No problem, just wanted to part on good terms with a fellow Austinite. Last thing I'd want is a driver specifically angry at ME out on MoPac- there are enough of them out there that are pissed at the world in general already :-)
Brake and exhaust work are the ones I hate. Simple *jobs*, but filthy.
OTOH, I love working on automatic transmissions (though getting them out of the car is repulsive, for all the reasons you mentioned). Clean as an operating room once you get inside them.
Lifts are getting pretty cheap now.. I know I've saved enough in the past two years alone to pay for one.. (one car is '97 Sebring droptop.. head gasket, lower ball joints ($300 for parts alone), struts, tires, etc.)
Recently had some quotes for tree removal.. want to talk about widely varying estimates ? I had noticed that manner of pricing before in the building trades.. when I had the chance I asked some of them about it. The response I got was that it's not only a question of type of materials used and quality of workmanship, but how bad does the contractor want to do the work. The one guy explained it by saying that he was full up with work... if we wanted him to do the work, we'd have to make it worth it to him. The guy who's hungry will bid lower to try to get the work.
I do try to stay away from the quick lube places.. and the best thing about some of the parts store chains is the lifetime warranty. If the part is easy to change, I'll get the cheap part with the lifetime warranty and when it fails get another for free.
Struts on the above mentioned Sebring.. the upper control arm comes out with the strut.. what a delightful surprise.
The one guy with the explanation must have stayed awake in his high school economics class.
I had a barber one time who did just an outstanding job of cutting hair. He didn't charge any more than the other barbers in town (about $7.00 in those days) but he gave you one stylish razor cut for that price. He was so busy I was always waiting for 90 minutes or so just to get in to see him. So one day I mentioned his workload and he sez "yep, I'm so busy I'm working 12 hours a day, and I don't know if I can keep up this pace much longer". So /me gives him a 3 minute lesson in supply and demand theory and suggests that he raise his prices to the point where he is as busy as he wants to be, but no more.
A month later his prices were at $11.00. Two months later they were $13.00, and three months later I found another barber.
Later I heard he retired and moved to a house on the beach in Florida.
Supply/demand works in many situations.. but not all. I'd not want to be in an emergency room where triage consisted of someone taking bids on who can pay the most to be seen next..
I expect to have to pay more for an after hours emergency call to the plumber.. gods help the repair shop that would ask the customer to pay more for an emergency repair after hours. Don't know why that is, but it is.
ahhhh... the Lucas headlight switch: Dim, Dimmer, Flicker. ever messed with 70s and 80s Suzuki motorcycle electrical systems? they're pretty scary too.
it wasn't a big deal. shocks on a Toyota truck are *really* straightforward. the ones that came off were so junk that they came off easily.
i give myself tons more kudos for the top end rebuild, even if i didn't do the machine work. it was the first one i've done on a car engine (done a few bike engines) and, damn, those parts are heavy as compared to SV650 heads!
they're the ones who quoted me 600-700!!! :) that really frustrated me but it was a miscommunication issue. they requoted me a lower price. they were thinking 4x4 and i didn't let them know i was referred by a friend, etc... it was still high-ish because they want to put a Luk gold premium foo-foo-rah clutch in there that increases the total price by
100 bucks. if this *was* a 4x4 w/ a built engine and i beat the living hell out of it, yeah, i'd get the Luk. IMHO, it's unnecessary for a street truck as that clutch/tranny is overbuilt to begin with for a ~100HP 2.4L 4 banger. every once in a while, i'll lug a motorcycle in the bed but that's about it. i'll be satisfied with a Sacs or other quality aftermarket setup.
they did my friend's Miata. i went over there to drop her off and i spent quite a while talking motorcycle engines w/ them. good guys. they're going to sort out my A/C Issue(tm) when i get around to it.
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