lostfan Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) Ok so this past Monday it snowed a pretty healthy amount (4, maybe 6 inches). The last time I had my car out was Saturday night, and it was raining, and I forgot to turn my windshield wipers all the way off. So while I was scraping the snow and ice off my windshield the wipers were trying to cycle but they were stuck, now my wipers park in the upright position like a set of goalposts. I do a little research on the net and I find that in all likelihood, I bent a tab that comes out to hold them in the park position and I have to take off my cowl and bend it back. Not being someone who's mechanically inclined I originally made an appointment to go to the dealer figuring it was a quick fix, but while driving home I changed my mind and I took it to a Goodyear around the corner from my house. I figure, this should be relatively quick and shouldn't cost more than 20 bucks. So dude takes my keys to look at the car, comes back and tells me that the tab is broken off (yeah I really doubt it's broken, I'm pretty sure it's still there) he has to order parts from the dealer, and between that and labor to replace the motor it's going to be $497. LOL. 500 bucks for my windshield wipers? Um, no. Does he think I'm mentally retarded? I also love how he just said this all with a straight face, like I just arbitrarily had 497 dollars that I could drop on windshield wiper repair (well actually I do but that's beside the point) and was prepared to do so. I'm going to Advance Auto tomorrow to buy the manual for my car ('05 Impala) and taking it to a friend's house so we can do it ourselves. Say no to sodomy pricing. Edited March 5, 2009 by lostfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Not as much as car salesmen. I am dreading buying a new car here this month because no matter what happens, you always lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 5, 2009 -> 05:51 PM) Not as much as car salesmen. I am dreading buying a new car here this month because no matter what happens, you always lose. Ive gotten to the point with car salesman that I just get private financing from my bank and I call the dealerships where I know they have a car I might want and negotiate the price before I even go in. I just say what I need the price to be out the door take it or leave it. If they agree I bring in a check, test drive it and if I like it get it. I cant stand negotiating with those people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 New car salesmen aren't as bad, used car salesmen are the scum of the earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddling Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 (edited) Back to mechanics...about a year into marriage my wife's car started leaking a bit of oil. We went to the dealer and the mechanic pulled me aside and aske the usual questions...how old is the car....do i change the oil regularly.....how many miles etc. by the end of the conversation, the guy told me that all my engine seals were bad and that the whole engine was going to be no good within a month or two. The car was my grandparents car and was very well maintained. When we got it, it was around 7 or 8 years old but had less than 50,000 miles on it and it was checked out twice before we got it. the mechanice assured me a new motor was needed and IIRC the whole bill would have been around $1500-$2000. I told him to forget it...I'd just drive it till it died and go from there. The car lasted me another 6 years!!! About three months later, i had it back at the dealership for a completely differnt problem (don't recall exactly what) and wouldn't you know it..i got the same mechanic. Again...he pulled me aside and said (and i will always remember this) "I can't believe your car is that old and the engine looks in phenominal shape. how did you do it??" I instantly asked for a manager and went crazy. I called the mechanic a lying SOB and explained why. Said either that SOB was lying to me then or he's lying to me now. i raised a stink. started telling customers why I was pissed off, started writing letters to them and above them with names and everything(i'm sure it did no good but i felt better). I know cars are getting more and more complicated and it sucks that you have to trust people you don't know. it always seems like it takes just one to lose trust for all. Edited March 6, 2009 by juddling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Not all mechanics are bad, but there's a good reason I do 99% of my own work. Labor rates of $80/ hr+ are no fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 08:03 AM) Not all mechanics are bad, but there's a good reason I do 99% of my own work. Labor rates of $80/ hr+ are no fun. True, but it's a pretty healthy percentage, and it's enough to make me wonder if the one I'm talking to is a liar or not which is unfortunate. I can count on one hand the number of mechanics I've met that are 100% honest without a doubt. If there's something I can just charge a friend to do, like replacing an alternator, I'll do that instead as opposed to risking going to a mechanic who will tell me that my battery, starter, and fan belt are all also broken, and he'll have to do some wiring and charge me 650 bucks or some s***. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 This is a small chance, but try tightening the bolts that hold the windshield wipers on. Sometimes they can come loose, especially if they get stuck due to ice or a ton of snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Back to buying cars real quick I am a lease guy because I prefer to have a new car about ever 2 or 3 years and because I take clients for work, I like to have a nice new ride that functions well at all times. You would think negotiating a lease would be easier because its pretty much almost like renting a car for a period of time and I never have to negotiate a trade in. Heres a scenario: You see a lease deal on the website of a dealer. Oh, 500 bucks a month with zero down, great. I have good credit, I dont want upgrades on the car, sounds great. Calls the dealer, yes we honor that deal, come on in. Here is the car, drive it. Lets sit down at my desk and go over the lease details. Wait, my manager needs to speak with you. Sir, the price will be around $1000 a month. Wait, didnt you say you would honor that lease deal. Yes, but thats a different car. Whats different about it? Well its not that one. run around, run around, run around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Car dealerships are spawns of Satan (both sales and service). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 07:03 AM) Not all mechanics are bad, but there's a good reason I do 99% of my own work. Labor rates of $80/ hr+ are no fun. Same here. I'm always amazed at the prices I see for stuff when I can do it myself. Like $500+ for brakes on one axle when I just did it myself for $120. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 11:05 AM) Same here. I'm always amazed at the prices I see for stuff when I can do it myself. Like $500+ for brakes on one axle when I just did it myself for $120. if I didnt have a friend that was a mechanic, I would probably do all those myself as well. Its funny how much they can charge for something mundane like that. Another one of the reasons I lease, so that everything is always under warranty. This was mostly because my Jeeps cost me more money in repairs than I bought them for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 11:16 AM) if I didnt have a friend that was a mechanic, I would probably do all those myself as well. Its funny how much they can charge for something mundane like that. Another one of the reasons I lease, so that everything is always under warranty. This was mostly because my Jeeps cost me more money in repairs than I bought them for. Shop labor rates have to be high to cover a lot of shop overhead. I know the company I work for bills a hell of a lot more for engineering time than I get paid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan562004 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 5, 2009 -> 05:51 PM) Not as much as car salesmen. I am dreading buying a new car here this month because no matter what happens, you always lose. I really luck out on both these fronts. For car salesmen my friend's family is in the business so I got a good deal with no crap. For mechanics we have a guy we really trust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFanForever Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 My brother-in-law is my mechanic and will do most of the work at my house or his shop. Saves me a lot of time and hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogsmom Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 It could be the wiper blade holders( i don't know a better term) could be stripped. Mine happened when they wipers tried to wipe and was stuck in ice or snow. They part had to be ordered ( 2 days?) from the dealership for 75 bucks and me and the husband installed them in 10 min. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.