Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

bwia · November 2021

driver100 said:
The Volvo looks good! My 2017 E400 has speedo on the left, and digital in the middle. I use the digital 85% of the time, heads up display 10%, and the real speedo 5%.

Very lushes and resplendent interior. After all these years it has held up quite well; no scratches, no fading, no dust mites.

driver100 · November 2021

bwia said:

driver100 said:
The Volvo looks good! My 2017 E400 has speedo on the left, and digital in the middle. I use the digital 85% of the time, heads up display 10%, and the real speedo 5%.
Very lushes and resplendent interior. After all these years it has held up quite well; no scratches, no fading, no dust mites.

I have to be honest, that's from a picture I lifted, though mine would be similar and still looks like new too, though a 2017 isn't very old.

andres3 · November 2021

tjc78 said:
Nice clean Town Car. Not my favorite color combo, but hard to find that nice. No cloth or vinyl top is a huge plus too.

210 HP with dual exhaust is correct for 94.

It has the JBL audio system. You would be surprised how good that is even by today’s standards.

Grandpop had a 93 Cartier very similarly equipped.

I got JBL 3-way speakers and a Kenwood CD Receiver deck/radio in my Neon and it was an excellent upgrade. Can vouch for late 90's JBL products.

I believe they were married to Harmon Kardon and that was HK's heyday too.

driver100 · November 2021

andres3 said:

tjc78 said:
Nice clean Town Car. Not my favorite color combo, but hard to find that nice. No cloth or vinyl top is a huge plus too.

210 HP with dual exhaust is correct for 94.

It has the JBL audio system. You would be surprised how good that is even by today’s standards.

Grandpop had a 93 Cartier very similarly equipped.

I got JBL 3-way speakers and a Kenwood CD Receiver deck/radio in my Neon and it was an excellent upgrade. Can vouch for late 90's JBL products.

The car wasn't much but it sure had a good audio system

andres3 · November 2021

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

tjc78 said:
Nice clean Town Car. Not my favorite color combo, but hard to find that nice. No cloth or vinyl top is a huge plus too.

210 HP with dual exhaust is correct for 94.

It has the JBL audio system. You would be surprised how good that is even by today’s standards.

Grandpop had a 93 Cartier very similarly equipped.

I got JBL 3-way speakers and a Kenwood CD Receiver deck/radio in my Neon and it was an excellent upgrade. Can vouch for late 90's JBL products.
The car wasn't much but it sure had a good audio system

Hahaha, the "sport" trim line added some nice features including a 6-speaker stereo. The stereo never broke either, but of course, I had upgraded it.

I've often said if Dodge could have just made a car that functioned and didn't break all the time it would have been a decent little car!

jmonroe1 · November 2021

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

tjc78 said:
Nice clean Town Car. Not my favorite color combo, but hard to find that nice. No cloth or vinyl top is a huge plus too.

210 HP with dual exhaust is correct for 94.

It has the JBL audio system. You would be surprised how good that is even by today’s standards.

Grandpop had a 93 Cartier very similarly equipped.

I got JBL 3-way speakers and a Kenwood CD Receiver deck/radio in my Neon and it was an excellent upgrade. Can vouch for late 90's JBL products.
The car wasn't much but it sure had a good audio system

That’s how you can mask a lot of squeaks. The volume knob is a great equalizer. Some cars need it more than others and from what I heard a Neon was at the top of that list.

jmonroe

stickguy · November 2021

no issue with road noise either, when you turn up the radios, open the windows, and open the moonroof.

explorerx4 · November 2021

I don't get much input on the kitchen. I've disliked the one we have now for 23+ years.
Hopefully, my wife has a different vision of the one in the new house.
I did get the 3rd garage and loft space(includes a bedroom, full bath and desk space).

driver100 · November 2021

explorerx4 said:
I don't get much input on the kitchen. I've disliked the one we have now for 23+ years.
Hopefully, my wife has a different vision of the one in the new house.
I did get the 3rd garage and loft space(includes a bedroom, full bath and desk space).

Sounds fair....you did better than most of us!

jipster · November 2021

Anybody ever go into a auto repair facility, for an oil change, and come out with a work order for over $2,000? Goodyear Auto Center says my Milan has a seized caliper on rear passenger side. So, that's 2 rebuilt calipers, 2 new rotors with pads and brake lines. Also, they wouldn't repair a slow leak on front tires. They said there wasn't enough tread on the edges. So gave me an estimate for 4 new tires. Even though back tires are good. A buddy and myself, mostly the buddy, are going to try to fix the brakes tomorrow. Hopefully just seized pins.

