[Beethoven]

Here's the situation. Yesterday I'm driving my car on Lake Shore Drive when the radio suddenly loses power, and then the engine. I continue to press on, and it seems to recover. Then, after about 5 miles, the engine loses all power and stalls. I just made it into a parking lot. After two hours I return to the car; it starts right up, but loses power after 3 minutes.
I call AAA and they flatbed it to The Porsche Exchange. All the while I'm in email contact with that Glorious Group of Illinois Porschephiles (GGIP) Souk, Christ Streit, and Kevin Lehman, who diagnose the problem, devise strategies, and generally keep me from going bonkers. This morning comes the call from The Exchange: alternator kaputt. Their remedy: new alternator, $700; new battery (allegedly overcharged), $350; new light switch (which was fried), $275; oil change (for which I had asked), $169. Labor ($119/h) included. I was so perplexed that I gave them the go ahead.
When I shared this with the GGIP, they were outraged and immediately made plans to drive up there, tow that baby out of waterpumper hell, and do the work themselves. The flurry of emails takes about 90 min, then I call The Exchange back, and tell them to stop everything, the fellas would come round and pick the car up. Not so, says the service manager, we've already ordered the alternator, put in the battery, did the oil change, and installed the light switch. How, I asked the good man, could you do that in such short time when you're charging a full hour alone for the oil change?? Words were exchanged (hence, it dawned on me, The Exchange). Only with difficulty can the GGIP be restrained from hurtling up there and "lean" on the man.
I find the attitude of these Porsche dealers insuffrable. Have they now regard for people who drive their cars out of passion, not because they want to show off? The whole shop was crawling with 20-year olds with too much gel in their hair, bringing in their 2004 turbos to be dynoed and detailed. Lord knows how they make their money. Oldest car in the shop was a 2001. Couldn't they just have given a guy in a tough spot a break? I'll speak with the manager tomorrow, but I'm too disgusted with them to raise a stink.
On the upside, I got a demonstration of the real power of the GGIP. What a bunch of guys--except for Kevin I haven't even met any of them! Next time I break down I know whom to call.