Car Repair and Maintenance

[Beach_Love]

While I'm not a mechanic I know a lot about cars and how to keep them properly maintained and running for as little $ as possible.
If anyone needs advice about their car, help choosing a mechanic, etc. let me know. Just had new front brake pads and rotors done. I like to/ and my mechanic doesn't care if I source my own parts. That way I know exactly what parts are being used and get them for the best price (Pads=Akebono Euros, Rotors=Meyle coated). If you know a part # Amazon.com turns out to be the cheapest.

Off to do this now: All brake pads must be bedded-in with the rotor they will be used against to maximize brake performance. The bedding-in process involves a gradual build up of heat in the rotors and pad compound. This process will lay down a thin layer of transfer film on to the rotor surface. Following the bed-in procedures provided by the manufacturer will assure a smooth, even layer of transfer film on the rotor and will minimize brake judder. Here are a few things to keep in mind when installing new rotors and pads:

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/tec ... ?techid=85

 

[Just Me]

Parts are generally not where the cost comes from for car repairs or maintenance. Saving a few dollars here and there on the part is not going to help me with the labor charges, and that is where the vast majority of the cost is going to come from.

Of course there are exceptions, some parts can be crazy expensive(BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, I am looking at you and some other imports) and your help there could prove useful. So thanks for the post and willingness to help. :thumbleft:

 

[schlmoe]

I thought for sure that you would have included paparazzo pictures of brake pads caught in compromising positions :mrgreen:

 

[AllisonWilder]

Because this thread is here and because my car baffles everyone, I'll post about it here. Anyone with any automotive knowledge is more than welcome to reply.

I have a Buick Century Custom that hesitates at the start, idles high until I turn it off and on twice, check engine light has been on steadily/blinking for 5 years, dies if you don't hit the gas immediately after shifting into drive/reverse. More recently, my power windows (all 4) stopped working, my seatbelt light blinks on when I'm driving while wearing it and my brights only work when I run the windshield wipers for a minute first.

I've replaced/fixed/changed in the last 2-3 years (in no particular order): all fuses in the box, spark plugs and wires, o2 sensors, battery, starter, alternator, intake manifold, water pump, various hoses, the serpentine belt, brakes/pads/rotors and various necessary maintenance.

I'm buying a new car in April, but I need to keep this thing on the road until then. Aside from crashing it so insurance will pay for a new one, what do I do?

(And yes, I am aware that this is hysterical--I didn't even post the list of problems that don't really matter to me. Just seeing the looks I get from mechanics is priceless. I assume in their head they're hearing cha-ching when they see my list of problems. :lol: )

 

[Megaclit]

my mechanic doesn't care if I source my own parts. That way I know exactly what parts are being used and get them for the best price

Yes! We have saved hundreds of dollars since ordering our own parts online.

Small examples -

• Side mirror $15 online, mechanic would have charged us $95.
  
  Light switch mechanism $28 online, mechanic would have charged us $150 for the part AND told us the entire dash had to come off.Total estimate $350. We ordered the part online for $15 and the crack addict who mows our lawn installed it for $20.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Because this thread is here and because my car baffles everyone, I'll post about it here. Anyone with any automotive knowledge is more than welcome to reply.

I have a Buick Century Custom that hesitates at the start, idles high until I turn it off and on twice, check engine light has been on steadily/blinking for 5 years, dies if you don't hit the gas immediately after shifting into drive/reverse. More recently, my power windows (all 4) stopped working, my seatbelt light blinks on when I'm driving while wearing it and my brights only work when I run the windshield wipers for a minute first.

I've replaced/fixed/changed in the last 2-3 years (in no particular order): all fuses in the box, spark plugs and wires, o2 sensors, battery, starter, alternator, intake manifold, water pump, various hoses, the serpentine belt, brakes/pads/rotors and various necessary maintenance.

I'm buying a new car in April, but I need to keep this thing on the road until then. Aside from crashing it so insurance will pay for a new one, what do I do?

I had a Buick century once... I replace the engine and the transmission, then ended up driving it to the crusher. I would have paid them if they would have let me push the button to crush the fucker personally.

I recommend fire. It's a lot more satisfying than a crusher, the joy lasts longer.

It's just a piece of shit Buick. But that wont come up on the scanner. Error code WTFOMGBBQ111: "your car is a piece of shit Buick, please kill it with fire and buy a Honda or a Toyota"

It should. It would save Buick owners a lot of money.

