For those of you who are experts in car repair, I envy you. That is one hobby I wish I would have learned more about in my past. Relying on somebody else to do car repair is a huge hassle - make that P.I.T.A - sometimes...
For the past 6 weeks, I've been trying to get the A/C in my wife's 2001 Cheorkee repaired. Round one was $300 and fixed the only known leak. But the system kept leaking refrigerant in an area we couldn't see. Back to the shop for mechanic to find leak. Can't find it yet. Bring it back. Probably in the evaporator coil. Bring it back because we want to be sure. Quote was $550 ($100 part and 8-9 hours labor to remove and re-install dash at $56/hour).
After eliminating pretty much all other possibilities, I dropped it off Thursday night to have the evap. coil replaced on Friday. Catalytic converter was stolen fron under car off the shop lot. (See post in general automotive section.) Insurance will pay for that. Okay, let's just get this A/C knocked out.
Took him longer than he thought so he kept it inside Friday night and finished it yesterday. About 2 in the afternoon, he called and said he was heading out but the Jeep was done, come get it. Went and got it only to find that Jeep is a mess inside AND THE JOB IS NOT DONE! The blower doesn't blow air into the cab. Not on A/C, not on defrost - nothing. It's like the controls aren't even hooked up.
Assuming the guy checked his work after he was done (any decent mechanic would...right?!), I hope the problem is a very small one. IS THERE ANY QUICK FIX THAT MIGHT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? I did check fuses, it doesn't appear any of them are bad.
The good news is that I haven't paid the guy for any of the second round of work. He's a good guy but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to find another mechanic, at least for big jobs. Loyalty can sometimes be a curse I think.
The last thing I want to do is make Trip #7. What would you guys do if you were in my spot?
Sorry for the long post. Venting is good. I'm beginning to wonder if a cooled, happy wife is worth all this.
Serenity now.
For the past 6 weeks, I've been trying to get the A/C in my wife's 2001 Cheorkee repaired. Round one was $300 and fixed the only known leak. But the system kept leaking refrigerant in an area we couldn't see. Back to the shop for mechanic to find leak. Can't find it yet. Bring it back. Probably in the evaporator coil. Bring it back because we want to be sure. Quote was $550 ($100 part and 8-9 hours labor to remove and re-install dash at $56/hour).
After eliminating pretty much all other possibilities, I dropped it off Thursday night to have the evap. coil replaced on Friday. Catalytic converter was stolen fron under car off the shop lot. (See post in general automotive section.) Insurance will pay for that. Okay, let's just get this A/C knocked out.
Took him longer than he thought so he kept it inside Friday night and finished it yesterday. About 2 in the afternoon, he called and said he was heading out but the Jeep was done, come get it. Went and got it only to find that Jeep is a mess inside AND THE JOB IS NOT DONE! The blower doesn't blow air into the cab. Not on A/C, not on defrost - nothing. It's like the controls aren't even hooked up.
Assuming the guy checked his work after he was done (any decent mechanic would...right?!), I hope the problem is a very small one. IS THERE ANY QUICK FIX THAT MIGHT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? I did check fuses, it doesn't appear any of them are bad.
The good news is that I haven't paid the guy for any of the second round of work. He's a good guy but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to find another mechanic, at least for big jobs. Loyalty can sometimes be a curse I think.
The last thing I want to do is make Trip #7. What would you guys do if you were in my spot?
Sorry for the long post. Venting is good. I'm beginning to wonder if a cooled, happy wife is worth all this.
Serenity now.
