I have two late 90's panthers as well as an 03+ after they changed the front end to rack and pinion/struts. Both are some of the most stupid easy cars to work on. Gutted both front ends and did full steering/suspension replacements. So much space to work with and parts are cheap. Tell your friend to watch some YouTube videos and get some loaner tools from the auto parts store.


5-10 minute job on the panthers.

Yep.  When I did spark plugs at 140k (first change) I proactively changed all my coil packs with new OEM.  But I kept the originals, just in case.  About 3 years later a coil pack failed.  Grabbed one of my 8 spares.  

Zero dollars.

You can always walk

No, I'm not sure.  I didn't watch them being made by Japanese catgirls or whatever.

Its Earl Schieb.

I priced fishing guides at a lake close to me. A 5 hour outing for 2 people is $400 minimum. It was about $175 in 2020.

Anyone want to guess on a brake job cost to replace  my Carbon Ceramic's BBK ?
The Carbon BBK  optioned at $9400 ..when new ..

I still wrench on all my vehicles and a few friends cars at times.  I don't know how people can afford to buy new cars and pay for all the maintenance and repairs.  

I just did 3 family vehicles last month where all got engine oil and filter change, transmission oil and filter change, air and cabin filters, and steering fluid changed out.   All fluids where full synthetic.   $400ish for all 3 vehicles, including tax and shipping.   250,000, 130,000, and 80,000 miles. Ready for a hot busy summer of driving now.

I did a rear axle seal and bearing replacement in my Silverado last month too.  Which required a differential fluid change and a new cross pin bolt after I found the original had a severe grove worn in it.  $100 in parts.

I have fixed water pumps, idler pulleys, thermostat housings, the pentastar oil filter housing, crankshaft harmonic balancer, alternators, batteries, blower motors, blend door actuators, brake pads and calipers, new brake lines, ball joints,  steering linkages, u joints, shocks and struts, leaf spring and shackle replacement, window switches, coolant line replacements, radiator flushes.... All to save money to help raise 3 kids.  We're at over a million miles on family vehicles since our oldest was born.  I've paid for only 5 repairs and 2 deer strikes the last 18 years.  

Use these across many manufacturers, great value and reliable.

I'm at a point where ''Amazon=fraudulent counterfeit parts'' where auto replacement is involved. Hell, you can't even get a set of NGK's without having a good chance they are chinee cheapo knockoffs.

Yeah...maybe not quite the option cost..but lots

Labor rates are the highest they have ever been. They pretty much have to be, to keep up with the overhead to keep a shop running.

Then parts are doubled or tripled in cost, because labor alone won't cut it. I'm surprised that still flies, as anyone can see the lower prices online. But the markup practice holds up.

Some shops buy better parts up front. They want to fix it once and send it away. Other shops want the cheapest shit possible, and roll the dice on playing the comeback game.

The tool and equipment purchases never end. They just go on forever.

And you get to ruin people's days. All day, every day. Because no one is ever happy to get a surprise bill of thousands of dollars to keep their primary mode of transportation running.

What a miserable business. I'm glad I got out when I did. It just keeps getting worse.

Nearby shop my friend uses told me the owner said they are cherry picking the jobs now because of so many older cars staying on the road now.  People are paying because new car prices are high as hell, interest rates are high and dealerships are still pulling the “market adjustment “ scam.  
I don’t want a new car because of the useless shit they put in them now nor do I want my car gathering my driving data and selling it.  
Unfortunately we will need to keep a newer car for the wife, so they’ll be tracking her bad habits.