On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)


I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 4:51:58 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

Well, there you have it. I'm sure she knows, even though she's
making tens of millions a year and only has two year old lease cars.
Never mind that the cost of labor is more than that for an hour
where she tapes the show.



I've only thought about doing this once,

Yes, we know you didn't do it when you bought that crap car
with no inspection that blew up on you.



when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

If you're clueless about cars, can't do any inspection yourself, for
sure it's worth the money. And not only that, it's obvious
that any inspection will uncover some things, which you can then go
back to the seller with and get the price lowered. That pays for it.
Nuff said.

On 8/27/2019 4:34 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.



Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center only/edges .
Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or a
clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired that
looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination . I've
never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should have
passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be sittin' down .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 6:05:54 PM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
On 8/27/2019 4:34 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.



Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center only/edges .
Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or a
clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired that
looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination . I've
never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should have
passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be sittin' down .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

A big advantage a pro has that's familiar with that car is that they should
know the common pitfalls with that make and model and what to look for.
Many car models are known to have potentially big problems, that cost a
lot to fix. You could invest some time on the internet to read up and
figure that out for yourself, but the typical buyer isn't going to do
that, nor do they have the skills to then make the evaluation.

On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center only/edges .
Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or a
clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired that
looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination . I've
never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should have
passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be sittin' down .


Easy for you. Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


Â*Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â*Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.Â* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

Â* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:44:20 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.


I recently checked the oil on my daughters Pilot - took a few long
seconds to find the dipstick - then had to go find a long-neck
funnel to add oil ... geeesh.
John T.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 17:34:24 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)


I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.

For $100 I could tell you if it is GOOD, BAD, or needs a further
look.

For $50 I could rule out 50% of the bad ones, or select at least 50%
of the good ones. The "inbetween" takes a bit more investigation.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:22:54 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center only/edges .
Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or a
clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired that
looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination . I've
never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should have
passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be sittin' down .


Easy for you. Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?
Or even know that the fender WAS replaced???

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


** Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

** If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:44:20 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.
In half an hour a good mechanic can pull 2 wheels (1 front and one
rear) -scan the codes, and do a cursory inspection.

That's about $60 around here at a dealership About $45 or $50 at many
independents or chains like Meineke etc.

If you have a "regular" mechanic they will often cut you a good deal
just to get/keep your business - and make sure you are getting a good
vehicle.

On 8/27/2019 8:53 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:

Â*Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â*Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .

Easy for you.Â* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?
Â* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

Â* Yeah , and the fastest horse may not win , but that's the way I'm
going to bet .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

In article ,
says...

A big advantage a pro has that's familiar with that car is that they should
know the common pitfalls with that make and model and what to look for.
Many car models are known to have potentially big problems, that cost a
lot to fix. You could invest some time on the internet to read up and
figure that out for yourself, but the typical buyer isn't going to do
that, nor do they have the skills to then make the evaluation.



Yes, a good mechanic often knows of probem cars. Like a new car I
bought. My shade tree mechanic friend told me that at about 40,000
miles a gear in the timing chain system would wear out. Sure enough
about every 45,000 miles it wore out and left me stranded 2 times before
I got rid of it.

Son bought a new Nissan a couple of years ago. Factory knows of a
transmission problem. They had extended the warrenty period from 60
thousand to 120 thousnad miles. Sure enough at about 130 thousand miles
the transmission needed a $ 4000 repair. They would not do anything
about it so son had to eat the repair price.

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:53:49 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


** Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

** If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

When there is a warranty on the engine, like from a used car dealer, is
that supposed to cover oil pan gasket leaks?


(As is often the case on that show, the stories are not compatible with
each other. Supposedly they had a 2-day warranty and the mechanic they
took it to on the 2nd day said so many things were bad he couldn't write
them all down but even when she called h im on the phone, the only
things that were mentioned was oil and antifreeze dripping and the gas
tank held up by a bungee cord. Isn't replacing the metal strap that
holds it up a cheap repair?

