Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2006 17:46:44 -0400
Reply-To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Mechanic had to pull transmission again, what would you do?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi All,
If you have not been following my story, I recently had the following work done:
Labor 22 hours @ $55 / hr = $1210
- Engine and transmission removed from parts van
- Transmission only removed from good van
- Starter replaced (supplied by me)
- Brake master replaced (supplied by me)
- Clutch masetr and slave replaced (supplied by me)
- Clutch, flywheel (from parts van) and pilot bearing replaced (new part)
- Hydraulic system bled
- Transmission installed in good van
New Parts $71.85
- Pilot Bearing
- Felt Seal
- Cranckshaft Seal & O-Ring
- Transmission Oil Seal
Total Bill $1,281.85 Canadian (or a bit over $1000 US) Yes this
already seems high.
I drove the van for the weekend and the clutch pedal jammed (that is,
I had only been driving two days on the new job). I had to drive 400km
back to my mechanic by starting in gear and shifting without the
clutch. He had to pull the transmission again to troubleshoot the
problem which turned out to be that the release bearing had let go. He
swears up and down that he inspected the part before reusing it and it
was fine. It is scored on one side (kind of half moon like).
When I picked up the van today my mechanic (who does have a very low
labor rate, and is a kindly old, seeming honest, german fellow who
works on his own) sheepishly said something to the effect of he could
not warantee the entire job, and said that now or somewhere down the
line a couple hundred bucks would be nice. I said that I had already
paid a huge amount, but that I'd think about it and we could talk when
he got back from holidays in three weeks.
Here is my dilema: Good vanagon guys are hard to find, and despite
what I think may have been HIS screw up, I'd like to continue going to
him. Besides, he could very easily bury $200 in any future big job
without me knowing it. So should I just pay up and help maintain the
relationship?
BTW - could the scoring on the bearing have been caused by my 400km of
no clutch driving?
Opinions welcome...
Chris
