I'm tired of being screwed over by mechanics

[JustTheFacts]

Mazda's computers have always been known to show a series of error codes when the vehicle reaches a predetermined mileage. This was designed into the vehicle for one reason: so that the owner would have to take it to a dealership. I bought a new B2200 p/u back in 2000 and this was my sole dissatisfaction with it. However I learned how to disable these error codes on mine.
Most "local garages" don't have the proper equipment necessary to correctly diagnose these issues. As much as I hate it, I'm going to have to recommend that you take it to a Mazda dealership.

Again, untrue. If a service light comes on it is for a reason. Now that reason could be that the light or computer itself is faulty, but I can assure you no manufacture is designing vehicles to turn a light on for no reason. What incentive would there even be to do so? So that a person would take a newish vehicle into a dealership and the manufacture would have to pay for warranty work performed? That's counter productive. As for out of warranty vehicles, manufactures do not make any percentage off repairs done at dealerships. They just don't. So , again, no incentive.

Not to mention the regulatory standards that they must meet.

As for most your comment about most local shops don't have the right diagnostic tools, you are absolutely correct, most don't and you should avoid those shops like the plague. With the latest J2357 standard the government has mandated that all manufactures who sell vehicles in the US must provide access to ALL factory level diagnostics to consumer. Now that simply means they have to conform to ODBII standards as far as diagnostics and they must make their data available. Each shop is of course responsible for buying its own diagnostic equipment , and also each manufacture charges a subscription fee to access their data (except Hyundai who gives free access)

So yes, it's expensive, I just bought a new OTC Genisys Touch which is capable of factory level diagnostic work as well as flash programming on every vehicle on the market today ( providing of course that it is new enough to have such technology) The device cost me $5000 , but is a necessary investment if you want to provide professional service.

Also, as I said in an earlier post, IF I have to get into a manufacture's database I have to pay for that access. So don't come griping when I charge you for diagnostic time.

I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with you over this. That's not my style.
I do know though that I bought a 1990 Mazda B2200 (brand new from the dealership) and the "Check Engine" light turned on every 60,000 miles, just like clockwork. The first couple of times I took it to the dealership for service and paid them $250+ each visit.
Then I was told about a switch that's activated by the gears in the odometer. (Which makes it not only intentional, but actually designed into the original manufacture of the vehicle.) I was also told how to turn the switch back off. Using this knowledge, I figure I finally saved myself about $1000 before I finally sold it.
So, say what you will to deny my claim, but I know what I know, hence your words fall far short of my personal experience.

What are you talking about? I didn't claim that manufactures didn't program lights to come on at a certain mileage. I said they do not do so for NO reason. In the case of your truck the reason is to remind the driver to change the timing belt. Which is absolutely recommended at that mileage

Here's some Mazda B2200 owners discussing just that.

Check Engine Light at 140,000 on B2200 pickup - Mazda Forum - Mazda Enthusiast Forums

The reason for this reminder is simple. A broken timing belt on an overhead cam motor could , and indeed probably WILL, result in catastrophic motor damage. This was Mazda's attempt to prevent that. Check engine light comes on, driver says oh yeah into the dealer I go, dealer reads codes says nothing wrong, the light was just a reminder that you need to replace your timing belt.

 

[Papawx3]

OK, I didn't know that. Then again, there wasn't too much of this info available online back then. Come to think of it, there wasn't much of anything online back then.
But no matter, I sold that truck in 2002, and it only had just over 275,000 miles on it. Thanks for the info anyway.

 

[JustTheFacts]

OK, I didn't know that. Then again, there wasn't too much of this info available online back then. Come to think of it, there wasn't much of anything online back then.
But no matter, I sold that truck in 2002, and it only had just over 275,000 miles on it. Thanks for the info anyway.

Not a problem, and I wasn't trying to make you look foolish, or anything like that. Just a lot of misinformation out there, and I'm passionate about auto repair, so I like to make sure people are informed.

 

[syrenn]

hopefully the tire shop fulfills your emotional needs of obsession.....

 

[Paulie]

Do what I've done for the past 30 years - find a Hispanic auto shop and take it there! They know what they're doing and want your repeat business.

I had a car that kept wearing out tires. I took it to ten different mechanics and had it aligned at least six times. Took it to a Mexican mechanic. He looked it over, got a sledge hammer, and straightened out the bent tie rod that was causing the problem. Cost? About $20!!!

That COULD work, then again it could not work. Take it to a hispanic auto repair shop and you have even odds that your car is stripped of its parts and the unusable carcass dumped half way to mexico.

What a weird life you must live.

Btw, don't ask auto part store clerks. They most likely don't know dick.

The only good advice in this thread is learn about auto repairs. You'll find that a ton of regular car repair info is basic and can be done by almost anyone.

I bet you didn't think you'd make it through college either. Learning auto mechanics is no different than learning anything else. It's worth the time and effort and has literally saved me THOUSANDS.

 

[Underhill]

Generally what you say is true.

And I would add that self diagnosing isn't all that tough. 90% of the things that go wrong on my cars I can diagnose just in driving the car. The main exception to that is electrical issues which can truly suck for a shade tree mechanic.

But anyone can learn to do their own basic repairs (brakes, oil, plugs, shocks/struts, etc...). Just get a manual, some tools and follow directions.