There is often a big difference between the issues the announcer reads
at the start and the ones they bring up in the "trial". I know the thing
is edited and they might have said more, but even alllowing for that,
there seems to be a big difference sometimes.)

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:51:19 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 17:34:24 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)


I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.

For $100 I could tell you if it is GOOD, BAD, or needs a further
look.

For $50 I could rule out 50% of the bad ones, or select at least 50%
of the good ones. The "inbetween" takes a bit more investigation.

Both of those are better than I thought.

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)



I'd have the plugs changed on my old '96 - 2006 Taurus's
at about 150,000 km and they still looked very good.
.. that works out to ~ ONE plug change for the life of the car.
ie: a non-issue.
John T.

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:08:26 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg



Thanks for sharing - I forwarded the link to some family members.
John T.

On Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 4:16:16 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:53:49 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


Â*Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â*Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.Â* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

Â* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

When there is a warranty on the engine, like from a used car dealer, is
that supposed to cover oil pan gasket leaks?

Read the warranty? Is it a used late model BMW from a dealer,
a used car from a used car lot with a national warranty, or a used
car from a used car lot where they issue the warranty and do the work?
An oil pan gasket can be an expensive repair. The gasket isn't expensive,
but some cars accessing it is a disaster and you have to partially
lift the engine up.








(As is often the case on that show, the stories are not compatible with
each other. Supposedly they had a 2-day warranty and the mechanic they
took it to on the 2nd day said so many things were bad he couldn't write
them all down but even when she called h im on the phone, the only
things that were mentioned was oil and antifreeze dripping and the gas
tank held up by a bungee cord. Isn't replacing the metal strap that
holds it up a cheap repair?

I've never seen a gas tank held on by a metal strap. Typically
they are shielded, up out of harms way. And if it's
falling out, held on by a bungee cord, there is likely a lot more
wrong than just a strap, like everything is shot from rust.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:11:32 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

A big advantage a pro has that's familiar with that car is that they should
know the common pitfalls with that make and model and what to look for.
Many car models are known to have potentially big problems, that cost a
lot to fix. You could invest some time on the internet to read up and
figure that out for yourself, but the typical buyer isn't going to do
that, nor do they have the skills to then make the evaluation.



Yes, a good mechanic often knows of probem cars. Like a new car I
bought. My shade tree mechanic friend told me that at about 40,000
miles a gear in the timing chain system would wear out. Sure enough
about every 45,000 miles it wore out and left me stranded 2 times before
I got rid of it.

Did it cost you $100 for that bit of important information?
Would you have paid attention if he had charged you $100? BG

Son bought a new Nissan a couple of years ago. Factory knows of a
transmission problem. They had extended the warrenty period from 60
thousand to 120 thousnad miles. Sure enough at about 130 thousand miles
the transmission needed a $ 4000 repair. They would not do anything
about it so son had to eat the repair price.


And a good independent mechanic could have told your son - yes - it's
not in bad shape - for a Nissan - but expect expensive trouble from
the transmission - at the very least - before you get to 150,000.

And that doesn't cast $100 to find out.

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.


Takes 10 minutes or less to remove the "vanity covers" on the wife's
Kia Sorento V6 - about the same on my daughter's Hyundai Elantra GT

Now on a BMW it's a different story. They even cover the brake master
and the reservoirs for the power steering and w/s washer fluid.

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:16:09 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:53:49 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


** Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

** If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

When there is a warranty on the engine, like from a used car dealer, is
that supposed to cover oil pan gasket leaks?

Warrantees from used car dealers are generally not worth the paper
they are written on - and sold by shifty operators on cars they know
are piles of crap.

The wording of the warrantee usually has the dealer "certifying" the
vehicle has no obvious pre-existing issues - and they lie through
their teeth.

