A MOST EXPENSIVE BUTTON

Years and years ago, when the dinosaurs roamed the earth . . . well, maybe not that long ago, lets say back in 1950, my dad bought himself a new car. It was a beautiful blue Nash Rambler. Odd name for a car that looked like a big blue box but dad loved that car. It was way ahead of its time with automatic transmission, (GASP) a button on the floor that you would tap with your left foot, (since that foot no longer had anything to do since the clutch was gone) to change the headlights from regular to high beam, (DOUBLE GASP)  AND the biggest innovation of all . . . a button on the dash board to turn the car on ! My dad thought he had died and gone to heaven. This car was the cat's meow and then some. You still had to have a key to put into the ignition but then you pushed the button and the Rambler started to hum!

That car served my dad well for over 20 years. It survived my mother's failed attempt to learn to drive. (The neighbors fence died a horrible death.) The car also survived my learning to drive. I couldn't wait to get my license. I would sit in the car in front of our house pretending I was cruising the streets of Queens. I got me through my learners permit and my road test, which I passed on the first try. It survived my discovery that I could "burn rubber" even with an automatic transmission in a car that was by then 17 years old. It was quite the automobile.

And here we are all these years later with our cell phones, iPads, computers and push button cars. The only difference is that my push button car does not have a key. In stead I have a FOB. As long as the fob is anywhere near the car I can open and lock the doors and turn the car on. No more rummaging through my purse to find my car keys. No more putting my keys down some where never to find them again. The fob just stays in my purse and never leaves my side.

BUT . . . What IF . . .  If I loose that  fob I am not going any where. I only have that ONE fob so I have to be very sure it never leaves my sight. Once it is gone I just toss my car away and buy a new one. No! that can't be right. What if I just buy a new fob?

Today I took my car in for servicing at the dealer where I bought it way over in Royal Palm Beach.  I had a great adventure. Cruised down the turnpike and was there in about 15 minutes. Easy Peasy ! The servicing took less than an hour and that was that. Before I left I inquired about purchasing a second key less entry fob. When I came to I asked if I had heard them correctly. OVER $400 !!  For a little thing smaller than a box of gum ????  YEP !  I heard them right ! AND said the service manager if I were to loose the 2 key fobs it would cost me over $600 because then they would have to reprogram the computer in my car.

I did order a new fob which will take one hour to program. Why does it take that long ?  I don't even want to know.