Cars - Grrrr!

[kallis3]

Hubby always used to service cars/change wheels etc but with the modern cars he hasn't a clue which is why these days they go to a local garage. We have a good one that doesn't rip us off.

[Foggy]

I used to have a "tame mechanic", who I also considered a friend. As well as being able to trust him not to rip me off he was a great mechanic of the old school ( i.e he could repair things as opposed to just replace them). Unfortunately he passed away suddenly not long ago.

[kallis3]

That's sad Foggy.

These days engines are much more complicated than when we were young and my hubby wouldn't know where to start with one now.

[plasticdaft]

You arent meant to get at the modern day engines,that way the dealers get to charge you a fortune for the simplest of tasks.

Paul

[kallis3]

Unless you have a local garage that can do it - we have a Skoda/VW place that is brilliant and charges half the price of a dealer.

[Foggy]

Our local Skoda dealer wanted to charge me £67 a side for wishbones, when all was needed were new bearings in the end --- apparently Skoda don't supply the bearings on their own ... so I got Powerflex ones at £27 the full set (which are industry recognised as upgrades), bit of help from the skoda forum and muscles from a friend and the job was done for a fraction ... however, bearings are one thing -- actual workings are another.

I used to repair my old mini but wouldn't have a clue with the new fangled computer controlled, chipped and ECU'd creatiuons of the devil!

[kallis3]

Our local Skoda dealer is very expensive but the one we use is brilliant.

[FormerlyST1100]

Just had to replace an oxygen sensor on my car at the weekend, I dread to think how much a garage would have charged but if cost me £40 all in (for the universal sensor).

A garage would have probably charged that just for plugging it into the machine that tells them the fault details then the oxygen sensor and time to fit it.

The equipment that you plug in to tell you the faults, these days, you can get for around £35 and for another £15 or so you can get an attachment that you can connect your laptop to and it gives you the graphs of the setting when the engine is running as well as the fault codes, etc.

[Skippy]

It's all very well for people to say we should fix our own cars but it's not always possible. I wouldn't have a clue where to start and I'm not prepared to take a risk that could end up killing me or someone else! And even if I did know what I was doing we don't have a drive way and have to park on the road which could make doing car repairs quite dangerous. I'll stick to going to the garage!

[Foggy]

Sorry, Skippy, but no-one has said "we should fix our own cars", just that some of us have done so. And, you are right in that, if you don't feel confident of making a safe repair, then don't do it and put people at risk. As I said, I will attempt things like bearings, but anything else is out of my hands.

And, of course, in many instances you are simply not allowed to carry out repairs at the roadside, or, indeed, on the drive, other than emergency repairs and routine maintenance checks.

[Skippy]

There was another thread a few days ago Foggy where it was strongly hinted that people should fix their own cars. Fair play to those who can do it but I wouldn't even try - I don't like getting my hands dirty for a start which is why I pay the RAC vast sums each year!

[Foggy]

Ah, I see, Skippy. I probably read the thread, but didn't get the hint (I am not very receptive to hints!)

[kallis3]

Same here Skippy. No way would I attempt anything and where I live it would be impossible to.do a lot as,the drive and the road are too steep to attempt anything.

[Skippy]

I don't blame you Jan, I remember how steep your drive is!

[Shining]

I couldn't fix anything on a car, I have to stop and think diesel instead of petrol each time I go to the pump...