(As is often the case on that show, the stories are not compatible with
each other. Supposedly they had a 2-day warranty and the mechanic they
took it to on the 2nd day said so many things were bad he couldn't write
them all down but even when she called h im on the phone, the only
things that were mentioned was oil and antifreeze dripping and the gas
tank held up by a bungee cord. Isn't replacing the metal strap that
holds it up a cheap repair?

There is often a big difference between the issues the announcer reads
at the start and the ones they bring up in the "trial". I know the thing
is edited and they might have said more, but even alllowing for that,
there seems to be a big difference sometimes.)

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:17:57 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:51:19 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 17:34:24 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)


I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.

For $100 I could tell you if it is GOOD, BAD, or needs a further
look.

For $50 I could rule out 50% of the bad ones, or select at least 50%
of the good ones. The "inbetween" takes a bit more investigation.

Both of those are better than I thought.
Makes you wish you brought the last couple you bought to me first -
eh??

IIRC I DID warn you about a couple - - - - - -

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)
On many there are no wires. They are "COP" - coil on plug - and
changing the plugs CAN be a 4 hour job on some cars. Something a good
mechanic will tell you when he does a quick check for you before
buying. "Ask the seller for service records - if the plugs and timing
belt have not been changed yet, take off $1200 from the price - if no
records assume you will need to do the job - Price accordingly - and
mabee keep looking for something better" - or something similar

Doesn't cost $100 for that - but you need to have "your guy" - a
mechanic you trust and who will lookout for your interests.

I've told many customers they were looking at the wrong car - for
absolutely NO CHARGE - without even looking at it. Because I knew
their driving history and their service cost tolerance. Not because I
wanted to sell them something - - -

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:08:26 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg
Or GM's or Nissan's, or Mitsubishi's - or FCA's

I've had more goodfords than bad ones - and more good Chryslers than
bad ones - and more bad GMs than good ones. After 2 I quit.

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 08:24:05 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)



I'd have the plugs changed on my old '96 - 2006 Taurus's
at about 150,000 km and they still looked very good.
.. that works out to ~ ONE plug change for the life of the car.
ie: a non-issue.
John T.
No problem on a Vulcan - and not even TERRIBLY difficult on a
Duratec. I changed the plus one on the 2003 Taurus Duratec 3.0 and
twice on the Mystique Duratec 2.5. (Didn't really NEED plugs - but
after wrestling them out to check there was NO WAY I was putting them
back in - - - - -)

On 8/27/2019 4:44 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.

I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.

So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.


He could always go to the parts shop and borrow their scanner for free.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:32:31 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:17:57 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:51:19 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 17:34:24 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:51:52 -0400, micky
wrote:

On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.
I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.
I've only thought about doing this once, when my car collapsed in North
Carolina, and the only convertible I found the first day was pretty
rundown. I went to a shop (to make sure the engine on my own car was
shot) and asked him about checking out the other car. He said, Well I
can't really tell much for iirc 100 dollars, but I'll tell you what I
can.
So how much can a mechanic tell about a car's condition for a price
people might be willing to pay. How much would that cost? (I'm not
asking about the future. I know almost anything can break at any
moment.)


I'm thinking that the mechanic should take it for a test drive -
including a stretch of highway speeds. Then up on the hoist
for a thorough visual ; plus checking all fluids, hoses & belts;
If he has any suspicions or indications of problems, he will dig into
those more deeply ... then give you a write-up on his findings.
... gotta be over a hundred bucks by now ?
John T.

For $100 I could tell you if it is GOOD, BAD, or needs a further
look.

For $50 I could rule out 50% of the bad ones, or select at least 50%
of the good ones. The "inbetween" takes a bit more investigation.

Both of those are better than I thought.
Makes you wish you brought the last couple you bought to me first -
eh??

IIRC I DID warn you about a couple - - - - - -

This thread was generated by the Pipple's Court judge constantly
ridiculing people for not taking the car to a mechanic before buying it,
and constantly saying that one can get it checked out adequately for a
modest cost. Even though what you said above was better than I
thought, what you said in another post isn't that good.

