Road alligator

[southpennrailroad]

Went out to get on site photos for my South Pennsylvania Railroad book and on the way home ran over one of those tire what ever's on the highway. No damage at the time and pulled into a parking spot at a restaurant. Ate dinner and began to back out of the parking lot everything still OK. Put it in forward Only in reverse works! Had to get out and jiggle the linkage. got it to go in forward but not reverse now It still isnt working. Is it a bent linkage or what ???? Its at the dealer now but wonder though is it goig to cost me much?.

[southpennrailroad]

Results!= $250.00

[eamarquardt]

Yup, any trip to a mechanic (skilled and able to cost effectively fix the problem) is a multi hundred dollar experience.

A neighbor who had moved away was in town when her car's serpentine belt broke and she had it hauled to an "honest" garage. The belt was about $30 and it takes 1/2 hour (or less to replace). Soooo, IMHO a fair price would have been no more than $100 for the fix.

By the time the dust settled it was $450! The "mechanic" said that because the alternator light had come on when the alternator wasn't turning because there was no belt, the entire electrical system need to be checked out resulting in considerable extra effort and expense.

Had she called me, I would have fixed it for free. I did pressure wash her engine after she got her car back.

Knowledge is power.

What was the problem?

Cheers,

Gus

[Lesbest]

WHAT!!>>>>The alt. light was on and we need to diagnose it, the belt was off and the alt. not turning, thus not alternating. That is a crock of deep CRAP!! That is why the auto repair industry has such a varied reputation.

With that line of thinking he should have checked the power steering pump pressure and the coolant for overheating, too. The water pump wasn't turning and neither was the power steering.

IDIOT..

Les