We are happy to say we are back in the shop today. We had a great break and are looking forward to taking care of your vehicles this year! Happy New Year! May 2013 be our best year yet!
Rabu, 02 Januari 2013
We're Back in the Shop!
We are happy to say we are back in the shop today. We had a great break and are looking forward to taking care of your vehicles this year! Happy New Year! May 2013 be our best year yet!
Minggu, 30 Desember 2012
The Making of a Rolls-Royce, circa 1972
While sifting through records on a snowy afternoon I found this paper trail for a 1972 Rolls-Royce.
It begins with the order for the car, which was initiated by Rolls-Royce of America. They ordered this two-tone green long wheelbase sedan "for stock," meaning there was no customer for it when the order was placed.
As was the case with most "for stock: cars, no options were specified. Rolls-Royce was unique at that time in that they sold their cars fully equipped, at one price. They did not have a base model car and pile on options like Cadillac or Lincoln. When a customer ordered a Rolls-Royce (as opposed to buying from stock) he might request things like cocktail glasses and decanters built into a door panel, or custom coloring to match a favorite piece of clothing. Other than that, they were built the way Rolls-Royce designed them, which still varied quite a bit from car to car as the manufacturer substituted wood veneers, headliners, switches, etc. There was no such thing as a "production line Rolls." Every motorcar was unique, even if nothing special was specified on the order.
I've looked at cars that went down the production line right after each other and seen subtle differences in what should be two identical cars. One will have a vinyl headliner, while another car has wool - little changes like that set the cars apart from each other. These long wheelbase cars were "more full" of little differences and eccentricities than their standard brothers. The dash of a standard Rolls was framed in steel, but these long cars were custom so the dash frame was cut by hand from wood. That extra hand work alone ensured these cars would be unique.
The door panels, window trim, and rear carpets were also special. Interior sets on these cars tended to be made up in a different area of the factory from the short wheelbase cars. The interior parts would be produced in batches, and the long wheelbase ones were always different.
Rolls-Royce Motors accepted the order for this car May 15, 1972. The car was given the chassis number LRA-14159, and was identified as the 133rd long wheelbase car to be ordered that year. Long wheelbase Shadows are fairly rare, with only 2,780 examples built between 1969 and 1976. For comparison, in that same time period Roll-Royce produced some 17,000 standard wheelbase sedans.
Rolls Royce was always a small volume carmaker. That year they would build 2,473 cars, of which 629 were bound for the United States. Perhaps 75 of them were long wheelbase sedans. That made these cars about as rare as convertibles, and they are actually rarer today as fewer sedans survive whereas almost all convertibles have been preserved.
Most Rolls Royce dealers sold cars from the catalog, as opposed to selling them off a lot like ordinary cars. This particular car was purchased by a Connecticut businessman in early September, shortly before it was completed. This Telex shows the status of several cars, and identifies 14159 as "no longer available for sale."
Back then cars were typically secured with a 5-10% down payment with the balance to be paid when the car arrived. Few Rolls-Royce dealers offered financing, so the deals were almost all cash. Leasing of luxury cars was still quite a long way into the future.
A few days later the car was invoiced out by the factory. You'll note the invoice was in British pounds, which at the time were each worth 2.45 US dollars. At the September 1972 exchange rate, Rolls-Royce America paid the parent company $17,762 for the car.
This next paper shows that the car was consigned to Claridge Holt, Ltd for shipping to America. They put it in a container and loaded the car on a Seatrain container ship bound for the Port of Newark. The car left for America in late October.
Those of you who are interested in ships will note this car probably rode to America aboard Seatrain Euroliner, a nearly new (launched 1971) high speed gas turbine container ship. Euroliner was one of the first large purpose-built container ships. She carried almost 900 full sized containers at full capacity, and was just under 800 feet in length. Her two turbines drove her at 26 knots - a brisk pace now or then. In fact, for many years, Euroliner held the cross-Atlantic speed record for a freighter at 31+ knots.