The people on that show say silly things fairly often. One was that you
shouldnt' room with strangers. Right, room with friends or family and
ruin your friendship. With a stranger you have a chance of making a
new friend, and if you don't, nothing lost. And the lawyer outside
thinks he's so smart, but he says silly things too and he always thinks
he's smarter than the average people he's talking to.

And the guy in the hall insists on putting his hand on every woman that
he talks to after the trial. They should glue the shape of shoes on the
floor and tell people to stand on them so he won't have to grab them.

As to my own cars, I'm on a roll. 8 cars in 44 years, 3 or 4 went the
first 3 years with no repairs, only two had real problems, the Sebring
that failed after two months and a Buick (I forget the model, a '72
convert with what was called a scissors top, iirc). That one wouldn't
shift to high gear when I bought it, but it was so powerful in 3rd and
so quiet, I didn't notice it. But even if I'd noticed, I would have
bought it anyway. This was about '79 or '80 and a terrible year to buy a
large convertible, which they had stopped making in the US, the last
years were between 74 and 76 . There was no internet, but there was a
computer listing of cars in the NYC area. ONe could call them on the
phone and say what he was looking for. I checked out all 3 counties on
Long Island, the other 4 counties of NYC, Westchester, Rockland, Bergan
and about 4 other NJ counties, 14 counties, an area covering 12 million
people, and only found one car that interested me. Aha, a Buick
Centurion, that's the model. But the transission was the only big
expense for 100,000 miles, so I was happy with that car too.

I never took any of those cars to mechanics and I'm not going to start
now, although if I'd talked to the mechanic about the Sebring, he might
maybe maybe have talked me out of it. I coudln't show it to him because
it was in Philadelphia and I live in Baltimore. The Yahoo Motors ad
included about 40 pictures of it and it was just as beautiful and clean
as the pictures made it look. And even though I'd agreed to buy it, he
even let me drive it on a short local road and said I could have my
deposit back if didn't want it after all. It ran great. And it was gold,
and after if failed, I had the fenders melted down and I got some of my
money back.

AIUI, for the 72 centurion, they started with a scissors top because
they thought federal safety laws would be applied to convertibles too ,
and they would have to have a top that would hold up the car if it were
upside down (although the rule never happened). But it was really
touchy and the eighth year I had it, one side of the top malfunctioned
and broke the rear window. I have a vague recollection it later ripped
the top, but I was already shopping for a "new" car.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:38:55 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)
On many there are no wires. They are "COP" - coil on plug - and
changing the plugs CAN be a 4 hour job on some cars. Something a good

Yeah, that's it. The car runs great at speeds over 10 or 20, but at
idle, it 'misses', runs unevenly, skips once a while, and the guy at Pep
Boys (LOL) says it might need a wire or plug (or COP). I was going to
disconnect them one at a time to see which one didn't make things worse
when disconnected.

Can I do that, even for the rear cylinders, in a lot less time than
actually replacing the plug takes?


mechanic will tell you when he does a quick check for you before
buying. "Ask the seller for service records - if the plugs and timing

The seller probably lied to me. He claimed he'd had the car for a while
and his daughter drove it to college, maybe 40 miles from here.

But I took the VIN and looked it up in Kelly's Blue Book and it told me
loads, almost all the repairs, up until less than a month before it was
offered for sale. So I know he was lying. And she left a few papers in
the glove box that identified her, so after I bought it I called her up
and asked a couple questions. She was very nice, didn't mind my
calling. The car was sideswiped a little, has a line on the left front
fender and the housing of the left side view mirror is broken. I
bought matching paint to paint it, but things interfered and now it
doesn't bother me anymore.

belt have not been changed yet, take off $1200 from the price - if no

The timing belt was changed about 20,000 miles before I bought it iirc
(I have it written down.)

All this from Kelly's and it was even free. I thought for freee they'd
tell me 3 or 4 things about the car and then ask me to pay, but they
didn't.

records assume you will need to do the job - Price accordingly - and
mabee keep looking for something better" - or something similar

Doesn't cost $100 for that - but you need to have "your guy" - a
mechanic you trust and who will lookout for your interests.

