Thread: About The Car Warranty....

On Thursday morning, I took my car in to the repair shop. Over the past few months, it’s developed a few issues. I’ve been working six or seven day weeks for the past four months, so I wasn’t able to address the issues one by one. Anyway, I finally got some time off, and put in the shop.

The car has a warranty, so I thought everything was cool. A few hours later, the shop called to advise that the bill would be just under 2,200.00 and that the warranty people would be sending out an “adjuster” to make sure all of the repairs are warranted. I guess some shops inflate their bills, although my shop is top notch-has a great reputation.

Anyway, bottom line is that I won’t have my car back until Tuesday, although a free rental has been provided until then.

All repairs are done out of the Chilton's Manual. They took a top notch mechanic and laid all of his tools out as well as the replacement part. The set a timer, then he removed and replaced the water pump. They times it. They then did everything else and timed it. It is all set for the amount of time the repair takes at whatever rate the shop charges. It is an industry standard the even the insurance companies agree to.

It actually works in your favor as the engine the guy being timed on is nice and cool and all of his tools are right there. In a real shop, the engine is hot, he has to go to the parts department to get the part and he might not have a specialty tool needed, that too also comes from parts.

I think it may have been Volkswagen who instituted timed repairs, over fifty years ago.

I remember their Beetle handbook listed “remove and replace engine, 1.1 hrs.” In 1960 I knew a mechanic who, using a hydraulic trolley jack and a pair of rear axle stands, could drop a Beetle engine and then put it back again, and have it running, in 12 minutes.

Labour, we call it.

Warranties are a con. I figure if you're going to run/drive a car, the least a body can do is learn how to fix it themselves.