When FDR told us “all we have to fear is fear itself,” he may have been
echoing Pogo’s “we have met the enemy and it is us.” In the past month I have
been able to ride some low mileage new Triumphs, or should I say almost new, as
they have been previously owned, and bought back by them under California’s
Lemon Law. The law simply states that if a vehicle is in the shop more than 30
days during its warranty period, the customer can request it be bought back.
Sounds fair, but four bikes I rode last month that qualified weren’t defective.
One bike with less than 100 miles was bought back after the customer didn’t
reset his TPI, tire pressure indicators. Too lazy. Another had a check engine
light, sometimes, a software update, not effecting the running of the bike. The
immobilizer didn’t recognize the bike was moving, and thought it was being
stolen. 600 miles-it ran great. Like the new bike it was. Two others had oil
leaks, really weeps, oil never hit the ground, an easy fix, but both weren’t,
and now are fixed, and being resold at a huge discount. With a new bike
warranty...blame the dealer, blame the tech, blame the owner, just don’t blame
the product if you don’t use it properly. Of course you could always blame
yourself, yeah right?
When at Mercedes Benz, we took the attitude we not only fixed cars, we
fixed people. People who made enough income to afford one, yet didn’t have the
sense to own one. One genius came in one day complaining he wanted to trade the
car in, again the TPI light was on. Only to find some gas pump jockey
overinflated the tires, setting off the light, which also explained why it rode
so harsh. Another didn’t like the one step down feature on his windows, and
when shown it would still go down when held, left grumbling and embarrassed.
Another complained how their gas mileage went down after switching from
kilometers to miles. Kilometers is 1.6 that of miles, or 1.6 kilometers= 1
mile. KPG should always be higher than MPG, they are 60% of a mile. And then
there were those who thought they got a deal buying a luxury car off ebay, and
getting taken. There is a reason a new S600 sells for $150,000 and resells on
ebay for half that with 1000 miles. Of course he was going to sue us, never
their fault that MBUSA wouldn’t honor the warranty, it had been in a flood, and
the title said “SALVAGE.” But maybe the worst were Land Rover customers, who
spent way too much for an SUV, and couldn’t understand why they needed brakes
every 8000 miles, at $1500/set. 7000 pounds of vehicle when stopping quickly
wears out brakes, while getting 9 mpg. Again just because you can afford it,
doesn’t mean you have the sense to own one. Maybe a sign hanging in a friend’s
machine shop says it all. Read it carefully, that is how it was printed. See
if you caught it. “IGNORANCE IS CORRECTABLE, STUPIDY IS FOREVER.” Even my
spell checker caught it, did you? Stupidy?
So I applaud Honda motorcycles approach years ago and their simple two word
campaign. “STUPID HURTS.” Been there, done that, and yes, I have the t-shirt.
And I am not anti-warranty, or buy back. Yesterday the 100th victim of GM’s
ignition disaster died. If I had my way, put all of the ones from the engineer
on up who had to sign off on it in jail. Forget the fines, jail time, believe
me they would be fixed. And it would not happen again. And compensate the
families with huge sums of cash, and a new Ford every year. Same with the seat
belt fiasco, drunk drivers, get them drunk, let them loose in a parking lot with
no escape, and let student drivers try to avoid them. While texting, make the
punishment fit the crime. Separate the ignorant from the stupid...and correct
them.
Imagine your life came with a warranty, and you had to adhere to its
provisions to be saved. Break any of the rules, no heaven. No matter how well
you behaved otherwise, a less than perfect or acceptable score meant hell. Say
you got an 89 and it took 90 to get in? A recall? I once had a teacher who
gave me a C because I did B work and could have done A work. Boy am I glad she
has no saying in my eternal destiny. Yet may are caught in the trap of
legalism, where you have to earn your salvation, never knowing if you make it.
Another cult claims there is no hell, so no salvation. One bases it all on
education, stupid must really hurt in their denomination. Funny how they are
teach from the same Bible, yet twist words and meanings to prove their point.
When the truth is simple, Ephesians 2 tells us that salvation is a gift from
God, and cannot be earned. Lest we boast. Why would you deny the gift Jesus
gives and feel you have to work for something that is free? You see God is in
the people fixing business, with a lifetime warranty. No exceptions, and you
don’t have to be exceptional. When forgiven we are forgiven for past, today’s
and tomorrow’s sins. God knows we will sin again, yet he changes our heart so
we don’t want to. We see things through his eyes, and our attitude changes. We
no longer blame others, we realize our sin, repent, and get over it. Looking
forward to heaven and the gift of eternal life. No surprise bill due upon
death, no small print to exclude us. The gospel is free so I can afford it, and
simple so I can get it. Maybe that sin light that keeps popping up in your life
is telling you something, don’t disregard it. Don’t cover one lie with
another. Admit your sin, and let Jesus cover it. For while we were yet
sinners, he died for us. And often we don’t know how bad the sin in our life
is, or how deadly. God tells us to work our our salvation daily, self
inspection, and seek God for forgiveness. The spirit for guidance and comfort.
Jesus for forgiveness. And gain eternal life.
No one takes their car in because it is running so well. Or takes a bike
in for repairs when their are no symptoms. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Yet
we are all broke, and it takes a loving God to reveal it to us, and lovingly
forgive us. So we can be called sons of God. 1 John 3:1. Have your eternal
life warranty validated today, recorded in heaven in the book of life. Stupid
hurts, sin kills, only Jesus saves. No other name by which we can be saved.
Anywhere in the universe. Something to consider, yet some spend more money and
time on a car or bike that will wear out and break down. Is that man really
praying to his BMW with the hood up worshipping it for being broke and bent over
it on the side of the road? Car fix yourself! And so what makes you think you
can save yourself?
30 days has September, and so does the California Lemon Law buy back
program. Designed to identify a bad product, or defect. Your sin will find you
out, so program your personal GPS to Jesus,and never get lost again. Saved now
and forever. Which doesn’t mean you won’t have tribulations, how many highlight
that promise in their Bibles? But be sure you are never alone, and today just
may be your day of salvation. Read your Bible, the owner’s manual of life,
showing you how to have life. So many problems could have saved been avoided,
including trips to the service department if only they read the manual. Read
the book, know the author. Jesus and stupidy are both forever. Your
choice....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com