I think I know two mechanics, each about 2 miles from here, in different
directions, and I think they're both honest, but I don't do enough
business with them for them to care.

I've told many customers they were looking at the wrong car - for
absolutely NO CHARGE - without even looking at it. Because I knew
their driving history and their service cost tolerance. Not because I
wanted to sell them something - - -

That's very nice of you. Really.

Because there are so few convertibles for sale, and even fewer that are
even as big as a compact, and because I refuse so far to spend more than
10K, and I don't like the Chrysler 200, I don't have a lot of choices.
I used to have a few more so I'd put the transmission thought all its
paces, make it downshift on acceleration from each speed, etc; look for
leaks, check the tailpipe for carbon (which I've heard doesn't work
since catalytic converters), but I rarely found anything wrong and it'sw
just easier to fix it if it's bad (which I rarely hae to do.) , So I
buy a car that looks like it's been taken care of, and so far I've done
well. If I lose money on the next one, like I did on the Sebring, so be
it.

Yesterday I was driving for a couple hours, beautiful weather, didn't
see one convertible, top up or down, except two in drivewways and one in
a used car lot. No one driving. Bad sign for me. Won't be many
choices next time. I may have to get a small car.

Mazda Miata????

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.

I've had automotive evaluations from Pep Boys, CarX and Midas. All
slightly over $100 and all were too superficial to discover costly
problems with a used car. Some unscrupulous dealers do quick-fixes that
temporary make the car appear OK.

On 8/28/19 10:41 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:08:26 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg
Or GM's or Nissan's, or Mitsubishi's - or FCA's

I've had more goodfords than bad ones - and more good Chryslers than
bad ones - and more bad GMs than good ones. After 2 I quit.



When you have to pay thousands to repair water pump damage, most reasonably intelligent people realize Ford fscked up.
Even the cost to proactively replace one of Ford's internal pumps is shameful.

On 8/28/2019 8:50 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 4:16:16 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:53:49 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


Â*Â* Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

Â*Â* If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.Â* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

Â* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

When there is a warranty on the engine, like from a used car dealer, is
that supposed to cover oil pan gasket leaks?

Read the warranty? Is it a used late model BMW from a dealer,
a used car from a used car lot with a national warranty, or a used
car from a used car lot where they issue the warranty and do the work?
An oil pan gasket can be an expensive repair. The gasket isn't expensive,
but some cars accessing it is a disaster and you have to partially
lift the engine up.








(As is often the case on that show, the stories are not compatible with
each other. Supposedly they had a 2-day warranty and the mechanic they
took it to on the 2nd day said so many things were bad he couldn't write
them all down but even when she called h im on the phone, the only
things that were mentioned was oil and antifreeze dripping and the gas
tank held up by a bungee cord. Isn't replacing the metal strap that
holds it up a cheap repair?

I've never seen a gas tank held on by a metal strap. Typically
they are shielded, up out of harms way. And if it's
falling out, held on by a bungee cord, there is likely a lot more
wrong than just a strap, like everything is shot from rust.



Haven't been under many old Chevy's have you ? My '86 GMC p/u has
metal bands to hold up the tank . Just about every car out there that
mounts the tank underneath has them too in my experience .
--
Snag

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:53:49 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:38:55 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:13:22 -0400, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article ,
says...

For $100? Not much. He might scan for codes and look at the oil, maybe
the belts and hoses but I doubt the car even gets on a lift for $100
these days. On a new car it would cost more than $100 to remove all of
the covers to look at the engine.



Yea, you can not even see the engine now for all the covers.

I have a 2005 and I think it has only one cover. So I guess I have
more covers to look forward to next car.