For purposes of comparison, the cruise speed of Euroliner was the same as the cruise speed of Queen Mary 2 today.
At the time, these ships were acclaimed as revolutionary but they always operated at a loss. Modern large container ships have roughly three times the capacity, and somewhat less horsepower and a lower cruise speed from a single diesel engine. Air freight has taken the place of fast ocean freight, and bulk capacity has replaced speed as a top design goal.
When it arrived there was some slight damage . . . oil spots on a fender and damage beside the trunk. That was fixed in New Jersey.
Shipping and preparation took a bit more than a month. On November 27, Rolls-Royce of America shipped the car to their dealer, Hoffman Motors of Hartford, Connecticut; invoicing them for $23,255. Looking close, you'll see that the payment terms are "sight draft." This was a common method of paying for vehicles in the pre-Internet era. A sight draft looked like a check, but it was only cashable once the maker had notified the bank that certain conditions had been met.
In this case, the draft would have been cashable once the car and certificate of origin were delivered intact to Hoffman. The sight draft number is shown on the invoice, and it was probably deposited a few days after the invoice was written. Today, carmakers simply charge the bank accounts of their dealers through the Federal Reserve clearing system but that provision didn't exist in 1972.
The car had a suggested list price of $28,715, but Rolls-Royce did not believe in windows stickers. This was the retail price sheet for the car, which was kept in the vehicle's file at the dealership and possibly given to the buyer:
Hoffman's Rolls-Royce operation is long gone, though they remain in business at the same location in East Hartford with a Porsche-Audi dealership.
In any case, no window sticker was needed as the car was (like most others of its kind) presold. This vehicle was destined for Matthew Saczawa of Wethersfield, Connecticut. He received the vehicle in early 1973, and registered the car at his winter home in Boca Raton, Florida.
Looking at the timetable you can see that 8 months passed between acceptance of the order and delivery of the car to its new owner. Where most car companies changed model years in September, Rolls-Royce often continued their model years till the following spring!
That was a result of the long time it took them to build the cars. They accepted orders for the current model year right into summer, which meant the last of the 72s were not delivered till the spring of '73, under the best of circumstances.
Mr. Saczawa - the car's first owner - owned the Atlantic Machine Tool Works in Newington, Connecticut. He was 52 years old when he bought this car. He kept the car for 25 years, only selling it in 1997 because he was too infirm to drive. During that time, the car covered 36,000 miles. That seems like a low number but these cars are often driven sparingly, especially when they are bought by older people who tend to keep them as pets.
The second owner kept the car on Cape Cod for 12 years, at which time it was purchased by the present owner. Here's the car as it appears today, still remarkably clean and original:
Reading through this paper trail, I am reminded that we are not just owners of these vehicles; we are caretakers - keepers for whomever will follow us. Ordinary cars are driven for 15 years and scrapped. Nicer cars - Mercedes, BMW, or Jaguar - have longer lives but they are still finite. Rolls-Royce cars, in contrast, are seldom ever scrapped. More than 70% of all Rolls-Royce motorcars ever built are still roadworthy today. That's a remarkable thing, but you can see why looking at this example.
The Silver Shadow series was the most maintenance intensive Rolls ever made. At the same time, it is one of the least valuable in the used car market because it is the most common. The result is that many of these fine cars are neglected and abused, and quite a few will be broken up for parts.
I hope the surviving examples get better care as they become rarer, because they are really quite nice to drive. One day, we'll look back and wonder where all the Shadows went. When that happens, I've no doubt this one will be a survivor.
John Elder Robison
John is the owner of J E Robison Service, Rolls-Royce and Bentley service specialists in Springfield, Massachusetts. John is a technical consultant for the Rolls-Royce Owner's Club on Silver Shadow and other modern cars. He's been around Rolls-Royce motorcars since the vehicle in this story was new.
