Just wanted to share....

[SymphonicX]

I just got my car serviced for the first time since buying it - it's had problems recently and as I thought it was the dreaded clutch...lucky for me I found a very trustworthy mechanic - a friend's brother - who took the car in for me and serviced it, and gave it a brand new clutch all for £550...I'm so happy, normally a new clutch costs over 1k on a pug 307, but it just goes to show what knowing a mechanic can bring to your life.

Just drove him back to his house (he even picked the car up from my work and delivered it back in one day) and the car is beasting along now, unbelievably...I can experience all 1.4's worth of the car's power...!!

Just thought I'd share that with you, very happy here - new oil, new clutch, just need a pair of new front tyres and my little motor is back to it's former glory!!

Ahh it's a nice life today :)

[Yojimbo]

I just got my car serviced for the first time since buying it - it's had problems recently and as I thought it was the dreaded clutch...lucky for me I found a very trustworthy mechanic - a friend's brother - who took the car in for me and serviced it, and gave it a brand new clutch all for £550...I'm so happy, normally a new clutch costs over 1k on a pug 307, but it just goes to show what knowing a mechanic can bring to your life.

Just drove him back to his house (he even picked the car up from my work and delivered it back in one day) and the car is beasting along now, unbelievably...I can experience all 1.4's worth of the car's power...!!

Just thought I'd share that with you, very happy here - new oil, new clutch, just need a pair of new front tyres and my little motor is back to it's former glory!!

Ahh it's a nice life today :)

Dude, you are so fortunate to have a mechanic you can actually trust - thats a real rare find. Usually, mechanics screw folks over. Tell yours that I am ready to hire him should he decide to make a go of it here in Los Angeles, CA!

[SymphonicX]

hahaha will do :)

You're right I think the only kind of mechanics you can trust are A) friends or friends of friends, or B) those scared of your obvious car knowledge therefore won't dare rip you off...

Unfortunately for the majority of us, that just leaves us with choice A). Choice B) requires a lot of know-how which I personally don't have - I mean my level of knowledge is so basic, I just found out what a "choke hold" was (tbh tho we don't have them on cars over here anymore - dunno about the US)

Still...I'll defo be going to him for my repairs!!!

[Yojimbo]

hahaha will do :)

You're right I think the only kind of mechanics you can trust are A) friends or friends of friends, or B) those scared of your obvious car knowledge therefore won't dare rip you off...

Unfortunately for the majority of us, that just leaves us with choice A). Choice B) requires a lot of know-how which I personally don't have - I mean my level of knowledge is so basic, I just found out what a "choke hold" was (tbh tho we don't have them on cars over here anymore - dunno about the US)

Still...I'll defo be going to him for my repairs!!!

You are very correct, sir. Except in the case of Choice B, if I had that sort of automotive skill I would be inclined to do the repair myself.

"Choke Hold" - sounds like some sort of wrestling move to me. Which shows you how adept at automotive repair I am. :)

[FoodFight]

All I can wish is that everyone here with a British car uses it safely and not in anger and keeps them and their families out of harm....

[MoonSylver]

Trust worthy mechanic= worth their weight in gold.

I'm lucky that friend of mine married a guy from Serbia who worked in the motor pool in the army over there, who has become one of my best friends. He has been a god send when it comes to auto repairs (plus just being an all around great guy & handy w/ home repairs, computers, you name it).

[SymphonicX]

All I can wish is that everyone here with a British car uses it safely and not in anger and keeps them and their families out of harm....

My car is french, I'm doomed!

[slickwilly13]

You can buy a repair manual from an auto parts store. Do the simplier repairs, yourself, to save money. They usually cost around $20 U.S. and they are worth it. It also gives you an idea what the problem may be, which will keep dishonest mechanics from screwing you over.

[Yojimbo]

Back in the day, I had an old school Datsun B-210 and purchased the Chilton's manual for it, with the idea that I would then be able to repair the car myself. Having little previous experience with repair, and having never taken autoshop in High School, more than once I had to call a friend in to assist me when I found that I had bitten off more than I could handle (Example: sitting next to my car trying to figure out how the hell to fit new brake pads between the calipers and the disc, or getting really pissed off when I realized I really needed a second person in order to properly bleed the air out of the brake fluid line) But for a lot of the simple stuff, the Chilton's manual was great - though I don't think I would ever again trust anyone but a mechanic to work on something as essential as brakes. Nowdays, however, with all of the computerized shit going on with cars, I think a Chiltons can only take you so far - though it should still work for the simple stuff, like fan belts and the like.

