on cars... part 3? 4? whatever
So.. kirsten, whats with the car repair? again? (because yes, i spent all morning in a car repair waiting room... AND i forgot my knitting and rosary making bag so i was BORED!!!!)
ooookay! you asked for it
we had a Subaru station wagon. nice car, worked hard...but it had a couple issues INCLUDING the fact that it had a "fusible link" that was made only for 3 years and wasnt plug and play like the usual ones, and couldnt be gotten except special order.. yada yada
well we replaced all four tires just a few short weeks ago (two months)
and THEN found out it needed 1400 bucks of brake work about 2 weeks ago (less really) while we were trying to track down an "unknown" electrical issue that kept us having to get the car jump started.
oy
brakes alone i would have fixed but "unknown electrical issue" combined with brakes plus hard to get parts?
bye
mom and dad kind of had a fit at the used car prices, but bought us a very nice used van
when i got it it had a "service required" light which i assumed was a "time for an oil change" but i had them write it in as "dealership must fix this" just in case
and then.. because i am a touch paranoid.. i took the van to the mechanic and said "fine tooth comb, get to it! thanks!"
i also told them no matter what they find they do not fix it because it either gets fixed by the seller or it goes back..
(nice mechanic btw, i like him.. will be going back to him more)
the mechanic said "over all? fabulous.. but i do NOT like the brakes"
uh oh
and the nice guy (Phil) took me into the bay and SHOWED me the rotors. being a jewelry type i know heat stress and groves on metal.. and these rotors were bad (front) and worse (back)
they wrote me up a nice letter saying "we would not pass this for inspection" and "unsafe to drive"
and i called the dealership and they said
"wtfbbq?! let us look at this..." since it had JUST passed THEIR inspection in July
so i spent all day today at the dealership
where a mechanic first tried to tell me that grooves and obvious visible damage was "normal wear and tear" and "it would totally pass inspection" and "your mechanic is lying"
followed by the FRONT OFFICE finally agreeing to replace the back rotors only... (i think they believed their mechanic)
and when they took it out for a test drive?
darned if the braked didnt pull and vibrate JUST like i said, so they replaced all four.
(whistles innocently)
told you
i suspect the mechanics up there may get a lecture on what is, and is not, acceptable "pass" on inspection.. and what is, and is NOT acceptable for putting out on THEIR certified used car lot... with their name on it
the used car sales guys were a tad cranky (at their mechanics) when i pointed out that they had just replaced 4 rotors, and it should have been done before they EVER got the car to sell.
because what if they had failed? and what if i wasnt smart enough to go straight to a mechanic? and call within days and all that
could have been very bad PR and it would NOT have been the sales guys fault!!! after all they take THEIR mechanics word that the car has passed the mumble and something quality check (and inspection)
so its repaired, and it was covered
so money wise i am out paying for MY mechanic to go over the van (ouch)
but time wise i am out a LOT of precious homework and sales time... right on the day i really needed to MAYBE figure out if i could drive out to pennsic.
sigh
ah well
ooookay! you asked for it
we had a Subaru station wagon. nice car, worked hard...but it had a couple issues INCLUDING the fact that it had a "fusible link" that was made only for 3 years and wasnt plug and play like the usual ones, and couldnt be gotten except special order.. yada yada
well we replaced all four tires just a few short weeks ago (two months)
and THEN found out it needed 1400 bucks of brake work about 2 weeks ago (less really) while we were trying to track down an "unknown" electrical issue that kept us having to get the car jump started.
oy
brakes alone i would have fixed but "unknown electrical issue" combined with brakes plus hard to get parts?
bye
mom and dad kind of had a fit at the used car prices, but bought us a very nice used van
when i got it it had a "service required" light which i assumed was a "time for an oil change" but i had them write it in as "dealership must fix this" just in case
and then.. because i am a touch paranoid.. i took the van to the mechanic and said "fine tooth comb, get to it! thanks!"
i also told them no matter what they find they do not fix it because it either gets fixed by the seller or it goes back..
(nice mechanic btw, i like him.. will be going back to him more)
the mechanic said "over all? fabulous.. but i do NOT like the brakes"
uh oh
and the nice guy (Phil) took me into the bay and SHOWED me the rotors. being a jewelry type i know heat stress and groves on metal.. and these rotors were bad (front) and worse (back)
they wrote me up a nice letter saying "we would not pass this for inspection" and "unsafe to drive"
and i called the dealership and they said
"wtfbbq?! let us look at this..." since it had JUST passed THEIR inspection in July
so i spent all day today at the dealership
where a mechanic first tried to tell me that grooves and obvious visible damage was "normal wear and tear" and "it would totally pass inspection" and "your mechanic is lying"
followed by the FRONT OFFICE finally agreeing to replace the back rotors only... (i think they believed their mechanic)
and when they took it out for a test drive?
darned if the braked didnt pull and vibrate JUST like i said, so they replaced all four.
(whistles innocently)
told you
i suspect the mechanics up there may get a lecture on what is, and is not, acceptable "pass" on inspection.. and what is, and is NOT acceptable for putting out on THEIR certified used car lot... with their name on it
the used car sales guys were a tad cranky (at their mechanics) when i pointed out that they had just replaced 4 rotors, and it should have been done before they EVER got the car to sell.
because what if they had failed? and what if i wasnt smart enough to go straight to a mechanic? and call within days and all that
could have been very bad PR and it would NOT have been the sales guys fault!!! after all they take THEIR mechanics word that the car has passed the mumble and something quality check (and inspection)
so its repaired, and it was covered
so money wise i am out paying for MY mechanic to go over the van (ouch)
but time wise i am out a LOT of precious homework and sales time... right on the day i really needed to MAYBE figure out if i could drive out to pennsic.
sigh
ah well