Forget 'mechanics' - DIY

[Knucklehead]

So it is only with extreme reluctance that I ever let any garage near my motor but couple of months ago thought I would ask the guys fitting a new clutch to flush the brake fluid as well.
This was no back street garage so thought would have half chance to get it right.

Told then wanted bled through all 4 calipers. No problem they say.

Decided had enough spare time on my hands recently to rebuild the rear calipers and found the rear bleed valves rusted solid. I mean welded tight.
A full day of heat/hammer/water/heat... and managed to get them out. They were so bad that the bleed hole was rusted solid, can't even see the hole where it seats.

Advice to anybody new to 80's, most garages just see an old car not worth the bother.
Grab a FSM and do it yourself.

Okaaay, rant over. Nice sharp brakes now. DIY or there will be tears.

Dave.

 

[clivehorridge]

Agreed!

I've been very lucky here, found what I would call a proper workshop service centre, who specialises in land cruisers and 4 x 4s generally. They know, and are passionate about 80s. When I first took mine there, all work stopped for 1/2 hr, there was a crowd of mechanics around it oohing and aahing, it was comical but reassuring at the same time.

After my first brake service there, I noticed new bleed nipples had been fitted without a word or a mention on the bill. He seemed surprised when I asked him about it, couldn't put the old ones back, he said, too rusty, and one we had to drill out. Not a mention, all in the service.

Hats off to GTC Popescu Loredeni, Bucharest, I wish every cruiser owner had one like them close to hand.

 

[ratrace]

Mine is called Wayne

 

[Knucklehead]

yeah clive, not saying all garages are bad and seems you have a good one(this can be read as lucky git).
My experience with the rare occasion I am forced to use them is more 'sighs/old car but we will take the money', not so much 'oohing and aahing'!

I would have had a lot more respect for them if they had turned round and said didn't want to touch bleed valves as might break off causing more grief.
Its the handing it back to a customer and them thinking all is good. Most folk wouldn't go near them to know any different.

Must admit I have dropped the ball a bit. Normal anal with maintennace but let my brake fluid go too long.
Will be breaking the valves from now on when changing pads(every year with the bigger tyres) just to keep them friendly.

It is not a fun job feeling how much muscle to give them trying to crack lose. Heat is your friend with these buggers.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[clivehorridge]

Sure Dave, it's the deceit that pains, an honest no, and you'd know where you stand.

What surprised me with my service guys, was the fact that they could have used that to double the bill, and I'd have been glad to pay it. They took it on the chin as part of the job.

When I took it for a clutch change last week, I peeped under to just look, as you do (even though there's nothing to see), and all four propshaft UJs had fresh grease oozing from each needle bearing.

Top lads, these guys, can't fault them ..... yet...

 

[StarCruiser]

It's a joy to hear about your guys Clive. 'Old School' springs to mind. It's almost worth travelling to Bucharest to use them. [emoji4]

 

[Dave2000]

Mine is called Wayne

And mine is called 'me'.

Regards

Dave

 

[frank rabbets]

You did'nt have Margaret Thatcher ruling your country Clive. It all started with her "me first" attitude in this country.

 

[clivehorridge]

It's a joy to hear about your guys Clive. 'Old School' springs to mind. It's almost worth travelling to Bucharest to use them. [emoji4]

A joy for me too Rich. I email them with my requests, so they can get the parts on order in advance and programme their activities, then they reply with a date for the work.

At 08:30 Florin arrives at my office, I give him the key and away he goes with the truck.
Unless I get a phone call informing me of delays or problems, at 17:30 he returns to my office with the truck and hands over the keys, all done.

I hate going there, they have a 4x4 sales shop packed with recovery gear, accessories, wheels, winches, light bars, you name it. Of course they're on the expensive side, but standing there is like being a kid in a candy shop, just 'add to basket' it's so easy Nightmare!!

 

[clivehorridge]

You did'nt have Margaret Thatcher ruling your country Clive. It all started with her "me first" attitude in this country.

Can't argue with with that one Frank, I was there you know... But here, recent history has not encouraged individuals to do a good job, until after the revolution in '89. It seems to be taking effect these days.

 

[Chas]

You did'nt have Margaret Thatcher ruling your country Clive. It all started with her "me first" attitude in this country.

