Went to a Midas to get the Jetta’s oil changed (I had not done so since pulling it out of some dude’s backyard in Muncie). Turns out, oil shops don’t like when a car has no jack point left to jack from.
My original intention was to get an oil change so I could have an inspection done* and not having to change my oil was a bonus. I had a noon appointment, but they didn’t get my car on the lift until 1:15 because their backlog was so bad. So they didn’t charge me for the oil and skipped on the inspection. As far as I’m concerned, free oil and getting to sit in the AC is better than paying for oil and having to lay underneath a shitbox.
As I left, the shop manager and I had this little interaction: “Hey man, you’ve got an exhaust leak and your oil pan leaks.” “Yeah, so?” (he did not mention the airbag light and the CEL).
*I wanted them to confirm my suspicion that the tie rod ends are iffy, as the car will from time to time (every five minutes) change whether it pulls left or right. I don’t have any ball joint play, so I think it could only be tie rod ends. That or the steering rack is fucked.