It has begun...

[Mercator]

$125, He remembers he still has one of the required parts lying around so he doesn't have to order a new one... Not that I know anything about cars.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by LTEC!
I have a friend that will diagnose, estimate the repair cost and refer me to the right mechanic.
But if your transmission is going i'd say parts would be 1700, labor 600.

*points to his completely ignorant guess above*

[PLATO]

Originally posted by JohnT
Plato: Check your PM's!

Info you need is in your PM. Good Luck!!


Boris: WOW! You would never expect a guy from the city to know much about car repair

[JohnT]

*JohnT drops dead of shock, only to be revived by a miracle of nature, causing him to shout...*

"This bill is for less than the estimate he told me over the phone!"

$10.00 less, but still... and they had a free bag of Peanut M&M's waiting for me.

[Pekka]

They might be poisoned.

[Lancer]

JohnT, see, just like I did now and again. Cost the guy $10 to watch you go into shock.

Good for you.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Lancer
in Oregon the mechanics are fairly honest...

[Lancer]

Amazing eh Zkribbler? I lived most of my life in Jersey, quite a contrast. The mechanics grew up in these small towns, basicly local motorheads that went pro.

Unless I've been really lucky...

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Ming
I went to him to have MANY dents removed from the side of my car (my wifes car was parked next to it in the garage and the kids would slam the back door into my car all the time)

He said I could pay big bucks to have the dents removed, and the panel repainted, or I could have a rubber strip installed that would cover 99% of the dents, and protect the car in the future... Total cost...
$10

CUSTOMER FOR LIFE>

BTW, I hope some of Apolyton's future business people grasp the importance of what Ming is saying. If you treat people honestly, it may deprive you of the couple of bucks you could have swindled them out of initially, but it will pay off big time in the long term.

Eons ago, my old brother hung out his chiropractic shingle in Honolulu. After getting his first patient, he told the guy what is problem was and that chiropractic couldn't help him. The guy was grumpy and asked how much that opinion would cost him. "Nothing," says my brother. "But what about the cost of the X-rays and for your time?" "Not a thing," says my brother. "If I can't help you, I don't want your money." Within a week, the guy had referred 12 new patients to my brother, who went on to be the chiropractor with the largest practice in Hawaii. (No, I can't give you a referral. He's now retired and living in a state where he's not licensed.)

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Lancer
Amazing eh Zkribbler?

Yeah, here in LA it's a horror story. I took my car to one place to have a tune up and for them to look into a viabration. At one point, they told me I needed a new battery. Because the car had started right up that morning, I didn't believe them, and drove the car on that battery for the next five years. The vibration, they said, was caused by a bent axel. They couldn't even give me an estimate until the factory shipped the axel to them. So I took my car to a different place, which realigned my front tires. End of problem.

[Lancer]

Rip off artists!

[Ming]

So true... Treat people honestly, and people will beat a path to your door. A business is a long term proposition

[Mercator]

Originally posted by JohnT
"This bill is for less than the estimate he told me over the phone!"

I told you so.

Next time you know who you should listen to!

[Ming]

Congrats JohnT on lucking out and finding an honest place to fix your car. I would keep them in mind for future business

[Az]

Indeed.