Moderately Confused by Jeff Stahler for May 22, 2019

Been there. Fortunately the “fingers crossed” repair worked. Didn’t have to replace the fuel injectors after all.

Things have gotten somewhat better with computer diagnostics. Mechanics no longer keep replacing parts and charging you until they finally get it to work again. Now they charge you a $100 “diagnostic fee” before starting work.

Of course it also means that the days of the backyard mechanic are over. Nobody has the tools to pull the engine to change the spark plugs.

An unfortunate large percentage of my repairs have been both.

sadly … even the computer guesses sometimes.. and most mechanics today.. never had there hands inside of an engine..I have rebuilt my share.. maybe more.

In earlier time a car owner/driver with experience could figure out what was wrong and the mechanic would listen and say Let’s take a look. The look was just included in the price. Nowadays, everything is extra. One particularly irritating charge is for oil changes. Oil changes for synthetic oils are sometimes 3x the price of a regular oil changes, yet one can buy synthetic at an auto parts store only a small price difference over regular. For the last 25 years I have made sure to put a case of synthetic oil in my car and requested the dealer use it. Saved money, and avoided a lot of irritation. You gotta do what you can.

We have a mechanic we can trust – been going to him for about 30 years, I guess – and he once told us need needed a gas cap replacement. “Say what?”

“I’ll hold on to the gas cap, and you just replace the car.”

He’d been helping us hold the crate together for ages, but even he couldn’t keep it on the road.

Fiat – Fix it again Tina.

She.. looks like a blonde.. go for the expensive repair.. and, keep your fingers crossed that perhaps you can renegotiate the fee and that you get.. lucky

Not your grandad’s Oldsmobile

Does the “Fingers Crossed” repair come with a warranty?