Car troubles... Should I learn more about cars vs technology for a bit?

CodeBlox

Sorry if this thread doesn't belong and delete accordingly if such is the case. Long story short, I have an 07 Dodge Ram (2500 Hemi) and the dealer sent out a 2 year maintenance notice to me in the mail. Several things were included in the list and I called my dealer to schedule an appointment. They told me they could get me in at 9am for yesterday and I told them that time was not good. I then told them I could make it in at 1:30 and so he said "great, I'll see you then". Coming up on 1:30 yesterday before I left the house I decided to call and confirm my appointment and lo and behold... The guy scheduled me for 9am instead So in my rage, I drive over to the local Pep Boys up the street from there to see if they could get this work done. Now, some things to consider here: This car had absolutely nothing wrong with it BEFORE I took it to them (pepboys). Reason I was so hasty to get this stuff done today was because I work monday through friday and by the time I get off, the dealer is closed. So they give me the estimate of 560 dollars and I give the okay since I had gotten service from them in the past with no problem. Well, they call me up and tell me my car is done about 6 hours later and to no avail, the car shuts off when I come to a stop. Happened twice on the way home yesterday and I was thinking it was maybe a "fluke". So today I went to work and it happened pretty much at every single stop which was hell. I called the shop and they said the mechanic did mentioned this happening to him after the work they performed. So I take the car back up there when I got off at noon today. Fast forward about 7 hours and at this point, they are closed and I have no car to get onto base to get into work tomorrow... I now need to see if my mom can drop me off at the gate. I should mention that of the 560 dollars in repairs, about half of that was labor... I think I should start learning about cars more so that I can do these "repairs" myself. I find that learning tech related things from books comes rather easily with some determination so here is my question, do you guys find it difficult to learn non tech related things? I don't think it will be so hard but I don't know who I can trust with my car after this and now there's no telling what they're doing to my truck now. Maybe it's my fault for ditching the dealer in my "heat of the moment".

colemic

Unfortunately, most newer model cars are not 'user friendly' for repair (excepting moving, mechanical parts that aren't involved with a computer or sensor or digital gauge.) Especially being an 07 model, it will be very easy to get in over your head, or do a lot more damage, unless you know exactly what the issue is, and have the correct tools to fix it. You would be amazed at how many specialty wrenches, sockets, doohickeys, and widgets are required these days.

That said, if you feel you have the time, resources and inclination, to troubleshoot and diagnose what the issue is yourself, by all means, have at it, and have fun! I am so-so mechanically inclined, but I find great satisfaction when I can fix something under the hood. It's just not as simple now with thhe computerized fuel injection and such.

edit Make PepBoys see if it is throwing an error code, and then research what it would take to fix it. My guess is, they can tell you exactly what the car says is going wrong.

joehalford01

Start with a tech manual like chiltons for your truck; learn how to do regular maintenance on it first and then go from there. You can also find a lot of forums with people that can help you diagnose problems. It's hard to find a good independent mechanic but that's what I've always done. Either fix it yourself or outsource the stuff you can't do to someone good. The stealership will rip you off, so will pep-boys.

joehalford01

Another tip, a good mechanic will not be offended by you asking a lot of questions about his work, just like you or me wouldn't be offended by someone asking why we think the fix for their computer is this or that. If a mechanic gets short because you're asking questions before approving work, go somewhere else.

Anonymouse

In my experience I've learned how to work on every car I own by joining up on forums for those specific cars/models, searching those forums, asking questions on those forums, and downloading a service manual. There's still a ton I don't know about cars but I'm slowly building up on my knowledge as well as tools. In the past year my commute car has had a few problems that I've never had to deal with on other cars. Pretty simple stuff which would have cost me close to $1000+ to get repaired. I ended up posting noobish questions on boards and got answers I needed. I went to my local parts shop and bought some replacement parts then busted my knuckles for a few hours and was able to get my commuter running right. I spent less than $200 in parts and tools to get the work done and glad I don't have to put the crap commute miles on my fun car. I would never ever take a car to Pep Boys for service either. If there's some reason I can't perform the work myself then I go somewhere who deals with my cars (usually performance shops).