The car is originally from northern Indiana, so a bit of rust on underside. Buddy and I replaced rear pads and rotors, cleaned slide pins about 2 years ago. So guessing brake line fittings may be rusted and leaking fluid. Cross fingers the ole Jipster doesn't have to spend too much money on this.

stickguy · November 2021

that sounds to be at the point where my patience runs out and I dump it for something better. That I won't wonder if it is going to break something that tries to kill me.

jipster · November 2021

Thinking rotors, pads, and a caliper repair kit from AutoZone about $250. Brake line kit, $25-40. And, a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer....about 20 bucks.

roadburner · November 2021

Many of those franchises push expensive and unnecessary repairs. There might be something wrong with the brakes, and maybe not.

imidazol97 · November 2021

X2
on the analyze any recommendation from a chain store car repair place.
I took my leSabre and my 6000 mile Michelins in to the local chain and instead of
rebalancing and rotating the wheels (already paid for in lifetime balance and rotate
package), the tech drove the car on a test drive, then recommended new rotors in back,
new pads on front, and turning the front rotors.

It needed none of that.

Everytime my DIL takes her Encore in for service at a different location of that same
company in an affluent area, she gets scare recommendations via phone call.
When Michelins were put on months ago, they told her the brakes needed to be
replace--at 10-15% left was all that was left.

Last visit the manager said she had 25% left, and that is 15K miles later.
The store also recommends now changing the DexCool coolant and flushing the
brake fluid on the last visit. But not as forcefully, although the tech said her the
coolant failed right off the bat.

She's a veterinarian from OSU and she seems to have more engineering understanding
of cars than most men. She doesn't bite and then they ask me how to check for facts.

driver100 · November 2021

An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.

tjc78 · November 2021

I’ve said this before but when I had my 06 Avalon from around 15K miles the SA said I needed new front pads…. turned the car in with 33K miles still on those same pads. FWIW I’m not easy on brakes so maybe by then it needed them, but certainly not at 15k.

There must have been a new Service mgr because the same dealership never pulled this crap with my 03 Avalon or 00 Solara.

jipster · November 2021

Of note, I have often taken my higher mileage cars to Goodyear Auto. No issues with a big oversell. Same service advisors for as long as I can remember. This time though I dealt with a recently hired service advisor. From what I understand though, if one rotor needs rebuilt, the auto shop will recommend the other side rebuilt, along with all new pads and rotors. But, I sure wasnt going to pay 2 grand in repairs for a car that might be worth 2 or 3 grand.

I do recall a prior service advisor recommending I take our Hyundai Veracruz back to the Hyundai dealership, as the problem with a gasket leaking oil into the alternator may be covered as the prior repair was only 11 months prior. It was.

Off here shortly to have friend check brakes and lines.

ab348 · November 2021

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.

Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.

sda · November 2021

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.

That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?

ab348 · November 2021

I have a taste for some British car show stuff and was late in discovering Harry's Garage on YouTube. Harry is Harry Metcalfe, an interesting fellow who was one of the founders of Evo magazine in the late '90s. But he seems involved in many other things as well, being described as a property developer and the operator of a 400 acre farm in the Cotswolds area of England. I'm not sure of the source of his money exactly, but it has allowed him to feed his car habit and he currently has 15 or 20 cars and perhaps a dozen motorcycles in his collection. He also does work for Land Rover and does reviews of new car models, most of them being of the sporty type and many of them being of the supercar variety.

The Garage YouTube channel is interesting because over the last year or two he has documented some very expensive and impressive restoration projects in addition to the reviews and road trip videos. I quite enjoy his parallel channel, Harry's Farm, which documents the last 3 growing seasons on his farm and the challenges it presents. He produces grain and maintains a section of pasture that he rents out for grazing animals. The farm is not huge compared to many and the profits are thin at best, but he seems to enjoy its challenges and has some interesting views on what is going on re. the environmental impact of farming in the context of governmental policy changes and farming practices. The videos on both channels make for an interesting way to pass time. Recommended.

jipster · November 2021

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.

