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I think it's because the car manufacturers felt that they would only make more money if they made them to where you had to pay the dealer to do it due to lack of sophisticated tools and such needed to do the job.
Same reason why they only make some cars to last 10 years before suffering catastrophic damage...because they'll make more if you have to buy a new one every 10 years as opposed to being able to fix the old one year after year....
A perfect example...my father in law has a last year model Chrysler 300 with an automatic and there's no tranny dipstick. Nope gotta pay a dealer to check your tranny fluid. Crazy isn't it?
Yes I recall looking at a 66 Mustang for sale once with an inline 6 and seeing how easy it was to stand in the engine compartment and almost change the starter. Now some cars like the 93-up Camaro with the V8 are a PITA to change plugs. Back in the 60's I think only the 428 Mustang was the one you actually had to pull the engine to do a plug change.
But it's fairly easy to change plugs in a 91 and a 93 S-10 with a V6 engine and no a/c. A 97 S-10 with the same V6 and a/c is a bit challenging.
No they do not make any new cars with carbs. The last car I know of to use a carb was a 1990 Olds 88 wagon with the 307.
I think you are almost completely wrong. I can't explain the tranny dispstick for the 300 - but it's a Chrysler. What do you expect?
A Kia will easily last 10 years with normal maintenance. Cars today don't rust out like they used to. Yes the engines are complex - but they are in general fantastic from top to bottom. If Honda was trying to make me spend more for service, then why do their vehicles require so little?
I think you are almost completely wrong. I can't explain the tranny dispstick for the 300 - but it's a Chrysler. What do you expect?
A Kia will easily last 10 years with normal maintenance. Cars today don't rust out like they used to. Yes the engines are complex - but they are in general fantastic from top to bottom. If Honda was trying to make me spend more for service, then why do their vehicles require so little?
EVERY CAR should last 10 years with proper maint. But who (besides us) properly maintains their vehicle? Hell, you can't even get people to air up their tires.
EVERY CAR should last 10 years with proper maint. But who (besides us) properly maintains their vehicle? Hell, you can't even get people to air up their tires.
My wife's entire family is the epitome of that statement...
One example: One of my nephews recently asked me to put new brakes on his 89 Saab. Fine... So he brings the pile of crap over. Here's a partial list of what was wrong with the car.
- Brake rotor literally ground down to the thickness of shoe box cardboard. This is not an exaggeration of any kind!
- No brake fluid. (he was using his e-brake to stop)
- No power steering fluid.
- Every warning light on the dash was on.
- No turn signals.
- No high beams.
- No mirrors.
That's not even getting into deeper issues, such as worn out shocks & struts, oil leaks everywhere, odd engine noises, exhaust system leaks, etc.
It's amazing what some people do to their cars. And they act like everybody operates that way.
My wife's entire family is the epitome of that statement...
One example: One of my nephews recently asked me to put new brakes on his 89 Saab. Fine... So he brings the pile of crap over. Here's a partial list of what was wrong with the car.
- Brake rotor literally ground down to the thickness of shoe box cardboard. This is not an exaggeration of any kind!
- No brake fluid. (he was using his e-brake to stop)
- No power steering fluid.
- Every warning light on the dash was on.
- No turn signals.
- No high beams.
- No mirrors.
That's not even getting into deeper issues, such as worn out shocks & struts, oil leaks everywhere, odd engine noises, exhaust system leaks, etc.
It's amazing what some people do to their cars. And they act like everybody operates that way.
That car is ready for the s--t heap. I wish you had a pic of the rotor.
That car is ready for the s--t heap. I wish you had a pic of the rotor.
I was actually pretty PO'd, and reamed him out about it. There's no excuse for that kind of nonsense. I told him that if he couldn't be responsible enough to maintain his car he isn't responsible enough to drive.
My wife's entire family is the epitome of that statement...
One example: One of my nephews recently asked me to put new brakes on his 89 Saab. Fine... So he brings the pile of crap over. Here's a partial list of what was wrong with the car.
- Brake rotor literally ground down to the thickness of shoe box cardboard. This is not an exaggeration of any kind!
- No brake fluid. (he was using his e-brake to stop)
- No power steering fluid.
- Every warning light on the dash was on.
- No turn signals.
- No high beams.
- No mirrors.
That's not even getting into deeper issues, such as worn out shocks & struts, oil leaks everywhere, odd engine noises, exhaust system leaks, etc.
It's amazing what some people do to their cars. And they act like everybody operates that way.
A perfect example...my father in law has a last year model Chrysler 300 with an automatic and there's no tranny dipstick. Nope gotta pay a dealer to check your tranny fluid. Crazy isn't it?
Actually, this is a perfect example of how little people know about cars anymore. No dipstick? Fine, get under the car and unscrew the fill plug to check if its full or low. You don't need to pay a mechanic to do that if you're willing to get under the car. How exactly do you think mechanics check the fluid level? They don't use magic, they use the same hands and eyes we all have.
that's a pretty normal price, especially if your bike has fairings that need removed. i do my own, but by the time i buy the good filter and the good oil i'm about $40 in anyway. another $40 for labor with fairing removal/installation seems pretty fair.
Mike
Fwiw, I don't have a faired bike - the filter sits right out front and the drain plug is uncovered, but good points on faired bikes.
Fyi, if you want a great motorcycle oil that costs less than $20 for a gallon bottle, try Shell's Rotella T - there's a 5-40 Synth and a 15-40 heavy duty oil that both work great in modern motorcycles, but the costs are lower because the bottle doesn't say its for motorcycles.
That's good but how is the access to the spark plugs, water pump or alternator?
Easy, I changed all of those myself.
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Nope gotta pay a dealer to check your tranny fluid. Crazy isn't it?
