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100% MARK UP ON AUTO PARTS!!
#1
SO THE SAFARI NEEDS BRAKES AND SHOCKS

MY GO TO MECHANIC IS VERY REASONABLE WITH PRICING, HOWEVER I NEED TO PAY CASH THERE.  WHICH IS A LITTLE SHORT RIGHT NOW.

I CALLED AUTO ZONE WITH A PARTS LIST AND WROTE DOWN ALL THE INFO ON EACH ITEM.  THE PRICES WEREN'T TO BAD,  I LIKE AUTO ZONE BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE ONE IN MY NORMAL TRAVELING ROUTES.

THEN SINCE I HAVE A FIRSTONE CARD I CAN USE AT ROAD MART I CALLED THEM FOR LABOR PRICES AND GAVE THE GUY THE LIST OF WHAT PARTS I'D LIKE TO USE FROM AUTO ZONE.  THIS WAS FOR A MORE HEAVY DUTY SHOCK THAN IT NOW HAS.  ALSO FOR FRONT BREAK PADS.  THE ESTIMATE HE GAVE ME ON PARTS WAS WITHIN A DOLLAR OF BEING TWICE THE RETAIL PRICE AT AUTO ZONE!  I THANKED HIM GENTLY HUNG UP THE PHONE.
  I DIDN'T EVEN CUSS AT HIM! Rolleyes  
.
NEXT STOP WAS A FREE BRAKE CHECK AT JIM WHALEY TIRES AND AUTO REPAIR.  I CALLED AHEAD AND ASKED  IF THEY WOULD CHECK MY FRONT BRAKES.  AFTER THEY FINALLY RACKED IT I LOOKED OUT AND ALL 4 WHEELS WERE PULLED.  I HAD A CHAT WITH THE ASST. MGN ABOUT DOING UNREQUESTED WORK ON MY VEHICLE.

THE ESTIMATE FOR "ALL NEEDED REPAIRS" WAS OVER $1,2OO  Huh  
  Big Grin WORST CASE SCENARIO AT MY REGULAR SHOP...IF I NEED ALL OF THIS... $660  Big Grin
         AND I NOW HAVE THE $$$$$ I NEED IN THE BANK.   WHOOOPEE!
 I'D TURN A CART WHEEL 'CEPT QUEENIE COULDN'T PICK ME UP Tongue

THIS INCLUDEDS

FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS

2 REAR HUBS   2 WHEEL CYLYNDERS AND BRAKE PADS

"HEAVY DUTY" SHOCKS ALL AROUND 

$15.00 SHOP SUPPLIES  PLUS TAX

I HAD REQUESTED THAT I BE ALLOWED TO GO UNDER THE VAN BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHERE THE GAS TANK WAS AND IF THERE WAS ROOM FOR 1 OR 2 BATTERIES FOR A SOLAR SET UP.  MAINLY I WANTED I WANTED TO SEE IF IF THERE WAS ANY SIGN OF THE REAR WHEEL CYLYNDERS LEAKING.  I DON'T IF IT ALWAY SHOWS.  I HAD SEEN IT BEFORE ON ANOTHER VEHICLE.....AT LEAST I THINK I HAD.

NEXT STOP L & K CUSTOM EXAUST.  I TOLD LON THAT I'D HAD THE VAN CHECKED WHERE I COULD USE A CREDIT CARD IF I HAD TO GO THAT ROUTE.  ALSO WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE NEEDED REPAIRS ABOUT ALL THE XTRA STUFF

.  AS FAR AS I KNOW THE REAR BRAKES ARE FINE THEY WORK GOOD THERE'S NO GRINDING OR RUBBING NOISE AND THE HUBS DON'T HEAT UP.

I KNEW THE FRONT L BRAKE WAS MAKING NOISE AND THAT AT LEAST 1 OF THE SHOCKS BUSHING WAS KAPUT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE.  LON HAD VERIFIED THIS ALREADY.

