Pull up in front of a convenience store at 10pm last night... and when I come back out "she no start". Try a family boost, nothing, CAA superboost, nothing, test the battery, not great but okay, try bump starting, can't get enough speed up. Take a bar to starter and pound it a dozen times, nothing. It's the starter. I tell CAA to send a flatbed (Eibach pro kit = LoW). Flat bed arrives and thank GOD I have a patient, intelligent operator. Took us almost an hour loading and almost an hour unloading, unreal, wish I had a camera. You couldn't fit a piece of gum under the front or rear bumpers at some points. Get home at 1am and have three interviews today. Ugh.
Dealer calls this morning and asks "Are you sitting or standing?" lol I'm like "Standing". He says $689... about what I expected after hearing horror stories over altenator prices. I ask how much is the altenator? $249.50 I make one call and have it an hour later for $92, taxes in. Now when I left the keys and note in the night drop box I made sure I didn't sign anything to authorize any work, just noted for them to call me first in morning. He called saying it's the starter I said I know. So, I asked him to waive the diagnostic fee, he knows me and understands I pull my own codes usually etc. So there goes $89, phew. Then I tell him that the book is a little high in etr (estimated time to repair), it lists at 3.50 hours. It took them aprox. 1.5 hours, had it half way when I dropped off the starter and received a call 45 mins. later saying the car was ready so I had a bargaining angle. So in the end...
Ford way: $689 Taxes in
My way: $298 Taxes in
And had the weather been more hospitable I would have done the bloody thing myself. These things always have to happen in the winter don't they?
Anyhow, moral of the story: Shop around for parts, and ask for a price break, never pay dealer sticker.
Sightings:
Couple Saturdays ago I was waiting to turn left when a silver SVT spotted me, he was exiting the 410 at Bovaird and headed east.
Last night another silver with a dtm wing on 16th ave. just west of Kennedy, right near my house.