Tackle

I'd bring it back in and let them know that it did not act like that when you brought it in. I read your post quick, but I don't think you listed what they replaced. AIR+FUEL+SPARK are the 3 key ingredients to make any engine run. I'd guess they replaced something related to one of those 3, and it's not workin correctly.

There's nothing wrong getting good at something else besides IT. I work on my own vehicles and have saved tons of money. There really isn't a task too big for someone with access to the correct tools and the internet. I replaced the trans in my Explorer in 13 hours...I'd never touched a trans before. Soooo many writeups for the common stuff, especially if you get on the forums. Youtube helps too!

Also, you are out of Warranty, correct?

Everyone

LucasMN wrote: »

Also, you are out of Warranty, correct?

Scheduled maintenance isn't covered under warranty.

I always avoid big chain places like Pep Boys where they pay their minimally trained techs minimum wage to wrench on whatever comes through the door. Dealers can be a rip off too. I like to find a reputable local shop. I used to do a lot of the work on my own vehicles, and occasionally still do if I have the time, which is rare these days.

I'm guessing by the cost and the maintenance interval, they changed the spark plugs as part of it. There are 16 on the modern Hemi's, 2 per cylinder. Pain in the butt do do. I have an '08 Ram 1500 Hemi, just had that done, cost me ~$460. Aside from the shutting off at a stop, is it hard to start sometimes now? Like say on a cold start (first time you start it for the day after it sat for the night)?

Hypntick

Everyone wrote: »

Scheduled maintenance isn't covered under warranty.

I always avoid big chain places like Pep Boys where they pay their minimally trained techs minimum wage to wrench on whatever comes through the door. Dealers can be a rip off too. I like to find a reputable local shop. I used to do a lot of the work on my own vehicles, and occasionally still do if I have the time, which is rare these days.

I'm guessing by the cost and the maintenance interval, they changed the spark plugs as part of it. There are 16 on the modern Hemi's, 2 per cylinder. Pain in the butt do do. I have an '08 Ram 1500 Hemi, just had that done, cost me ~$460. Aside from the shutting off at a stop, is it hard to start sometimes now? Like say on a cold start (first time you start it for the day after it sat for the night)?

$460 bucks to change the plugs? Good grief! Glad I drive a 4 Cylinder, they're in a neat row along the top, takes like 10 minutes to replace them.

chrisone

Like many have said, Just know the basics of your car for instance but not limited to:

1. Battery change
2. Oil Change
3. Spark plug change
4. Air filter change
5. Tire change "very important"
6. Brake Change "still havent done it myself"

I was able to install my own intake , it was easy , but it took me some time and probably not for anyone who has no car experience. Experienced mechanics here would probably say its childs play...they are right, but i am not that experienced in cars lol

Anyways join forums about your vehicle, they have many DIY and experienced guys on there who post great detailed pictures and right ups. I learn a lot from there and do my homework before i touch my lex IS350.

Everyone

Hypntick wrote: »

$460 bucks to change the plugs? Good grief! Glad I drive a 4 Cylinder, they're in a neat row along the top, takes like 10 minutes to replace them.

That wasn't the only thing done, but the part that took the longest. Like I said, there are 2 plugs per cylinder on the modern hemi's. There's a ton of crap that has to be removed just to be able to get to them, the ones in the back are really hard to get to, takes a couple hours to do.

My 4cyl car is super easy, always do it myself on the car. Nothing to get out of the way, just pull the wires off, take the plugs out, put new ones in, reconnect the wires. Not all are that easy anymore, even on a lot of newer 4cyl (much more common on 6cyl) cars, you have to remove part or all of the intake manifold before you can even start to access the plugs.

drkat

If it dies when coming to a stop, try kicking it into neutral and putting light gas on it when you're stopped. If it stays a float, look at the EGR valve for any clogging or malfunction

- I was a mechanic in a previous life.

Tackle

Everyone wrote: »

My 4cyl car is super easy, always do it myself on the car. Nothing to get out of the way, just pull the wires off, take the plugs out, put new ones in, reconnect the wires. Not all are that easy anymore, even on a lot of newer 4cyl (much more common on 6cyl) cars, you have to remove part or all of the intake manifold before you can even start to access the plugs.

Recommended practice is to replace the wires at the same time, the part that clips on to the spark plug can become "stretched" and not make as good of contact as it should.

