Little Auto Mechanic experience...

[TilliamWe]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

The only ones that work are the bolt togther ones. The old quick boots that use the glue to melt the halves togther don't work, and I did not know they were still in production until recently.

Copy that.

 

[rivermouse]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

that's why now days when I get tires replaced I take the rims into the shop not the vehicle. Apparently they can't understand the phrase...just do the tires!! This way it is all they can do.

I got tired of dealing with buying new tires only to be told I need valve stems, balancing, installation cost, fee to dispose of my old tires etc.A tire costing 70 bucks quickly turns into a tire costing almost 100 bucks. I got my own tire machine and it has saved me hundreds over the years I am sure. It only cost me about 80 bucks too. And friends guess what...most new tires are already balanced close enough that you don't need to have them balanced so I wait until I test drive the car and if I feel a shake I then get the tire and wheel balanced but I take the tire to them not the entire car.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

I only take my vehicles to the shop when the job is beyond my skills or requires tools I can't buy at a reasonable cost compared to the shop cost to do the work, if I'm in a hurry, or the weather is too lousy to work in the driveway (gotta clean out the darn garage some day).

Fortunately, the owner of the shop I use knows I'm pretty savvy about repairs, and respects that.

 

[sam60]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

, "JUST THE TIRES PLEASE!!"

/rant...

This is the reason that I love Discount Tire, tires and wheels is all that they do. I ask for their permission to enter the bay to look at my brakes when I get the tires rotated.

 

[generator12]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

I'm surprised that the O.P. is surprised! This stuff is as old as service shops. (Auto, HVAC, Plumbing, etc.)

Ever had an estimate from a basement repair guy? When he's finished his story about the impending collapse of your house, you'll try to get the work scheduled for tonight!

I recently posted about a Toyota dealer (Wilde Toyota, Milwaukee - largest in Wisconsin) doing this to a female friend of mine on the 3/36 inspection - worked it up to over $500 when the needed work was about $260.

Several years ago, I caught a Pennzoil oil change shop a quarter mile from this Toyota dealer using oil from prior oil changes. And another one in the same vicinity offering to replace "burned out marker lamps" that actually still worked just fine.

This is a very common embodiment of one of the most prominent American characteristics: "GREED".

As mentioned above, the O.P. needs to find a shop that can be trusted and stick with it.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

The only ones that work are the bolt togther ones. The old quick boots that use the glue to melt the halves togther don't work, and I did not know they were still in production until recently.

You can't properly service, clean and lubricate a CV joint while on the car. Once the boot gets split, dirt and water WILL enter it. My brother is a used auto wholesaler/retailer. If they ever get a car that has one of those split repair boots on it, the axle gets replaced. If a car with one of those gets taken to an independent mechanic inspection, those get flagged in a heartbeat.

As DonS would say, "Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time...but always enough time to do it again".

 

[ngt]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

I'm surprised that the O.P. is surprised! This stuff is as old as service shops. (Auto, HVAC, Plumbing, etc.)

Ever had an estimate from a basement repair guy? When he's finished his story about the impending collapse of your house, you'll try to get the work scheduled for tonight!

I recently posted about a Toyota dealer (Wilde Toyota, Milwaukee - largest in Wisconsin) doing this to a female friend of mine on the 3/36 inspection - worked it up to over $500 when the needed work was about $260.

Several years ago, I caught a Pennzoil oil change shop a quarter mile from this Toyota dealer using oil from prior oil changes. And another one in the same vicinity offering to replace "burned out marker lamps" that actually still worked just fine.

This is a very common embodiment of one of the most prominent American characteristics: "GREED".

As mentioned above, the O.P. needs to find a shop that can be trusted and stick with it.

I did say, "I know shady mechanics are nothing new to this world" and I do have a mechanic I trust that I talked about in my post. Kind of wondering if you read the O.P.'s post, lol. My mechanic doesn't sell tires or do $99 brake jobs, so I had to go elsewhere for one and gave another a shot that didn't end up costing me a dime. No harm done, at least for me personally besides some wasted time. I just hadn't experienced anything like this in a long time and had the numbers sitting right in front of me. It bothers me that people do this, or force their employees to find things to fix that don't need fixing. Someone might say, "yeah, go fix it" and pay $1000 when there's only $362 worth of work that needs to be done. It's like "an honest buck" means nothing.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

... It's like "an honest buck" means nothing.