It begins with the order for the car, which was initiated by Rolls-Royce of America. They ordered this two-tone green long wheelbase sedan "for stock," meaning there was no customer for it when the order was placed.
As was the case with most "for stock: cars, no options were specified. Rolls-Royce was unique at that time in that they sold their cars fully equipped, at one price. They did not have a base model car and pile on options like Cadillac or Lincoln. When a customer ordered a Rolls-Royce (as opposed to buying from stock) he might request things like cocktail glasses and decanters built into a door panel, or custom coloring to match a favorite piece of clothing. Other than that, they were built the way Rolls-Royce designed them, which still varied quite a bit from car to car as the manufacturer substituted wood veneers, headliners, switches, etc. There was no such thing as a "production line Rolls." Every motorcar was unique, even if nothing special was specified on the order.
I've looked at cars that went down the production line right after each other and seen subtle differences in what should be two identical cars. One will have a vinyl headliner, while another car has wool - little changes like that set the cars apart from each other. These long wheelbase cars were "more full" of little differences and eccentricities than their standard brothers. The dash of a standard Rolls was framed in steel, but these long cars were custom so the dash frame was cut by hand from wood. That extra hand work alone ensured these cars would be unique.
The door panels, window trim, and rear carpets were also special. Interior sets on these cars tended to be made up in a different area of the factory from the short wheelbase cars. The interior parts would be produced in batches, and the long wheelbase ones were always different.
Rolls-Royce Motors accepted the order for this car May 15, 1972. The car was given the chassis number LRA-14159, and was identified as the 133rd long wheelbase car to be ordered that year. Long wheelbase Shadows are fairly rare, with only 2,780 examples built between 1969 and 1976. For comparison, in that same time period Roll-Royce produced some 17,000 standard wheelbase sedans.
Rolls Royce was always a small volume carmaker. That year they would build 2,473 cars, of which 629 were bound for the United States. Perhaps 75 of them were long wheelbase sedans. That made these cars about as rare as convertibles, and they are actually rarer today as fewer sedans survive whereas almost all convertibles have been preserved.
Most Rolls Royce dealers sold cars from the catalog, as opposed to selling them off a lot like ordinary cars. This particular car was purchased by a Connecticut businessman in early September, shortly before it was completed. This Telex shows the status of several cars, and identifies 14159 as "no longer available for sale."
Back then cars were typically secured with a 5-10% down payment with the balance to be paid when the car arrived. Few Rolls-Royce dealers offered financing, so the deals were almost all cash. Leasing of luxury cars was still quite a long way into the future.
A few days later the car was invoiced out by the factory. You'll note the invoice was in British pounds, which at the time were each worth 2.45 US dollars. At the September 1972 exchange rate, Rolls-Royce America paid the parent company $17,762 for the car.
This next paper shows that the car was consigned to Claridge Holt, Ltd for shipping to America. They put it in a container and loaded the car on a Seatrain container ship bound for the Port of Newark. The car left for America in late October.
Those of you who are interested in ships will note this car probably rode to America aboard Seatrain Euroliner, a nearly new (launched 1971) high speed gas turbine container ship. Euroliner was one of the first large purpose-built container ships. She carried almost 900 full sized containers at full capacity, and was just under 800 feet in length. Her two turbines drove her at 26 knots - a brisk pace now or then. In fact, for many years, Euroliner held the cross-Atlantic speed record for a freighter at 31+ knots.
For purposes of comparison, the cruise speed of Euroliner was the same as the cruise speed of Queen Mary 2 today.
At the time, these ships were acclaimed as revolutionary but they always operated at a loss. Modern large container ships have roughly three times the capacity, and somewhat less horsepower and a lower cruise speed from a single diesel engine. Air freight has taken the place of fast ocean freight, and bulk capacity has replaced speed as a top design goal.
When it arrived there was some slight damage . . . oil spots on a fender and damage beside the trunk. That was fixed in New Jersey.
