lost keys

[Kent McLean]

Tony Hoffman wrote:
> The keys will also be locked in the car if the battery goes dead, then is
> hooked up to a charger or jumper cables.

I finally got a round tuit.  I called AAA for a tow to Northern European.
When I explained "no key", they suggested a lock smith. AAA Plus would cover
it up to $100. I said that's a plan.  That was at 1:30 PM. 2 hours later, I
hadn't heard a thing, so I called AAA back. "We'll get in touch with him,
and he'll call you." An hour later, another call to AAA. Same answer. An
hour later, another call to AAA. That call, AAA connect me with the lock
smith. After his excuses, we lined it up for the next day, his first job
of the day. He said he'd call be between 8:30-9:00 AM.

At 9:15 the next day, I called AAA. Again. They suggested I call him
directly. They gave me his number. I called. We talked. I cut short his
excuses. He said he'd call when he finished the other job he was on ("I
thought I was first?"). After another hour, I called AAA and said "Forget
the locksmith. I'd like it towed."

I went to clean out the back of my A4. I had a Rubbermaid box with a ton
of car stuff in it -- oil, rags, jumper cables -- and floating around the
bottom of that box was a set of black keys. Eureka! Before I could try
them in the 200, the AAA tow truck arrived. The driver said he was talking
with the locksmith, who was 5 minutes away. Before the lock smith got
there, I tried the keys. They worked. Hallelujah!

When the locksmith arrived, I had him make a set of duplicate keys.

AAA said they would have to charge for the tow, since the car wasn't
inspected. Fine, I said, just it get there.

So, after a painful 22 hours, I have keys and the 200 V8 Avant is on
it's way to Northern European.

I hope it doesn't hurt too much.

-- 
Kent McLean
1999 A4 Avant, V6 Tiptronic
1990 200 Avant mit V8 conversion
gone: too many to count, including my first, "Bad Puppy"