Thurs morning and specified that what she wanted them to focus on was the fungus! Well, they called on Friday and said was it possible to leave it overnight and pick it up on Sat. We agreed and reiterated that we'd rather it was a thorough job than a quick job.
On Sat, after being told it was ready we went to collect. My wife was very disappointed to find that the inside really hadn't been thoroughly cleaned. The seatbelts and other areas still had the fungus. When she pointed it out to the guy in charge he agreed there was a problem and called one of the cleaners over to attend to it. This wasn't really good enough... there was no way she could do it then and there and we weren't going to stand around while she tried.
So we asked if we could leave it for them to sort it out. The chap agreed but also felt he had to tell us how short staffed he was and how difficult it was to get people in over the weekend etc etc. I feel for him but that really isn't our issue. Note to service organisations- customers are not interested in your problems: what they want is
1. An apology
2. A plan to make it right
You will be surprised how much a customer will put up with if you just apologise and try to make it right. Examples of making it right are - redoing the job, discounting the work or both.
Anyway, we left it and fetched it on Monday afternoon. It still wasn't pristine but they had made a bit more effort so we just cut our losses and took the car. There was no discount or anything further so while I don't really blame the guys, I probably will try somewhere else for a similar service next time.
In the end, what we got was a carwash, an engine clean and a polish. The interior valet was a bit disappointing. It didn't seem as though they'd been very thorough and we can get a similar interior clean from a R30 carwash at the local garage.
So this may be one of the cheaper valet services in Pietermaritzburg and they are friendly but be aware of what you are likely to get and don't have your expectations too high!
Will let you know when we try other services what they are like.
Incidentally, I think the car is still a bit stinky. Will try sprinkling bicarb again this weekend and leaving it to stand open before re-vacuuming. That is supposed to absorb a lot of the hone.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport - What to do while you wait for your flight
Well, since I arrived well in advance of my flight (Nelspruit to Durban at 11.40) I thought I'd find a nice placeto sit and relax, have a cup of coffee and maybe some cake or something, hopefully check up on my e-mailand perhaps work a little on my trading strategy.
I started with the upstairs Cafe called "Wings" restaurant or something like that. From the end of theRestaurant (essentially the smoking section / bar) there is a view of the Apron and the aircraft and Iwas able to easily get a table there as there were practically no other customers. The tables and chairsare sort of rustic wooden but fairly comfortable.
The restaurant lacks a bit of background music and ambience but then, I suppose, it is an airport cafe.There is nowhere to plug in a power cable so I didn't take out my notebook. I assumed there would be nointernet either.
A glance through the menu shows that they are pretty much focussed on meals rather than coffee-shop typefare. This didn't really suit me so I tried to find the smallest thing on the menu. It was a Cruisin'Croissant for R19. Looked OK, so I ordered a cup of filter coffee and that. No luck, they are out ofCroissants. I asked if they didn't have muffins or scones or something like that but this was alsogreeted with a shake of the head.
So I sat back, enjoyed my coffee (which wasn't bad) and watched police sniffer dogs check out the Jetstreamaircraft on the apron waiting to depart. They seemed to give it the all clear and it left.
I noticed the pilot spun the port engine up to full speed and ran it for a while before even startingstarboard. I wondered if they were anticipating some problem. I also wondered how an aircraft is able tostand still with one engine (and propeller) belting away at full tilt. I don't know much about these thingsbut I believe the pilot can vary the pitch of the propeller so perhaps when they do this they have thepropeller pitch in a neutral position, thereby generating very little thrust? Seems to make sense.
I finished the coffee and tired of listening to the cellphone conversation of my fellow patron so Ithought I'd try the coffee shop downstairs, Buondi Cafe. Paying was a bit of a mission as the waitress had to empty her personal handbag to find the correct change for me.
Buondi Cafe is not blessed with much of a view and has no windows but looked cosy enough. They boastan internet connection at (less than! R1/min). That is hardly cheap. I won't give all the prices butthe 90min deal is R50. Not great but comparable with the Jo'burg airport wireless deal, if I recallcorrectly. However, this deal is to sit at their special machine. I have yet to check if there is a wirless offering.One moment, while I do....
OK, only one detected - Interlink KMIA security enabled. Signal weak here so I guess it's not specific tothe Cafe. The lady at information didn't know much about it. So no luck there.
As for Cafe Buondi... before ordering *another* coffee I checked what muffins they had (as these werepublished on the menu). The answer- none. So I told the waitress not to worry and haven't had anything.Very disappointing. Surely that is basic fare for a coffee shop? In their defence they aren't griping atme for sitting in the chair and not ordering anything but I'm still not too impressed.
I guess there's a chance that if I go through to departures I will have more luck (possibly a notebook desk orsomething?) Will let you know shortly.
Nope, same story at departures. had to sit with machine on lap and no internet. Pretty poor, I'm afraid,so I suggest when visiting Kruger Mpumalanga airport, take a good book ;-)
I started with the upstairs Cafe called "Wings" restaurant or something like that. From the end of theRestaurant (essentially the smoking section / bar) there is a view of the Apron and the aircraft and Iwas able to easily get a table there as there were practically no other customers. The tables and chairsare sort of rustic wooden but fairly comfortable.
The restaurant lacks a bit of background music and ambience but then, I suppose, it is an airport cafe.There is nowhere to plug in a power cable so I didn't take out my notebook. I assumed there would be nointernet either.
A glance through the menu shows that they are pretty much focussed on meals rather than coffee-shop typefare. This didn't really suit me so I tried to find the smallest thing on the menu. It was a Cruisin'Croissant for R19. Looked OK, so I ordered a cup of filter coffee and that. No luck, they are out ofCroissants. I asked if they didn't have muffins or scones or something like that but this was alsogreeted with a shake of the head.
So I sat back, enjoyed my coffee (which wasn't bad) and watched police sniffer dogs check out the Jetstreamaircraft on the apron waiting to depart. They seemed to give it the all clear and it left.
I noticed the pilot spun the port engine up to full speed and ran it for a while before even startingstarboard. I wondered if they were anticipating some problem. I also wondered how an aircraft is able tostand still with one engine (and propeller) belting away at full tilt. I don't know much about these thingsbut I believe the pilot can vary the pitch of the propeller so perhaps when they do this they have thepropeller pitch in a neutral position, thereby generating very little thrust? Seems to make sense.
I finished the coffee and tired of listening to the cellphone conversation of my fellow patron so Ithought I'd try the coffee shop downstairs, Buondi Cafe. Paying was a bit of a mission as the waitress had to empty her personal handbag to find the correct change for me.
Buondi Cafe is not blessed with much of a view and has no windows but looked cosy enough. They boastan internet connection at (less than! R1/min). That is hardly cheap. I won't give all the prices butthe 90min deal is R50. Not great but comparable with the Jo'burg airport wireless deal, if I recallcorrectly. However, this deal is to sit at their special machine. I have yet to check if there is a wirless offering.One moment, while I do....
OK, only one detected - Interlink KMIA security enabled. Signal weak here so I guess it's not specific tothe Cafe. The lady at information didn't know much about it. So no luck there.
As for Cafe Buondi... before ordering *another* coffee I checked what muffins they had (as these werepublished on the menu). The answer- none. So I told the waitress not to worry and haven't had anything.Very disappointing. Surely that is basic fare for a coffee shop? In their defence they aren't griping atme for sitting in the chair and not ordering anything but I'm still not too impressed.
I guess there's a chance that if I go through to departures I will have more luck (possibly a notebook desk orsomething?) Will let you know shortly.
Nope, same story at departures. had to sit with machine on lap and no internet. Pretty poor, I'm afraid,so I suggest when visiting Kruger Mpumalanga airport, take a good book ;-)
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