I could write a book on the faulty crap from Pennsylvania State Inspections. One example: Ford dealer wanted $700 to repair my dragging front brake saying warranty didn't cover it because it was rust. I took it home then cleaned and greased the caliper pins, there was no rust. The idiot bent my brake line so that the hose rubbed the coil spring so he could use power tools on the bolts. The idiot could have killed me, maybe he was the one that put 2 quarts too much of the wrong oil in the engine.
A rant
- Thread starter skeets
- Start date
At work we had three different F150's spit a spark plug and tore out the threads. Repairs - all in round numbers - at our trusted local garage were $1K. They took a week because they broke a tool off in the head. It wasn't easy to switch away from this shop because our COO had a "relationship" with that shop owner and had his personal vehicles taken care of there.
Stocker Chevy in State College charged $500. A small shop 10 minutes from our headquarters recommended by a friend (Nate's Automotive) $250.
Part of my job was handling vehicles and Nate's ended up with essentially all of our work for vehicles in our area. Our projects were spread out across a good part of PA, so when we had good experiences with dealers like Stocker, we kept using them.
Stocker Chevy in State College charged $500. A small shop 10 minutes from our headquarters recommended by a friend (Nate's Automotive) $250.
Part of my job was handling vehicles and Nate's ended up with essentially all of our work for vehicles in our area. Our projects were spread out across a good part of PA, so when we had good experiences with dealers like Stocker, we kept using them.
Daren Todd
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Thats why I shopped around. My system uses a pump for the liquid. But my leach field is 150ft from the house and up a hill.
Neighbor behind me had to basically install a mini sewage treatment plant because his ground wouldn't perk. (I'm still not sure why he couldn't install a mound system)
Anyway, his system still came in quite a bit under my first bid of $15k. His cost a little over $10k for installation.
His system has one pump, to transfer the liquid to the tanks. Liquid goes through 4 separate chambers. Each chamber has an aerator in it.
Once it enters the first chamber, gravity takes over. Once one chamber is full, water flows to the next chamber.
Boys Im sure I could find everything at auto zone or rock or another supplier. Problem is at least around here another shop wont touch it after it has been flagged by a dealer. And I am no longer in shape to do things at home any more. Old sucks! I guess the pint I was getting at is the insane prices charge for parts and labor, since that money does not go to the guy working on it. I do thank you guys for the input guys 
RCW
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@skeets - - sorry to hear that. Hope you drove away.
In New Yorkistan, ball joints aren't even part of an annual inspection. Gotten so it's all plug it in to check emissions/check-engine lights, etc. - don't think they even need to pull a wheel anymore to check brakes. Always had to pull one wheel.
In New Yorkistan, ball joints aren't even part of an annual inspection. Gotten so it's all plug it in to check emissions/check-engine lights, etc. - don't think they even need to pull a wheel anymore to check brakes. Always had to pull one wheel.
So they have got you by the gonads. Is it a federal, state or county or what sort of rule? I'm interested because what happens in US, Europe etc tends to percolate in this direction. Here, with the cost of living already high, there would be a riot if that was imposed.
I'm sorry to hear that. If you haven't already thought of it is there someone else - like a trusted young adult - you could get to do the job, coaching them for free? Yes it'll take 4x longer and a lot of patience but you can get the satisfaction of passing your skills onto someone else. Preferably starting on small simple jobs, building up. I'm incapacitated at the moment so I'm using a 17 y.o. we've known since he was a pre-schooler to do various jobs. Not all of them have faces buried in devices all day. And they don't necessarily have to be male, some excellent women too. What they might lack in strength they make up for in thinking stuff through, other ways.
John DB well I did have a grand daughter working with me on the bike, and she was small enough to get under the truck to change oil with out jacking it up,, my belly would get in the way, ,lol But she grew up got married and old grand pap is out of the picture. Her hubby was up set because I patched her tire that he said couldnt be patched. I dont know any young kids any more, they all grew up dayum kids
Thats crazy. If you fail a state inspection here you can have it repaired anywhere or DIY and the inspecting station does a reinspect of the repair for a nominal fee. WTF do you live?Boys Im sure I could find everything at auto zone or rock or another supplier. Problem is at least around here another shop wont touch it after it has been flagged by a dealer. And I am no longer in shape to do things at home any more. Old sucks! I guess the pint I was getting at is the insane prices charge for parts and labor, since that money does not go to the guy working on it. I do thank you guys for the input guys
Dan
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Agreed. I had a PA state inspection license for many years. I've never heard that you couldn't take required repairs elsewhere (or fix it yourself). Yes, you'd be on the hook for the re-inspection labor charge if you were to take it back there. But the notion of no-one else can work on a vehicle that's been "flagged" by a dealer is a blatant lie. That's a whole lot of bologna right there...someone isn't telling the truth there.
Just sayin'
You cant hold people hostage in a free market and thats what we have here and in every other state I have lived in.
I live in MD and the only state safety inspection required is when you title the vehicle. That may sound like a good idea but when you see some of the junk on the road next to you not so much.
Dan
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Stories like this make me extremely happy that I purchased an extended factory warranty from the Ford dealer after the first extended warranty expired. Now my 2016 is covered till 150,000 miles or April 2028. It cost me just over $ 3,000, but it was money well spent. Two months ago, they replaced the tie rods and the steering rack, and my cost was $50.
$4,000 is nuts. I'd buy a impact-driven ball joint press and Milwaukee cordless impact and have at it myself just from spite. I'm old enough to be fueled by anger and caffeine, and mean enough to kill the pain with whiskey.
But I do make bad choices.
But I do make bad choices.
I dont own a Silverado and I could be wrong but I think its just like my Ram.
The upper ball joint is integral to the control arm. You replace it as an assembly - remove the wheel, two bolts, one nut. The only tools needed are a ratchet and a pickle fork. Two replacement control arms are $150-$500 per pair depending on the name on the box.
Dan
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