Maggies 'Me first' attitude provided me, by using her opportunities to invest and acquire shares and such, a secure future retirement, was I wrong to do that? I started off in a small way.
Now, if I had to rely on state pension alone (£122 A Week) I certainly wouldn't be able to afford to run my Cruiser or do many other things I can afford now, everybody had the same opportunities at the time but some didn't take them because it was a Tory thing and not Labour.

 

[clivehorridge]

Maggies 'Me first' attitude provided me, by using her opportunities to invest and acquire shares and such, a secure future retirement, was I wrong to do that? I started off in a small way.
Now, if I had to rely on state pension alone (£122 A Week) I certainly wouldn't be able to afford to run my Cruiser or do many other things I can afford now, everybody had the same opportunities at the time but some didn't take them because it was a Tory thing and not Labour.

I don't think anyone has suggested that there's anything wrong with what you did Chas, I for one say fair play to you, carp diem.

But it's only one side of the Maggie story. I lost my final salary type pension for the same reasons, and what would have delivered me a £2 k per month pension is now worth about £10k per year as a money purchase scheme.

I don't really see the relevance of either of our positions in the context of this thread...

 

[hopeless wanderer]

Agreed!

I've been very lucky here, found what I would call a proper workshop service centre, who specialises in land cruisers and 4 x 4s generally. They know, and are passionate about 80s. When I first took mine there, all work stopped for 1/2 hr, there was a crowd of mechanics around it oohing and aahing, it was comical but reassuring at the same time.

After my first brake service there, I noticed new bleed nipples had been fitted without a word or a mention on the bill. He seemed surprised when I asked him about it, couldn't put the old ones back, he said, too rusty, and one we had to drill out. Not a mention, all in the service.

Hats off to GTC Popescu Loredeni, Bucharest, I wish every cruiser owner had one like them close to hand.

I'm lucky enough to have one in England

It's a car hire and MOT centre managed by a guy i went to school with decades ago. I drop him a message on facebook and he turns up even in my absence and takes the cruiser away to work on it (i know he oooohs and aaaaahs over it too)
I just order the parts and leave them in the boot, he even took the car to a bodyshop for a little work that was outside his capacity and paid from his own pocket.
The MOT is no drama every year and i have complete faith in his guys and their abilities. His next job is in fact replacing all the hard brakelines with stainless as he said theyll probably be an advisory next time around.
I think Thatcher aside whats happened is we used to have mechanics and now we have "technicians" who just swap what the computer says needs swapping, likewise we used to have motorists and now we just have "drivers" selfish individuals with a wheel in one hand and the inevitable Iphone in the other

 

[Shayne]

What's an Iphone i'm having trouble finding needles for my gramophone might this Iphone have any compatible parts ?

 

[hopeless wanderer]

What's an Iphone i'm having trouble finding needles for my gramophone might this Iphone have any compatible parts ?

i think there's an "App" for that sort of thing.

 

[frank rabbets]

That's a fair point about having less proper mechanics about but the OP's garage took money for something they did not do. My 2 year old Golf has now had 2 services by VW. Both times on taking the car home there have been noises under the bonnet and both times I've had to remove the under tray. First time to remove a tool they left on the engine which fell off. Second time to do the steel bolts up which hold the back of the tray. These were getting louder and were just about to fall out. When I have ANY contact with VW there is ALWAYS a problem and they are not honest either. They are incompetent and dishonest.

 

[Shayne]

A young lad that works with Helen was changing the exhaust on his 2 year old moped when he snapped a manifold stud and has been told by a garage he need's a new engine and he should come back with £500

 

[Gary820]

Too many people in the motor trade who give a bad name to the ones who actually enjoy doing a good job, unfortunately there's a couple of bad eggs at my work at the moment

I wish it was as simple as fit what a computer says

 

[clivehorridge]

Too many people in the motor trade who give a bad name to the ones who actually enjoy doing a good job, unfortunately there's a couple of bad eggs at my work at the moment

I wish it was as simple as fit what a computer says

I'm sure it's the same story with any trade. I've had a guts-full of builders that don't know anything about construction and recently I've dropped on a neighbor who's a self taught jack of all trades and he does a fantastic job, and knows his stuff when it comes to the rights and wrongs, methods and finish. It's a breath of fresh air to employ him.

He's not the cheapest, but his work is faultless. There's not many these days who's work can be described as that IMO, and that's worth every penny (bani here ) over the cheaper sharks.