I'm either getting old, or growing up

I knew I shouldn’t have posted anything in this thread. I jinxed myself, I flat do not have the time to do a ball joint/control arm, outer tie rod end, and alignment the Volvo needs, so I bought the parts, and gave it to one of our techs at work. So I tell the tech, “Go ahead and road force balance the wheels/tires while you’re at it, oh and I’ve been adding P/S fluid to it off and on for a few months now, see if you can see which line is leaking.” Now I’ve got 2 bent wheels, and am getting a new steering rack too.

• Lee

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I just threw in the towel myself. With 2 race cars in pieces, a bathroom remodeling project that has gone long, kids sports to attend and an increased pile of real, career type work sucking my time away... I'm dropping my 2500HD off on Monday for a water pump, t-stat, all gearboxes fluids, and a steering damper. All are easy but that is a full day's work I just can't spare. I will wince when I get the bill but... berkeley it. I need the truck to tow the race cars NEXT week. Something had to give but I feel dirty. Like I'm doing something behind my own back.

Today REGRET is sinking in. My $1100 (!!! water pumps on a duramax are involved) was supposed to buy me something I didn't have time to do myself, required an experienced pro and was needed ASAP.

My truck has been at the shop since 7am yesterday and they aren't finished yet. The guy said "Maybe tonight or tomorrow". I NEED it to tow to the track Thursday and before that can happen I have to tow one car somewhere else and drop off a bunch of stuff (there are two engine blocks and a cylinder head in the bed). This was made clear when dropping it off. Punctuality was critical. "No problem boss!"

I berkeleying hate people who can't be timely. This is the exact reason I never delegate work. No one can be trusted to say no when money is on the line.

Well, the brick was finished several days ago. Came in right at what he said it would be. Done right. Done so right, I was suspicious at first. Nope, just very good work.

Helpful and understanding mechanic. Pointed out a few things he noticed up front (lower control arm bushings, swaybar end links). He grrinned when I piped up about the control arm bushings before he got it out. He was perfectly comfortable with knowing I would do those jobs myself.

I am so glad someone else did that job instead of me.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I just threw in the towel myself. With 2 race cars in pieces, a bathroom remodeling project that has gone long, kids sports to attend and an increased pile of real, career type work sucking my time away... I'm dropping my 2500HD off on Monday for a water pump, t-stat, all gearboxes fluids, and a steering damper. All are easy but that is a full day's work I just can't spare. I will wince when I get the bill but... berkeley it. I need the truck to tow the race cars NEXT week. Something had to give but I feel dirty. Like I'm doing something behind my own back.

Today REGRET is sinking in. My $1100 (!!! water pumps on a duramax are involved) was supposed to buy me something I didn't have time to do myself, required an experienced pro and was needed ASAP. My truck has been at the shop since 7am yesterday and they aren't finished yet. The guy said "Maybe tonight or tomorrow". I NEED it to tow to the track Thursday and before that can happen I have to tow one car somewhere else and drop off a bunch of stuff (there are two engine blocks and a cylinder head in the bed). This was made clear when dropping it off. Punctuality was critical. "No problem boss!" I berkeleying hate people who can't be timely. This is the exact reason I never delegate work. No one can be trusted to say no when money is on the line.

OK. Retraction time. I re-explained myself and why it was important that they do what they said they would do... and the truck is home now all finished up. I'm not sure why it needed re-explaining - but hostilities are ended. I'd grudgingly call them again in a pickle.

My VFR needs its steering head bearings replaced and I'm most likely taking my motorcycle to a shop here in town that I believe I can trust the most to do the job right. This is the first time the bike has been in a shop, and me not doing the work, since I bought it six years ago save for a recall item.

While I'm not excited about paying $65/hr to have someone else do the work, I don't feel like scrounging up the special tools required (or making my own tools, which some guys do, thanks to a very odd fastener) I'm also looking forward to not having to do it myself. While there I'll have them set suspension sag to my weight, something that's very hard to do on my own with any accuracy.

Glad I'm not the only one who has to farm stuff out. Thought I was losing my GRM-ness there for a while.

I'd like to farm some of my stuff out too but I always have a problem. The BMW is 23 years old and I don't trust anyone to work on it without breaking something. The Lotus is 23 years old. I don't know anyone that will work on it. The Alfa is 26 years old. I don't know a mechanic that knows what an Alfa is. The Saab..........well, it's just so easy to work on that I do it myself.

Location has its advantages sometimes... On my drive to work through the Princeton suburbs, I pass by a good Volvo/Euro garage (where we've had work done), another Euro-focused garage where one of the workers has an E30 (and did regular service on a co-worker's Saab with no complaints)... and the local Lotus dealer (where they work on anything British and/or exotic).

Of course, none of these places are cheap.

Only minor skill set (dad wasn't around to pass on the know-how) = shop does plenty of work for me.

However now I live 2.1 miles from a great shop owned/operated by a long-time SCCA member and racer, so I feel better about it.