On Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 1:31 PM, <roger...@comcast.net> wrote: > Tim, > Sorry for your specific problems, but once again a list member has added > entertainment to my day. I know a lot of you guys like to do things yourself > (save money, improve self-esteem, more macho, etc.) and I'm always waiting > for the "it worked fine, but now....". Yes, I'm older and lazier as I used to > work on my cars a lot when I was younger, but now I leave things to my Indie. > So, when he tells me "it worked fine, but now...", he has to find the gremlin and fix it. Plus, he has all of the manuals and training to know where to look. ----
Well, this was an aftermarket addition, so I don't know if your Indie would approve. :) Unfortunately I've yet to find a good Indie (or dealer for that matter) within 30 minutes' drive, everyone around here seems to employ monkeys who just break things, charge me $500, and then annoy me until I get fed up and redo the job myself. (Every single thing beyond oil has cost $500. It is really strange.) I think all the good mechanics have gone into management, or quit to start their own shops and -then- gone into management. Once a garage called me back to see how my visit was; I said, "you overfilled the transmission by several quarts." The woman acted annoyed, but had the shop manager call me back. "How do you know it was overfilled?" "I used the dipstick at idle, like the manual says." "Oh." Then he hung up, didn't answer calls henceforth, never heard back from woman either. And this is one of the most reputable shops in the area. I wound up topsiding the excess out, it wasn't hard just annoying. The "alignment" where the car steers to the left and has a newly-loose steering wheel was a different shop (also one of the better ones) but at least they got the brakes right. I hope. Not even getting into work I have had done on the Ford, which fortunately has been all maintenance. [Yes, I did pay $500 for the visit where they used an impact wrench on my drain plug, but that was a dealer. The oil changes alone at the dealer are only $60, what a deal.] Anyway, I am becoming used to the idea that the local mechanics* are idiots, frauds, and/or have no idea how a car without a computer might work, and that if I want a job done I have to put the car out of service and do it myself (usually twice the first time), versus paying for someone to do it wrong and then having to redo it myself anyway. It is hardly worth my time driving all around the region, filing BBB complaints, etc., when I can just do it the fix properly - eventually - and have done with it, in the comfort of my driveway and without having to schedule SWMBO to transport the kids and/or rearrange work. One day I'll probably get tired of it, buy a commodity car, and let it get trashed over 100K. Then sell it to the junkyard and buy a new one. Like every Chrysler owner. Welcome back Snook. :) *It occurs to me that I've never had problems with the tire departments at Sam's. Maybe they have hired away all the good mechanics? > Anyway, I hope all is well or gets well, but you've provided my days > entertainment. Glad to be of service. I figure, if my radio comes on when I open the door, and you are amused, then at least one of us has a radio. > Thanks and good luck and best wishes, You too. Sincerely on that last bit, at least, -Tim knows Wilton has an indie in Raleigh, but that's almost 45 minutes one way so I reserve him for hard tasks... in other words, haven't gotten there yet, but every time I go to someone local for this stupid easy maintenance junk, and they mess it up, I wish I had... _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