The clunk returned and was corrected by a wrench? Hmmm, I may have been asking for a refund for the prior unneeded repair. Do they do that at M.B?

bwia · November 2021

After 11 years and 44,000 original miles I'm yet to change my brakes on my 2011 Buick Lacrosse CXS.

While I was going through some of my wife's repair and service paperwork I couldn't help but notice several invoices for Dodge and Ford trucks. They each amount to $1,200 or more. Come to think of it, how could there be such a mixed up. I couldn't imagine owning a truck that cost so much in repairs and maintenance. In today's high gas price environment an ICE propulsion truck must feel like a dumb idea. But somehow small contractors have a way of passing their costs to their customers. Hmm, so that's inflation feels like. It's always the man at the bottom who pays.

ab348 · November 2021

jipster said:

The clunk returned and was corrected by a wrench? Hmmm, I may have been asking for a refund for the prior unneeded repair. Do they do that at M.B?

That is something you or I may have attempted but unfortunately my friend is chronically non-assertive and avoids all conflict. It is a real problem in that he lets people constantly take advantage of him. Too old now to change I suspect.

jmonroe1 · November 2021

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?

Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe

sda · November 2021

Drum brakes are not fun to work on. And you have to adjust them just right or they can pull the car one side to the other which can be give the driver a good pucker factor. Forget any braking power if they get wet!

venture · November 2021

jmonroe1 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?
Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe

I was always waiting for one of the springs to fly off and knock an eye out.

qbrozen · November 2021

I've done them with vice grips and a screwdriver for prying.

andres3 · November 2021

Some former dealership techs on Facebook claimed that while a car was under warranty a leak had to be a geyser in order for them to report it to the owner/dealership.

If the car was out of warranty, even the most minor leak of one drop per week would be reportable.

And people wonder how car mechanic's get their reputations.

Sandman6472 · November 2021

Am lucky that I've got a good one now, he doesn't just throw parts at a problem & hope it works. A co-worker gave me his name & we've been very happy this past year.

driver100 · November 2021

jipster said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
The clunk returned and was corrected by a wrench? Hmmm, I may have been asking for a refund for the prior unneeded repair. Do they do that at M.B?

He'd probably have the specialty coffee and baked goods he ate deducted from his refund

driver100 · November 2021

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?
Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe
I was always waiting for one of the springs to fly off and knock an eye out.

Always wear safety lenses. My new leaf blower said to wear them when using it....not a bad idea actually.

imidazol97 · November 2021

I'm getting confused. You're using a leaf blower to work on the drum brakes with the various springs that keep them in place? But you're using safety glasses while doing so.

f

driver100 · November 2021

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.

My own experience is MB mechanics are really well trained. There training for MBs must be at the top in the industry. They seem to know the cars inside and out and they should not have missed where that rattle came from, unless they put the newbie kid who washes cars on the job for a day. He should at minimum email (if he is non confrontational) management and MB Customer Service....nothing to lose!

explorerx4 · November 2021

Probably the nicest day for the rest of the year.
Blew the leaves for the last time and mowed the lawn, trying use up the gas in the mower.
Cleaned and winterized the mower and brought the snowblower up from the shed.

jmonroe1 · November 2021

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?
Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe
I was always waiting for one of the springs to fly off and knock an eye out.

You sound like a guy who’s used vice grips.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · November 2021

qbrozen said:
I've done them with vice grips and a screwdriver for prying.

Just curious but how many springs went pinging off the garage walls doing it that way?

jmonroe

stickguy · November 2021

I washed the car in short sleeves. Last day for that.

qbrozen · November 2021

@jmonroe1 said:
Just curious but how many springs went pinging off the garage walls doing it that way?

jmonroe

None. I caught them with my eye.

venture · November 2021

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?
Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe
I was always waiting for one of the springs to fly off and knock an eye out.
You sound like a guy who’s used vice grips.

jmonroe

Yes. Channel locks too.

jmonroe1 · November 2021

qbrozen said:

@jmonroe1 said:

Just curious but how many springs went pinging off the garage walls doing it that way?

jmonroe

None. I caught them with my eye.

I always knew you were and honest guy.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · November 2021

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
An excellent honest mechanic here applied for a job at a local chain of service centers....as a service manager.
They told him he had to find 25% more repairs than what the person came in for.
He declined the job, it was against his principles.
My MB dealer back home and in Sarasota have never tried to sell me an extra, and they did some work for less than estimated, or found a way to do it for less. Maybe MB has learned not to insult the intelligence of their customers.
Only in some places I guess. My friend with the S-class last year noticed a clunk coming from the front end and took it to the dealer. They diagnosed it as requiring a number of parts on one side. His favorite mechanic there was on vacation so he decided that instead of waiting for him to return he would just get the work done. That was the latest in a series of ongoing mistakes he has made re. the car. A low 4-figure bill resulted. When he picked it up the clunk had not been evicted.

