Car repairs...
Update 4/25 6:00 pm
I got my car back about 20 minutes ago. Without having to replace any parts (thank goodness) the bill still came to $650. Parts and tax were only $100 of that. So I guess my economic stimulus package is stimulating the garage I went to. Oh well, I need my car. I'll feel better when I post the flower pictures that I took today. :-)
I took my car in to the shop Tuesday morning. I was having trouble getting power when trying to get up to highway speed in a hurry. I know, I know, I have a diesel Jetta with an automatic transmission. But, it was getting to be worse than usual.
Well, since VW automatic transmissions aren't the best, the red Golf had a lot of trouble, I decided to take it to the place that has the equipment to completely change out all of the transmission fluid. There's a shop that's usually cheaper, more honest, and does better work. But that one didn't have the equipment to fix what I thought was wrong with the transmission.
That last sentence should have been my clue. I THOUGHT that was the problem. Should have had Ichabod take it for a test drive. He'd've known that it was probably an exhaust system problem.
So, on Tuesday I dropped the car off and walked home. The only good thing about this place is that it's a block from my house. They never call me, I always have to call them. This story is sounding more and more like a bad date all the time. I gave them until early afternoon before I called. They said it wasn't the tranny, it was probably the mass airflow sensor. But they had to clean out the intake first. It was really full of carbon. They couldn't properly check the mass airflow sensor with everything so dirty. They were going to need to keep it overnight so they could wait for gaskets to be delivered.
Okay, I told them, I can wait until Wednesday. Thank goodness I was still able to work from home.
Wednesday afternoon I waited until about 1:30 to call them. Now they'd decided it wasn't the mass airflow sensor, but the EGR valve. They'd need another night. Great. I had an appointment I needed to make at 4:00. They said they had a car I could use so I went over to pick it up. Do you think I'd be smart enough to read the paperwork before signing it? No, but I did after I got home. It was a 12 year old car, and dirty to boot, and they wanted the greater of $28 per day or $.47 per mile.
For that kind of money I'm working from home again today. They'd better have the sucker done really soon. Of course they haven't called me yet and it's 1:12 pm. I guess I'll be calling soon to see how badly they want to damage my credit card.
I got my car back about 20 minutes ago. Without having to replace any parts (thank goodness) the bill still came to $650. Parts and tax were only $100 of that. So I guess my economic stimulus package is stimulating the garage I went to. Oh well, I need my car. I'll feel better when I post the flower pictures that I took today. :-)
I took my car in to the shop Tuesday morning. I was having trouble getting power when trying to get up to highway speed in a hurry. I know, I know, I have a diesel Jetta with an automatic transmission. But, it was getting to be worse than usual.
Well, since VW automatic transmissions aren't the best, the red Golf had a lot of trouble, I decided to take it to the place that has the equipment to completely change out all of the transmission fluid. There's a shop that's usually cheaper, more honest, and does better work. But that one didn't have the equipment to fix what I thought was wrong with the transmission.
That last sentence should have been my clue. I THOUGHT that was the problem. Should have had Ichabod take it for a test drive. He'd've known that it was probably an exhaust system problem.
So, on Tuesday I dropped the car off and walked home. The only good thing about this place is that it's a block from my house. They never call me, I always have to call them. This story is sounding more and more like a bad date all the time. I gave them until early afternoon before I called. They said it wasn't the tranny, it was probably the mass airflow sensor. But they had to clean out the intake first. It was really full of carbon. They couldn't properly check the mass airflow sensor with everything so dirty. They were going to need to keep it overnight so they could wait for gaskets to be delivered.
Okay, I told them, I can wait until Wednesday. Thank goodness I was still able to work from home.
Wednesday afternoon I waited until about 1:30 to call them. Now they'd decided it wasn't the mass airflow sensor, but the EGR valve. They'd need another night. Great. I had an appointment I needed to make at 4:00. They said they had a car I could use so I went over to pick it up. Do you think I'd be smart enough to read the paperwork before signing it? No, but I did after I got home. It was a 12 year old car, and dirty to boot, and they wanted the greater of $28 per day or $.47 per mile.
For that kind of money I'm working from home again today. They'd better have the sucker done really soon. Of course they haven't called me yet and it's 1:12 pm. I guess I'll be calling soon to see how badly they want to damage my credit card.
Labels: car
Squirl chattered at 11:54 AM
19 comments
E, thanks for covering my back here. They might have it ready for me tonight. There's still another gasket that they don't have yet. Then they probably don't have either the sensor or the valve. So, even though they'll be able to test it I will probably have to bring the car back. Ugh!
