Re: Dealership Service

[DeWitt Harrison <de@aztek-eng.com>]

On Mon, 13 Apr 1998 15:03:22 CDT, Al Powell wrote:
>[ ... ]
>I submit that we on this list would not pay a repair shop for the 
>time required to do some of the series of wacky tests we counduct on 
>our own cars.

I agree completely. I submit, in addition, that even those of us who
wave wads of cash in the air and beg to have the job done properly
cannot find a service facility capable of following the sort of rigorous
troubleshooting procedure often necessary to isolate a problem in
these complex vehicles. Even the best technicians are so conditioned
by the "system" you describe (independent shops have similar pressures)
and fears of customer expectations, that they cannot even bring
themselves to be other than "hip shooters". The Bentley actually
does show how to test many things. Few, if any, technicians ever
read it.

Bottom line: if you want it done right, do it yourself. Good for the soul
anyway.

DeWitt Harrison
Boulder, CO
88 5kcstq (Dialynx EM loose again; anyone need a boat anchor?)