Still wish I had taken automotive in high school, though! At least then when I speak to a mechanic, I wouldn't feel as stupid as I do.

[FoodFight]

Haynes and Clymer make produce better, more concise manuals. I needed a manual to rebuild a Toyota 22RE engine and first went with Chiltons. It was constantly showing which special service tool was needed for every conceivable installation. In comparison, the Haynes manual was much more straightforward i.e. (.... place the oil seal into the housing and tap into place with a mallet). It was a much easier fix than purchasing tools that I will probably never again use.

Another gripe regarding the Chilton manual is that it lacked rebuild information on CV joints. Haynes, however came through for me.

[Yojimbo]

Haynes and Clymer make produce better, more concise manuals. I needed a manual to rebuild a Toyota 22RE engine and first went with Chiltons. It was constantly showing which special service tool was needed for every conceivable installation. In comparison, the Haynes manual was much more straightforward i.e. (.... place the oil seal into the housing and tap into place with a mallet). It was a much easier fix than purchasing tools that I will probably never again use.

Another gripe regarding the Chilton manual is that it lacked rebuild information on CV joints. Haynes, however came through for me.
Maybe the Haynes would have saved me the embarassment of having to be told by my friend to use a set of angle-grip pliers to compress the brake calipers (he said this while laughing, in a tone of voice implying that any dumbshit should have known to do this)

Dude, someone like you who rebuilds a 22RE engine (for fun?) is lightyears ahead of me in the department of not getting bullshitted by a morally questionable mechanic. If I had your skill set, I wouldn't feel like I am handing a jar of lube to the mechanic while bending over every time I take my Volvo in for a repair.

[SymphonicX]

Changing your own brake pads?!? LOL...yeah right. I can barely find the coolant tank in my car!!! lol

Haynes manuals are effing fantastic though, especially for trouble shooting, types of oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid etc etc...still wayy too technical for me though....

I need a mechanic to teach me his trade...

[AcesandEights]

Note to self: finally get around to picking up that Car Maintenance For Dummies book.

I barely know my way around a the basics of an automobile and it really does suck when problems pop up.

[SymphonicX]

hmm, is that book any good?

There's a website in this y'know? A big, popular, community based website....and would defo help get rid of those shitty mechanics cos you could ruck up to a garage and say "my alternator needs replacing, I know this!"

If anyone wants to make millions off the back of this idea, let me know. I know nothing about web design, or mechanics - I can do the gfx!

If anyone wants to make millions off the back of this idea, let me know. I know nothing about web design, or mechanics - I can do the gfx!

[Yojimbo]

I need a mechanic to teach me his trade...
Me too, brother. Or I need to figure out a Vulcan Mind Meld thing to pull on a mechanic so I too can be in the know.

[FoodFight]

Dude, someone like you who rebuilds a 22RE engine (for fun?) is lightyears ahead of me in the department of not getting bullshitted by a morally questionable mechanic. If I had your skill set, I wouldn't feel like I am handing a jar of lube to the mechanic while bending over every time I take my Volvo in for a repair.


Unfortuneatly it was not a fun experience. Toyota has a (intentional?) design flaw which can allow the timing chain to wear into the cooling system, causing all coolant to drain into the crankcase (which is what happened to me). At that stage overhaul or replacement were my only options.

Here's a fantastic and truly simple manual for Volkswagens. http://www.amazon.com/How-keep-your-Volkswagen-alive/dp/0912528176

The graphics are oddly reminiscent of Robert Crumb and it is easily understood. Even though I never had a VW, it was instrumental in showing me how the automobile works, which is applicable across the board.


Haynes manuals are effing fantastic though, especially for trouble shooting, types of oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid etc etc...still wayy too technical for me though....


Haynes all the way! Unfortunatly they don't have the old standard English-to-American translations anymore. My first attempts at learning what bonnets, boots and earth leads had me stymied.:lol: