is my mechanic ripping me off?

[Guest]

 CP93MM said:

...pends on how much it was slipping for. When i done the clutch kits id always see if it had heat spots on it b4 id machine them, on standard cars i might add...nanna vehicles is the field of mechanicing i was in lol

Think many of your would be amazed at how far out of true 99.99% of flywheels are (hotspotted or not)

Most flywheels I have seen are warped and not level

Seen so many guys look at a flywheel and say, na it's sweet and just bolt in a new clutch

Shudders, vibrations and premature failure can come from not machining flywheels

[aim]

my car's at 158,000 is it worth going in to get it randomly done? or shall I just wait untill I need a whole new clutch?

[wrx_lou]

DRFVDR: As CP93MM said, when mine was done it looked to be in good condition. At the time I had my clutch done it was done as an upgrade, not because the original was stuffed. It actualy had a fair bit of meat on it when we pulled it out.

Ichi Ban: I can see your point. I guess its better to get it done while its out also and just spend another hour or so on labour costs than have to pay to have it pulled out when something goes wrong because of it.

[Guest]

Always machine when new clutch going in

I wont do a clutch if the owner doesnt want it done !-- Saves me the greif later on when there clutch fails early

At 158k your clutch will be slipping uncder load up or have been done already

Average life is 80k (for a hard driven car) and up to 130k (for a nana'd car)

And before I get - but my car has done ....km or my clutch stuffed out way before then

There are exceptions - super nana drivers and drivers that have ZERO knowledge how to use a clutch properly

[subieboy]

 Ichi Ban said:

Always machine when new clutch going in

I wont do a clutch if the owner doesnt want it done !-- Saves me the greif later on when there clutch fails early

At 158k your clutch will be slipping uncder load up or have been done already

Average life is 80k (for a hard driven car) and up to 130k (for a nana'd car)

And before I get - but my car has done ....km or my clutch stuffed out way before then

There are exceptions - super nana drivers and drivers that have ZERO knowledge how to use a clutch properly

+1 I agree with you

I see it like this: you get your brake disks done when putting in new pads why not the clutch?

It ensures that they mate perfectly (or as close to it as possible)

[wrx_lou]

You seriously machine your disks every time you change your pads?

Haven't you heard of bedding in?

[subieboy]

 wrx_lou said:

You seriously machine your disks every time you change your pads?

Haven't you heard of bedding in?

In my experience over the last 15 years driving trucks & cars brake disks & Pads bed in better with a clean surface.

Machining them removes any gouges/damage/etc that would otherwise impair braking performance... Plus your pads will last longer, and usually machining removes less than 1.5mm of the surface.

Also you very often end up with problems such as brake squeal, shuddering, excess brake dust, excess pad wear etc. if you dont machine them

Most companies will recommend you get it done so as to avoid comebacks from their clients, I know a few that wont even do the job if you dont want them machined...

Doing this I have never had an issue with brakes, the one time I decided to skimp and save the $80 I regretted it - hated the squealing everytime you looked at the brakes...

[Guest vf20/21bg5]

In a perfect world everyone should skim discs,flywheels,heads,etc befor putting new pads,clutch,gaskets in,i know i would but....... somtimes to keep your pricing competitive and beat the other quotes that the last 2 mechanics gave, or trying to keep costs down cause its a real old car and the owner cant afford much, its best just to quote as cheap as possible explaining to the the customer the implications that could occure from not machining as opposed to doing it right. Give them the choice and in the end the scare tactics around the implications are great enuf to warrent them to pic the best path over the bear minimum usually and the customer gets a good feeling from you that you have given them all the options and let them choose. Ive been i sales/customer relations type work for 21yrs and i got where i am today from being honest and thorough.Ive never been on a commision based income due to the pushy nature of the job to strive to get the sale(hate that) ,i like to be on salary or wages telling the customer how it is giving them all the options and not thinking in the back of my mind that i have to push to get this sale or my kids starve(retainers are crap)

Lol sorry gone way off kilter here ;D

[subieboy]

 CP93MM said:

In a perfect world everyone should skim discs,flywheels,heads,etc befor putting new pads,clutch,gaskets in,i know i would but....... somtimes to keep your pricing competitive and beat the other quotes that the last 2 mechanics gave, or trying to keep costs down cause its a real old car and the owner cant afford much, its best just to quote as cheap as possible explaining to the the customer the implications that could occure from not machining as opposed to doing it right. Give them the choice and in the end the scare tactics around the implications are great enuf to warrent them to pic the best path over the bear minimum usually and the customer gets a good feeling from you that you have given them all the options and let them choose. Ive been i sales/customer relations type work for 21yrs and i got where i am today from being honest and thorough.Ive never been on a commision based income due to the pushy nature of the job to strive to get the sale(hate that) ,i like to be on salary or wages telling the customer how it is giving them all the options and not thinking in the back of my mind that i have to push to get this sale or my kids starve(retainers are crap)

Lol sorry gone way off kilter here ;D

+1 Exactly!

I hate that pushy sales as well..

[Guest vf20/21bg5]

To be honest who doesnt, if i got offered a gold priced commision i still wouldnt take it, its just not me, and especially it doesnt feel right to "force sell" anything! ...and as target would say "SHAME ON YOU, YOU COMMISION BASED SALES PERSON, SHAME! ....YOU HAVE TO BE FAKE TO EARN YOUR BUCKS!...like a robot i describe them, same lines over and over agan, ahhh yawnn

[Guest]

Yeah, but as a repairer I look at it that I am obligated to the customer to tell him everything about his/her car

I am the specialist, not him ! If you go see a lawyer, you dont tell them the law !

They come for my advice, honesty and professional skills

If they dont want the job done properly then I walk away

Not into 1/2 jobs, they only come back to bite ya in the butt

Machining a flywheel is part of doing a proper job, its not upselling at all or (force selling)

Take pride in doing a proper job, yes you will be more expensive, but you wont have the comebacks.

What would ya rather do - pay a little more now and get the job done right, or pay more later and have hassle's

(that's like re-using piston rings, cause they look alright)

[Guest vf20/21bg5]

 Ichi Ban said:

Yeah, but as a repairer I look at it that I am obligated to the customer to tell him everything about his/her car

I am the specialist, not him ! If you go see a lawyer, you dont tell them the law !

They come for my advice, honesty and professional skills

If they dont want the job done properly then I walk away

Not into 1/2 jobs, they only come back to bite ya in the butt

Machining a flywheel is part of doing a proper job, its not upselling at all or (force selling)

Take pride in doing a proper job, yes you will be more expensive, but you wont have the comebacks.

What would ya rather do - pay a little more now and get the job done right, or pay more later and have hassle's

(that's like re-using piston rings, cause they look alright)

i do agree with you, but in the case of an old car with elderly owners that are on a pension? ...which i may add i dealt with in my mechanicle years 70% of the time due to my area, you would just give them the cheapest option as they cld not aford the warranty option cause they do fark all kms and wont live past thr cars expectancy.

I just want to say finally that to date in sales i take every assessment case by case as its not a perect world out there and during this recession more likely then not people need all the cost options to choose from...ok so im not a mechanic anymore and am working as a sales rep in home insulation, but i still treat my selling in the same respect as i did mechanicing....case by case , and always done what the customer wanted,warrenty or no warrenty it wasnt in my judgement to turn them down...and i would often get them to sign wavers to the fact of thr option choice as so no comeback on my work.....wavers are always a good choice to let them know what could happen if you dont do the whole hogg.....and i use them to date in my home assessments....cars should be the same..."variety is the spice of life"

[Eight_dollar]

 Ichi Ban said:

Yeah, but as a repairer I look at it that I am obligated to the customer to tell him everything about his/her car

I am the specialist, not him ! If you go see a lawyer, you dont tell them the law !

They come for my advice, honesty and professional skills

If they dont want the job done properly then I walk away

Not into 1/2 jobs, they only come back to bite ya in the butt

Machining a flywheel is part of doing a proper job, its not upselling at all or (force selling)

Take pride in doing a proper job, yes you will be more expensive, but you wont have the comebacks.

What would ya rather do - pay a little more now and get the job done right, or pay more later and have hassle's

(that's like re-using piston rings, cause they look alright)

+1, may cost a little more now, but the old"why fix it if it aint broken" doesnt really apply to subbies as ichis taught me lol

[Guest]

sorry bro i forget to reply you, i accidenly deleted the text...

we are still keen to fix your car for you.