Other than having a great life partner(wife/hubby/friend/?), NOTHING is more reassuring than having a GREAT MECHANIC.....unless YOU happen to be one. I bring this up because I am looking to install FANS on my DUAL OIL COOLERS, that sit up front on my IM6.....the original build for mainland WASHINGTON/OREGON did not require fans despite the high performance 2.7RS 6 cylinder. The Hawaii climate can get a bit warm, especially in SLOW 2 lane beach traffic on NORTH SHORE. I found some add on fan kits that attach with strong plastic straps to the existing cooler core and have great reviews. My mechanic REFUSED to use plastic straps and insisted in using custom brackets if necessary as he WOULD NOT NOT INSTALL anything on my car that he WOULD NOT INSTALL on his own.....or he would install NEW SETRAB FANPACKS that incorporate fans and coolers in a combo assembly.
The potential failure of a strap, and have it interfere with the front wheel/suspension was unacceptable to him as a driver and the lack of forgiveness factor in causing an accident or harm...both to the car and DOLLAR wise just rubbed him the wrong way. He wouldn't do it if I PAID him to do it....and he actually recommended another guy who would do it if I insisted on that plan. I greatly admired his principle and did not insist at all....he very casually offered his explanation and did explain that it would likely cost be an extra $200 for him to do it in the manner he felt appropriate....or another $800 if we needed to buy NEW SETRAB coolers.
He takes great pride in his work and spends time offering the lay person(non-mechanic) explanations for his suggestions if interested and saves all failed parts, takes pictures of issues that arise, and insists on road test with his customers before and after so that he fully understands his customers perspective on any issues, performance, and (?).
His recent success with the tuneup made it a CLEAR HANDS DOWN that nobody else was going to work on my car and he offered to let me watch as he plans on retiring in a few years and asked if I wanted to learn a few things to UP MY GAME. Needless to say I am feaking GRATEFUL and game to learn some! My mother once said that "she'd rather get cheated on the price rather than the goods or service".....and I'm in on that altho would be nice to NOT get cheated on the PRICE either. AND....who's to say whether or not $100 to $200/hour is fair...guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
A mechanic @ $100/hour who drops a tiny washer down a carb throat blows a $30,000 engine(?) vs a guy who charges $200/hour and discretely COUNTS each part, nut, and washer BEFORE and AFTER, to insure that it DOESN'T happen. I'm not at all suggesting that lower FEE mechanics make ANY mistakes or offer a LESSER quality service/repair......ONLY that I do NOT mind paying more for a PURPOSEFUL quality remedy that does not BITE me in the *ss! The dollars we spend are HOPEFULLY quality in purpose and that I do GREATLY appreciate the METICULOMANIA of my guy which is the impetus of my blurb. Hope
Hope y'all dont throw up on this one....
