Replies: 24
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CU Medallion [60244]
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since its Car.net today,tell your stupidest car repair story
Feb 7, 2019, 1:14 PM
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I have several, so I figure you folks will have some doozies. I'll share 2 of them.....
1) Car was at dealer for a one-day HVAC repair. Got a call from them that it had been wrecked while sitting in the dealershiip parking lot while waiting for me to pick up. Some woman customer had rammed it, just crushed the passenger side from fender to fender. They paid for the entire repair, plus did some other work complimentary as an apology and for the 3 extra weeks they had it to do the repair. Sad thing was that car was 15 years old, 200K miles, and never had a significant scratch or dent on it. Until then.
2) the "Check Engine Light": took car to dealer have serviced because the CEL was always on. They decided that it was the computer chip, so they ordered one for me. Came in a few days later, so I swung by to get it installed.
Well....I had a manual transmission. The chip was for an automatic. I got to the first stop sign, choked off. Cranked, went another block, choked off. Repeat repeat repeat. Got turned around and returned to dealer. They had to fish my old chip out of the garbage, put it back in, and order another chip - this time for a FREAKING MANUAL.
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Oculus Spirit [79304]
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I bought a Chrysler
Feb 7, 2019, 1:16 PM
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End of story
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Heisman Winner [105736]
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Took 2011 Pilot into Honda Cars of Rock Hill for Recall on
Feb 7, 2019, 1:18 PM
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airbag. Wife called them and asked them to look at why it was making a noise hitting bumps. I go to pick car up and they ask me if I want them to do the $4k in repairs? The car is barely worth $7500. I laughed and laughed and laughed. THen they billed me like $125 for a diagnostic. I was pisst.
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Heisman Winner [105736]
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Im about to put on a passenger side mirror on a Ford F150
Feb 7, 2019, 1:39 PM
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and I may have stories about that on Monday.
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All-In [48057]
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All-TigerNet [13764]
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[Greenr hits F150 in parking lot and gets out to write note]
Feb 7, 2019, 1:43 PM
[ in reply to Im about to put on a passenger side mirror on a Ford F150 ] |
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Note: Sorry about hitting your truck. Everyone is looking at me so am writing this note so they will think i am leaving you my information. Good luck fixing this.
P.S. your stickers are stupid.
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Heisman Winner [105736]
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Nah, not this time. It is Dad's truck and he cant drive
Feb 7, 2019, 1:50 PM
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anymore. He thought he could though, so he backed it up to go to the store, brushed a tree and destroyed the side mirror. I am driving the truck now "for him" and I need it replaced. Not to mention, it is the least I can do for him.
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Oculus Spirit [97847]
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Sounds a lot like my dad. His last vehicle was a truck
Feb 7, 2019, 2:11 PM
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Always wanted one, but it wasn't practical. So he got one at about 70yo. After 5 years or so he started having trouble driving. Eventually took out a mailbox, mirror, and finally had a fender bender then we took the truck. Was sad. He drove a good year after the doctor said he shouldn't. Mom wouldn't stop him and of course I had to come take the keys.
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Heisman Winner [105736]
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Pops is 69, had the truck for a little over a year
Feb 7, 2019, 2:16 PM
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but hasn't driven since late Fall. It's a 2007 but WAS in pristine condition. However, it is now dented on both sides of the back, dent in rear fender and busted passenger mirror. His neck was hurting and his vision was bad so he didn't even turn around to back up, just assumed nothing was behind him. I took the keys as well, Mom asked me too, and Dad didn't like it at first, but he DGAF now as we chauffeur him around.
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Oculus Spirit [81249]
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I'm old. I wish someone would drive me around***
Feb 7, 2019, 2:19 PM
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Heisman Winner [135769]
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Totally agree.
Feb 7, 2019, 2:26 PM
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I mean, I could conceivably TRIPLE the amount of drinking I could get done if I didn't have to actually drive the vehicle.
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Oculus Spirit [75807]
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I once had a co-worker do my brakes for me.
Feb 7, 2019, 1:18 PM
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The dude failed to tighten the caliper so it made an awful sound going down the road and of course stopped when braking. I stopped in the one place kind of in a panic and they said it was just a big ole fishing weight rolling around in the trunk.
I soon found out it was not. A Firestone of all places fixed the issue for me.
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Oculus Spirit [78977]
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local Pep boys
Feb 7, 2019, 1:21 PM
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had a number that was close to a number of a guy that I worked with. It was like a digit off. He would get calls every so often where people would ask if their car was done or not. He would say hold on let me check and then mute the call and gather everyone around. He would get back to the customer and indicate that yes the work was done and that we installed a sunroof also. People would flip the f>uck out
Good times
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Heisman Winner [135769]
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Years ago, I signed up for a free Google Voice number.
Feb 7, 2019, 2:29 PM
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It's a great app, it's still free, and the entertainment that it provides me from people calling to check on their SR-22 policy from the number being a digit off from some insurance agency is pure comedy gold.
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CU Medallion [53460]
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Re: found dad's old car from childhood.....
Feb 7, 2019, 1:22 PM
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had some sentimental attachment I guess, and thought it'd be cool to own again.
Well, the interim owners tore that car to #### and was beyond repair. I kept it in the yard like an ornament for about 2 years, and sold it to the junkyard at a 500% loss.
Yay me. Not a good move as broke as I was then.
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Hall of Famer [23994]
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eh
Feb 7, 2019, 1:24 PM
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Forgot to put the drain plug back in once when changing the oil.
Took me probably 6 hours to replace the starter on a '97 S10 because the whole engine has to be de-mounted to have enough wiggle room to get the starter out.