LON TOLD ME " YOU KNOW YOU PROBABLY DON'T NEED ALL THAT".  I DO KNOW THAT BECAUSE IN THE PAST I WAS TOLD THE RANGER NEED SOME REAR END WORK WHILE IT WAS AT FIRESTONE GETTING TIRES.  I CAN SEE LON'S SHOP FROM THERE.  I WALKED OVER AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON.  THEN I WENT STRAIGHT THERE FROM FIRESTONE.  ONE OF THE "NEEDED REPAIRS"WAS BOGUS.  ALL THE RANGER NEEDED WAS SOME REAR DIFFERENTIAL FLUID.
THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME A TIRE SHOP FOUND A NEEDED REPAIR WHILE INSTALLING TIRES.  THE FIRST TIME I DID NEED IT.  LON DID IT FOR $200 LESS

JEWELLANN
  I DON'T GO CRAZY
Tongue      I AM CRAZY          
   I JUST GO NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME
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#2
I hate getting ripped off


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monkeyfoot
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#3
I always buy my own parts & take to the best diesel mechanic I know & pay cash after he tells me the labor & ask the cash price. I want the very best I just want to pay the least. AutoZone has a 20% cash back I'm sure you know about & they'll all match prices. I like Rockauto.com they have had the best prices, a good newsletter & a broad range of the same parts depending on what price/quality you want. Labor charges are bad enough without getting ripped on parts.
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so." - Thomas Jefferson
[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to Gr8ful for this post:
  • Texjbird (04-06-2019)
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#4
Angry ME TOO ON THE RIP OFF Angry 
 I THINK I HAVE BEEN PRETTY LUCKY WITH AUTO REPAIR SHOPS HERE IN AL SO FAR.

3 WEEKS AFTER MOVING INTO MY APT.  JUST 2 BLOCKS FROM THE APT. THE RANGER DROPPED IT'S COMPLETE EXAUST SYSTEM TO THE ROAD.  THE ONLY THING STILL ATTACHED WERE THE BOLTS HOLDING IT TO THE REAR OF THE ENGINE.  TWO WIRE COAT HANGERS LATER IT WAS UP OFF THE ROAD AND ATTACHED TO THE RANGER.  I WAS 1 BLOCK FROM THE NEAREST SHOP.   THE OWNER HAD IT CHECKED AND SAID I NEEDED A COMPLETE SYSTEM AND IT WOULD BE $187. 
 I ALREADY KNEW IT WAS ON ITS LAST LEGS.

I TOLD HIM I'D NEED TO SAVE UP FOR IT.  MR. CHILDS SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS AND ASKED WHERE I WORKED.  WHEN I EXPLAINED THAT I'D JUST MOVED HERE,  WAS ON SSDI AND LIVED JUST 2 BLKS AWAY.  HE OFFERED TO FIX IT ON CREDIT.  I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED!  I DIDN'T THINK HE UNDERSTOOD HOW BROKE I WAS.  

I EXPLAINED THAT I COULDN'T PAY HIM EVEN $1O DOWN.  HE SAID THAT WAS O.K.,  IF I COULD WAIT HE'D GET IT FIXED.
I  DON'T THINK I WAS OVER CHARGED.  IT DIDN'T MATTER THEN OR NOW.  THE KINDNESS OF A TOTAL STRANGER IS WHAT MATTERS TO ME.

  I LEARNED LATER THAT HIS WIFE WAS DISABLED ALSO AND AT TIMES IT HAD BEEN A REAL STRUGGLE FOR HER.  UNTIL HE PASSED AWAY IF I COULDN'T PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIRS THE RANGER NEEDED I WOULD BUY THE PARTS AND HE WOULD LET ME PAY OUT THE LABOR IF I NEEDED TO.

LON MY MECHANIC HAD BEEN MR CHILDS SHOP FOREMAN AT ONE TIME.

