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[What's Burning?]

Unlike you guys buying all new sweet rides, I've got two kiddies in college and my Porsche seems to suck up a lot of disposable income in maintenance and "upgrades" so I've become resolute to the fact that the old Audi A4 Quattro Avant will have to hang around for a few more years. So I've spent some times getting it in as great a running shape as possible.

Today I replaced;
Both xenon bulbs
4 new spark plugs
4 high performance Hitachi coils
2 new beam wiper blades
Oil and filter change
Charcoal cabin air filter
cleaned the K&N air filter
Fixed a plastic latch in the rear hatch.
Road tested the 4 winter tires and rims I bought (to be ready for next year)

That's a mighty productive day ain't it?

[Hammer278]

Just curious, if you had sent the car over to a mechanic to do that list what would the estimated damage be like?

If I have to spend more than half an hour fixing up my car I'd prefer to send it over to my trusted mechanic, but of course labour where I stay is a hell of a lot cheaper which is why I'm asking.

[sagi58]

I'm betting that WB loves tinkering with his car and wouldn't dream of taking that pleasure to a mechanic!

[What's Burning?]

Just curious, if you had sent the car over to a mechanic to do that list what would the estimated damage be like?

If I have to spend more than half an hour fixing up my car I'd prefer to send it over to my trusted mechanic, but of course labour where I stay is a hell of a lot cheaper which is why I'm asking.

Dealer rates for an Audi in my area are 55 dollars an hour. For a Porsche they're 85 dollars an hour, add 25% more in high cost of living areas like NYC, DC and San Fransisco. I guess they would have charged me 4~5 hours of labor? The thing is that they charge a set time... what it would take. But a competent mechanic that's done the job a dozen times before would be able to do it in 1/3 of the time, so they get paid by the job and therefore want to do more jobs to earn more. The dealer then charges you the quoted labor regardless of the fact that it actually took the mechanic 1/3 of the time to complete it.

I'm betting that WB loves tinkering with his car and wouldn't dream of taking that pleasure to a mechanic!

You're only partly right Sagi... I know where my skillset ends, so I had to weld or do an alignment or something critical like that, I'd pay to get it done.

[Hammer278]

Ok, it's pretty organized how they charge the customers there. Over here it depends on the job, not the hours. And it's very subjective....1 guy can charge you 3x the real amount if he wants to and thinks you're a noob. Which makes it very important here to have 1 trusted guy, thankfully I have one old pro who's pretty cool and very honest.

I've heard stories of people breaking down on the highway and then being towed to a nearby shop to get the repair done asap with the car being kept overnight....and the next day the guy finds out the bill comes up to about USD1000-1500 due to 'engine overhaul required' when completely unnecessary. Scary stuff.

[sagi58]

I'm betting that WB loves tinkering with his car and wouldn't dream of taking that pleasure to a mechanic!

You're only partly right Sagi... I know where my skillset ends, so I had to weld or do an alignment or something critical like that, I'd pay to get it done.

Smart man!! I bet you even ask for directions, when you're lost, eh?

[Jabberwocky]

Swmbo took the car out this morning and I noticed that there was some oil where it was parked. So I phone her up and get her to check the oil levels etc. She said everything was fine. Apart from a bit of "clunking" when she drove it over bumps. Cut a long story short, I got it up on my ramps and bushes', Drop link, and a popped shock that was leaking oil.... BMW'S are poo. Think I will go back do a Disco (at least the parts are cheap)

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[sagi58]

... Think I will go back do a Disco (at least the parts are cheap)

I hope that's the name of a car, in the UK?

[Jabberwocky]

Land Rover Discovery, it is what I had pre BMW

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[sagi58]

Quite the switch, I'd say...
I've always had small cars... LOVE driving my Honda FIT, at the moment...

[myownalias]

Speaking of cars; I recently bought a used 2012 Ford Fusion SEL 3.0L 24v V6 and I love the car's performance and inside tech; but after cleaning the car, after the 3 day return period expired; obviously, I noticed damage on the front of the car. It came filthy as the dealer was using the car as a shuttle for customers. See photos below. It's my own fault, I should have had them clean the car before taking possession so I would have seen the damage more readily. I took the car back to them yesterday and they swore up and down that the car had no damage on it when I took possession. Let's say that I won't be returning to that dealer for my next car!

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[What's Burning?]

I'd get a lawyer to write you up a letter and have it handy when you got back to them to ask for another car. Besides the damage the the paint crack by the chrome trim is disconcerting. No dealer delivers a car filthy, they were hiding the damage.

[Jabberwocky]

All they would have to say is MOA did that damage after he took ownership of it

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[What's Burning?]

That's why the letter from the lawyer, it would discourage them. Easier and cheaper to swap the car out and look for someone else to pawn it off to than it is to pay legal fees if they think someone is going to take them to court.

[Jabberwocky]

Suppose, got nothing to lose. Is there no cooling off period?

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