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Posted: 11/3/2009 6:40:02 PM EDT
New part for rear door to keep my window from falling down = $350
4 new tires = $400 Oil change = $30 Labor = $120 Me walking out a very unhappy camper.....   
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Posted: 11/3/2009 6:55:49 PM EDT
[#1]
I just called today to find out how much an oil change is on the new Trailblazer SS.
LS2 Corvette motor, 6 quarts of 5w-30 Mobil 1 Synthetic and a Mobil 1 filter.. $85. 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 6:59:43 PM EDT
[#2]
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves.
Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:02:54 PM EDT
[#3]
change my own oil in 5 cars. 5 qts oil at wallyworld - 11.50 Find a good mechanic that works out of his house. Most garages will rip you off. Do what you can yourself, dump my used oil in cat litter jugs, take it to autozone. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:05:27 PM EDT
[#4]
aww geeze..is it time for another "bash the mechanic" thread again?
when are we gonna have bash the engineer thread? 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:06:44 PM EDT
[#5]
You pay for convenience. Dont like the amount. Do it yourself. How hard is that. Although, most oil change places around here are like $30.
400 for 4 tires.. Not to shabby. Im getting some big truck tires soon. That'll put me back some. 400 is goign to look like chunk change. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:07:33 PM EDT
[#6]
$120 labor for all of that is cheap as hell. I do everything myself that can be done without special tools or a machine shop, and I would gladly pay a shop $120 to change a window regulator.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:08:22 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted: aww geeze..is it time for another "bash the mechanic" thread again? when are we gonna have bash the engineer thread? When engineers earn a reputation as crooks.  There are good mechanics, but there are enough bad ones to completely sully the profession. Sadly, mechanics and the shops that employ them don't seem to want to rid their ranks of the opportunists and thieves that charge old ladies $500 for 10 minutes of work they don't need. This doesn't relate directly to the OP...seems his issue is with shit that breaks and not the guy fixing it, but since you asked. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:08:48 PM EDT
[#8]
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. Agree, but for the stuff I can't do, I call the George, who is the Ultimate Mechanic. He's honest, smart, and built his own airplane 
Replacing window motors is the reason I bought a car with manual windows. 1 is too much, 4 is torture. 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:09:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted: Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. Most mechanics are not trying to screw you out of money, some will, but not all. They are having to pay for the thousands of dollars of tools they use to work on your cars. Learning how to do simple repairs to your car is a must or it will cost you out the ass |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:09:08 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. Have a nice big fuck you too. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:11:52 PM EDT
[#11]
Its not easy work. If you dont want to pay a man for his work do it yourself.
Sometimes just buying parts gets rough.... |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:11:58 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. yeah...wait'll your TDI does something really weird..like roll down the windows at random times.....yup, seen 'em do it. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:12:07 PM EDT
[#13]
You got off cheap. I just bought tires for my truck. Over $1K. 7 quarts of mobil 1 and a filter DIY costs me more than what you paid. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:13:18 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. Have a nice big fuck you too. 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:14:12 PM EDT
[#15]
Window fell down in our 02 Buick, some plastic shit broke. I went to get a new plastic shit part for it and they wanted me to buy the entire fucking thing motor and all for over 225.00. Went online and found the plastic shit i need for 25 bucks NIB, not used. FUCK GM never again. I take that back nothing GM newer than 1980, they had quaility back then. I am considering selling it and buying something from the 70s, you can put a new engine in those for less than some of the minor part changes needed in todays cars. And the fucking gas milage is not much worse than the POS i drive now.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:14:17 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
New part for rear door to keep my window from falling down = $350 4 new tires = $400 Oil change = $30 Labor = $120 Me walking out a very unhappy camper.....
You paid somebody to change your oil 
And 400 on new tires is a deal,stop bitch'n and man up,fix your own stuff. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:14:40 PM EDT
[#17]
Meh...
Check mine out... 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:14:46 PM EDT
[#18]
Oops. Double tap.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:16:11 PM EDT
[#19]
Have a nice big fuck you too.
QFT |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:17:59 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
New part for rear door to keep my window from falling down = $350 4 new tires = $400 Oil change = $30 Labor = $120 Me walking out a very unhappy camper.....
Well, if you don't like the maintenence costs associated with a car, bicycles are pretty cheap to maintain. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:18:25 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Meh... Check mine out... http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a346/niceguymr/Firestone1-1.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a346/niceguymr/Firestone2.jpg Did it cost them $55 in labor just to type all that up?
