Post by simnettpratt on Jul 2, 2017 14:32:20 GMT -5
So my beautiful dream car, a 99 dark green over tan leather Miata wouldn't start. I get the starter whine, but it won't grab the flywheel and turn the engine over; no warnings before this. I have no income, but my mom on a pension sent me a credit card to put the probably $200 on it to replace the starter. Doing that myself is a bit beyond my skill level; I replaced the clutch slave and master cylinders when they died, but the starter is under the engine and hard to get to.
I select a mechanic that advertised free towing within ten miles, and they come pick the car up. I get a call later and they say the engine is shot, no compression on three of the cylinders and I need to give them $3,640 for a new engine. This sounds fishy and I'm not getting a warm fuzzy. I say I don't have near that amount of money and I have to pick the car back up. They say since we didn't do any work on the car, it will cost $65 for the tow each way, and $110 for the diagnosis, so $240 to get the broken car back. I am devastated.
Well, I have no choice but to get the car back, and I contact my local Miata guys and the national guys. 100% of them said that sounded like I was getting fleeced, but get the car back ASAP. How did they turn the engine over for the compression test anyway? Install a working starter they just happened to have for a 99 Miata, then put my old one back on? Could be just a starter, or maybe the timing belt broke, but no way you need a new engine - here's the local Miata shops we trust.
I had them come pick me up to pay them with my mom's card, and the price had changed (another bad fuzzy), the diagnosis had gone down to $89.90, so $227 to get the car back. I had to pay them, and got in writing the mechanic's words: Timing on marks, Eng has no compression, needs head job??? or engine!!! 3690
$3,690? I was told $3,640 on the phone, another bad fuzzy. My Miata guys were all giving wrenching advice on diagnosing the real problem, but all agreed these guys were crooks, and to get it to a shop we trusted.
THEN, a guy I didn't know, and wasn't a major poster, came on and said he was going to mail me the $227 to pay my mom back.
WHAT!? I wasn't posting to get money, but to get advice, like everyone does on my Miata forum. Now I feel all guilty, but you're supposed to be humble and greatful, so I'm trying not to feel guilty, and am definitely humbled and greatful. Dude is in Pennsylvania, and already PMd me the check is in the mail. My mom is 83, on a pension, and I believe makes $1,000 a month. If any of you know a Den Socling in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, please buy the guy some beer or something. Unreal. Thank you Den, very much. Wow.
I select a mechanic that advertised free towing within ten miles, and they come pick the car up. I get a call later and they say the engine is shot, no compression on three of the cylinders and I need to give them $3,640 for a new engine. This sounds fishy and I'm not getting a warm fuzzy. I say I don't have near that amount of money and I have to pick the car back up. They say since we didn't do any work on the car, it will cost $65 for the tow each way, and $110 for the diagnosis, so $240 to get the broken car back. I am devastated.
Well, I have no choice but to get the car back, and I contact my local Miata guys and the national guys. 100% of them said that sounded like I was getting fleeced, but get the car back ASAP. How did they turn the engine over for the compression test anyway? Install a working starter they just happened to have for a 99 Miata, then put my old one back on? Could be just a starter, or maybe the timing belt broke, but no way you need a new engine - here's the local Miata shops we trust.
I had them come pick me up to pay them with my mom's card, and the price had changed (another bad fuzzy), the diagnosis had gone down to $89.90, so $227 to get the car back. I had to pay them, and got in writing the mechanic's words: Timing on marks, Eng has no compression, needs head job??? or engine!!! 3690
$3,690? I was told $3,640 on the phone, another bad fuzzy. My Miata guys were all giving wrenching advice on diagnosing the real problem, but all agreed these guys were crooks, and to get it to a shop we trusted.
THEN, a guy I didn't know, and wasn't a major poster, came on and said he was going to mail me the $227 to pay my mom back.
WHAT!? I wasn't posting to get money, but to get advice, like everyone does on my Miata forum. Now I feel all guilty, but you're supposed to be humble and greatful, so I'm trying not to feel guilty, and am definitely humbled and greatful. Dude is in Pennsylvania, and already PMd me the check is in the mail. My mom is 83, on a pension, and I believe makes $1,000 a month. If any of you know a Den Socling in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, please buy the guy some beer or something. Unreal. Thank you Den, very much. Wow.
