While 'Rome is Burning' and 'Nero is Fiddling' -

Just Who is 'Minding the Store?'

Caveat Emptor!

© - Tom Hyland - 4-7-10

Just about a year ago, this time - the beginning of Spring, my 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser auto A/C Died! R.I.P. I put up with the heat for many weeks, if not months. I did let a local mechanic ‘check out’ the A/C system. I told him that the A/C Clutch was not activating - it makes an obvious noise and the engine surges when it does - but his computer analysis could not pinpoint the problem. He was kind enough to only charge me $20 for his time. This guy, John, has earned my business for about seven years now.

Finally, in the late summer some time, in desperation, I took it to a Dealer, Thompson’s - on North Point Road in Baltimore. After waiting almost two hours, and paying about $99 for the so-called analysis, or trouble-shooting, or whatever you wish to call it - it was Not Fixed - and I was given a written estimate saying it needed OVER $1,100 of parts!

Supposedly - a Low-Speed Fan Module for $600 - and a PCM - Power Control Module for another $500 - PLUS LABOR and Taxes! I told the Manager he was NUTS - and left in a huff.
Caveat Emptor = Buyer Beware!

Fall changed to Winter, then it to Spring. On several occasions, I periodically visited the net - Googled, and visited various ‘trouble-shooting’ sites, reading the misfortunes and technical answers given by various ‘Expert’ mechanics. None were really helpful.

About a month ago, I had a slow but steady oil leak. This was diagnosed at a Merchants Tire Dealership on Belair Road, in Parkville, as needing an Oil Pressure Sensor - They didn’t have the part, but would have charged me $49 for it, PLUS $115 Labor to install it. This was only one item that they said my car needed - a whole bunch of others totaled to $1,150 PLUS TAX! SURE!

So, I went to an Auto Zone Parts Store, paid only $16. For the part - then went to a small auto service shop and asked - “How much to put this in for me?” FIFTY BUCKS! DONE! SAVED $99!

Now, back to the future - TODAY - Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 -

Went to the same Auto Zone Parts Store, and asked if they had a part called a Dryer/Accumulator Sensor. When he brought it up on the screen and I saw the picture, I knew it was not the part I was looking for. Mine was a little Threaded Gismo - Grey and Black, that an Electrical connection with two wires snapped onto it, on top of a Silver Cylinder - the old guy working next to the young guy waiting on me overhead this, and immediately said: “It’s the A/C CLUTCH SWITCH!”

The young’un showed me that pic and it was it! Paid $32. Drove under an overpass, to be in the shade - got a small adjustable Crescent wrench out of the trunk, and swapped out the part.

Started the car, turned the A/C knob ON - and VOILA! I HAD COLD AIR! It took ten minutes to do, and only cost me $32! THANK GOD!

So - $1,150 from the ‘Expert-Trained Mechanical Wonders’ at the Dealership - MINUS - $32 = I SAVED $1,132 !!!

Not bad for a non-engineer, non-mechanic NUDNICK - right?

Why is it that - corporations, companies, dealerships - FAIL to be perfectly Honest with their customers? Why don’t auto dealerships understand that this fact alone is why they are dreaded by millions of ‘savvy’ people? And we avoid them like the Plague!

Finding an honest mechanic is sometimes like looking for ‘a needle in a haystack.’ But - if and when you find one - value him like Gold! Refer him to everyone you know! ‘Word-of-mouth’ is powerful!

For many years now, I have always warned my female family members and friends to be wary of ALL automobile service repair shops. As women generally are less knowledgeable about mechanical things, they have been unsuspecting prey to dis-reputable shops.

About seven years ago, I went to a Mr. Tire store on Back River Neck Road, just to replace one tire! While my car was being ‘serviced’ their ‘rep’ kept coming in the waiting room to tell me I needed this, or that, or whatever - when my car was finally done - with just the one new tire - my written estimate said I needed over $650 worth of Brake work!

I drove my old Honda Civic for another Two Years, and never spent a nickel on brakes! When I traded it in, for my Cruiser - it still did not need brake work!

It is now patently obvious to me that - ANYONE - no matter what gender, who is not well-versed in mechanical ability, is being preyed upon today, by Fear tactics. Just about a month ago, this happened to one of my nieces. While her Jeep did, in fact, need brake work - they scared her to death with a quote of over $1,250 - and she agreed to $750. That was at a Merchant’s Tire store on Baltimore National Pike in Catonsville.

Just this past weekend, her mother’s car would not start, and she was stranded at a Royal Farm store. She walked to the closest auto service shop just up the road. After towing, and testing, they said she needed to replace the Fuel Pump, which was ‘conveniently’ located inside the Gas Tank! After being without a car all weekend, it cost her $825 - I took her yesterday -Tuesday to get her car.

That very same day, as she was driving back from Columbia - the same damned ‘IDIOT LIGHT’ on the dash - LIT UP AGAIN! This happens to be 2000 Ford Taurus.

Back in the ‘Good Ole Days’ - we called it “Planned Obsolescence.” Today, with all the ‘Hi-Tech’ advances in technology - DETROIT has a different, but still effective way of Draining our Pocketbooks - everything possible inside every vehicle manufactured is COMPUTERIZED! That will take care of all the DUMMIES!

Sure - you have a 100,000 Mile Warranty - Sure - the engine, transmission, and drive train are covered -But, and that’s a BIG BUT - all the fancy-smanchy whad-a-call-it ‘widgets’ that go up -
AIN’T - and you are not expected to be able to fix it yourself - WHY? Because you are presumed DUMB - both by the manufacturers, and all the government officials, who let them get away with it!

Caveat Emptor?

If you should happen to ‘shake hands’ with anyone at an auto dealership, or auto service shop - you might want to count your Fingers afterwards!

© - TKH.