But the read 3 cylinders are so far back, I don't know how anyoone can
change the plugs or the wires. (I don't even know if you can change the
wires without changing the whatevers, transformers?)
On many there are no wires. They are "COP" - coil on plug - and
changing the plugs CAN be a 4 hour job on some cars. Something a good

Yeah, that's it. The car runs great at speeds over 10 or 20, but at
idle, it 'misses', runs unevenly, skips once a while, and the guy at Pep
Boys (LOL) says it might need a wire or plug (or COP). I was going to
disconnect them one at a time to see which one didn't make things worse
when disconnected.

Can I do that, even for the rear cylinders, in a lot less time than
actually replacing the plug takes?


mechanic will tell you when he does a quick check for you before
buying. "Ask the seller for service records - if the plugs and timing

The seller probably lied to me. He claimed he'd had the car for a while
and his daughter drove it to college, maybe 40 miles from here.

But I took the VIN and looked it up in Kelly's Blue Book and it told me
loads, almost all the repairs, up until less than a month before it was
offered for sale. So I know he was lying. And she left a few papers in
the glove box that identified her, so after I bought it I called her up
and asked a couple questions. She was very nice, didn't mind my
calling. The car was sideswiped a little, has a line on the left front
fender and the housing of the left side view mirror is broken. I
bought matching paint to paint it, but things interfered and now it
doesn't bother me anymore.

belt have not been changed yet, take off $1200 from the price - if no

The timing belt was changed about 20,000 miles before I bought it iirc
(I have it written down.)

All this from Kelly's and it was even free. I thought for freee they'd
tell me 3 or 4 things about the car and then ask me to pay, but they
didn't.

records assume you will need to do the job - Price accordingly - and
mabee keep looking for something better" - or something similar

Doesn't cost $100 for that - but you need to have "your guy" - a
mechanic you trust and who will lookout for your interests.

I think I know two mechanics, each about 2 miles from here, in different
directions, and I think they're both honest, but I don't do enough
business with them for them to care.

I've told many customers they were looking at the wrong car - for
absolutely NO CHARGE - without even looking at it. Because I knew
their driving history and their service cost tolerance. Not because I
wanted to sell them something - - -

That's very nice of you. Really.

Because there are so few convertibles for sale, and even fewer that are
even as big as a compact, and because I refuse so far to spend more than
10K, and I don't like the Chrysler 200, I don't have a lot of choices.
I used to have a few more so I'd put the transmission thought all its
paces, make it downshift on acceleration from each speed, etc; look for
leaks, check the tailpipe for carbon (which I've heard doesn't work
since catalytic converters), but I rarely found anything wrong and it'sw
just easier to fix it if it's bad (which I rarely hae to do.) , So I
buy a car that looks like it's been taken care of, and so far I've done
well. If I lose money on the next one, like I did on the Sebring, so be
it.

Remember wehen you saidthe Sebring looked good sitting in the
driveway and I told you something like "that's good, because it will
likely end up sitting there a lot"???

Yesterday I was driving for a couple hours, beautiful weather, didn't
see one convertible, top up or down, except two in drivewways and one in
a used car lot. No one driving. Bad sign for me. Won't be many
choices next time. I may have to get a small car.

Mazda Miata????

On Thu, 29 Aug 2019 06:16:34 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/28/19 10:41 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:08:26 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg
Or GM's or Nissan's, or Mitsubishi's - or FCA's

I've had more goodfords than bad ones - and more good Chryslers than
bad ones - and more bad GMs than good ones. After 2 I quit.



When you have to pay thousands to repair water pump damage, most reasonably intelligent people realize Ford fscked up.
Even the cost to proactively replace one of Ford's internal pumps is shameful.
Had to replace the pump on the Mystique. I had heard they often
shattered at high RPM, so I took it up to about 6000RPM - and sure
enough, it went. Figured I would have it fail on MY terms. Put in an
aftermarket replacement with a metal impeller instead of Ford's
plastic one.

