Quote:
Originally Posted by 78F350
There are better shop rates for some domestic and Asian cars. Is it because there area more 'lower end' garages that are familiar with them? A few years back my son needed an new alternator for a Hyundai - nearly $1,000 with labor at a dealer. My aircraft mechanic just swore off domestic trucks after his new Ram spent more time at the shop than on the road - complexity that even the dealership mechanics didn't seem to understand.
I'll DIY anything as long as I have the time, but most people are not like us and I often forget that. I think that ANY 20 year old car can suddenly become very expensive. New cars can too, but at least there's warranty. I really enjoy these cars, but not everybody should have one.
|
yup, this is right-on.
You put me under the hood of my daughter's 2019 Kia and I'ma curl-up into a little ball and whimper. My wife's 2015 JEEP Renegade? (It's really a FIAT) No problem at all. I think the further we stray from "ubiquitous" in favor of proprietary / bespoke, the more specialized a shop must become. This means higher shop rates, approaching that stratospheric range traditionally occupied by Euro car dealerships.
I'll also DIY anything. In fact, I trust myself far more than I trust any shop, in spite of the occasional gaff (that's a different thread, haha). Only one car has ever kicked my ass, and that was my wife's Mini Cooper S convert (R52). I know I care more than any shop possibly could, and so my troubleshooting methods are more thorough (and thus more accurate). Yes, I invest in tools s necessary. I have an entire shelf full of various diagnostic / scan tools that I've purchased because they were the "ticket" for one brand or another; like the Durametric and the PST2 on that shelf. (Though the latest purchased tool seems to do enough that it might replace almost everything else on the shelf. it's a POWERHOUSE!!)
However: the older I become, the less I enjoy doing the mundane maintenance and repairs. My enjoyment of "enthusiast vehicles" depends on this, though. I don't know where that eventuality leads.
Threaded Mode
