How to Stick It to Car Dealerships

Jerry of Jim's Mobile Auto Body based out of Jim's or Jerry's car introduced himself to us by talking soundlessly and pointing to the giant dent in our passenger-side door. I couldn't hear him because the giant dent prevented the window from going down. This has been the case for more than a year, when a friend having a party and trying to conserve parking told us to park at the end of her driveway. Then she forgot she needed something for said party, slammed her Honda into reverse, and CRUNCH.

We---OK, well really my husband. It's his car. I take the bus---took the car to the dealership in Northern Virginia which quoted us a price: $2,000. The door, they said, would have to be replaced. Seemed not quite right, so we said no thanks and continued to drive around with a dented door and window that would not go down. When, on occasion, I needed to spit out my gum, I would instruct my husband to roll down his window and then we would see if I had good aim. These are fun times in the car.

Then Jerry came into our lives. Jerry pulled up just as we were about to leave and told us he could fix our door, right there, in about 30 minutes, for $275. We were skeptical, but Jerry told us we could leave the car locked, we could stand right there and watch him work, and we didn't have to pay him until he was done. In cash, natch.

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