Re[2]: Unrealistic Expectations?
Adam.Rodnitzky@AWL.COM
Thu, 2 Jul 1998 10:04:08 -0500
OTOH, my sister just took her '92 Honda Civic (is it illegal to say
those words on the list? :) to this place in Chicago called "The Honda
Doctor" or something to that effect. She took it there because there
was a rattle under the car (turned out to be the cat heatshield).
Well, in addition to that, the mechanics suggested the following, due
to the mileage on the car (93,000): replace timing belt and h20 pump,
replace front shocks, replace dist cap/rotor/wires/plugs, and replace
the coil. Total estimate for these repairs? $1400. When my sister
told me and my dad, we were a little shocked. Why? Because we
replaced the t-belt and h20 pump 15K miles earlier, and we had just
replaced everything else except the coil and shocks 10K miles earlier.
My dad called the shop and asked how they got to their conclusion -
was it by the condition of the parts, or were they going by the book?
As it turns out, it was the latter - rather than check the parts for
actual condition (and I know with some like the t-belt it is difficult
to assess), they merely looked at Honda's suggested maintenance scheme
and made a blanket assessment of the car. So I guess that mechanic
competence in suggesting repairs can go both ways - silence leading to
failure, or a litany of unnecessary repairs.
Adam
'89 405DL
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Subject: Re: Unrealistic Expectations?
Author: Stevea606@aol.com at AW-INTERNET-SERVER
Date: 7/1/98 11:10 PM
I haven't said much for the past few months but this is a topic I have to
comment on.
My impression of the whole "service" issue is that within the last five years
an increasing amount of responsibility for problem determination has been
placed on the owner. Gone are the service shops that would really know your
car and in their place are shops where you select from a menu of items posted
on the wall.
Seems we are all placed in a position of keeping track of what was done when
and what should be done next and trying to determine whats making that funny
noise.
On the one hand this is good because if forces the consumer to be more
responsible for their vehicle but on the other hand it gives those without the
ability of location for doing their own work no place to turn for assistance.
Anymore it seems you literally have to tell the garage what to do when you
take it in for work, they rarely suggest anything anymore.
My 2 cents worth
steve a
505td (on it's way home right now!)