Car Troubles & A Meme

[elfs]

Yesterday, while coming up the hill over SR509 that heads south from Seattle, we're driving along and the engine suddenly loses about a quarter of its power and the blinking "Service Engine Soon" light comes on. After a minute the light begins to steady and the car seems to be okay, but the power doesn't recover.

So I take it into the shop and they tell me that the electronic alternator is going, the oxygen sensor needs to be replaced, and I need a complete set of ignition coils and wires. Parts, labor, and diagnosis was outrageously expensive, but they'll let me put it up on a three-months, same-as-cash, have-a-discount plan. I guess we'll survive.

Bleah.

I'll buy this:

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Good enough. I remember being inspired to read The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind when I saw Beast reading it in one of the X-Men "Phoenix Saga" comics and he mutters, "Great book. Can't wait to see the movie."

As it turned out, the book was amusing in a Bermuda Triangle, Pyramids of the Gods, crop circles style, but it wasn't science. Still, what a great title.

Comments

car troubles?

[angelpdx.livejournal.com]

hey compared to replacing a head gasket, it can't be that bad. I know wires and ignition coil are simple take out the screws, unplug the wires, plug the new ones in and put the new ciol in with the new scres\ws... I'd get a manual and take a look before paying them outrageous sums of money. Better yet, have you got a garage to work in? cause it's cold outside... but honestly, the alternator I'd buy, but the rest? Sounds like crap to me... wires don't go out just like that, and neither does the coil. Usually you get a little notice with occasional tiny momentary loss of power. I'd get a second opinion from a place that does nothing but electrical repairs.

Re: car troubles?

[(Anonymous)]

Re angelpdx: Just be careful that you don't take the bad diagnosis of a bad repair shop and decide to "do those repairs yourself to save money." Not only is it kind of dishonest to use the repair shop's diagnosis for free to substitute for your own (lack of) diagnostic acumen; you might also find yourself doing completely the wrong repairs, failing to fix the car.

Re: car troubles?

[norman-hamer.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* not if you've paid them to do the diagnosis.

Re: car troubles?

[angelpdx.livejournal.com]

Besides which, even if you haven't paid them to diagnose. The truth is that they diagnose hoping to get business out of it. If you do your own work, and only take the difficult stuff to them, then they *are* getting your business, and their diagnosis got them good publicity.

Re: car troubles?

[gchpaco.livejournal.com]

I should note in my 1982 Accord, when I lost the alternator I called a bunch of guys up and one of them said "Oh, when that goes on those cars usually it takes out most of the wiring with it, you'll want to have that replaced." I thought "yeah, right", but it turns out the alternator had taken most of the wiring harness out with it. Alternators are not trivial things.

Which is not to say I would not support "yes, get a second opinion".