Another type of tourism
Tourism can be beach, sightseeing, religious, extreme, gastronomic and even medical. I will open a new page on TurPravda. Auto repair tourism.
Backstory. Some time ago, I bought my wife a car of not the most common brand. And ordered it with a manual transmission. The wife loves it more. And I save. It did not bother me that the dealers looked at me with bewilderment and tore off a double prepayment.
3 months after the end of the warranty and mileage of 50.000 km. second gear stopped working. It was strange, but at first glance solvable. I drove the car to a familiar, completely proven service, and the servicemen stunned me that they would not undertake repairs, because. they have long been no specialists in "mechanics". Moreover, they told me that if someone takes the risk, it will most likely be a charlatan. And all because 99.9% of cars of this brand in Russia have automatic transmissions.
I was surprised and did not believe it. I climbed onto a site that unites the owners of these machines and asked a question on the forum about where and how much. The site administration immediately contacted me with the news that there was nothing about this on the site, but if I solve the problem, they will be grateful to me for any information for a hundred years.
It was already stressful. I decided to spit on everything, buy spare parts and drive the car away to some pure Pakhomych, who fixes everything. I went to a store selling (and ordering) ALL spare parts from ALL machines. The manager jabbed his fingers at the keyboard buttons for a long time. Frowning. Called another manager. Then they called the chief manager himself....And it was announced to me that the manufacturer does not supply spare parts for this gearbox to Russia. It was the first time in 15 years that they had encountered such a thing. And they deliver it as a set. Priced at $5.500.
And what to do? And then I remembered that many Russians travel to Belarus in order to save on dental treatment. Decided to try. I found the necessary service in Minsk, contacted them and outlined the problem. Their senior, named Franz, told me that I can go to them and they will fix everything. I insistently repeated to him about all the akhtungs that we encountered, but Franz firmly told me that the car would be fixed no matter what.
And I went. You know, there are advantages to problems too. The road to Minsk was good. I, despite the fact that I was driving a "sick" car, enjoyed it. This is one of the best roads in my life and certainly the best (free) road in Russia. 2-3 lanes in each direction. Excellent infrastructure. Fresh markup. Behind Vyazma, small deer began to gallop along the roadsides.
But when I entered the territory of Belarus, I realized that there is no limit to perfection. They didn’t have such coexistence on the track as settlements where you need to slow down. They did not have traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. And all around, instead of Russian forests, there were endless fields, on which fat herds grazed, and ruddy peisans merrily walked home after haymaking. Well, or after that they can go in the spring... I understand that there are a lot of problems in Belarus. I also understand that the people living there, for the most part, are very poor. But on the outside, everything looks amazing. Brand new tractors drive through the fields. All houses, sheds, fences look neat and painted. Looking at all this, I just sang with pleasure.
Minsk shocked me. I was there in the early nineties. It was a gray, dull, faceless city. Now it is a sparkling, pleasant metropolis in every sense. Without flashy luxury. No show off. Minsk is an honest city.
Now about people. Because Since the navigator did not work for me, I had to ask the people of Minsk for directions. So they were ready to take me with them through the whole city. Drivers, seeing my uncertain driving and Moscow license plates, let me through and were not annoyed by my slow acceleration after traffic lights. (No second gear. )
I booked a hotel on the outskirts, closer to the service. "Voyage". A brand new hotel with no flaws for a low cost. The bartender woman was already closing the place, but when she saw my hungry eyes, she quickly cooked dinner for me. And she did not express any dissatisfaction with the fact that she serves me after hours.
In the morning I drove the car to the service and took a taxi to the airport. Franz, at the meeting, made me even more confident that everything would work out. He's so reliable. He is a man.
This was the first part of the journey. Strange journey. In total, I walked 500 meters through the territory of another country. I even had to buy gifts for home at a local small duty free. But I bought a linen tablecloth, dry-cured meat and sausage. The plane ticket cost 3.700 rubles.
Three days later, Franz called and said that they also had problems finding spare parts (even used ones), but I shouldn't worry, because. he will decide everything. I didn't worry. Although, at my request, friends were looking for used components in Germany, Ukraine, Austria and Poland. To no avail. There were no new ones either. Just the whole assembly. And even more expensive. 5.500, but already euros. When I called Franz with this information, he replied that everything was fine. All according to plan. In Lithuania, too, there are no necessary details. I also called Lithuania. Cheerful Lithuanians told me that if they did not find it, they would simply steal the right car in Germany. So, I was absolutely not worried.
A month and a half has passed. Franz called. Everything was ready.
I took a plane ticket (4.200 rubles) and flew to Belarus. A kind taxi driver on the way to the service very sensibly told me where you can buy Belarusian flax not at tourist prices. And where the freshest Belarusian meat products are sold. I now had to buy all this at the request of friends and acquaintances. Everything I bought in duty free caused them absolutely puppy delight. They even gave me a lot of money with me for these purposes.
The repair of the box cost me $400, not counting the parts. I received not only a repaired car, but also a peeled one inside and out. Like this. These people were not too lazy to scour Lithuania in search of the necessary details. My car was an immovable monument in the service yard for a month and a half. But they did it. But they could have sent. . .
I had to buy a used box with boron. Now I will sell it in parts. Maybe I will.
The road home was also good. In addition to tablecloths, bedding sets, sausages and jerky, I also bought various European cheeses. And, of course, the forgotten taste. Belarusian sausage cheese. He is even better than any bourgeois Bree.
I bought a couple of cockerels on a stick for my daughter. Only at home I read on the label that they were made in Russia. Specifically in Kemerovo. It is very strange. You can just see how a powerful tractor, overcoming a snowstorm and a snowstorm, drags a truck loaded with cockerels from Siberia to Berorussia.
This is such an unusual journey. Not quite in the format of the site, but it was exactly the journey. And then there is something adventurous about it. Not very early in the morning to fly to the capital of another state. Do business there. Make shopping. Dine. Get behind the wheel and be at home by 2230. But we do not live in Luxembourg.
