Re: mechanic's inspection

[Ralph Poplawsky <ralphp@cellport.com>]

At 11:01 PM 9/29/97 -0400, you wrote:
>When I bought my '92 100S about a year ago, I insisted upon a mechanic
>checking out the car before I bought it. I took it to a local shop that
>specialized in foreign car repair. They charged me $45 for the check. They
>said they inspected the tires, brakes, rotors, suspension parts, all gaskets
>and seals and the AC. I specifically mentioned they check these things. Their
>verdict: the car is in excellent condition, no problems they could see,
>nothing needed replaced, even the brakes and rotors looked new. Well, in the
>last year I've needed brakes and rotors on front and back, a new tie rod (old
>one was cracked), 4 new tires, new head gaskets, 3 transmission seals and AC
>service. When I contacted the place about the first major problem (tie rod
>and leaking head gasket), they told me I must have hit a pot hole or
>something to crack the tie rod, and that they were not responsible for the
>head gaskets. The head gaskets I could see, since they were not leaking when
>I bought the car, but the tie rod, brakes, rotors, tires they should have
>picked up. All these things were replaced about 7k after I purchased the car.
>So my $0.02 on mechanic inspections: Don't waste your $$. 
>
>Craig
>'92 100S (66
>
When they see a car that really needs a lot of work, they know that if they
are honest, you won't buy the car.  Then it will get shipped out to another
state and they won't get your money.  Pretty clever, huh?

Ralph Poplawsky
'91 200TQ