On 12/7/2015 2:51 PM, Danny D. wrote:
I am the same. I "do" buy Craftsman tools, although, lately, Harbor
Frieght tools work fine - but - maybe because I already have all the
basic tools, so, what I need are things like tire changers and
static balancers nowadays (not wrenches and screwdrivers).
CY: I had mixed results with HF. Most of the tools have worked fine.



They charged about $20 more than the chain store for the
alignment, but they did the work and said all the parts were fine.

Remind me to tell you the story of when I want to AAmco (again, as
a stupid kid) when they wanted to charge me $400 for a new transmission
when the real problem turned out to be bad motor mounts (causing a
screeching of the belts).

CY: And the Aamco that finished rebuilding
my TX. Problem was, it would not stay in
park. I'd stop, put the shift in park, take
my foot off the brake, and the vehicle rolls
away. I took it back, and they gave me a
story about how badly stretched was the
linkage. I took it home, and find the two
rods connect with a loop and bolt. Loosen
the bolt, shift the loop about 3/8 inch,
and the problem is solved. The Aamco shop
could not do that? Nonsense.


I found this out ONLY because I didn't have the money to pay $400
to Aamco. They were "professionals" so I believed them, but, when
I went to a mechanic, he said the only problem was the motor mounts,
which, after I replaced them (pretty easy job) *was* the problem!

So, AAmco is either incompetent, or crooks.
And, we all know they're not *that* incompetant.

CY: I wonder.


The end result is that you can only trust yourself, and the guys
here who aren't making any money off of you and me.

Thanks you guys! (PS: Where the hell is Oren & Chris?)

CY: Oh, sorry the hell for not commenting sooner
the hell.


I will never take another car to Sears, K-Mart, or any of the chain
stores for any repairs.

Don't get me started on the actions of Midas Muffler last I went there!

CY: Myself and many others have endured the
Midas three level pricing.
1) phone. Oh, it sounds like $75
2) quote at the counter, double the
phone quote. Gonna be $150.
3) Out the door price. Double the
counter price. We had to replace some
other parts, and the total came to $300.


I once tried to do an alignment myself. Forget it.... I'll never try
that again.

Alignment is one of the last bastions that a shade-tree mechanic
doesn't do.
CY: I can do toe sets, using either a long board and
magic marker. Or if I have second worker, a tape
measure.


I *bought* all the tools (e.g., digital levels) and made a toe measurement
tool. While toe is the easiest of all, it's not easy to measure nor to
even UNDERSTAND alignment. I think I understand it better than most, but,
even so, we need about $500 to $1,000 in tools to do the job easily.

Notice, we do NOT need the $50K to $100K tool that the shops use. They
have VASTLY different requirements than we have. We just need a level
garage floor, decent measurement tools, a decent lift system, and
the knowledge of how to convert inches to degrees and vice versa.