On Thu, 29 Aug 2019 08:02:52 -0500, SNAG wrote:

On 8/28/2019 8:50 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 4:16:16 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:53:49 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:27:52 -0500, Terry Coombs
wrote:

On 8/27/2019 6:22 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 8/27/2019 6:07 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:


** Or you can do your own inspection . I mean how hard is it to :
Check the tires for abnormal wear - worn ad one side/center
only/edges . Cupping .
Look under the car for obvious oil/fluid leaks . They leave a mess or
a clean area .
Look under the hood for obvious leaks/problems . A bundle of wired
that looks melted ...
Look the interior over . A car with 20,000 miles is NOT going to have
the brake pedal rubber worn smooth .

** If a cursory exam makes you question , then call your mechanic .
Since I'm my own mechanic , I do a much more in depth examination .
I've never bought a lemon , though I have gotten a couple I should
have passed on . Ever priced lug nuts/bolts for a Peugeot ? Be
sittin' down .


Easy for you.* Do you think a bookkeeper or kindergarten teacher knows
how to check how much is left on brake pads or if a weld on a replaced
fender was done sloppily?

* Ed , that's why I suggested some of the easily detected signs of a
problem . If there's a puddle of oil under the tranny ...
It might be a $5 fix - and the perfectly dry one might be a $3000
fix.

When there is a warranty on the engine, like from a used car dealer, is
that supposed to cover oil pan gasket leaks?

Read the warranty? Is it a used late model BMW from a dealer,
a used car from a used car lot with a national warranty, or a used
car from a used car lot where they issue the warranty and do the work?
An oil pan gasket can be an expensive repair. The gasket isn't expensive,
but some cars accessing it is a disaster and you have to partially
lift the engine up.








(As is often the case on that show, the stories are not compatible with
each other. Supposedly they had a 2-day warranty and the mechanic they
took it to on the 2nd day said so many things were bad he couldn't write
them all down but even when she called h im on the phone, the only
things that were mentioned was oil and antifreeze dripping and the gas
tank held up by a bungee cord. Isn't replacing the metal strap that
holds it up a cheap repair?

I've never seen a gas tank held on by a metal strap. Typically
they are shielded, up out of harms way. And if it's
falling out, held on by a bungee cord, there is likely a lot more
wrong than just a strap, like everything is shot from rust.



Haven't been under many old Chevy's have you ? My '86 GMC p/u has
metal bands to hold up the tank . Just about every car out there that
mounts the tank underneath has them too in my experience .
--
Snag

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
The VAST majority of cars and trucks have the tank supported by
metal straps - and I've replaced hundreds of them - on cars with very
little to no rust otherwize. Even on cars with rotationally molded
poly (plastic) tanks with sheilds on them.

On 30/8/19 7:46 am, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2019 06:16:34 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/28/19 10:41 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Aug 2019 06:08:26 -0400, Brock O'Bama
wrote:

On 8/27/19 4:51 PM, micky wrote:
On the Pipple's court, she's always insisting that people should get
used cars checked out by a mechanic before they buy it.

I think she says it costs 50 or 100 dollars.



A good mechanic (or lemon law attorney) can steer you away from Ford's loser cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdZhljNSTVg
Or GM's or Nissan's, or Mitsubishi's - or FCA's

I've had more goodfords than bad ones - and more good Chryslers than
bad ones - and more bad GMs than good ones. After 2 I quit.



When you have to pay thousands to repair water pump damage, most reasonably intelligent people realize Ford fscked up.
Even the cost to proactively replace one of Ford's internal pumps is shameful.
Had to replace the pump on the Mystique. I had heard they often
shattered at high RPM, so I took it up to about 6000RPM - and sure
enough, it went. Figured I would have it fail on MY terms. Put in an
aftermarket replacement with a metal impeller instead of Ford's
plastic one.

Yeah, not a fan of plastic impellers on water pumps. Still have memories
of those Chrysler ones that used to spin free on the pump shaft. They
looked like they were Ok but they just didn't pump water.

--

Xeno


Nothing astonishes Noddy so much as common sense and plain dealing.
(with apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson)