On Fri, 25 Nov 2005 05:34:47 GMT, Ignoramus10725
wrote:
On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 21:43:24 -0600, RDF wrote:
Pete,
I hear ya- loud and clear. This one is even better. At 30k the P/M is to
replace the serpentine belt (fully logical) I asked "How much" expecting
about $30.00 He told me $220.79 Now, my car has my company name and graphic
on the trunk lid, I asked the guy if it was correct and he reassured me it
was and it needed a "special tool" to change it. So in I peek. Went and got
a 4" C- clamp to compress a hydraulic cylinder to maintain pressure on the
tensioner and installed a Gates Powergrip belt ( at a whopping $14.99 at
NAPA) I wonder what a $200.00 C-clamp does 
Moral of the story- I'm not the brightest guy on the planet but that is
plain theft. And people pay it, I feel sorry for them. This is why I had my
ex-girlfriend's daughter take autoshop and work for me in the summer. Let
some other sucker bite that hook. That in itself justified me buying a
complete factory service manual and a Benz logic cartridge set for my
Snap-On scanner. Hell, I would have spent that on a belt alone from the
dealer.
I do not even bother looking for honest car mechanics anymore. I gave
up. I do everything I can do on my truck, myself. If that takes buying
tools, usually I buy tools as it turns out to be cheaper anyway.
Furthermore, I even do not deal with car mechanics when they try to
sell their used stuff (my hobby is to resell used equipment on ebay).
As soon as I learn that the seller is a car mechanic, I say something
polite and hang up. That's not out of bitterness or some such, this
policy does not make me lose money. I just know that I would come in,
he would be unreasonable in his asking prices and likely even
impolite, and try to screw me in every way he can.
i
Too bad all you've met are the bad ones. There are a few good ones
left - but most of US have gotten out.(which leaves only the bad ones
for you to deal with).
I got out, largely, because the CUSTOMERS are unpolite,
demanding,dishonest, cheap, and generally impossible to satisfy - even
when you do something for nothing.
They book their car for 3 hours of work and don't show up, after you
have made room in your busy schedule to get them in NOW - and that is
only because it is IMPOSSIBLE to do it yesterday. Then they want you
to diagnose the problem over the phone and guarantee the price - AND
be cheaper than the other 10 or 12 mechanics they have done the same
thing to. If you can't get the parts PRONTO, they cry and complain -
and you can NOT have every possible part available - the dealers don't
either. Then they lie about what has happened to the car, because they
want it to be someone elses fault and problem, not their own.
You fix the car and they leave and stop payment on the check or
dispute the charge on their credit card. Not only that, they bad-mouth
you to everyone who will listen when at the bar, a party, or wherever,
whenever the subject of auto repair or car problems comes up - which
is ANY time. Then 3 months later, after you have fixed, say the
brakes, they come back with the wiper motor not working - and - you
guessed it - its YOUR fault!!!!
It just wasn't fun any more after 25 years - and its gotten a whole
lot worse in the last 15 or more years.
I know it's very OT but it just leaves me angry to recall it and think
I'd go for it.
All the best,
Rob Fraser
Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.
"Pete C." wrote in message
...
RDF wrote:
Thanks for the input! I'll get out the Fluke and download the .PDF and
see
what I can find before I burn the place down I was sort of hoping to
be
able to replace the stock batteries but they are so insanely expensive,
hacking the box for batteries I have no use for (Still in the plastic
wrap
and caps on. got them in a barter) Get this- Mercedes wanted $430.00 to
replace my battery for P/M- Yea right, my car now has a Optima yellow in
the
trunk and why a factory (much smaller and lighter too) battery would be
junk
after two years blows my mind.
Thanks for the info and help!
Rob Fraser
Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.
The VP of my department found the same thing with the battery in his
BMW. He decided that the zillion dollar original was BS so I sent him to
my favorite battery distributor for an Optima and helped him retrofit
the hold down.
Pete C.