 

[KudoZ]

Generally what you say is true.

And I would add that self diagnosing isn't all that tough. 90% of the things that go wrong on my cars I can diagnose just in driving the car. The main exception to that is electrical issues which can truly suck for a shade tree mechanic.

But anyone can learn to do their own basic repairs (brakes, oil, plugs, shocks/struts, etc...). Just get a manual, some tools and follow directions.

I did all those things including rebuilding my own carburators back in the 60's. But now I look under the hood and don't recognize anything. Also there is no place you can stick your hands and reach stuff. You have to pull a ton of junk out of your way to get to a simple repair. Then you have to remember how to put it back.
I guess there are no longer shops where you pull in, have them see what's wrong and fix it. Now days they want to replace every used part on your car, so they can build wealth. They don't care about what you need.

 

[Underhill]

Generally what you say is true.

And I would add that self diagnosing isn't all that tough. 90% of the things that go wrong on my cars I can diagnose just in driving the car. The main exception to that is electrical issues which can truly suck for a shade tree mechanic.

But anyone can learn to do their own basic repairs (brakes, oil, plugs, shocks/struts, etc...). Just get a manual, some tools and follow directions.

I did all those things including rebuilding my own carburators back in the 60's. But now I look under the hood and don't recognize anything. Also there is no place you can stick your hands and reach stuff. You have to pull a ton of junk out of your way to get to a simple repair. Then you have to remember how to put it back.
I guess there are no longer shops where you pull in, have them see what's wrong and fix it. Now days they want to replace every used part on your car, so they can build wealth. They don't care about what you need.

Been complaining about these changes since the late 80's. I forget which car it was (Celebrity maybe?), but I remember helping my friend replace spark plugs on his late 80's car. We had to disconnect a motor mount to get to the plugs on his V6.

But most basic maintenance can still be managed.

 

[Jarlaxle]

That's just about any FWD car with a V6. Three plugs will almost always be buried!

 

[Underhill]

That's just about any FWD car with a V6. Three plugs will almost always be buried!

Could be. Most of my vehicles since then have been 4 cylinder cars or SUV's with the engine mounted the other way....

 

[NYcarbineer]

How can a common man find a reputable shop where the mechanic's salary doesn't depend on his sales? I am constantly being bombarded with things they say I need done when I only want to car to keep the car running. I am not rich. Most places charge 80 bucks an hour for labor. They want 80 bucks just to check an engine light on the dash and that does not include fixing it. I know I'm getting screwed because I go from place to place and every prognosis is different.

Autozone will check your trouble code for free if you have a check engine light on.

In NY you can take your car/truck to the school system's vocational training centers and have it fixed by students, with teacher supervision of course, for the cost of the parts, free labor.

 

[strollingbones]

when you have a subaru the check engine light is always on....

i have had the same mechanic for 25 years..that helps....when the economy collapsed...he closed his shop he was renting and opened a small shop by his house....i went with him...i was loyal...it paid off...i can call and get my car worked on the next day if not that day... he just did the front brake pads, both rear struts and inspected the car for a total of 418 bucks and some odd cents.....

he took off my swag bar.....i am not sure why or what it is....

 

[Toronado3800]

Interesting. I actually just had a good experience with NTB. power steering line on my MarkVIII broke. It is a needless pain to repair. Real bad idea on Ford's part in 98 and I did not feel like changing my oil and dragging my tools to work or paying for a tow home.

So I drove it a half mile to NTB.

Guys set a price, messed up a line which Ford saw the need to bury in the frame, and while it took them a couole extra days they did it at no extra cost and were pretty honest. I will cut them some slack, it was the same line I was worried about twisting if I did it myself so I might actually buy my next set of tires from them for not trying to recover extra cost from me.

 

[Katzndogz]

I had a mechanic tell me a coolant leak required a new air conditioning system for $2,500.00. I went to another mechanic who said the leak could be fixed for $200.00 and it would cost $600.00 for a whole new air conditioning system. I got the new system.

Shop around.

 

[Toronado3800]

Yeah, mechanics have opinion on what needs to be done and communications matters. The 134a switchover created some confusion in the AC field.

In defense if the occasional high estimate, I don't know if I would be comfortable selling head gasket jobs instead of just a rebuilt engine. Head gasket repairs seem to require a certain amount of psychic knowledge of what other internal components were damaged when the car overheated.

 

[Zona]

Do what I've done for the past 30 years - find a Hispanic auto shop and take it there! They know what they're doing and want your repeat business.

I had a car that kept wearing out tires. I took it to ten different mechanics and had it aligned at least six times. Took it to a Mexican mechanic. He looked it over, got a sledge hammer, and straightened out the bent tie rod that was causing the problem. Cost? About $20!!!

At first, your post sounds racist but dammit, you are right. Mexican Mechs are great. Here is the thing though...walk in as a non Hispanic guy, you might as well be wearing a money coat. Know a Hispanic guy who calls in for you and you are all set.

I happen to have a very good friend who is Hispanic and have tested out my theory many times. He ALWAYS gets a better deal than I do when I walk in cold. I have no problem with this arraignment. Its rare something goes down I cant fix anyway.

This is true with everything from car issues to tree trimming. My buddy always knows "a guy". Whenever he says that we always crack up.