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can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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bjg1
New User
Sep 10, 2006, 10:02 AM
Post #1 of 10
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can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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It's a long story but here goes:
I have a old 78' cad, Seville.that runs sweet.a car that's in nice shape , all original.well,after having high emissions on a smog test. i took my car to a local shop. and asked if they would find the source of my problem.after being told how one employee had been around these cars for years and "knew them well" i decided to let them repair it.a day later i stopped by to drop off a Cadillac repair manual. to my surprise there was another Cadillac in the shop like mine with a for sale sign for $2500 parked next to it with the hood up ...( you thinking what I'm thinking.....hold on it gets better) and i was told it's the owners car and "we switched the sensors and found yours is bad  and when we put his in your car your emissions went way down!" OK looks a little suspect but hey they found the problem.even though they trying to charge me $120 for a $70.00 part. I'm thinking "OK replace it" and I'm done.two days go buy i haven't heard from them call back they tell me "it won't start every thing points to your alarm thats causing this"(now the owners working on my car) i say OK disconnect it i''l get that fixed. another few days go buy i drop in on them. i get there the owners no where to be found and my distributer is sitting on the work bench and the tech that was originally working on it says (the good news)"this part just some how blew out...it happens"....and shows me a electrical part on the side of the distributor(OK now the bad news) he broke the distributor housing taking it out! finally talked to the owner who tells me he will take care of it and they have ordered another one and will put it in. (now I'm starting to get excited )and after i had to call them again 2 days later i was told "we cant get the emissions down." .so i call Friday and was told hurrah hurrah we found the problem it's the computer."we switched computers with the the other seville and the emissions went way down and your car runs great". so we sent yours out to be repaired.repaired? well as calmly as i could i reminded him that "you told me that before and that it was running "great" when i brought it to you"
my question is:
i thought these could only be replaced can a computer they be"sent out" and repaired? thanks. Byron
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 10, 2006, 11:15 AM
Post #2 of 10
(2283 views)
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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Car computer repair?? Possible but I don't know of it -- especially for a 1978!! T
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 10, 2006, 12:54 PM
Post #3 of 10
(2279 views)
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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hey Tom,
thanks for the quick reply.
he claimed it's not getting/giving the right info from the censors.what's also suspect is that he never let me know.giving me a chance to decide if thats what i wanted to do our not. i had to call him to find out he already had "sent it out" Hmmmm.... Byron
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 10, 2006, 5:06 PM
Post #4 of 10
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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It's testing my memory but the thing will called a computer back then was under hood and right now costs about $30 bucks!! They still had to get correct info from just a few sensors?? This shouldn't be too difficult or expensive, T
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 10, 2006, 5:11 PM
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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my question is should he have sent it out without the owners consent? in my shop noooo! THAT IS WRONG. you MUST ALWAYS GET THE CUSTOMER APPROVAL FIRST. if it were me i would let the shop eat the cost.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 10, 2006, 6:56 PM
Post #6 of 10
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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Yes, I agree with customer approval. I did work for myself and knew my customers. Little stuff I didn't call them but if something was going to be expensive they had to tell me to go or not.
Damn near nothing in a 1978 car should be expensive ------ Good grief it was only the fourth year Ford introduced electronic ignition!!!! -- In all their cars.
It's hard to say but I think you should seek out a new shop, T
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 11, 2006, 4:40 AM
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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Hi Dan,
I guess I forget how long that was ago. My customers has more Oldsmobiles than Caddys from that vintage.
Late 70s was a strange time for cars. No power and feeble attemps to make carbs do all kinds of electronic things as CAFE standards were in place and I didn't see cars untill off warranty.
Was not afraid to get used stuff from wicked wrecks but the yards would only let me get stuff from really totalled cars. You couldn't pick at a fixable wreck then or now as someone would buy it and fix it up.
____________________________________
Off topic: It's 9-11-2006 and God Bless America and the whole free world, T
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bjg1
New User
Sep 12, 2006, 3:06 PM
Post #9 of 10
(2253 views)
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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i agree with you and tom keeping the customer informed.you should notify him when ever it's going to cost him more money.and by not doing so is totally unprofessional way of doing business. not only does it give me the decision to say yes do it or no don't.the shops are asking for trouble doing it any other way.Is it the garages fault that the distributor of this 28 year old vehicle was seized to the point of breaking?of course it's not the shops fault the engine 28 years old and never been taken apart.heck if he was smart once he found out it was seized he should have called and let me know. and i could have made the decision to go head and take a chance and remove it and i would have been responsible. Nowhere In the original post of this thread did I read that an estimate was asked for: as far as asking for a estimate well that's why i went there. to find out why the emissions where so high and if he could fix it. diagnostics
Is the poster pissed because the repair for his 28 year old vehicle wasn't/isn't going to be a ten minute, ten dollar fix?
hardly: it cost me 150.00 bucks(diagnostic fee) just to give him the right to replace a $120.00 sensor that was not the problem,break my distributor and blow up my ecm.also the car sits in the garage and is rarely driven (third car) so time is not a factor. I like so many hard working folks don't mind paying for a services.hey thats why we work. but when you have to get up 4:30 in the am. 5 days a week. (like i do) you don't want to screwed over by some bozo that does not have the business sense to call.
i decided to let them repair it: yeah i figuerd $270.00 and it's all fixed i'm out the door thats a deal no problem "let do it" 
ok here's what happen yesterday: i decided to do a search found some folks on the east cost that wants $150 and change to recon it. . i went downto the shop first thing monday morning. and the service manager was wrong it wasn't sent out the owner said that they found a reconditioned. one for 500.00 plus 150.00 to put it in.  well ..let me think about it ........NO! so i jsut told him to put it back together and i would come get it. driven in and towed out ! and charged 272.00 that's one hell of deal 
thanks again,Byron
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DanD
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 13, 2006, 10:06 AM
Post #10 of 10
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Re: can a computer be "sent out" repaired or is my mechanic trying to pull a fast one!
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Canadian "EH"
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