It may just be a gimmick to sell a set of $20-$40 wires when you buy $10 worth of plugs. Haha

Everyone

LucasMN wrote: »

It may just be a gimmick to sell a set of $20-$40 wires when you buy $10 worth of plugs. Haha

^^ This. My car puts out ~380fwhp and runs 12.8 @ 106MPH in the quarter (see Turbo Sebring Sedan | 12.8 @ 106mph). I don't change the wires near as frequently as I change the plugs. Then again I don't use your average off the shelf Autostoned wires either.

Plenty of IT folks out there with automotive hobbies. Or at least I've met others everywhere I've worked.

MrRyte

Anonymouse wrote: »

In my experience I've learned how to work on every car I own by joining up on forums for those specific cars/models, searching those forums, asking questions on those forums, and downloading a service manual.

+100. I was totally terrified of opening the hood of my car till I joined an owner's forum for my car (I have the same name on G20.net) Now I only go to the mechanic for things that I don't have the tools for and I don't even bother with the stealership for anything anymore.

In addition to gaining knowledge from the forums you may also be able to find parts online for less than at the dealer.

CodeBlox

So I just got the car back and now I'm getting mad because the despite being told the problem has been fixed, it's the exact same way it was when I brought it in yesterday... They kept telling me how "stumped" they were and how they kept checking out websites for what could cause this claiming that this was happening to thousands of dodges. This car belonged to my dad who passed away two years ago and I am getting pissed now. They referred me to the dealer to "point them in the right direction" or to "see if they could come up with anything"...

Anonymouse

MrRyte wrote: »

+100. I was totally terrified of opening the hood of my car till I joined an owner's forum for my car (I have the same name on G20.net) Now I only go to the mechanic for things that I don't have the tools for and I don't even bother with the stealership for anything anymore.

In addition to gaining knowledge from the forums you may also be able to find parts online for less than at the dealer.

Oh so you're an SR20 guy then! My first car had an SR. I learned the basics of working on cars with that one. I even put together a turbo kit from AWD JDM SR20's but ended up just parting it out and buying a car already turbo from the factory. Loved the engine in that car. Took a beating every day and didn't complain.

phoeneous

Everyone wrote: »

I'm guessing by the cost and the maintenance interval, they changed the spark plugs as part of it. There are 16 on the modern Hemi's, 2 per cylinder. Pain in the butt do do. I have an '08 Ram 1500 Hemi, just had that done, cost me ~$460.

Wow, thats like charging $200 to replace a psu. Labor will get you everytime.

I had an 06 Ford Explorer that I learned everything on. I hated doing plugs because they were deep behind the block and so difficult to get to. Water pump wasnt fun either but good learning experience.

Get a manual, a good socket set and just learn. Chicks dig a guy that can work on cars.

powerfool

I would definitely look into doing more myself. I have had so many issues when I have had simple things worked on. I have done just about everything besides pull and replace an engine or transmission... Sometimes I just get tired of working on my car or I just don't have the time, so I take it in to have things done... I have never had a good level of satisfaction.

1. Big O' Tires: This is some franchise-based shop that is in about 20 states. They focus on tires and wheels, but do full service. I go to them for tires, usually, and that is going to end, as well. Every single time, they tell me that about the entire suspension system needs replaced on any vehicle I bring in there. It's BS.

2: CarX: January 2010 was a bad month out in regards to the weather, and I had a few weeks off of work. I needed brake pads put on and there was an issue where I had to get my brake line tightened just "so" on one side or fluid wouldn't move through correctly. So, I take it to them and there is a movie theater just around the corner... so I go watch a movie. They call me and tell me that I need new pads, rotors, and calipers. All mechanics act like rotors are so expensive... another issue... anyhow, I tell them to do the work. The pads come with a lifetime warranty and the other parts and labor are good for a year. About two months later, I start getting a weird noise when I brake... also like a worn pad, but not quite. I pull my wheel off and the caliper pins are GONE!!! I pull out some steel wire I have and lace it through and take it to a different CarX and have them replace it... Later I have an issue with the brake fluid again, and I cannot get it right myself anymore.

