On my car's recent break down and repair...

[digitalwanderer]

Just posted this in Slack to see if conversing worked there yet, thought I'd post it up here just to bitch. LOL

If you take your car in to one of your wife's "best friend's" in high school to have its front end re-assembled, (front differential, spindle axles, yoke, some other fun stuff), for about $3k which isn't that bad considering what's involved...but I don't like going to him because of the cheap job he did on my cars brakes. Cheapest possible rotors/pads, warped within a week and it cost more than the nice drilled/slotted/ceramics I just replaced them with. (And love a whole bunch better!)

Anyway, I get the call yesterday saying the car is done, but after they started it the "check engine" light is on and they wanted to know if I wanted them to check it. Of COURSE I wanted them to check it, why wouldn't I? Well, he said he had to get approval because they charge $100 to check codes.

:|

I was like, "Excuse me, what? $100 to check a code after you basically replaced the entire front drive train?". I figured it would be common sense to just bloody hook up and OBDII reader to it and see if it was something related to the repair at least before even thinking of asking for money to "check a code".

As I fumed for a moment I suddenly realized I was sitting in a doctor's parking lot waiting for my daughter that was less than 1/4 mile from the place, and asked them if it'd be ok if I came by and read the error code myself and saw if there was anything I could do. He just said, "You have a OBDII reader on you?", and I said, "Yeah", and he said it'd be fine.

I was there 3 minutes later with my bluetooth OBDII reader that I always carry in the VW Cabrio because it comes up with a lean power bank error code every 300 miles or so and I like clearing it. (i gotta replace some vacuum lines) Got there and he gave me the keys as he was leaving to take his kids somewhere and told me to just leave them with the receptionist. He was VERY friendly as was I, no antagonism. He really didn't mind me checking it myself to save myself $100, he got that..he's just not used to customers having an OBDII reader and being so close.

Turns out the error was a grounded wire in the front drive train heat sensor which could have occurred during the installation and just needed clearing. So I cleared it and then drove Emmy in a few figure eights around the parking lot and did a bit more putzing around in the parking lot to see if it'd come back on, but it didn't. Left a note with the mechanic about the error code, thanked the receptionist again for the ride home a week or two ago when it broke and told her it was all fixed.

Now i just gotta pay for it and pick it up, not sure when that'll be but sometime after Chrissy gets off so not for a bit. She ran gloriously, felt sooo good!

BTW-Her front diff was really shot and her u-joint basically exploded, I knew I should have took her in earlier when I first heard some noises but like an idiot I put it off and am now paying the price...but at least $100 less plus whatever they would have charged for the "hard work" of clearing the code! (Choose "clear codes" from the options menu, VERY difficult on my $15 BT OBDII)

"Cracked Front differential, destroyed front propeller shaft, damage to power steering hoses and engine block.", was the official diagnosis. Good news is the engine block damage was superficial, but the pictures are genuinely scary. I busted the SHITE out of my front differential. :/

I'm still miffed about the codes though, for a "friend" this guy sure seems to nickel and dime people but with $100 bills. I could never, ever do that. (Thus why I ain't rich and he is I guess. <sigh> )