Shipping and preparation took a bit more than a month. On November 27, Rolls-Royce of America shipped the car to their dealer, Hoffman Motors of Hartford, Connecticut; invoicing them for $23,255. Looking close, you'll see that the payment terms are "sight draft." This was a common method of paying for vehicles in the pre-Internet era. A sight draft looked like a check, but it was only cashable once the maker had notified the bank that certain conditions had been met.
In this case, the draft would have been cashable once the car and certificate of origin were delivered intact to Hoffman. The sight draft number is shown on the invoice, and it was probably deposited a few days after the invoice was written. Today, carmakers simply charge the bank accounts of their dealers through the Federal Reserve clearing system but that provision didn't exist in 1972.
The car had a suggested list price of $28,715, but Rolls-Royce did not believe in windows stickers. This was the retail price sheet for the car, which was kept in the vehicle's file at the dealership and possibly given to the buyer:
Hoffman's Rolls-Royce operation is long gone, though they remain in business at the same location in East Hartford with a Porsche-Audi dealership.
In any case, no window sticker was needed as the car was (like most others of its kind) presold. This vehicle was destined for Matthew Saczawa of Wethersfield, Connecticut. He received the vehicle in early 1973, and registered the car at his winter home in Boca Raton, Florida.
Looking at the timetable you can see that 8 months passed between acceptance of the order and delivery of the car to its new owner. Where most car companies changed model years in September, Rolls-Royce often continued their model years till the following spring!
That was a result of the long time it took them to build the cars. They accepted orders for the current model year right into summer, which meant the last of the 72s were not delivered till the spring of '73, under the best of circumstances.
Mr. Saczawa - the car's first owner - owned the Atlantic Machine Tool Works in Newington, Connecticut. He was 52 years old when he bought this car. He kept the car for 25 years, only selling it in 1997 because he was too infirm to drive. During that time, the car covered 36,000 miles. That seems like a low number but these cars are often driven sparingly, especially when they are bought by older people who tend to keep them as pets.
The second owner kept the car on Cape Cod for 12 years, at which time it was purchased by the present owner. Here's the car as it appears today, still remarkably clean and original:
Reading through this paper trail, I am reminded that we are not just owners of these vehicles; we are caretakers - keepers for whomever will follow us. Ordinary cars are driven for 15 years and scrapped. Nicer cars - Mercedes, BMW, or Jaguar - have longer lives but they are still finite. Rolls-Royce cars, in contrast, are seldom ever scrapped. More than 70% of all Rolls-Royce motorcars ever built are still roadworthy today. That's a remarkable thing, but you can see why looking at this example.
The Silver Shadow series was the most maintenance intensive Rolls ever made. At the same time, it is one of the least valuable in the used car market because it is the most common. The result is that many of these fine cars are neglected and abused, and quite a few will be broken up for parts.
I hope the surviving examples get better care as they become rarer, because they are really quite nice to drive. One day, we'll look back and wonder where all the Shadows went. When that happens, I've no doubt this one will be a survivor.
John Elder Robison
John is the owner of J E Robison Service, Rolls-Royce and Bentley service specialists in Springfield, Massachusetts. John is a technical consultant for the Rolls-Royce Owner's Club on Silver Shadow and other modern cars. He's been around Rolls-Royce motorcars since the vehicle in this story was new.
Jumat, 28 Desember 2012
Should you warm up your engine before you drive?
Should you warm up your car's engine?
Warmup is part of the ritual of driving any antique, and wise owners follow it faithfully. Few question the wisdom of bringing an old engine up to temperature before putting it under load. Yet many of those same people hop into modern cars and zoom out of the driveway without a moment’s preparation. Is that wise?
Most carmakers say warmup is unnecessary, but they are under pressure from government agencies to keep fuel economy up, and warmup burns gas. And they are in the business of selling parts . . . cars that don’t break don’t make them any money. So I don’t know if I’d follow their advice blindly, in this area and some others . . .
