Re: Monkey Lads Score Again

["Bart Chambers" <bartonc@annap.infi.net>]

Martin Pajak tries to be a good samaritan, but close only counts in horeshoes.

And hand-grenades, of course...

> I always tell people DO NOT TAKE your car to place other than the 
> dealership for repairs (if you can't do it yourself).

I'm sorry, Martin, old chum, but this is *BAD* advice.  Although Yer Kindly Ol' 
Unka Bart's personal experience tells him that dealerships, in general, are the 
very *worst* place to take your toy, he won't advise you to avoid them because 
it would be equally bad advice, and would unfairly defame the many decent, 
honorable dealers.  

And, although Yer Kindly Ol' Unka Bart just hasn't met one of that set (yet), 
there is hope.  Yer Kindly Ol' Unka Bart's only been buying cars since he was 
19, and he's only 57 now.

You can get severely screwed by anywhere you take your toy to be worked on if 
your choice is random.  If, on the other hand, you do some homework and look 
around, ask others with similar toys and generally network with folks who share 
your automotive passion, you can generally find a place where competence and 
honesty prevail.  Although experience says otherwise, Yer Kindly Ol' Unka Bart 
notes that *logic* suggests that such a place might even be associated with a 
dealership.  Theoretically, anyway.

When you do find an honest and competent wrench, share the knowledge.  [PLUG] In
Annapolis, MD, a shop called Tri-Tech Automotive [(410) 224-4377] does both of 
my Teutonic Toys. They are both honest and competent, and I am grateful that 
they exist.  I am only affiliated with them as a happy customer.

I won't list the many dealerships I've been screwed by.  The list of dealerships
I've dealt with who have *not* left me wishing to wash my mouth out afterwards, 
is a bit shorter (shorter, even, than the list of reasons for buying a Trabant).