I hate auto repairs. That’s why I leave all of them till the last minute. Well, the last minute is nigh and I need some brake work done.
I’ve gotten two estimates; one from my Saturn dealership and another from Precision tune. I don’t want to go with either one.
First off, a dealership is usually the most expensive place to get auto work done. They were thorough in finding many things wrong with my car but only went halfway in fixing the problem that brought me to them in the first place.
Second, I went to Precision Tune for a “free brake check” and “$14.99 oil change” that they had on their road sign. Well, they checked my brakes and found half of what Saturn did and when they charged me $26 for the $14.99 oil change they stated on the itemized inspection sheet that they checked the gaskets. They dais they were fine. Apparently the pool of oil coming out of one of the spark plug covers does not tip them to the fact that I have a bad gasket. And for the half-ass brake check they did they still quoted me more then the dealership to fix half of the problem.
Argh! So now I’m on my third search for a decent brake job from someone who’s not going to jack me. I’m on my last leg as far as brakes go (how’s that for a mixed metaphor?). But I don’t want to pay more for maintenance than I did for the whole damn car.
Sure, I got a ’98 Saturn and it only cost me $2K but it’s the best money spent for a car. It’s usually trouble free and dependable as all get out. It’s not like I got a lemon, it’s brake work and that is always needed no matter what you drive.
So if anyone can recommend me a decent auto mechanic in the Baltimore area I’d go and check them out. Even better, if you have a brother-in-law who’s a mechanic and does bonus “family” work on the side I’d slide him some cash for some decent side work.
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