OT. Independent Mechanics Shops?

[micky]

Okay. One of them claimed he'd replaced some part, even though I was watching all the time and didn't see him do it, and even though the hose that was involved would have broken if moved but it was still there, and as stiff as ever. I complained and he said the main office would send me a coupon but it didn't. Never been back.

This is not the first time I read about some cabin air filter. I thought it referred to an airplane. I didn't even know what a cabin is wrt a car.

But I just checked and a 2005 Solara does have such a filter. The previous owner took good care of the car, so maybe she replaced it already. I guess I should look at it first, but thanks for bring up the topic.

After driving with the top down half the year, cleaning the air the other six months doesn't seem too important, but maybe I can use a lower fan speed if it's clean.

[Dean Hoffman]

From Reason:

[trader_4]

It's incredible that they would not only be so dishonest but stupid. Seeing that the boots were new, you'd think they would know it was just changed and that they would go looking somewhere else to make things up.

[trader_4]

I was up there in early October. The radio and TV had many ads on that, both sides. I didn't look into it. I think the stealership folks were running ads claiming that voting yes would mean that your private data that's in your car could be compromised, gotten to by malicious actors, etc. That seemed totally nuts to me. Starting with, what personal data of any significance is in your car's computer to begin with? Where you drove around? I guess that would be in the GPS, if it has one. BFD.

[Jim Joyce]

My last experience with Midas was in the mid-90s when I used a coupon for a $9.99 oil & filter change. Toward the end, the guy came out from the back with a really nasty air filter, covered in dry leaves, dead insects, and massive amounts of caked dirt, asking if I'd like him to replace it. He mentioned that it was borderline illegal to reinstall it because of emissions laws. The trouble was, I had just replaced the air filter a few days earlier and the dirty one clearly wasn't from my vehicle.

[Ralph Mowery]

Co worker took his car to a Ford dealer and had the spark plugs changed among other things. He asked the dealer if they changed all 8 plugs and was told they did. There is one plug that is very hard to get to.

He then asked the dealer why 7 of the plugs were one brand and that hard to get to was another brand.

There seem to be many stories like that. I often wonder if they actually change the oil filter on some cars. I saw on the internet that Toyota went to a difficult to replace filter on some.

[rbowman]

The filter on my Toyota is accessible and I am positive it is changed at the recommended 5000 mile intervals because I'm the one changing it.

[micky]

Crossreference the GPS with the drughouse and whorehouse databases and someone can be in big trouble.

Of course you don't have to fix your own car for that. If you ever turn on the radio they can do that remotely.

[micky]

AIUI Massechusettes requires -- the only state to do so I think - that if you buy a used car and it won't pass inspection, you get your money back, even from a private party. There are time limits and rules of course.

This isn't perfect. If you want to buy a car with some problems you can fix, but it takes you time and even after you fix them it fails for some other reason, you may be beyond the time limit. Even though you thought it would help you.

[micky]

Wow. What happened when you told him?

Had he already removed your new filter from the car? Maybe not.

My 6-cyl Toyota engine is mounted sideways, and I have no idea how to get to the rear plugs. My current plan is to never change them, but I don't know if that will work.

>

[micky]

Long ago, I somehow got a ride to work and left my car at the nearest gas station for an exhaust system.

He called me to verify and itemized what he would replace. I either didn't notice that he didn't list the resonator, or assumed he was going to use the old one. Sort of a mixture of the two.

When I got there, he said he'd skipped the resonator, maybe it was in the trash, but it wasn't.

I think I forgave him for that.

Later I wanted the wheels aligned and he didn't know how to attach the gizmo to the wheels. He had to call someone and was told to put wheel weights on temporarily and attach the mirror to that.

Then there was some 3rd problem I can't remember right now. Maybe I'll think of it. 3 strikes and you're out. I hated changing because he was only a half-mile from my home. The two gas stations across the street from him weren't so inviting. Now I got to one or another shop that's 2 miles away. I've gained weight, my back hurts, and it's a real walk.

[trader_4]

That's what youtube videos are for.

[Tekkie©]

On Sat, 14 Nov 2020 10:55:52 -0800 (PST), trader_4 posted for all of us to digest...

The lack of quality of replacement parts is what forces the independent to go OEM. There is one with an extremely bad reputation on their parts. The pros don't want comebacks, so they don't use them.

Who do you think pays for all the computers and must have updates? The customer, the customer pays for everything. Having the computer does not mean they know how to use it. Ask Clare how things have evolved and the changes that have progressed. It is mixing electronics knowledge of circuits and mechanical abilities.

I am glad you are capable of doing your own work successfully.

[Clare Snyder]

You want to try changing the plugs on an old Mustang Cobra-Jet. IIRC it involved removingthe one engine mont to drop the engine on that side, and unboltingthe mount to allow raising that side.

The way a lot of guys drove the CobraJets you just made sure you put new plugs in every time the engine was pulled -- -- --

The V8 Monza was a similar exercise

On the '88 New Yorker I just jacked the engine up a bit to give clearance - on the TranSport the intake had to come off? On the Aerostar if the engine was cold and you had the right tools and know-how it was a 20 minute job - on a hot engine - fergitaboutit!!! Following Ford's directions it was closer to an hour and 2 square inches of skin.

[Ralph Mowery]

The shop I took my Toyota to would only use origional Toyota parts. The owner said many of the replacement parts were not of very good quality and he would only do the best job he could.

[Jim Joyce]

I was nice because they still had my car on the lift. I figured it wasn't a good time to raise hell so I just asked them to reinstall it, saying I had already purchased a new filter and I'd be changing it as soon as I got home. Of course, I knew I had already changed it. I checked when I got home and my new filter was still installed.

[micky]

Oh, yeah. Now I remember it was something like that.

Or that.

I'm not doing that. I might break my car. Then I'd have to take it to the car hospital. I'd rather just use the old plugs until it's really running rough.

[micky]

Good idea.

Very good. Quick thinking.

So sleazy.

[micky]

One was the brake disk. Actually broken in half, but easy to replace. I forget what the 4th part was. The drugstore game me the wrong prescription, a double dose, and I was groggy and hit a curb with my right front wheel. Broke the rim too but that wasn't the 4th part either. Had to get a matching rim by mail order

Now every time I get a pill that wasn't packaged at the factory, I look in google images to see what it is, but that's not easy because so many pills are made in a dozen or more shapes and sizes. More and more pills seem to be coming sealed and labeled, maybe because of incidents like mine.

Boot. I coudn't remember the word.

You'd think so.

I spent a lot of time feeling up the one that wasn't brand new -- I think I jacked up the car -- and couldn't find a blemish.

But the new one only had 12 miles on it.

[trader_4]

IDK about your experiences, but I have no problem finding OEM quality parts from aftermarket suppliers. In the case of BMW, for example, for all the common parts I've looked for, eg alternators, water pumps, suspension parts, OEM quality parts are available from the same suppliers that BMW uses, for a fraction of the price. Some of them eg a rubber suspension component, even come with the BMW logo ground off. I think the bigger problem is that if you try to buy them from the cheapest source, eg Ebay or some questionable online supplier, then they can be from questionable Chinese sourcing. Or they can be fraud, eg the supplier claims they are a Bosch, etc, but they are Chinese counterfeit. You have to be an educated consumer and know when something is too good to be true.