Avoid Jiffy auto service

[callopsitte_himself]

We all work hard for our money and expect to get what we pay for in term of product and service. If one isn't giving that it simply shouldn't be in business. It is our responsability as consumers to stick together and show bad merchants we don't need them.

Story short. I went to get my EGR valve fixed at a Jiffy auto service. He charged $60,00 + 1 hour diagnostic (so $130,00 in all) just for getting to know the problem (check engine). The EGR valve and repair cost $254,00.

As I get out of the garage and hear a new disturbing sound I never had. They had broken my new (had 10 months or 14 000 Km) transmission.

I had it repaired elsewhere. Talking to others I heared stories similar to mine about Jiffy.

So to all who believe in solidarity avoid Jiffy auto service.

[tbrummell]

I gotta ask, how did they "break" your transmission?

[Killian]

Story short. I went to get my EGR valve fixed at a Jiffy auto service. He charged $60,00 + 1 hour diagnostic (so $130,00 in all) just for getting to know the problem (check engine). The EGR valve and repair cost $254,00.

Well honestly on a car that new an ERG valve will run you about $60 if the guys doing you a favor, as for the diagnostic I'd bet he has no choice but to charge you that, it's not like they can bill by the 1/4 hour on a full hour price.

To be honest all the cars computer would tell you in my experience is that there is excessive or not enough flow through the ERG valve.

Honestly some folks will sooner replace the ERG valve in a Hail Mary attempt at NOT having to replace the transmission, so chances are it was on it's way out the door anyways; they may have just aggravated the problem by replacing something that really didn't need replacing in the first place, or at least not as much as that transmission

[FONGO_steve]

One of the best investments I ever made for my car was an OBDII reader. I used to pay the same $130 "diagnostic" charge every time I went to the garage just for them to find out what needed replacing. One time I even paid it to find out my gas cap didn't seal properly. I spent around $100 on an OBDII reader and now I can diagnose my own problems and determine if they can be repaired at home, or need a garage. No more $130 everytime I go to the garage! It's already paid itself back about ten times over.

[Ice]

Killian - if you have to replace a transmission on a 10 month old engine there's something wrong... and we're not talking about the transmission!

Thanks Steve, I've been putting off buying an OBDII reader (Bluetooth ) for the longest time but perhaps this is the push I needed to actually get one!

[Killian]

Bluetooth OBDII reader??.. Sweet!

Anyways, I'm referring to "They had broken my new (had 10 months or 14 000 Km) transmission.". - For some reason I read that the ENGINE was 10 months old... Jeeze need to stop posting before coffee.

WHOOPS

[curriegrad2004]

Actually, if you're really crazy enough, you can build your own OBDII interface device on the cheap. Seen a schematic for a OBDII reader that really consists of 3 IC's. One is a MAX232/233 TTL levels to a RS-232 compatible interface. The second IC is just a regular 7805 regulator (aka just use the +12V output and have that regulator to step it back down to +5V, which the MAX232 and the 7407 inverter will need to work properly.) and the last one is a boring old 7407 open collector inverter.

And oh, found the schematic for this sucker here. Anybody who has slight schematic reading skills can build this one easily
http://www.miglenium.de/pictures/interf ... arscan.JPG

[Ice]

Hm, that totally sounds doable. I might try that when I have the time to "play"... thanks! I haven't played much with ICs - does the MAX232 have to be programmed? I might still get a premade one in the meantime since these random projects don't seem to be very high priority.