[V8] Re: Seatbelt Woes

[Oliver Gruber]

After several weeks of below freezing weather and letting the V8 sit, I decided to break down and take it to the guy who works on my Jeep. My regular Audi mechanic had given me an appointment only to call back and cancel because his boss didn't want liability issues, which I can understand, kinda. Anyway, I got tired of letting it sit there so I called up my other mechanic and asked him if he would consider looking at it. Sure.
Let me explain about this guy. He is an Old Order Minnonite in New Holland, PA. (sub-explanation - The Minnonites are divided into two groups, The Old Order and the New or Reformed. Think of the Old Order as Amish with cars and electricity and phones.[sub, sub-explanation - the Amish broke off from the Mennonite religion several hundred years ago because they though that the Mennonites were getting too progressive. :)] He is my wife's - sisters - husband's - brother's - wife's - sisters husband. So its like we're family. It's a Mennonite thing. Holiday meals suck in our house. Most families have the grownups table and the kids table and when you reach a certain age you go from one to the other. In this family you wait till there's a death. Good seating by attrition. 
Anyway, this guy has a huge garage in New Holland, PA with about 8 sons, all mechanics. Can and does work on everything under the sun from cars and trucks to farm tractors and combines to 60 foot RV's. Has done a great job on my Jeeps in the past so I thought I'd give him a call. The main thing is this guy is honest. If he can fix it he does. If he doesn't know how, he finds out. If he can't fix it, he doesn't hem and haw - he tells you he doesn't know. Case in point - I had a problem with the ABS system on my Grand Cherokee and he told me that he didn't have the right software to diagnose to problem so he told me to take it to the dealership and have them diagnose the problem and then bring it back. The dealership told me a needed a number of sensors and switches to the tune of about $600.00 including labor. I brought back to the shop in New Holland with the diagnosis from the dealer. After he got it back It cost me less than $100 including labor because they went through and tried all the different combinations of switches and sensors to find out what was really bad.  He even deducted the cost of taking it to the dealer because he felt bad for not being able to do the job himself. 
Anyway, I took it to his shop just hoping he could offer so suggestions as to the problem before I take to the dealer in Lancaster. Did I say that I hate to take any of my care to the dealer? With the V8 it cost money just to drive by the lot - I have to give them my wallet as a down payment to actually drive in.
So I give him my keys and go to fix a cup of coffee and no sooner sit down and get comfortable when he comes out ask about the car. "It didn't have any badges on it so I'm not sure how to write it up" he says to me as he hands me my keys. So I'm thinking he doesn't know anything about Audis and I didn't even get to drink my coffee. "Just a little lint in there" he says "gummed it up" and hands me a bill for $6.85!!!!!!!!!!! I bet this is the cheapest bill any of you have ever had concerning your V8's.
Sorry for the rambling post but I was so tickled I just had to brag. Unfortunately I don't think I'll let him experiment on the beast's upcoming Timing Belt maintenance so I guess I'll just have to tell the wife that we need to spend a couple of days in Virginia Beach and get the belt done at KT's shop. 
I'm already dreaming - surf, sand, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Oliver