Mechanic/patient relationships

My mechanic said he couldn't fix my brakes so he made my horn louder. (Stephen Wright)

I'm beginning to hate California mechanics. At least doctors sit down with you, sympathize and pretend to have a little interest in your opinions and queries. The mechanics ALWAYS want you to drop it off (all day) so you don't know how little time they spent on it and what they didn't do. ALWAYS they claim to know everything yet end up charging hours for diagnostics that would be unnecessary if they really did know. I could go on here but I don't type that well. Suffice it to say I feel like going back and punching the last guy right in the freakin' mouth.

RE: Mechanic/patient relationships

I live in Houston Tx. Right in the middle of one of the largest cities in the USA. My mechanic shop where I bring my car is right down the road less then a mile from my house. I have been going there since I was 16 and know most of the mechanics by name. I have a problem with my car I can take it there put it on a rack and take a look with no charge. I got lucky i quess.

RE: Mechanic/patient relationships

yes you did... i agree... so far i've hated every single mechanic here in california that has touched any of my cars...

RE: Mechanic/patient relationships

Well, my brother is a mechanic so I have it pretty good. He can do most of the jobs on my car, if not there's a good LM dealer nearby to do the annoying stuff.

[font color = blue]Tony - St. Louis, MO[/font]
1998 LSC - Toreador Red/Light Graphite

RE: Mechanic/patient relationships

Man I yearn for the Midwest and Texas. I once had a tranny problem on a Dodge van I was traveling in. I can't really remember what it was but it wasn't fatal and the places in CA wanted a couple hundred bucks to fix it. While I was traveling thru TX I think I stopped to change oil and the service station guy says "Hey, you oughta have one those ?whatchamacallits? on here." I said "yea, I know, can you put one on?" He said "yea, $18.00. And I think I got one laying around here somewhere." That's what I call integrity in automotive repair. He let me get under the van and help while it was on the lift too. A guy can never do that around here.

Recently, at a CA LM dealer when I was having alternator problems I had to report to the service rep. (Is that the way ALL dealerships are? You never get to talk to the mechanic around here.) Anyway, I told the guy that it was acting weird. I explained that all would be fine until I turned the radio on, then the rear suspension would drop. Then, when I turned the air on, it would come back up again. When I read the report he made to the mechanic it said I probably needed a new radio, new air conditioning and new rear suspension!!