Matt Sheppard

Dont get me started. . .

Good mechanics are hard to come by (especially in the hayseed town I live in).

Etch these two afforisms in your mind, write them on your (garage) doorposts and speak of them when thou liest down and when thou risest up:

1. "No one will take as much care as you do"

2. "It's the little things that count."

944Fest (aka Dan P)

Way to go Skipper! I sold my Durango after 55K and 5 ball joints. I decided it wasn't a vehicle I wanted to own out of warranty, nor high mileage. One service writer told me they hadn't had a problem with FRONT ball joints, but they had replaced a REAR ball joint the week before (!!!!) It's hard to imagine several dealers would be in on the scam, but I suppose it is possible.

icat

Yehaw! Gotta love them thar perfreshinal mechanicks. Don't get me started on Sears! Training seems to be a four letter word there.

Skip, ya done us proud big guy!

DangerIsland

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by TaboII:
<strong>No lie,

This is from the horse?s mouth directly. Porsche mech's make $15.00 an hour to start no exceptions I asked!

Nice to know that the 65-85 and hour labor charge is going right into the company coffers and not into your cars!!!!

IF GOOD "That?s a big if" they can hit the 50K mark after 5 years. It's all a scam. Mech's don?t care about the quality of work they do in general. Shops are looking for 60-100 dollars an hour and they don't car how they get it.

I now do all my own work and there is no exception.

To complement the good mech?s out there. The good ones have a waiting list of weeks if not months to get to see because everyone knows there good.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Well, I don't think the 65/15 difference is really that horrible. When it comes to professional services, there is always a big difference there. Comes from lots of factors like: They're not always working, so they have to pay them $15/hr even if they're not charging for their time (there are exceptions, but this is mainly true) Also, there are lots of overhead costs and other things besides payroll to pay for.

I've billed my time out at anywhere from $45 to over $150/hr for various computer related things I've done over the years when working as a consultant. Have I taken home between $90 and 300k? no way. It's not unusual for people to actually make 1/3 to 1/4 what their hourly rate is when it comes to services, when they are working for a bigger company that's doing the billing, I don't think that means they will do a bad job. There are plenty of other reasons they won't do a good job, no argument there

Skip

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by PeteL:
<strong>Skip
I have a Durango as well, that seems to have "upper ball joint probs" ...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">It's very likely that it does have the upper ball-joint problems. They are certainly a weak link. From Dakota/Durango web forums, the best replacements are from Moog. Depends on the year though. For instance, mine is a 99 and uses the same ball-joints as the 97-98 (though sometimes not listed that way). The best prices I've found were from <a href="http://www.rockauto.com" target="_blank">www.rockauto.com</a>

If yours is under warranty, they'll likely follow the dealer service protocol which requires they change out the entire upper control arm... the problem is you're using the same Mopar crap that came as original.

Definitely talk to the service dept to be sure they are doing the "right" thing. Maybe they'll offer to install the Moog (or even TRW) ball-joints.

To answer your question - the bolts that were loose on mine are the the top inboard mounting of the upper control arm. These bolts hold the control arm to the pivot shaft - the pivot shaft is chassis mounted. They are visible and serviceable with the car on the ground (as they are alignment setting points).

Good Luck!

Skip

streckfu's

Good for you Skip.

I really should learn more about my car. I'm just afraid of fu**ing it up....

Skip

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 944Fest (aka Dan P):
<strong> One service writer told me they hadn't had a problem with FRONT ball joints, but they had replaced a REAR ball joint the week before (!!!!) </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">A *rear* ball-joint, huh? Is that part of the caterpillar drive unit, or the flux capacitor?

Have you guys ever heard the girl on the phone with the Midas shop? I think I have this somewhere - was a prank, but a good one!

Skip

Skip

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by streckfu's951:
<strong>I really should learn more about my car. I'm just afraid of fu**ing it up....</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">From experience, you should be more concerned with them "fu**ing it up" <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> Rennlist is here to help!

Skip

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Tabor:
<strong>Hey skip, someimes when you go through a lot of alternators it is because the bushings that the mounting bolts ride on are damaged or non-existant. I had this problem with a 1986 Nissan Sentra.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Good point, but the Jetta alternator mounts are solid and in good shape... methinks Bosch needs to spend a few more Euros on the bearings they use.

Skip

IceShark

Jim was relaying a story about how Bosch was trying to cut down on maintaining machining tolerances and were inserting plastic bushings over the bronze working ones to soak up slop.

They probably cut the tolerances on all machining in an effort to save a couple pennies.

Kevin Baker

Too true, 6years ago when the 1st timing belt broke on the Eclipse, the "mechanic" told me I bent all 8 intake valves. $1800 later all is well. 6 years later I boke the t-belt again, pulled the head myself, and it looks to me like there is one valve that has been sitting still for quite a long time. I think maybe my mechanic 6 years ago didnt do all the work he said. Things like this and my mom's $600 dead battery (Cadillac Dealer) are why I do it myself.

Dal Heger

$600 dead battery... ok, you have to share... Don't leave us hanging!

I'd love to share soome stories, but I have none. I've always been brave (or stupid/poor enough) to do most of the work myself.

I agree with the previous posts, noone can do it better or with more care than you can!

The hard stuff, like machining, welding, and bodywork I'll leave to the pros!

Dal.

928FIXER

I only have one question to ask to start out....Did this shop charge a diaganosis fee?

Mr. Avionics

Great post Skip,
Don't have any horror stories myself, always been
doing all my own work. I guess I was lucky as a kid, my father had been a garage owner back in the
30's and 40's when they really fixed things, also
he was a machinist so got some good expirence when
I was young. So now I guess I'll really consider
doing all my own work on the 944 as well as the
work I've been doing on the Ford Lehman diesel in
my boat. Done most all of the auto work at one time or another, even had valve grinding machine
got from my father at one time, also body and paint. Just don't have the room for all the toys
any more but still can do 99 percent of the work.
This forum has been a great education on the care
and feeding of my car. Keep up the good work
everybody.
Bill

JimV8

Just scary ,absolutely scary, incompetence.