So it's not a hot tranny mess after all?
That shop irritates me. They are slooooow, expensive, and like you said, you have to call them to get a progress report.
*needs car repair work and doesn't want to think about it*
We just bought a dodge neon that's in good condition, but has been sitting for a year. The previous owner said it had some transmission problems, but after we got it home and replaced the battery, we found that there was no transmission fluid. At all. After 12 quarts, it's all good.
We also need some front end work done on our blazer. After telling me that they couldn't do it, the mechanic pulled the classic after I asked him what all needs to be done, "Tell ya what, if your husband has any questions, just have him call me." He was rather annoyed when I told him that Dan wouldn't know what he was talking about, but if he talked real slow, I might. :D
Hope it gets fixed soon, it sucks to be at the mercy of a mechanic.
I can't wait to hear how this story ends....why is it that it takes days, for them to figure out what is wrong with a car.....this is a familiar story to me, for my car a sentra nissan one day just stopped running....it is a 2002... I called AAA, and waited on line for 15 min. and before they answered, it started.....so I went to Sears, to have it checked out... went to lunch with my daughter while they checked it out, and came back to nothing wrong with it...but have the dealer check it out.....I had AAA haul it to the nissan dealer, because I was afraid it would stop again on the eway, the dealer had it all week end from fri. on to Mon. and I got the word there was nothing wrong.....why did it take 4 days for them to figure that one out.....but thank God, it hasn't happen again....still can't figure out why the engine wouldn't turn over. I do hope you can get an answer, and that it's not an expensive one...... judy
I hate taking the car into the shop. Even though since we started driving we havent had to take the car into the shop once yet. But Jeff think there is something wrong with the new one already. He thinks there is steering problems and brake problems.. Everytime he ddrives the car he hears a crunching noise. Or a noise anyway.
I never understand why service people do not check in when what they thought they needed to fix is not the case...more than once...and it is a car that someone needs to get around...
That stinks you couldn't bring it to your favorite shop. Trusting the mechanic makes all the difference.
Mr B, can't get nuthin' past you, can I?
Judy, that sounds so frustrating, I hope it didn't cost too much. A problem, which you know is real, but can't be duplicated is a pain in the rear end. And I still don't have the car.
Tweety, I hope this new noise doesn't cost you guys too much.
Jenski, you slipped in while I was commenting. :-)
Yeah, now they think that cleaning out the carbon might fix the whole thing. I sure hope so. That, alone, will probably be close to $600. And I do wish I could go to the other place, but it's also over 30 miles from my house and it would've been a drag if it'd been overnight.
Bleh, that totally sucks. Stupid mechanics, trying to bleed everyone dry! David's had his motorcycle in the shop for over a week right now and it's the same story. They never call him, he has to call them.
You should unleash the wrath of your favourite pottery that grows upon their persons.
Jerks.
Oh how annoying. Car troubles are the worst. You really have no recourse but to put your faith in the mechanics and hope for the best.
ugh. I feel your pain.
Ern, I hate having my car gone for more than a few hours. Over a week for his bike? Ridiculous.
Chia, I'm getting ready to update. They finally got my car back to me. My credit card's hurting a bit.
Danielle, you said it. It's so hard to know. Next time I'll go to the place I trust.
Glad you've got your wheels back. Too bad they still had to bend you over, monetarily.
Glad it's back. Sorry they spanked you, but I guess it could have been worse... so I'm glad it wasn't.
Bucky, yeah, at least I have my wheels. And Ichabod is going to do an oil change for me. Yay!
E, yeah at least it wasn't any closer to a thousand bucks. And it's running better. Even better than that, it's in my very own garage.
:-)
We will take it back to the place we got it from and we are covered from bumper to bumper so it better be covered. That sucks about how much you had to spend on your car. They can be expensive.
I'm guessing that our check will go toward fixing the cooling system on L's car. It's been slowly leaking coolant all winter. :(
The last car L had, had the same problems as your car. It kept losing power and NOBODY could find a problem. I think all the electronic pollution control gizmos create more problems than they solve!
We have a mechanic that picks up and delivers...for FREE!
Tweety, I miss the warranty work, but I sure don't miss a car payment. Guess I can't really complain about repair costs if I don't make a car payment.
tshsmom, that's great that your mechanic picks up and drops off. It sucks that you have to use your check for repairs, though.
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