God I hated that fucking car.

 

[Beach_Love]

Re: Car Repair and Maintenance: Choosing A Good Mechanic

Because this thread is here and because my car baffles everyone, I'll post about it here. Anyone with any automotive knowledge is more than welcome to reply.

I have a Buick Century Custom that hesitates at the start, idles high until I turn it off and on twice, check engine light has been on steadily/blinking for 5 years, dies if you don't hit the gas immediately after shifting into drive/reverse. More recently, my power windows (all 4) stopped working, my seatbelt light blinks on when I'm driving while wearing it and my brights only work when I run the windshield wipers for a minute first.

I've replaced/fixed/changed in the last 2-3 years (in no particular order): all fuses in the box, spark plugs and wires, o2 sensors, battery, starter, alternator, intake manifold, water pump, various hoses, the serpentine belt, brakes/pads/rotors and various necessary maintenance.

I'm buying a new car in April, but I need to keep this thing on the road until then. Aside from crashing it so insurance will pay for a new one, what do I do?

(And yes, I am aware that this is hysterical--I didn't even post the list of problems that don't really matter to me. Just seeing the looks I get from mechanics is priceless. I assume in their head they're hearing cha-ching when they see my list of problems. :lol: )

I wish I had a quick fix answer for you. My advice would be to try and find a mechanic who will work with you to keep your car running and safe to drive as cheaply as possible. Here are my criteria for choosing a good mechanic:
1) Can/Do they work on my make of care? (Important if your car is "quirky"
2) Their Yelp reviews should be overwhelmingly positive w/ the exception of a few "haters" (the competition?) and customers wouldnt be happy no matter what
3) They should be really fucking busy (I got to my mech.s shop at 9am Sat and there were a dozen customers in front of me.
4) The repair area does not have to be clean or particularly well organized BUT they should be using SNAP ON Tools (I like to see a willingness to invest in the best tools avail. i.e. $100 screwdrivers)
5) There should be complete transparency concerning the work done (this is what we are going to repair/replace, why, and what it will cost you, after you should be shown the old parts
6) Ask to meet the owner, do you get a good vibe from them? Do they seem genuinely interested in making sure your car is fixed to your satisfaction at the lowest cost to you? Are they willing to work with you and only repair what's necessary to keep your car driveable and safe?

 

[Beach_Love]

my mechanic doesn't care if I source my own parts. That way I know exactly what parts are being used and get them for the best price

Yes! We have saved hundreds of dollars since ordering our own parts online.

Small examples -

• Side mirror $15 online, mechanic would have charged us $95.
  
  Light switch mechanism $28 online, mechanic would have charged us $150 for the part AND told us the entire dash had to come off.Total estimate $350. We ordered the part online for $15 and the crack addict who mows our lawn installed it for $20.

My mech. flat out told me when I needed a new tail light assem. or some shit like that that Id be better off ordering it myself and gave me the part #.

With this recent brake job I factored in my driving style (spirited LOL) and budget. I came up with Akebono Euro pads and Meyle Coated and Vented rotors. I also decided to change Brake Fluid (Super Blue Ate 4). Surprisingly (not?) b/w prices and shipping Amazon was the winner.

 

[AllisonWilder]

LOL, Paulie! That's what I want to do. Fire, crash, crush, anything!

@Beach_Love, I mostly posted here for shits & giggles. This car is a money pit. If I could afford to pay higher insurance premiums, I would have crashed it already. I've had it for 7 years, it's done. This car still starts and drives, but it's damn quirky and I'll be glad to be rid of it soon!

 

[Beach_Love]

Re: Car Repair and Maintenance: Labor Cost

LOL, Paulie! That's what I want to do. Fire, crash, crush, anything!

@Beach_Love, I mostly posted here for shits & giggles. This car is a money pit. If I could afford to pay higher insurance premiums, I would have crashed it already. I've had it for 7 years, it's done. This car still starts and drives, but it's damn quirky and I'll be glad to be rid of it soon!

No worries, I started this thread b/c car's in general are a mystery to a lot of people (I've been trained in basic electrical, hydraulics, troubleshooting, etc.) and there are a lot of bad or shady mechanics out there. I really like this forum and the people here, and would like to contribute where I can. If this thread saves someone some money and/or keeps them from getting ripped off or not getting their car fixed the first time I will be stoked.

For what it's worth my Mech. charges $70/hr. and the Labor total to replace pads, rotors, and fluid was $120. I would be a little wary of anyone charging much less. I've found that if it sounds too good to be true...

