Sure, no problem. I can drop $450 on car repairs right before the holiday.

[Shakespeare]

Timing belt and oil changed--planned on those, but not without some financial discomfort (car's at 65k miles, so it's time). Adding in 3 serpentine belts, a new air filter (would only save $5 to replace it myself) and replacement brake light bulbs--I had not planned on.

If anybody needs me, I'll be outside angrily shaking my fist at the heavens.

x( x( x( x( x(

[Symarip]

1. Hm, mad at the heavens?

[billyskank]

2. I hear ya. I just forked out £350 ($530) for a service.

And there was nothing wrong with it either. Though I should be relieved at that. ;)

[Crazy Dave]

3. Ever see a "$19.95 Oil Change" add up to $185?

The wife went to one of those Jiffy Lube places one time and I assumed she just got the oil changed until I paid the credit card bill the next month. It was $19.95 plus a new air filter, new wiper blades and injector and engine cleaner that they told her she was due totaling $185.00

She also told me that they gave her a good deal by giving her a $5 discount off the $19.95 oil change.

[Shakespeare]

4. Well, these are things I knew I needed, I just didn't think I needed them RIGHT NOW.

I was planning to get the belts all changed in a couple of months, when I take it in for a tune-up.

And stay far, far away from Jiffy Lube--one of the local stations here in LA just did a story last week about just how much they rip off customers by adding on unneeded services.

[Crazy Dave]

5. And my wife knows that

She's in the parts business and talks about how they rip so many people off but she's passive, non-argumentive and afraid to speak up when it comes to her own affairs.

I never check my serpentine belt and it was so close to it coming apart this past summer when she noticed it while changing my air filter for me.

[Shakespeare]

6. They also tried to tell me my water pump should be changed.

Um, NOT. Not only is it just fine, and NOT part of recommended maintenance/replacement at 60K, the guy tried to say "well, we should go ahead and change it while we're way back in there doing the timing belt." Well, Mr. Car Repair Nimrod, I happen to know that the water pump on my car is conveniently located away from/outside the timing belt area, and you do NOT have to dismantle the engine to work on it. Attempted rip-offs make me cranky. :7

[Crazy Dave]

8. Don't forget the muffler bearings

Everyone should have their muffler bearings replaced every 60k miles :rofl:

[snooper2]

7. 3 serpentine belts?

Um, you do know that is the purpose of a "serpentine" belt...to eliminate multiple single belts?

one for A.C., one for Alt., one for Power Steering :)

[Shakespeare]

9. Yes, I know the difference (my bad for using the descriptor).

I used to own a Mustang that used a serpentine belt, and as it got older would wear them out with alarming regularity.

[snooper2]

10. just messin with ya :)

Usually when they are worn out early, it's due to a bad tension spring or a warped/slightly bent pulley. It's a bitch when that pulley turns out to be on the end of the crankshaft :)

[Shakespeare]

11. Between that and the Mysterious Oil Leak, I got rid of it, but didn't want to.

It was a '79 (first year of the new body design) Mustang Ghia, with a 302 V8. My dad described it as being able to pass anything but a gas station, and that was about right.

Fast and fun to drive--really fast and really fun--but it just became too much trouble ($$) around 120K miles. Nobody could ever adequately find or fix the oil leak, and different mechanics checked EVERYTHING on the car.