I need advice
Last Thursday (not this Thursday, a week back) I took my car (95 Camaro) in for a small oil leak I noticed. They ran a dye test and found out it was the intake manifold leaking.
They said it would take until Tuesday (mechanic was off Monday) to fix it, and a cost of $430.
So I said "No problem" and went on my happy way.
It is now Friday, and everytime they call it is another story. It was supposed to be done Tuesday, then Wednesday lunch, then Wednesday evening, then Thursday, then Friday lunch, now Friday evening has come and went.
The first time it was a "stripped thread" when putting the manifold back in. They fooled with that to the point where they wanted to put in a new bracket and bolt (to the tune of $30 for the damn bolt) to which I said "ok" to just get it done and over with.
Now, they claim that there is a "miss" now that they assembled the manifold back together and they want to take the valve cover off and adjust it -- and they'll only charge me one hours labor for it, wow! They "SWEAR" it will be done tomorrow morning.
Now, what should I do "if and when" it is done tomorrow morning? I am expecting them to present some bill for well over $1,000 on a job that they quoted me $430 to do work on and I said "ok".
I'm no fool -- it doesn't take 4 days to replace a stripped thread or bolt.
They said it would take until Tuesday (mechanic was off Monday) to fix it, and a cost of $430.
So I said "No problem" and went on my happy way.
It is now Friday, and everytime they call it is another story. It was supposed to be done Tuesday, then Wednesday lunch, then Wednesday evening, then Thursday, then Friday lunch, now Friday evening has come and went.
The first time it was a "stripped thread" when putting the manifold back in. They fooled with that to the point where they wanted to put in a new bracket and bolt (to the tune of $30 for the damn bolt) to which I said "ok" to just get it done and over with.
Now, they claim that there is a "miss" now that they assembled the manifold back together and they want to take the valve cover off and adjust it -- and they'll only charge me one hours labor for it, wow! They "SWEAR" it will be done tomorrow morning.
Now, what should I do "if and when" it is done tomorrow morning? I am expecting them to present some bill for well over $1,000 on a job that they quoted me $430 to do work on and I said "ok".
I'm no fool -- it doesn't take 4 days to replace a stripped thread or bolt.
This is scenerio is exactly why I do my own work. There was a time when I didn't know squat.... so I learned by getting shop manuals and doing it. Never went to school for it, but over the last 25 years you would be amazed at what can be learned. Now I can pull an engine, tear it down, send out the block for the machine work, rebuld it when I get the block back. I can fabricate simple items, but nothing too wild. Bolt on stuff is like child's play. My advice is to use this as a motivator to do your own work in the future. 
Got up the next morning and started on the upper end. By just after lunch the heads and intake were already removed, the block surfaces cleaned and everything was ready for reassembly. Put in the new gaskets, reassembled and the car fired right up on the first twist of the key at precisely 5:45 pm. The only finishing touch that was needed was one stud had been broken off on the exhaust manifold (the first one I removed no less 
) so the driver's side manifold was bolted to the downpipe with only two studs. Picked up as stud that night and installed it the next morning. You get the greatest feeling of accomplishment when you do it, you know how it's been put together and you know that it's done right. You would be suprised how many times I've opened up a friend's motor that had a "professional" shop do the work and was horrified by what I saw. Silicone sealer everywhere, shoddy cleanup, incorrect vacuum line routing, etc. It makes the owner almost 
. 
Hope it goes well for you, but like I said, use this as a motivator to do your own work.
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