Replaced the heater core on a '03 S10 that took 2 days to do. Somehow in the process the key got jammed in the ignition so I pulled it out with a pair of pliers. It wouldn't go back into the ignition so I had to drill it out and turn it with a screw driver to remove it. If you want to know how to steal an S10, all you gotta do is go to advance auto and get a new key switch ignition for like $15 bucks. get a drill with a 3/8" bit, drill out the ignition. turn it with a screw driver, pop new key switch in. drive away. Can be done in all of 15 minutes.
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Oculus Spirit [81249]
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I had the GMC version of that with the anemic 2.8l V6
Feb 7, 2019, 2:05 PM
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In it. I was able to get the starter out by taking both motor mounts loose and jacking up the engine with a wooden block under the oil pan. The starter fell on my chest.
Also broke key off in ignition. Took the plastic surround off of the steering column and there is a small opening that if you put a flat blade screwdriver in and slightly push, it releases the key cylinder from the cylinder surrounding hole. Cylinder just pulls out (lulz). You're right--its about a 15 minute job--and about 10 of that is messing with the stupid plastic column surrounds.
if that truck had been outfitted with the 4.3l engine it would have been pretty cool.
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CU Medallion [64837]
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Re: since its Car.net today,tell your stupidest car repair story
Feb 7, 2019, 1:27 PM
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Not that long ago, I changed brakes on one of my vehicles... can't recall which one.
I test drove the vehicle after replacing the pads and one of the brakes was dragging like hellll and got super hot... totally trashed the pad.
Upon further inspection, I found that when I used the old pad and a c-clamp to compress the piston, I forgot to remove the old pad before installing the new pad.
In hindsight, it did seem ridiculously hard to get the caliper and new pads to fit around the disc.
Ended up having to buy a new set of pads and also replace that rotor. Also cooked the seals in that caliper and had to rebuild.
And this, children, is why you don't work when you're tired/drunk.
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All-In [46871]
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Decided to put new brakes and calipers on myself
Feb 7, 2019, 1:28 PM
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after putting them on there was this ear bleeding screeching coming from the front passenger wheel.
Figured it was just new brakes and would go away with some driving. Was wrong.
Took it to the tire shop. Turns out when I was putting the brakes on there was a small metal cover that goes on the back of the caliper or something. I bent that and it was rubbing the rotor.
$10 later for a 2 minute repair and she was riding like new.
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All-TigerNet [13764]
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Coworker scrapped his pickup because it would not run
Feb 7, 2019, 1:29 PM
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the scrap guy and assistant show up to haul it off (so coworker thinks). They put 5 gallons of gas in it and it cranks right up and they drive off.
He had a bad fuel gauge so it was reading half tank or whatever and on one of the "inspections" the scrap guy figured out the tank was empty, by knocking on it or something.
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CU Medallion [60112]
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Re: since its Car.net today,tell your stupidest car repair story
Feb 7, 2019, 1:34 PM
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I bought a Tahoe from Carmax back in like 2002. I was poor and so I bought the extra car warranty/ insurance to make sure I wouldnt have any problems paying a repair bill.
About three weeks after getting said Tahoe, I take it to Asheville from Raleigh to see my parents. On the way back to Raleigh, the transmission felt like it fell out....and it did. It would only go in reverse. Took it on a roll back to Chevy in Black Mountain. Called warranty people from Carmax, they call me back the next day. They rent me a car back to Raleigh, I get to Carmax and they tell me to pick out whatever car I want that is equal or lesser value. I picked out a Wrangler Rubicon and have been driving Wranglers ever since.
#coolstorybro
Oh and I never saw that Tahoe or heard anything about it ever again. It was like it just say in Black Mountain forever. Might still be there to this day. Ha ha!
Message was edited by: tigermanac®
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All-In [48057]
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Not my story, but
Feb 7, 2019, 1:37 PM
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Know a guy that took his truck to a body shop to have a mirror put on. When he arrived to pick it up, one of the workers drove it around to the front of the building, promptly driving it straight into the brick façade.
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: since its Car.net today,tell your stupidest car repair story
Feb 7, 2019, 2:12 PM
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Drove a 2000 Ford Ranger for a bit.
Drove over something on the freeway coming into Atlanta that busted my lower coolant hose coming out of my radiator. Coolant leaked everywhere, and killed my water pump.
Hiked 4 miles to an Autozone, bought the parts I needed, hiked 4 miles back, fixed my truck on the side of the highway, filled it up with coolant and bled the air out of the radiator, drove it back to Greenville that evening.
Sold the ranger about a year later since it kept blowing the front left hub, but that's what you get when you run 35's I guess.
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All-In [38925]
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I've had a transmission rebuild,
Feb 7, 2019, 2:23 PM
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an air compressor installed and had my transmission/oil changed once. Those are the three times I've ever had a car serviced. Rest of the time, I'm a DIY lady.
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Oculus Spirit [94230]
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So I had these two mid 1980s Mercedes Benz...
Feb 7, 2019, 2:49 PM
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The black 85 had a gas engine which was a nightmare to keep on the road due to electronics assisting the engine was failing because of the age and cold solder joints. The body looked like something from a classic Mafia movie. I drove it to see a Char, NC classic car show and made a wrong turn which took me right onto the street which was blocked off for show cars. The guy saw my car and opened the gate so I figured 'What the hail,' I'll get a parking spot which will save me alot of steps. I parked between a 67 Vette and a Viper which looked new and started walking around to see what's up.
I also had a white 84 model with the million mile om617 5cyl diesel engine which was low mileage. It was a run of the mill MB diesel which shared the road with about 100K other mid 80s MB diesels.
So I got this idea, black body w/diesel engine and two years later I'm still trying to get the wood trim perfect so the interior will look as good as the body. After that I'll fire it up and head down the coastline.
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Replies: 24
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