Mike,
$50 an hour labor is about the cheapest in my neigborhood - but most work is
not "timed" anyway - they simply tell you how much (those pre-priced scales)
it's going to cost you. But I can BUY a rebuilt carb for $120 - I also have
a a friend who knows them well enough to rebuild one in 30 minutes for $30 +
kit.
I have not had a major mechanical repair (as in motor or drivetrain) since a
Saab 99 ('74 I think it was) broke a transmission in the 1980's.
And the "environment"? (..I think they mean "the air") If the problem was as
great as is claimed there are plenty of things that could have been done in
every town and city in America a very long time ago.
For example - traffic lights still in "normal" operation during certain
hours at night (when cars can be counted in "one or two per minute"); there
is more pollution generated by stopping traffic at every hour of the day and
night at every tiny intersection - than all the gas guzzlers on earth. I
live in a very large city where the road and traffic planning has seemingly
taken a backseat to everything else. It's insanity. I find it very odd that
the "green" folk in this country have not addressed this.
Me? I plan on sticking with my OM-1 light utility truck for a long time to
come ;)
Cheers,
LEE
----Original Message Follows----
From: Mike Veglia <msvphoto@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [OM] Digital Plastic (going *way* OT now...)
Don't get me wrong, I love old classic cars--they make great garage queens
and vintage race cars. Ironically, none of my three cars are less than 145k
miles old, and two of them are over 16 model years old. I find all three
very easy to maintain and service myself (all three are compute
controlled--2 are old CIS and one is digital Motronic). Much like
microprocessors, those who change black boxes often do so out of desperation
and lack of troubleshooting knowledge--go for changing the unknown first and
all. Barring a few notable exceptions, black boxes tend to be quite
reliable. Engines that get as close to perfect combustion as possible last
vastly longer--all else being equal. A great case in point was the last
Volvo wagon my wife had--a 1985. A nameless dealer changed every black box
for the previous owner to the tune of ~$3000.00. Then the car was finally
fixed by a good independent technician who replaced the rotten engine wiring
loom (a known problem with 1982 - 1987 Volvos). With the help of internet
mail lists (like this one for OMs) a decent assortment of tools, and some
technical savvy, one can self maintain a modern car quite well. BTW, in my
area mechanics get $85-100 per hour. If you bring them something with points
and carbs, be prepared to pay for extra time. Any wonder why I do my own
work? ;-)
Mike Veglia
Motor Sport Visions Photography
http://www.motorsportvisions.com
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