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:19:40 PM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
$120 labor for all of that is cheap as hell. I do everything myself that can be done without special tools or a machine shop, and I would gladly pay a shop $120 to change a window regulator. No shit, i am not going anywhere near that shit in these newer cars. After unpluuging the 120 miles of wiring connected to the door panel i was able to see what had happened, and i will not tear it down any farther. I know a local GM guy that moonlights in his own shop for 20 an hour. He is magic when it comes to cars. i am done with vehicles that the averge guy cannot repair, i am going much older on my next purchase, no need to look fancy i just need to get where i am going and be able to fix it when it breaks. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:21:16 PM EDT
[#23]
You should change your own oil, and when you bought the car you should have made sure you could get to it, that would have saved you some.
I will agree though, on top of car payments maintenance bills is a huge PITA. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:23:28 PM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
Window fell down in our 02 Buick, some plastic shit broke. I went to get a new plastic shit part for it and they wanted me to buy the entire fucking thing motor and all for over 225.00. Went online and found the plastic shit i need for 25 bucks NIB, not used. FUCK GM never again. I take that back nothing GM newer than 1980, they had quaility back then. I am considering selling it and buying something from the 70s, you can put a new engine in those for less than some of the minor part changes needed in todays cars. And the fucking gas milage is not much worse than the POS i drive now. I was at the bank this summer and the security guard approached me about my car. It was the same model as his lady friend's, and he wanted to know if I knew how to replace the passenger mirror. Sure did! Done it twice. . So I tell him how it's done and he's all happy how simple it is. Next month I see him and he thanks me profusely, though he said it was a little expensive. I ask how expensive. He says $200 expensive. What! I'd have sold you one for $50! (they're $15 at the junk yard all day long).
Shop around people.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:57 PM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. This stuff is easy, I understand that most people do not have a place to do work themselves like an apartment complex or condo or no tools. But even when we lived in the apartments we did things early in the morning or late at night to get by, and we had very few tools. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:25:58 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
New part for rear door to keep my window from falling down = $350 4 new tires = $400 Oil change = $30 Labor = $120 Me walking out a very unhappy camper.....
I've gotten some great deals buying used... Tires - Found 90% new Goodyear Wranglers for $25 a tire (= $100 for all four) - Hey some good came to me out of Cash For Clunkers Parts - Auto yards are jammed and crammed to burst with all the extras from Cash For Clunkers (hey those cars have to go off the dealership lot to some where, and that place is the auto yard...) $300 for the part??? You could have bought a whole danged DOOR for much less than that at most places! Use a bit of the money you saved to buy a Chiltons or other manual to detail how to fix your specific vehicle. Oil Changes are not rocket science! turn the drain plug loose, let oil drain to pan, unscrew oil filter, then reverse and fill when done.... Spend the money you paid someone else to do this 10 minute task for a set of Drive Up Ramps (if you need space underneath like for a car (many Trucks / SUVs are already high enough) and a drain pan (for the old dirty oil so it can be bottled and dropped off to recycle), and you if can tighten and loosen the drain bolt you will save about 50%! Figure in two changes you paid in full for your extras. Every one after that is 1/2 price for you AND you will get a better feel for the condition of your vehicle too! Rental Tip - Put a down a simple .50 cent plastic drop cloth underneath you vehicle before you change oil, so any splash or mess doesn't cause problems for the property owner and you should be good to go! Shows you care and are not making problems for them. BIGGER_HAMMER 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:27:08 PM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:
Meh... Check mine out... http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a346/niceguymr/Firestone1-1.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a346/niceguymr/Firestone2.jpg Should have just gotten the timing issue corrected. Was any of the rest of that (besides tires) ready according the the scheduled maintenance in the owners manual? |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:29:29 PM EDT
[#28]
Quoted:
I just called today to find out how much an oil change is on the new Trailblazer SS. LS2 Corvette motor, 6 quarts of 5w-30 Mobil 1 Synthetic and a Mobil 1 filter.. $85.
I put 5.5 quarts of the same stuff in my taco and from walmart you can get all that for about $35. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:31:19 PM EDT
[#29]
Quoted:
You pay for convenience. Dont like the amount. Do it yourself. How hard is that. Although, most oil change places around here are like $30. 400 for 4 tires.. Not to shabby. Im getting some big truck tires soon. That'll put me back some. 400 is goign to look like chunk change. Amen! |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:31:52 PM EDT
[#30]
Quoted:
You paid somebody to change your oil
Not everyone has somewhere to do it! More and more HOA's are voting to ban changing oil. The last time I changed my oil, I had to pay someone since I couldn't find anyone that I worked with that had an HOA that allowed it. My place even bans replacing headlight bulbs. I got busted for that one recently.z |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:33:23 PM EDT
[#31]
You could always go on your hometown forum, post up and ask who's a mechanic. I do work for some of the AZ guys, and a bunch of guys I ride dirt bikes, and mountain bikes with. I do the work right out of our shop, and am usually about 1/3 of what the dealership charges. Not all of us are crooks, man!
