Posted: 3/28/2014 8:02:17 AM EDT
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Just took my car to get an oil change. Had some engine trouble. It died then was running rough. I get the call back. The serpentine belt is "cracking", they want to replace all the hoses and clean the throttle body. 953 bucks is the tag. A) what can I get away with not doing. B) am I being loved tenderly. |
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Quoted:
Just took my car to get an oil change. Had some engine trouble. It died then was running rough. I get the call back. The serpentine belt is "cracking", they want to replace all the hoses and clean the throttle body. 953 bucks is the tag. A) what can I get away with not doing. B) am I being loved tenderly. You can do all that for about 100 bucks. Or pay them to do it, but it will cost about a grand |
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Quoted:
Just took my car to get an oil change. Had some engine trouble. It died then was running rough. I get the call back. The serpentine belt is "cracking", they want to replace all the hoses and clean the throttle body. 953 bucks is the tag. A) what can I get away with not doing. B) am I being loved tenderly. Rephrase what exactly happened please. All I understand from this is: Your car died, started running rough. So you bring it in for an oil change. Thats when they say that you have other issues. Is this correct? |
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Don't let the plastic cowling scare you, cleaning a throttle body is a snap. You can even buy those kits that have what looks like an IV bag if you want to get snazzy. Belts and hoses are pretty self explanatory. Heck, AutoZone or Advance Auto might even change the belt for free. I'd take it to an auto parts store and have them run the codes, I doubt belts and hoses have anything to do with a running issue.
What type of car are you talking about? |
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Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 |
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Quoted:
Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 $700? I hope they lubed your chassis first. 
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Quoted:
Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 Seafoam would go a long way in cleaning your TB. You could do that in the back of a Wal-Mart without raising an eyebrow, heck someone might even happen by and help. |
| This is why I am teaching my boys how to do simple things themselves. My brother is a doctor in NJ. He was visiting this past summer and his A/C was not blowing cold air in his 1998 Civic because he didn't want to put 1200.00 for a recharge in a 16 yr old car back in Jersey. We ran up to the local auto parts store, he bought an adapter, 3 cans of 134, spending under 50.00 and WALA 10 mins later, he had air for his trip home. |
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Quoted: $700? I hope they lubed your chassis first. Quoted: Quoted: Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 $700? I hope they lubed your chassis first. |
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Quoted:
Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 So going by this and your original post, you think because your car was running rough and died, all it needed was an oil change? How you can be an aircraft mechanic and not know thats not how these things work? I am not trying to harp on you, I am just trying to understand your reasoning. I work in a motorcycle shop, I see this type of thing all the time. Someone brings a bike in for a general service, we go to pull it in and the thing doesnt crank, battery is dead, wont idle, that type of thing. They think a service is all it needs. People think changing the oil and checking tire pressure will fix their problems. Then they get mad at us for suggesting other (needed) repairs to get it running correctly. |
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Get your oil change and tell them to leave every thing else alone. Take your car to another shop for the belt change if you can't figure it out yourself. If it's just the serpentine belt it could be just a 10 minute job. Throttle body clean? Hell no. Get two bottles of SeaFoam at W-Mart. Use them for two tank fulls, using the directions on the back. 1oz per gallon, I believe. These guys are "upselling" and anything else that comes out of their mouth MUST go through a B.S. interpretor. |
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ETA: ^I agree about the sea foam.
You're in BR, aren't you? I can give you a hand if you want on Sunday with the fan belt and hoses. Really, they should be an easy fix. (ETA3: Wife says Sunday is a no go for me. Supposed to hang with her.  )
ETA2: When you say you brought it in because it was running rough and they say that the serpantine belt was cracking, where they saying that was what is causing it to run rough? Because you shouldn't believe that. If not, what are they doing to fix it from running rough? The throttle body clean? |
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when you walked in the front door did they have a small little display of lube bottles with a "free take one" sign on it?
