Well a week and a half ago our 17 year old van had a brake caliper hanging up, no big deal, kind of aggravating because I just put reman calipers on 4 years and 35k miles ago, however the vehicle sits a lot and I attributed it to that. Locally the calipers are more than rock auto even if I didn't return the cores so I order them from rock auto. I start to pull the van around to disassemble everything in preparation for the parts arrival a day later and as Im pulling it around I smell a very strong fuel smell, I park it and fuel is pouring out from under the van. Ok, turns out its pressurized fuel, at first I thought the tank was leaking, luckily it was not.
So I lay there and start to think about pulling the tank down to see where the fuel is coming from since you couldn't tell. Its hot Im tired, I had enough and called a tow truck to tow it to a independent repair shop that gets many good reviews. Things have been breaking around here faster than I can fix them and its a bit overwhelming.
Long story short I have to approve the labor to remove the tank to inspect for the fuel leak, it was a pressurized fuel line leaking, possibly due to rodent damage. So I felt the labor was a bit high to remove the tank, and later on after calling the dealer confirmed it was 40 dollars more to R&R the tank at the shop than it was at the dealer to R&R the tank and replace a fuel pump....well what am I going to do have it towed somewhere else? Then they charged over 250 dollars to repair the fuel line hopefully in a professional manner.
I assume that the dealer would not have repaired the fuel line and required replacement, which if this is rodent damage insurance would have covered. This is up for consideration at this time what caused the failure.
Anyway what a frustrating experience, I should have just have had it towed to the dealer that I have used before for recalls and a timing belt job and have found to do good work at a reasonable price for a dealer.
But what the heck can you do. Lesson learned I guess, I will consider trying another shop next time that people like, but they like this one too! I just feel like they bent me over a barrel, or am I just that out of touch with what auto repair costs in 2021?
Fwiw I am a former ASE Certified Master Tech with dealership experience, I have always done my own work except for the timing belt job, which was done at the dealer for a good price and I believe they actually changed it, because that thought crossed my mind!
I am actually embarrassed we paid so much but what the heck, I would have had more in towing costs than I would have likely saved to bring it somewhere else, and what if the next place was even worse?
Next time ill just drop the tank myself, I feel like I probably dropped over 100 tanks or more in my lifetime most of the time with the benefit of a lift and a trans jack. Im getting too old for it though.
Of course now I am concerned we will have an evap code or something after the repair. Wouldn't that be great.
And P.S. Yes I know you can get towing coverage on your insurance and it costs next to nothing and its the last great bargain of our lifetimes, ,I had it at one time. When I needed it before it was useless because of the stipulations so I canceled it. I save 60 a year not having it for the past 5 years, Believe me I am ahead even if I would have paid for a tow to another shop. I dont believe they would even cover a second tow anyhow.
So I lay there and start to think about pulling the tank down to see where the fuel is coming from since you couldn't tell. Its hot Im tired, I had enough and called a tow truck to tow it to a independent repair shop that gets many good reviews. Things have been breaking around here faster than I can fix them and its a bit overwhelming.
Long story short I have to approve the labor to remove the tank to inspect for the fuel leak, it was a pressurized fuel line leaking, possibly due to rodent damage. So I felt the labor was a bit high to remove the tank, and later on after calling the dealer confirmed it was 40 dollars more to R&R the tank at the shop than it was at the dealer to R&R the tank and replace a fuel pump....well what am I going to do have it towed somewhere else? Then they charged over 250 dollars to repair the fuel line hopefully in a professional manner.
I assume that the dealer would not have repaired the fuel line and required replacement, which if this is rodent damage insurance would have covered. This is up for consideration at this time what caused the failure.
Anyway what a frustrating experience, I should have just have had it towed to the dealer that I have used before for recalls and a timing belt job and have found to do good work at a reasonable price for a dealer.
But what the heck can you do. Lesson learned I guess, I will consider trying another shop next time that people like, but they like this one too! I just feel like they bent me over a barrel, or am I just that out of touch with what auto repair costs in 2021?
Fwiw I am a former ASE Certified Master Tech with dealership experience, I have always done my own work except for the timing belt job, which was done at the dealer for a good price and I believe they actually changed it, because that thought crossed my mind!
I am actually embarrassed we paid so much but what the heck, I would have had more in towing costs than I would have likely saved to bring it somewhere else, and what if the next place was even worse?
Next time ill just drop the tank myself, I feel like I probably dropped over 100 tanks or more in my lifetime most of the time with the benefit of a lift and a trans jack. Im getting too old for it though.
Of course now I am concerned we will have an evap code or something after the repair. Wouldn't that be great.
And P.S. Yes I know you can get towing coverage on your insurance and it costs next to nothing and its the last great bargain of our lifetimes, ,I had it at one time. When I needed it before it was useless because of the stipulations so I canceled it. I save 60 a year not having it for the past 5 years, Believe me I am ahead even if I would have paid for a tow to another shop. I dont believe they would even cover a second tow anyhow.
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