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:35:07 PM EDT
[#32]
I've done the work at the Auto Parts store parking lots a time or two, so if you have to go there to buy the part, might as well put it in there too.
If you have a garage, what goes on IN the garage = OUT of sight = out of control of the HOA. BIGGER_HAMMER
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:36:46 PM EDT
[#33]
Quoted:
Quoted:
$120 labor for all of that is cheap as hell. I do everything myself that can be done without special tools or a machine shop, and I would gladly pay a shop $120 to change a window regulator. No shit, i am not going anywhere near that shit in these newer cars. After unpluuging the 120 miles of wiring connected to the door panel i was able to see what had happened, and i will not tear it down any farther. I know a local GM guy that moonlights in his own shop for 20 an hour. He is magic when it comes to cars. i am done with vehicles that the averge guy cannot repair, i am going much older on my next purchase, no need to look fancy i just need to get where i am going and be able to fix it when it breaks. Huh the last regulator I changed took me 15 mins and that was with two trips to my tool box. One plus of doing auto body work I guess. And other then German cars the new ones are all about the same for taking stuff apart on them at least body wise. The worst thing I see with regulators is rolling them down when the windows are frozen it will break most of the time. the trick is to leave it down just a bit not even out of the seal and before you try rolling it down run it up and then down it will save them. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:38:31 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
Quoted:
You paid somebody to change your oil
Not everyone has somewhere to do it! More and more HOA's are voting to ban changing oil. The last time I changed my oil, I had to pay someone since I couldn't find anyone that I worked with that had an HOA that allowed it. My place even bans replacing headlight bulbs. I got busted for that one recently.z Hold on, you replaced a headlight bulb in your garage and they fined you? |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:38:43 PM EDT
[#35]
Either learn how to do it yourself, or STFU and pay someone else to do it.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:40:00 PM EDT
[#36]
After fucking around with used cars that were out of warranty for many many years, I found out that new cars ARE worth the money. I might not have saved much, but I sure do have a lot more free time and have much more reliability. I'm not wasting another entire weekend of my life trying to replace some bullshit part on a POS car that will just break again in a month anyways.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:42:07 PM EDT
[#37]
Quoted: I just called today to find out how much an oil change is on the new Trailblazer SS. LS2 Corvette motor, 6 quarts of 5w-30 Mobil 1 Synthetic and a Mobil 1 filter.. $85. I just changed a 5.4 V8 Ford with 6 quarts of Mobil1 and a Motorcraft filter from wally ($40) and then the Kwik Lube did the change for $15 since I provided the oil. Make a few calls and see what the local oil change retail chain charges? |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:47:02 PM EDT
[#38]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. yeah...wait'll your TDI does something really weird..like roll down the windows at random times.....yup, seen 'em do it. My sunroof has been doing that for years... occasionally it will just tilt open and then close, while I'm driving down the road. As far as I know, it only happens when I'm driving so I'm not opening that can of worms unless it starts to happen a lot more or starts happening while the car is parked. But overall the car has been extremely reliable and cheap and easy to maintain. Hell, I'm still on the original brakes at 141k. I did set two personal records in October, one for best mileage and one for worst. The worst was 36, and that was all highway! I had a HELL of a headwind.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:56:44 PM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. yeah...wait'll your TDI does something really weird..like roll down the windows at random times.....yup, seen 'em do it. My sunroof has been doing that for years... occasionally it will just tilt open and then close, while I'm driving down the road. As far as I know, it only happens when I'm driving so I'm not opening that can of worms unless it starts to happen a lot more or starts happening while the car is parked. But overall the car has been extremely reliable and cheap and easy to maintain. Hell, I'm still on the original brakes at 141k. I did set two personal records in October, one for best mileage and one for worst. The worst was 36, and that was all highway! I had a HELL of a headwind.I am not looking forward to having any electrical demons in my Jetta. Only have 99K on the clock though so I have a ways to go. So far smooth sailing, just have the timing belt coming up. Even doing it myself that is an expensive job. Just about 400 in parts. ETA: 36? Thirty fucking six? Holy crap. I have yet to see under 45, ever. No matter how hard I am on the go fast pedal. I drove from DC to SC at over 70 mph with the AC blasting and got about 50. With a passenger and full truck of luggage. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 7:59:39 PM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. My 740iL rear window went out, I found this place called regulators.com that rebuilds the regulators for 1/3 the price of buying new ones. new regulators are like 400 bucks. this was about 80. so I tear it apart, pull the regulator, pain in the ass, send it in, get it back, reinstall it. lasted three weeks. ^@#%@#$@#$@#@%@$@#$^^@#@#$@# so pissed. now I have to do it again..... |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:00:12 PM EDT