 

[Beach_Love]

Re: Car Repair and Maintenance: Owner's Forums

Speaking of forums, the best thing you can do as a car owner is find and join the Owner's Forum for your car. Chances are someone who owns your car has already experienced and hopefully fixed the problem you have. The Regional Sub Forums are often a great place to find a good mechanic. Now if your car starts making a funny noise, a quick search of the forum and you will have a pretty good idea of what the potential causes are, how big an issue it is, how hard/expensive it will be to fix, and what parts are needed. Spending time on a car's owners' forum is also a great way to find out about potential problems you may encounter down the road with your car or one you are planning to buy. If I'd done my homework I'd have known that the 4speed auto my VW has (01m) is a notorious piece of crap and those of us whose trannies didn't grenade at 60,000 are few and far b/w (my guess is the last batch was OK/had a lot to do w/ how you drove). Once I was aware of the potential problem I followed the forum's advice and said FTN to VW and their lifetime auto tranny fluid and changed that shit along w/ the filter, and plugs. Have no idea why they chose to specify not to perform what is considered routine preventive maintenance, i.e changing but NOT flushing tranny fluid at 60K (drain and fill).

 

[LittlePikachu]

For what it's worth my Mech. charges $70/hr. and the Labor total to replace pads, rotors, and fluid was $120. I would be a little wary of anyone charging much less. I've found that if it sounds too good to be true...

$60 to replace my brake pads and rotors myself? Sure!

(3 hours later)

I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR WITH DRUM BRAKES AGAIN (hyperventilating)



...on the up side disc brakes are pretty easy.


This thread has reminded me that I need to stop being lazy and figure out which fuse needs replacing to make my car lighter work again. It's amazing how quickly GPS reception eats up phone battery life.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

About the VW tranny...

They probably dont recommend a basic drain and fill because in an automatic a basic drain and fill only changes about 1/3 of the fluid, and a drain n fill would stirr up lots of crap resting quietly in places where it isnt making a problem.

if you are going to change the fluid in ANY automatic transmission, you should do a full drain and flush. This is expensive, and requires a lot of clean fluid and often separating the trans. from the engine to drain the torque converter(s).

Autos dont require much maintenance but when they do it's a pain in the ass. old cars with automatics had access to the converter with a drain plug, and replaceable screens in the tranny. new ones don't work that way and are made for long intervals between maintenance.

on the upside a new car with an automatic is designed to go 100k before it needs a good flush and change, they produce far less wear than older designs.

 

[Beach_Love]

About the VW tranny...

They probably dont recommend a basic drain and fill because in an automatic a basic drain and fill only changes about 1/3 of the fluid, and a drain n fill would stirr up lots of crap resting quietly in places where it isnt making a problem.

if you are going to change the fluid in ANY automatic transmission, you should do a full drain and flush. This is expensive, and requires a lot of clean fluid and often separating the trans. from the engine to drain the torque converter(s).

Autos dont require much maintenance but when they do it's a pain in the ass. old cars with automatics had access to the converter with a drain plug, and replaceable screens in the tranny. new ones don't work that way and are made for long intervals between maintenance.

on the upside a new car with an automatic is designed to go 100k before it needs a good flush and change, they produce far less wear than older designs.

The 01m was a Piece Of Shit that was thrown into the early TDis w/o much thought as to whether it could handle the torque. Im going to respectfully disagree when it comes to draining and flushing auto Trannies. My research and the good folks at tdiclub.com think all you want to do is replace the fluid when it has reached the end of it's expected life span w/o stirring up the gunk caused by normal wear and tear. Any "new" car I planned on keeping I would drain, fill, and replace the filter on the Auto tranny at 60k regardless of what the manufacturer specified.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

I agree some trannys are poorly designed pieces of shit.

Auto tranny fluid burns up/wears out from overheating. The trans overheats from abuse or poor quality fluid.

Good synthetic trans fluid and not beating the transmission should make changes/flushing a rare need.
Most auto transmissions are in need of a trans fluid cooler, but they rarely put them on from the factory. They are easy to install and will extend the life of the transmission.

Aftermarket profits depend on the original design not being as good as it could be.

 

[kansasteve]

if you have a check engine light on i would say go to oreilly auto part store or check the auto part store in you'er area as most will scan and get the code for you then with the code you can look them up on line and find out what is wrong . and it help when you ask question about you'er car or truck that you give the year it was made to