sounds like the classic " we dont make anything on oil changes so here is what we found" you need a real shop, sadly they are rare look for a place with a bazillion cars out front the guy I trust... you either get there early or get in line, its just him and 3 other guys he trust enough to work there |
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Quoted: So going by this and your original post, you think because your car was running rough and died, all it needed was an oil change? How you can be an aircraft mechanic and not know thats not how these things work? I am not trying to harp on you, I am just trying to understand your reasoning. I work in a motorcycle shop, I see this type of thing all the time. Someone brings a bike in for a general service, we go to pull it in and the thing doesnt crank, battery is dead, wont idle, that type of thing. They think a service is all it needs. People think changing the oil and checking tire pressure will fix their problems. Then they get mad at us for suggesting other (needed) repairs to get it running correctly. Quoted: Quoted: Update 1: car n question is a gifted 2000 mercury 4d (wife's car) Talked to the shop. They wanted to do a coolant replacement, hose replacement, throttle body clean and fan belt replacement. Oil change was the origional reason for the drop off. Only doing a belt swap, throttle clean and oil change. Turn out there is carbon build up on he throttle body. I can do this myself mainly because I don't have the time or the location. The apt I live in has a no car maintenance in the parking lot policy. And considering it's the cheapest apt outside of gangland, LA; I would like to stay there Damage now a hair under 700 So going by this and your original post, you think because your car was running rough and died, all it needed was an oil change? How you can be an aircraft mechanic and not know thats not how these things work? I am not trying to harp on you, I am just trying to understand your reasoning. I work in a motorcycle shop, I see this type of thing all the time. Someone brings a bike in for a general service, we go to pull it in and the thing doesnt crank, battery is dead, wont idle, that type of thing. They think a service is all it needs. People think changing the oil and checking tire pressure will fix their problems. Then they get mad at us for suggesting other (needed) repairs to get it running correctly. Again to all who go
 At the aircraft mechanic part. I live in an apt complex with both parking lot video cameras and a strict "no working on your cars in the lot" policy. All my tools are at the airport and not at home. And they would frown on it as well. Also the car needed to get fixed ASAP |
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Quoted: ETA: ^I agree about the sea foam. You're in BR, aren't you? I can give you a hand if you want on Sunday with the fan belt and hoses. Really, they should be an easy fix. (ETA3: Wife says Sunday is a no go for me. Supposed to hang with her. ) ETA2: When you say you brought it in because it was running rough and they say that the serpantine belt was cracking, where they saying that was what is causing it to run rough? Because you shouldn't believe that. If not, what are they doing to fix it from running rough? The throttle body clean? I did not grow up fixing stuff. Everything I learned about mechanical stuff I learned at plane school. So cars are a bit more intimidating for me. I can rip an replace a constant speed equipped cessna but cars still intimidate me a bit. I really want to get an old car and learn on it. But no money for that yet. It's already fixed but thanks!!! |
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Heavy carbon in the TB. It's already in the shop. I'm gonna have to eat the cost on this one. Sea foam is a nogo in aviation but I learned something today. Will file away in the future. I did not grow up fixing stuff. Everything I learned about mechanical stuff I learned at plane school. So cars are a bit more intimidating for me. I can rip an replace a constant speed equipped cessna but cars still intimidate me a bit. I really want to get an old car and learn on it. But no money for that yet. It's already fixed but thanks!!! Quoted:
Quoted:
ETA: ^I agree about the sea foam. You're in BR, aren't you? I can give you a hand if you want on Sunday with the fan belt and hoses. Really, they should be an easy fix. (ETA3: Wife says Sunday is a no go for me. Supposed to hang with her. )
ETA2: When you say you brought it in because it was running rough and they say that the serpantine belt was cracking, where they saying that was what is causing it to run rough? Because you shouldn't believe that. If not, what are they doing to fix it from running rough? The throttle body clean? I did not grow up fixing stuff. Everything I learned about mechanical stuff I learned at plane school. So cars are a bit more intimidating for me. I can rip an replace a constant speed equipped cessna but cars still intimidate me a bit. I really want to get an old car and learn on it. But no money for that yet. It's already fixed but thanks!!! I hear ya. Hell, I'm a mechanical engineer, and I didn't grow up learning much about cars. I just research an issue and then just dive right in and try to figure it out if I don't know. I figured I had to learn somehow, so I watched friends work on their cars and did my best with my own.
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Unless they have to tear apart half the engine bay to get to one or more of the hoses, then that's expensive as shit.
You can do it yourself fairly easily. Get a set of cable operated hose clamp pliers. You'll need to change the heater hoses, radiator in and out hoses, all the little tiny recovery reservoir and throttle body coolant hoses, and the bypass hose to the water pump. Sometimes you can substitute a length of straight hose for a preformed hose if you can't find the preformed hose. Serpentine belts are typically easy. |
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Sea foam is a nogo in aviation but I learned something today. Will file away in the future. I use it in everything. It keeps everything clean and shiny. It's especially effective in getting old motorcyles with carbs full of crap to clean out and run properly. It's a whiz with crunchy fuel. And I haven't had any problems with my small engines since I started keeping my 5gal cans filled with gas/SF mix. |