[MacroMama]

Argh! Why can't there be honest mechanics out there? My DH took our car to the dealership yesterday and they told him that aside from all the other $800 worth of work they did on it, we would also need a new catalytic converter which they could replace for $810 and a power steering system flush for $139.

Thankfully, he told them not to do it. This morning I called another dealership who said that they couldn't tell us their price for the catalytic converter without charging us $90 to diagnose it, but the flush would be $20 less than the other dealership!

Then, I called a trusty mechanic which I don't know why we didn't go to him in the first place, and he said it would only be $500 for the catalytic converter

: and that in 28 years that he's been fixing cars, he's never done a power steering flush on any car! He said that the owner's manual doesn't recommend it and that someone probably wanted some extra business.

As if we could afford an extra $139!

:

So, of course, we're going to go to him for the catalytic converter and save at least $300. Assuming, of course, that he, too, thinks it should be changed. Just can't trust people anymore!

 

[mightymoo]

I like our mechanic, I feel he is pretty honest about what really needs fixing and what doesn't. He will often tell us that this probably isn't worth it. I'm not sure, but I think you have a better shot of at an independent mechanic than a dealership one. I know the owner of the shop, he is there all the time, it is his livelihood to have happy customers, whereas the dealership relies on the dealership name, kwim? I bet with dealerships really hurting now a days there are some trying to make up the difference in unnecessary repairs.

 

[pollyanna]

I just bought a used car and took it to a mechanic the guy was great. told me what had to be fixed now and what could wait for a while. finding parts for my car isn't easy. he fixed it for under $300. I always feel when I go to dealers that they are padding the bottom line.

Pollyanna

 

[oneKnight]

Get a Haynes manual on your car, might help you know what's recomended because it has a tune up list for each level of miles.
I've never heard of a power steering system flush either.
You DO want to flush your cooling system occasionally, but that's the only thing I've heard of.

How old is your car? Miles?
Is your check engine light coming on? Just curious why they think you need a new catalytic converter. My dad says I probably need one, but my truck is 17 years old so that's kinda expected. The symptom is that the check engine light only comes on when the engine is cold, and goes off when it warms up because at hotter temps the fumes burn off faster. The reason they cost a lot is because they have expensive metals in them.

 

[cristeen]

Ugh!

This is why we stopped taking our car to the dealership... we discovered they'd been ripping us off like that for years. We were finally starting to get suspicious (takes us a while

), so when they said we needed another $500 worth of work on top of the oil change we took it in for, I took it to a highly recommended local mechanic to check it out. He had no idea what they were talking about - could find no hint of the supposed leak. After filing a complaint with the dealership (both locally and nationally) and getting no satisfaction from them, we decided to just take it to the mechanic from now on. And he's gotten all of our work ever since.

 

[Fujiko]

I've heard that car dealerships make more money in the maintenance/repair dept. than they do actually selling cars. If I had a good, independent, ASME-certified mechanic that I trusted, I'd never go to a dealership for that kind of thing unless they are free (like under warranty, free oil changes, etc.)

Once my mom took our family car to a popular oil change/tire store chain and they slashed one of the hoses in the engine, then took it out and showed it to her, telling her it needed to be replaced. She was furious.

 

[nd_deadhead]

I have an independent mechanic that I trust. We had an extended warranty on our van, and if he found anything wrong that he even suspected might be covered, he told us to take it to the dealershil. Several times they were things that we didn't even know were covered, and he could have soaked us for thousands of dollars worth of work, but he didn't.

When I wanted to put a full-sized spare in my Jeep (insted of a donut), I needed a rim for it. He called around and got me a used rim for about $60 less than a new one - not something I asked him to do, but he did it anyway.

If he tells me something needs to be done on either of our vehicles, I believe him.

 

[Ola_]

Yup, we stopped going to the dealership too. Not only was it super expensive, but the service was awful too. Not what I expected for the extra money we paid!

 

[MacroMama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oneKnight How old is your car? Miles? Is your check engine light coming on? Just curious why they think you need a new catalytic converter.

Well, our check engine light came on and that's what they said at the dealership when we took it in.

Hopefully they're wrong!

We'll take it to the good, trusty mechanic and see what he says.

Thanks for the info and support.

 

[oneKnight]

Check engine lights come on very often over "no biggie" type deals, bad sensor reading or something that self-corrects, OR just a bad sensor that needs replacing for $10, but it could also be a big deal is why you take it to get checked. My dad invested in a "universal" code reader for the cars, best investment ever IMO. Dunno how much they are, but if you want to know if the code is truely a big deal BEFORE you take someone else's word on it, thats an option.

ALSO many DIY auto parts places will scan your code for free if the check engine light is on when you pull in their parking lot. They will print off the record that says what it was that caused the light to come on. That's also an option.

Obviously I don't have one personally because I just take the car to my dad's

 

[library lady]

If the check engine light came on and they diagnosed it as a catalytic converter, it could be that you got some bad gas. We had that same problem but my DH did the work himself. Our check engine light came back on but that is because we got a used catalytic converter.

