Plenty of work, but I'm thankful

I've had so many people that want me to work on their cars that I have actually had to tell them that I am booked and schedule them for the next week. I've also missed a few customers due to not being able to fit them in and that is a great disappointment. Especially because I don't hear from them again.

1994 Ford Explorer

The wheel bearings were worn out. NTB said they would not align the vehicle so I'm fixing them. There was still maybe a quarter inch play left, but without replacing the hub assembly and maybe even the spindle that was the best that could be done. I'm still waiting to hear if the alignment was able to be done somewhere else. I have personally not had much success with NTB and any of my vehicles.

First defective part replacement

Yesterday I replaced a door actuator that I had installed three months ago. The defective actuator actually seized up. I've never seen one do that before. It only took about an hour.

Busy, Busy and more Busy

I had a customer bring in a 1992 Chevrolet Astro Van that was smoking from the engine. I had him pop the hood and could hear that the bearings were going out in his a/c compressor. I had him turn on his air full blast and well, memories of sparklers in July filled my head. I told him I had found his problem. He was quoted $1200 at one shop and wanted to know what I would charge.

$410 in parts
$90 in labor

Sadly the sparkler machine is no more.

Hard to tell someone their car's not worth it

Today was the first experience we've have with telling someone their car isn't worth the repairs needed. It wasn't an easy call to make, but we think it was the right one.

1988 Toyota Land Cruiser

This was actually a pretty neat old truck, which needs some work, but still really neat.
Rear brake adjustment and removal of the parking brake cable

2 hours

2002 Ford Explorer

New front brakes and rotors

1 hours

1966 Chevrolet C10 Work Truck

New Tires, battery and cables, alternator, voltage regulator, several lug nuts and wheel studs, brake hose, water pump, radiator hoses, distributor and coil, spark plugs and wires, main wiring harness, secondary engine wiring harness, headlight switch, dimmer switch, hubcaps, headlights, ignition switch and alt belt. I think that has been everything so far.

When I say work truck I really mean work. I have no idea how many hours, but I know that it'll get more next week.

1998 Chrysler (Sedan)

Air shock removal and gas shock installation

2 hours

2002 Dodge Ram 1500

New radiator, new condenser fan, A/C recharge

3 hrs

2006 Honda Accord LX

Front Brakes (including travel time to turn rotors)

2 hours

This is also a car that last month I wired in a universal O2 sensor saving the customer about $100. The OE sensor was $162 or thereabouts.

1994 Ford Explorer Sport V6

Idler pulley, headlighr bulb, turn signal fuse

.75 hours

2002 Dodge Ram 1500

All new rotors and pads

3 hours

2004 GMC Envoy

Air bag to stock suspension conversion, tune-up

6 hours

1994 Ford Explorer

4 new shocks, transmission filter/gasket, a/c recharge, radiator flush

5 hours