• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

OT not a good wrenching experience

Share this page

RickB said:
drooartz said:
I still remember changing the spark plugs on a Ford Aerostar through the wheel well with a 3' extension... never again.
Click to expand...

I did that. 2 full days work, replaced the plug wires and coil and all while I was at it.
Click to expand...

Is that what it took? I bought the tools (including a new pivoting socket handle) and a few days later rear ended someone with my Aerostar - while it was in the shop with the whole front end torn off asked the owner to change the plugs - still cost me $150
 
That is amazing, not long after I did the job I was in the middle of a rear ender sandwich!
 
Shop bill was a whopping $45.60, 1/2 hour, had to drill and tap the bolt end to extract, how he did all that with 1" clearance I'll never know. He cleaned up the tensioner made sure it still functioned okay, checked the belt out too.
Wife pulled into the shop with 5 minutes notice, left with a free loaner 5 minutes later, they fixed it within 2 hours and cost me $45. I like those guys.
That's the best $45 I've ever spent.
 
RickB said:
That is amazing, not long after I did the job I was in the middle of a rear ender sandwich!
Click to expand...

wasn't me officer I swear
 
What a lot of you said. I have a trusted mechanic who knows what he is doing and charges a fair price. I have neither the time or inclination to work on my daily ride. What would take me 3 days is usually a 2 hour job for Bill.
 
bgbassplyr said:
What a lot of you said. I have a trusted mechanic who knows what he is doing and charges a fair price. I have neither the time or inclination to work on my daily ride. What would take me 3 days is usually a 2 hour job for Bill.
Click to expand...

:iagree:


I think it was Clint Eastwood in one of the Dirty Harry movies that said it best: "A man's gotta know his limitations...."

I reckon mine is nothing built after about 1975.... :nonod: :devilgrin:
 
On the good side, just got back in from doing front pads and rotors on the Intrepid, despite the OEM lug wrench self destructing on the second lug, and me resorting to 1/2" drive socket wrench (and destroying two of those) all is done and working nice, although now I the rear pads grinding so.....back to the store for more I guess. I have $125 in parts in the rotors and pads. Asked for a quote from my shop and he said around $200, not sure I'd bother for $75 had I not just bought the parts but oh well.
 
jvandyke said:
On the good side, just got back in from doing front pads and rotors on the Intrepid,
Click to expand...

and did I mention that my Intrepid died early month? Tuesday my wife's car (Beetle) blows the water pump and needs a timing chain at the same time (1k) Wednesday the Transmission goes on the Intrepid (and wife's computer Thursday)

Mechanic said don't fix it again so it's gone now - only bright spot was the $500 I got for the engine - which was a replacement for the one that blew last year.

I'm happy with my mazda though - broke but happy
 
I've had great luck with my '98 Intrepid, 3.2 though, the 2.7s(?) are famous for oil sludge and self destruction I guess.
 
Back
Top