If your check engine light is on, go to the local parts house. Most of them will run the code for free. Once you get the code(s), you can do a google search on the make and model of your car and the code. It will give you a basic idea of what is wrong so that the mechanic can't give you any BS. If you don't have to pass an emissions test or anything, then you can go for a while without messing with the catalytic converter. Ours has been bad for a year or two and we haven't bothered to mess with it again.

 

[Selesai]

check engine light for us (ford taurus before we dumped it) meant the ocr valve (which affected emissions) needed to be replaced.

also, my understanding is that if you have to replace the catalytic converter, there's something else going on that you need to also solve.

but i understand. it's hard to find a trustworthy mechanic

 

[*Erin*]

random cautionary snippet! i don't know what make or model car you have, op, but the cat. converteri in cadillacs have platinum in them, which makes them fetch a nice buck or 2 for the mechanic. insist, before the cat. conv. is changed, upon being handed back your old one

may be interesting, the reaction you get.

i think other makes and models may have some too. Here's a googled link i just found

my dh and i are always saying to each other that one of us needs to go get an auto mechanics degree....

i HATE dealing with car repairpeople. so many of them are just such shysters! good luck to you!

 

[Logan's Mom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroMama Well, our check engine light came on and that's what they said at the dealership when we took it in. Hopefully they're wrong! We'll take it to the good, trusty mechanic and see what he says. Thanks for the info and support.

First of all, they can't even know what is wrong until they look at it. As a PP mentioned, numerous issues could be involved with the check engine light. I am going to assume you have an older vehicle if the cat wasn't covered under the federal emissions.

The only things necessary for maintainance are the recommended services in the owner's manual. I do believe a transmission flush is helpful as well, even though its not in the manual. Certain manufactures are looking to include that in the recommended schedule.

If you had a Ford/Lincoln or Mercury product I could direct you to a good dealership in the Boston area. Secondly, if it was one of the above makes dealership, I'd really like to know who that was....

 

[library lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Logan's Mom First of all, they can't even know what is wrong until they look at it. As a PP mentioned, numerous issues could be involved with the check engine light.

A good mechanic will run the codes if the check engine light is on. All cars built in the last 20 or so years have a computer that you can plug a diagnostic tool into and get the codes. With the codes, you can find out what system or systems are not operating correctly. In my area, a lot of parts houses or repair places will do free code checks to find out what is wrong. That can be done without even popping the hood. All of that is done by plugging into the computer of your vehicle.

 

[WC_hapamama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroMama Then, I called a trusty mechanic which I don't know why we didn't go to him in the first place, and he said it would only be $500 for the catalytic converter : and that in 28 years that he's been fixing cars, he's never done a power steering flush on any car! He said that the owner's manual doesn't recommend it and that someone probably wanted some extra business.

What is making the price $300 cheaper with an independent mechanic is that those independent mechanics often will use aftermarket catalytic converters, which IMO, are just fine.

 

[leximom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WC_hapamama What is making the price $300 cheaper with an independent mechanic is that those independent mechanics often will use aftermarket catalytic converters, which IMO, are just fine.

we just went through this with dh's old beater and yes you can get an after market cat for much cheaper (ours was actually quoted at $300 installed) but they run a much shorter life. So you definitely have to do some comparing and maybe ask around.

I totally agree about the shadiness of some mechanics and am so grateful that that we have family that works in the business.

 

[Logan's Mom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by library lady A good mechanic will run the codes if the check engine light is on. All cars built in the last 20 or so years have a computer that you can plug a diagnostic tool into and get the codes. With the codes, you can find out what system or systems are not operating correctly. In my area, a lot of parts houses or repair places will do free code checks to find out what is wrong. That can be done without even popping the hood. All of that is done by plugging into the computer of your vehicle.

: I thought she said she called the dealer and that is what they said over the phone without looking at her vehicle. Yup, know all about codes. The trick is when your vehicle has an issue and it doesn't throw any codes.

 

[greenmulberry]

On many models, the check engine light can come on if you didn't properly tighten the gas cap to three clicks.

Some auto parts stores will run your codes for free (either "advanced" or Auto zone" I can't remember which one). There are a lot of codes that are not serious, they just mean the car isn't running perfect, (Fuel air mix slightly off or something) and sometimes in an older car it makes more sense to just ignore it. Our 95 blazer has an intermittent check engine light, for the last 20K miles. We know what the code is for and it isn't worth fixing, and the car runs just fine. My husband knows a lot about cars (and I know quite a bit too!) so we are comfortable with this decision.

You can put your zip in on this site http://www.cartalk.com/, to read recommendations for a mechanic in your area. We have a wonderful mechanic that we found there who often calls us to tell us the maintenance we requested doesn't actually need to be done yet.

 

[claddaghmom]

I was too lazy/incompetent to change my own air filter and get an oil change, so I took it to a local shop.

They did the job fine, charged me $90 bucks.

But, unassuming me, I didn't check it out before driving it all day.

They unscrewed every cap they could find and dismantled my hoses. DH found this out before supposedly too much damage was done as he checked the car after he got off work.

Interestingly, a week later I received a follow up call from the shop asking if I needed any other services. HA!

And the local Chevy dealer was going to charge us $800 to replace the computer and flash it...my dad found one from a mechanic friend for $75 and is replacing it for free.