Ain't that the truth?!

 

[matt167]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

You can't properly service, clean and lubricate a CV joint while on the car. Once the boot gets split, dirt and water WILL enter it. My brother is a used auto wholesaler/retailer. If they ever get a car that has one of those split repair boots on it, the axle gets replaced. If a car with one of those gets taken to an independent mechanic inspection, those get flagged in a heartbeat.

As DonS would say, "Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time...but always enough time to do it again".

I know, I've actually never used them because I either pull the CV and swap the boot with a replacement if the axle is still good or just pop in a new axle if not.. I just know from others that the only quick boots that 'work' are the ones that bolt up. If I was that short on time to where I couldn't put in a CV right away, I would just keep CV grease in it and keep driving it until I could replace the axle...

I always did agree with Don
When I put the EJ22 in my Subaru, I did a full reseal, new head-gaskets, timing belts with idlers, new OEM tensioner and new water pump, spark plugs, all new rubber hoses and even a new timing cover gasket.. Did not need to do all of that and the parts man really liked the business but that engine is so much easier to work on when it's hanging on a stand rather than in the car.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

If I was that short on time to where I couldn't put in a CV right away, I would just keep CV grease in it and keep driving it until I could replace the axle...

Yes...a temporary(hack) fix.

 

[matt167]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

Only until I could fix it correctly, and that's assuming I really did not have the 1hr or so to spare. I've never come across that situation except the exhaust on my truck over the winter. Really had no time to fix it, so I just ran with it until I could fix it. Now it has an entire new exhaust+ shorty headers.
I put the put the re grease CV in there more as a 'what-if'...

The real 'hack' fix was a 1990 Toyota 4x4 pickup I looked at to buy. Balljoints that had ripped boots, and a CV boot that had to have had 3 layers of duct tape on it. And the guy would not come off his price because the CV and balljoints were still 'good' ( not yet failed )

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

The real 'hack' fix was a 1990 Toyota 4x4 pickup I looked at to buy. Balljoints that had ripped boots, and a CV boot that had to have had 3 layers of duct tape on it. And the guy would not come off his price because the CV and balljoints were still 'good' ( not yet failed )

Amazing what people do. Bunch of them post on this forum too!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

Yes...a temporary(hack) fix.

"Temporary" and "hack" have two very different meanings, you know? You're trying to insult Matt, when he's clearly explained what he means.

But anyway, if a CV boot is torn, and there is still grease in the joint, why can't the joint be cleaned out and repacked while still on the vehicle? Seems a little extreme to me that you assume that the shaft is bad, if it's not making any noise or vibration. Sure if you just want to spend your (or as the OP is pointing out) other people's money, fine, that's your prerogative. But in the meantime, people that aren't made of money, but have ability can try to repair the problem in a different way. Doesn't make them wrong, just different from you. And that is a big difference. Good day, sir.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

"Temporary" and "hack" have two very different meanings, you know? You're trying to insult Matt, when he's clearly explained what he means.

Matt and I are on the same page and we both agree its not a final fix. Sounds like we both have the same mindset when it comes down to fixing things properly and not doing a hack fix.

But in the meantime, people that aren't made of money, but have ability can try to repair the problem in a different way.

For the same amount of money as using the hack split boot fix, you can remove the shaft, clean the joint, inspect for wear, grease the joint and replace with a new normal boot. Done this many times in the past before rebuilt shafts became so reasonable.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

Bruce and Tilliam, please leave each other alone. If you guys can't play nice ... just saying ...

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

...

For the same amount of money as using the hack split boot fix, you can remove the shaft, clean the joint, inspect for wear, grease the joint and replace with a new normal boot. Done this many times in the past before rebuilt shafts became so reasonable.

"Reasonable shafts" are still over $60, (and can be much more than that) when a replacement boot is less than $20. So for a person who has plenty of time, not money, this can be done, not just automatically replace the shaft, with no inspection or anything. I can agree with this as being the proper repair.

 

[ngt]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

My mechanic called. I was supposed to bring my car in for the "boot" and said the "axle" didn't come in. So I guess he is doing the whole half after all. Still for $150 compared to the $284 for the same job at wheel works.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Little Auto Mechanic experience...

... Still for $150 compared to the $284 for the same job.

That's good news, for sure!