They just stink. I have not found any mechanics that I trust. A work colleague has one that he swears by... I may have to go that route if I am going to have someone do any work on my vehicles. Either that, or I am going to just lease new cars and leave the problems for someone else.

ehnde

Eff the dealerships, and don't go to a mechanic except as a last resort (or for things you can't do yourself, like get a new tire put on a wheel). Do 90% of maintenance yourself and you'll save a ton of money. However, you need to do alot of reading on car forums for your specific model before jumping in there. A few tips:

* consult with a friend that knows stuff about fixing cars
* start your repairs on the start of your weekend, not on a workday
* have a backup person or vehicle to get you to work even if you think a repair will be successful
* call autozone, o'reilly, pep boys, and check ebay before buying parts and get a quote

CodeBlox

Thanks. I'm not sure if this is allowed or not but could someone suggest a good car forum that they frequent? Don't post the link here, simply PM me please. I can't really trust mechanics after this incident. The car still is not fixed and I had to drop it off at the dealer when I got off work. Hopefully this will be the end of it.

Anonymouse

CodeBlox wrote: »

Thanks. I'm not sure if this is allowed or not but could someone suggest a good car forum that they frequent? Don't post the link here, simply PM me please. I can't really trust mechanics after this incident. The car still is not fixed and I had to drop it off at the dealer when I got off work. Hopefully this will be the end of it.

For what make/model?

CodeBlox

Dodge Ram 2500 Hemi (Heavy Duty) its the 2007 model.

Everyone

CodeBlox wrote: »

Thanks. I'm not sure if this is allowed or not but could someone suggest a good car forum that they frequent? Don't post the link here, simply PM me please. I can't really trust mechanics after this incident. The car still is not fixed and I had to drop it off at the dealer when I got off work. Hopefully this will be the end of it.

Dodge Talk is the place to go for your truck.

Rappeller

Dodge Talk is awesome. I bought a 97 Dodge Ram in 2007. Older than I planned on but I bought for several reasons to learn how to things myself as my son is getiing close to the driving age and I thought it would be a good thing for us to do together. It's old enough that I can do a majority of the stuff myself (external engine). I bought a chilton's book (Haynes is OK but their diagrams suck). My 2 rules are if it involves gears (transmission and differential for example) or internal engine (cylinders) I go to an expert. I did have my engine replace by a local technical college for $250 in parts (engine I provided), the advantage to that is you have no labor costs and the work is checked by an ASE certified instructor.

simonmoon

Is there something like an A+ of cars? I don't know anything about auto mechanics either, and a solid curriculum for self study would be helpful to come up to speed.

Everyone

simonmoon wrote: »

Is there something like an A+ of cars? I don't know anything about auto mechanics either, and a solid curriculum for self study would be helpful to come up to speed.

Yeah... ASE, but you wouldn't take it unless you wanted to be a mechanic for a living.

Rappeller

The chilton's book is great and combine it with youtube, there are plenty of videos that break things down for you.

Anonymouse

simonmoon wrote: »

Is there something like an A+ of cars? I don't know anything about auto mechanics either, and a solid curriculum for self study would be helpful to come up to speed.

See my reply somewhere above. Self study consists of having a service manual and a make/model specific internet forum to search and ask questions on.

simonmoon

Anonymouse wrote: »

See my reply somewhere above. Self study consists of having a service manual and a make/model specific internet forum to search and ask questions on.

I have the service manuals for my car, but I might as well be reading Greek. That's why I'm asking for something A+ level. I don't know the difference between an alternator and a carburator. I'll look into ASE. I'm not wanting to actually get an auto cert, but just knowing their is a cert means there should be some study materials that starts with dead simple explanations.

CodeBlox

I figured I'd whine some more... It's been since saturday since this happened. The dealer has had the car since tuesday and they still do not know whats wrong with it up to this point.

CodeBlox

The problem seems to have been fixed today at the dealer!! The problem was a dirty throttle body. The car is idling just fine and doesn't cut off anymore. Man, talk about HUGE coincidence that this happens just as PepBoys did their work on the car. I'm glad I didn't go off in their faces accusing them. I'm no mechanic but it seems like this is something they would have checked when diagnosing my car further. And now... I will try and do a lot of my maintenance work myself. I need to first learn the parts of the car under the hood.


EDIT: Looks like I spoke too soon. It must have been a fluke the whole drive home yesterday but the problem is still there... The car shuts off when I stop. I don't have time to take it back so it looks like I have to "deal with it" for now. I am mad about this