IT'S THINGS LIKE THIS THAT CAUSE ME TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS FIXIN' ON THE SAFARI OR IS WORN BADLY REPAIRED OR REPLACED BEFORE Q AND I GO A ROAMIN'.

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY  HAVEN'T YOU HAD GOOD LUCK WITH REPAIRS TO YOUR MH?  I SURE HOPE SO.

I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE WELL WITH NO TRAVEL PROBLEMS TO SLOW YOU DOWN.

DIDN'T JOHN WANT ME TO BRING TIGGER SOME BABIES TO BOSS AROUND IF I GET TO TRAVEL NORTH LATER ON?
Wink  JUST ASKING.  

MY SON SEEMS TO BE SETTLING IN AND IS DOING O.K.  I HAVE A GRANDAUGHTER AND A 1YR OLD GREAT GRANDSON UP IN KY THAT I'VE NEVER MET.  I HOPE TO CHANGE THAT SOMETIME THIS YEAR.  OF COURSE I DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT I WANT  Undecided  BUMMER!

JEWELL ANN 

QUEENIE IS HAVING A AFTERNOON POWER NAP.....IF I'M LUCKY SHE'LL SHARE THE BED WITH ME LATER  Rolleyes
  I DON'T GO CRAZY
Tongue      I AM CRAZY          
   I JUST GO NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME
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#5
i've sworn off autozone duralast cheap stuff,to many failures,if buying store brand i go with napa but like to buy online name brand stuff,ac delco cost 3x autozone/duralast for a reason,because it's 10x better

dont buy fram oil filters,they are junk,get napa gold or wix,any of the name brand oils are fine

cheap things tend to be cheap,you get what you pay for

no weird named chinese tires
[-] The following 2 users say Thank You to Blacktank for this post:
  • Texjbird (04-06-2019), weigh2ez (04-07-2019)
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#6
THANKS FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT NAPA!  THE ONE HERE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS....TWICE.  ONCE BEFORE I MOVED HERE.  IN SD THAT WAS THE NEAREST AUTO PARTS TO ME WITHOUT GOING 35 MILES INTO SIOUX FALLS.  I'LL NEED A NEW BATTERY SOON ON THE SAFARI.  PROBABLY ON THE ALINER AND SOME FOR SOLAR TOO.  

JEWELLANN
  I DON'T GO CRAZY
Tongue      I AM CRAZY          
   I JUST GO NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME
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#7
We have an independent friend of mine in the nearest small town I support, he knows I'm cheap & will check prices so he does me OK. Our local Napa will rip you off when they can so I like the selection but have left the last 3 or 4 times so I'm done. Every vehicle I plan to keep I take it to my diesel mechanic & he changes all the fluids, checks the belts & hoeses, etc. I call it zero timing it so I have a baseline to work from.
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so." - Thomas Jefferson
[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to Gr8ful for this post:
  • Texjbird (04-07-2019)
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#8
God i could do all that for you for $150 or something. I carry the tools i need for this stuff. Fuggg paying a grand for brakes.

AND i can get parts roughly half the price of autozone
[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to Ddarnell for this post:
  • Texjbird (04-07-2019)
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#9
The rubber flex line hoses are something you should add to that list.
Very common fail point these days unfortunately Rolleyes
(2 in front and 1 out back).

Jeeze they must think you're a tourist or sumpin'. Dodgy
Tell 'em the guy doing the job told you they'd give you HIS discount...or just sic Queenie on 'em and go some place else ! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH
stay tuned 
popeye


 Weirdo Overlord : FMS Fleet Ops , Awards , Badges ,  aka Tamerlane the Impaler Mod.
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#10
(04-07-2019, 08:49 AM)rvpopeye Wrote: The rubber flex line hoses are something you should add to that list
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
WHAT DO THESE CRITTERS DO?
Very common fail point these days unfortunately Rolleyes
(2 in front and 1 out back).

THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP

JEWELLANN
  I DON'T GO CRAZY
Tongue      I AM CRAZY          
   I JUST GO NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME
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