[#41]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. yeah...wait'll your TDI does something really weird..like roll down the windows at random times.....yup, seen 'em do it. My sunroof has been doing that for years... occasionally it will just tilt open and then close, while I'm driving down the road. As far as I know, it only happens when I'm driving so I'm not opening that can of worms unless it starts to happen a lot more or starts happening while the car is parked. But overall the car has been extremely reliable and cheap and easy to maintain. Hell, I'm still on the original brakes at 141k. I did set two personal records in October, one for best mileage and one for worst. The worst was 36, and that was all highway! I had a HELL of a headwind.Its usally the bcm or body control module that controls that stuff. its realy bad once you get into all of the one touch windows and factory remote starts and all the extra stuff. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:00:46 PM EDT
[#42]
Quoted: I just called today to find out how much an oil change is on the new Trailblazer SS. LS2 Corvette motor, 6 quarts of 5w-30 Mobil 1 Synthetic and a Mobil 1 filter.. $85. Go ahead and buy 7 quarts. You'll need to apply the entire extra quart liberally so that you don't have to visit the surgeon to get your cornhole sewed up after the job is done. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:01:09 PM EDT
[#43]
Quoted: Quoted: Yeah, mechanics just want to screw you out of money. Which is why smart ones learn how to do it themselves. Window regulators? Replaced them. Oil change? Well, I have to use synthetic in my TDI so that is about $24 total. Labor? I buy a 6-pack and enjoy a job well done. yeah...wait'll your TDI does something really weird..like roll down the windows at random times.....yup, seen 'em do it. Had that on an old Audi. Smoke poured from the door, window rolled down. Zip tie (Nylon) cause the PVC insulation to become brittle. I have had more weird crap on this car, fixed all myself. Had the dreaded window regulator clip failure. Did it myself because the dealership only fixed the right window and the warranty claim had already been applied. Bastard mechanics there. Dealership screwed up the timing belt job, causing tappet failure at 160k. Replaced head, piston and connecting rod on #1 myself. Did the rest of the cylinders at that time. Ditched the craptastic glow plug harness at the same time, never had another check engine light since then. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:19:59 PM EDT
[#44]
 
DIY or go broke... 
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:22:25 PM EDT
[#45]
Even many of the newer cars really aren't that difficult to repair. There are several sources for info on various websites that greatly aid the repair process. I have found nearly everything I need to repair my cars between that way, and sometimes using the factory repair manuals as well. It's just a matter of doing some research, assuming you have some mechanical skill. Since my first car was a Triumph Spitfire, aka the worst car ever made in the western world except the Yugo, I learned mechanical skills early in life.
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:25:14 PM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
New part for rear door to keep my window from falling down = $350 4 new tires = $400 Oil change = $30 Labor = $120 Me walking out a very unhappy camper.....
Tires for my Car are about $1,500.00 + ...
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:25:21 PM EDT
[#47]
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:29:56 PM EDT
[#48]
PFffftt....... If you think cars and trucks are expensive to maintain, ask me about airplanes............. |
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:40:58 PM EDT
[#49]
BCM (Brain) in a 2004 Saturn Vue dies about 500 miles out of the warranty and they would not pay the repair even that close..$596.55,A daylight running light sensor/resistor and left rear wheel bearing,$516.75 and $425.00 to get the bastard towed on a flatbed over 100 miles to a Saturn dealer as local Chevy garage cannot fix Saturns until they are dead in the water next fall.Had to pay as owe money but soon as it is done off it goes and no more GM......Ford for the rest of my days as they did not take handouts from the messiah and no jap ass vehicles either.That after forty years of buying GM
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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:41:07 PM EDT
[#50]
I love doing maintenance on cars. I feel at peace in the garage while doing maintenance. It is while fixing unexpected problems that I am not so happy but I would still rather do it myself than pay someone. For the cost of a mechanics bill, one can usually pick up quite a few tools and do it themselves.
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