Back to the dealer, this time they prescribed a similar repair for the other side. This time he decided to wait until his mechanic returned. When he did, it went back in again. The mechanic put it on the lift, looked at what he saw, grabbed a wrench and tightened a bolt. Clunk was no more. An expensive lesson.
That would really torque me. Did your friend get any type of financial resolution?
Yep, that would torque me too and that’s why I do things myself. I’d rather break it twice than put up with what I’ve seen and heard about shoddy work done at a lot of places.

As for a brake job, that is one of the easiest things to do today with the advent of disc brakes. If you wanted a fun job try the old system with the miriad of springs. Good luck doing that without the right spring tools. A pair of vice grips won’t do it but a lot of folks have tried that. Even me…ONCE, when I was a kid. You could fight all afternoon doing it that way. Bought two $2.95 tools and was done in 15 minutes each side. Those were not the good old days for brake jobs.

jmonroe
I was always waiting for one of the springs to fly off and knock an eye out.
You sound like a guy who’s used vice grips.

jmonroe
Yes. Channel locks too.

WOW, very brave guy. Do you have any face parts that look original?

jmonroe

jipster · November 2021

Success! Job done! 2 remanufactured calipers at $90 a piece. Set of Duralast brake pads $30. $5 for brake fluid. Rotors were good. The piston was seized on one side, causing uneven and premature pad wear. Almost down to metal.. The other side was o.k, both pads still good. Rusty. Still replaced. Brake lines good. Bleed brakes. Test drive. Everything good. My friend did most of the work. Saved me about $800. Told him I'm buying the beer for the next 10 years.

driver100 · November 2021

jipster said:
Told him I'm buying the beer for the next 10 years.

I hope you mean like one a year for 10 years or you'll come out behind on this deal.

(hope he doesn't read the fine print)

jipster · November 2021

@driver100 said:
I hope you mean like one a year for 10 years or you'll come out behind on this deal.
(hope he doesn't read the fine print)

Yeah, I need to clarify that with him asap. 😆

jipster · November 2021

We actually at a sports bar this very moment. He's throwing them down pretty fast.

Michaell · November 2021

jipster said:
We actually at a sports bar this very moment. He's throwing them down pretty fast.

Given how hard you worked him this afternoon, are you surprised he's worked up a thirst?

jipster · November 2021

@Michaell said:
Given how hard you worked him this afternoon, are you surprised he's worked up a thirst?

Think we're both fairly thirsty. He said he's ordering 200 wings since I'm buying. He's joking, I think, but o.k with me.

Michaell · November 2021

jipster said:

@Michaell said:

Given how hard you worked him this afternoon, are you surprised he's worked up a thirst?

Think we're both fairly thirsty. He said he's ordering 200 wings since I'm buying. He's joking, I think, but o.k with me.

He'll pass out from a food coma before you get close to that $800...

jmonroe1 · November 2021

jipster said:

@Michaell said:

Given how hard you worked him this afternoon, are you surprised he's worked up a thirst?

Think we're both fairly thirsty. He said he's ordering 200 wings since I'm buying. He's joking, I think, but o.k with me.

With how the price of wings have shot up lately that’s at least 200 bucks right there.

I hope that chicken farmer in Ohio gets it figured out. His first attempt created a chicken with 3 wings, which was what he wanted to do. The down side was that the chicken only had 1 leg.

jmonroe

driver100 · November 2021

jmonroe1 said:

jipster said:

@Michaell said:

Given how hard you worked him this afternoon, are you surprised he's worked up a thirst?

Think we're both fairly thirsty. He said he's ordering 200 wings since I'm buying. He's joking, I think, but o.k with me.

With how the price of wings have shot up lately that’s at least 200 bucks right there.

I hope that chicken farmer in Ohio gets it figured out. His first attempt created a chicken with 3 wings, which was what he wanted to do. The down side was that the chicken only had 1 leg.

jmonroe

Someone needs to make chickens with 4 legs and 4 wings....oldfarmer, where are you?

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