I just saved $500

[thycrusader]

By NOT trusting a car dealership.

The story goes, is I took my Honda Civic to the dealership for brake service. (I would've taken this to a major automotive mechanic such Midas and Brake Check, as past experiences proved we can't trust our local mechanics for brakes. One instance is where my mom's brakes failed while on the freeway, and the front wheels began wobbling uncontrollably.) And while I was there I asked for a full diagnostic to see if it needed anything else. I needed an alignment which i was already aware of, but they told me i needed to replace the rear trailing arm bushings. Its what holds the wheels in place.

Now the cost of labor plus parts would have set me back $500+

So i took it to a mechanic working out of his home business with his shop in his own garage and barely knows any english, inspected the bushings again, and told me they're fine, probably wont need replacing for a good 6 or 7 years.

Moral of the story. Never trust dealerships.

[username n/a]

How do you know the guy that works out of his garage is right about the bushings?

[thycrusader]

Originally Posted by username n/a

How do you know the guy that works out of his garage is right about the bushings?

Hes worked on my dad's car, and a few of my neighbors' cars. And no complaints so far. I have faith in him. dealerships just want your $$$

[spencer]

Originally Posted by thycrusader

By NOT trusting a car dealership.

(I would've taken this to a mechanic but as past experiences proved we can't trust our local mechanics for brakes.

----------------
So i took it to a mechanic working out of his home business with his shop in his own garage and barely knows any english, inspected the bushings again, and told me they're fine, probably wont need replacing for a good 6 or 7 years.

Moral of the story. Never trust dealerships.

Contradictory

[thycrusader]

Originally Posted by spencer

Contradictory

What i meant about that is I cant take it to any major mechanics working for a company. i.e. Midas etc.

[Chriss62]

Local mechanic+no english=WIN

[GrooveWarrior]

If you want to know the best, most reliable place in any town to have your car worked on, just ask one of the local cops where they take their cars to be worked on. They always have the best guy in town working on their patrol cars.

[thycrusader]

Originally Posted by GrooveWarrior

If you want to know the best, most reliable place in any town to have your car worked on, just ask one of the local cops where they take their cars to be worked on. They always have the best guy in town working on their patrol cars.

Thanks! I was looking at a place to get my alignment done.

[Disco_Gee]

Originally Posted by Chriss62

Local mechanic+no english=WIN

Lol.

If he can't speak English, how do you know he said "Bushing are fine. No replace for 6 or 7 years", and not "Bushing not fine. Need replace or many, many tears" ?

[thycrusader]

Originally Posted by Disco_Gee

Lol.

If he can't speak English, how do you know he said "Bushing are fine. No replace for 6 or 7 years", and not "Bushing not fine. Need replace or many, many tears" ?

I had a good friend of mine with me at the time who speaks fluent spanish.

[Jsegbers]

Dude, have someone else take a look. I will say almost all dealerships suck, but pedro in his backyard probably has a different idea of safe then most good mechanics would.


Or, learn a thing or two. Most of the jobs people pay over 500 dollars for such as brakes or replacing bushings are never over 50-100 dollars in parts.

You will be surprised and probably pissed off when you realize how easy it is to swap new pads and rotors on a disc brake set up. Just do your research.

[Bass_masta16]

As soon as I saw "I just saved $500" the FIRST thing I said (out loud) is "ON MY CAR INSURANCE!"

[Bass_masta16]

Originally Posted by Disco_Gee

Lol.

If he can't speak English, how do you know he said "Bushing are fine. No replace for 6 or 7 years", and not "Bushing not fine. Need replace or many, many tears" ?

I actually lol'd very hard at that

[iamlowsound]

The guy that does our cars also does all the cop cars in town. Although you couldn't tell from his shop that he is a fantastic mechanic. He has about 5 teeth, old cars sitting all over the place, in the middle of no where ect. The guy can fix anything.

lowsound

[GrooveWarrior]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

The guy that does our cars also does all the cop cars in town. Although you couldn't tell from his shop that he is a fantastic mechanic. He has about 5 teeth, old cars sitting all over the place, in the middle of no where ect. The guy can fix anything.

lowsound

Like I said. The cops always know. No matter what the guy or the place looks like . . .

[MJ5150]

You need another opinion. Those are two drastically opposite diagnoses.

-Mike

[Robert B]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

You need another opinion. Those are two drastically opposite diagnoses.

-Mike

Yup, there it is.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

You need another opinion. Those are two drastically opposite diagnoses.

-Mike

Bingo.
And Bingo to the cats who stated to learn at least these simple procedures for your own car. It'll save you big time in the long run. The only time a mechanic comes close to my car is at inspection time, and the only thing he does is check the wear on brakes, emissions etc.

[L-A]

Sometimes "good for 6 or 7 years" means "Sure, you should change them now. But if you want to save some bucks, you have almost a decade before the wear induced by worn bushings wreck havoc in your steering components".

Sometimes.

[tycobb73]

I save more than that. I go down to Napa or Pep Boys, etc and buy the pads for about $50. About 90 min later my brakes are fine.