When I think about the problems people have with high-end cars, oil leaks and head gasket failures are high on the list for any brand. When we disassemble engines for oil leakage we often find gaskets cracked, which means they were not strong enough to hold against the applied fluid pressure.
It’s easy to assume they didn’t hold because they just weren’t good enough, but that’s not always the only explanation. In fact, when an engine is cold the metal parts have contracted so the fit between two pieces of engine is fractionally looser than five minutes after start, when everything is warm
As the engine parts heat and expand, the bolts tend to expand less, so they become more tightly clamped. Why? Because the engines in modern cars are aluminum or some other lightweight alloy, and the bolts are almost always steel. Steels expands less.
At the same time, when an engine is cold, the oil is thick. Thicker oil = higher oil pressure as the pump works harder to force it through the passages of the motor. An engine that has 15 pounds pressure at 800 rpm hot might have 50 pounds when cold, and pressure could soar to 100psi or more if the motor is raced.
Looser clearances between big engine parts + higher oil pressures in warm-up = much greater chance of blowout failures in the engine’s oil system.
At the same time, stepping on the gas with a cold motor means high combustion chamber pressures. Mix that with those loose clamping forces on the cold head gasket and you have a formula for head gasket blowout.
Manufacturers can say what they will . . . the logic and engineering sense of the points above will stand. They may have engineered in enough strength to protect against the failures I describe, but then again, maybe they didn’t. After all, if they did, we’d never see those failures in the shop!
The simple takeaway – five minutes of warm-up will keep your motor alive longer, with fewer leaks and less risk of failure. And when you do drive . . . go light on the throttle until everything is up to temperature!
Happy New Year
John Elder Robison
Senin, 24 Desember 2012
Merry Christmas~Happy New Year 2013
It's been an awesome year at Mastermind Enterprises! This year we celebrated opening a larger auto repair shop location in Denver to better serve our customers and building new and current customer relationships. All of us here at Mastermind Enterprises thank you for being a part of our 10 years of success and counting and the 96 testimonials and counting! We can't wait to service your vehicles in 2013.
Best wishes for an inspired and blessing filled new year!
*We will be closed from December 24-January 1. We will return on January 2.* You may leave a message at 303-297-2886 or email us.*
Jumat, 21 Desember 2012
Some Words for the Ones We Leave Behind
With all the talk of Christmas, and the holiday weekend, precious little is said about the machines we leave behind. What about the cars that languish in our service department, partially eviscerated, sick, or wounded? What about the ones that are cured, waiting for their owners to return? What about the others, the ones who slumber in storage, waiting for spring?
I thought we might take a moment to reflect on those machines in this time of commercial frenzy
Some say every car contains within it the seeds of its own destruction. That was certainly true in the case of this 2002 BMW, which went home yesterday, leaving these gnawed and eaten bits behind.
Then there's the Lexus, yearning for service, sitting hood agape.
In the next bay a Porsche hangs on the lift, bereft of engine and interior, as we search out and fix the devastation wrought by rampaging rodent invaders.
A Jaguar XKE hangs next to it, with the body stripped for paint repair and the engine removed for overhaul. It will be transformed for spring, but that's still some months away . . . .
In the Land Rover shop an engine sits dismantled as Paul assembles a chassis for one of out winter Defender restorations. This one will head for Nantucket, and a life on the beach.
A Rolls Royce convertible sits quietly, waiting for its seats to return from the upholstery shop. As the TV ads used to say, "A car without seats is like a day without sunshine," and I believe that is still true.
Over in the engine shop a Jaguar motor awaits repair. Meanwhile, it sits safe, among more of its kind, Jags and Rovers and a couple Rolls Royces.
A few cars sit outside excited, waiting for owners to drive them home:
This Rover's owner is headed here on the train, at this very moment. By the time you read this, they'll be headed for home.
This one's going west, to the Hudson River country of New York. The journey will be easier, with the new stereo we fitted.
There are many more the pictures don't show . . . The Willys waiting on its door latches, and the Three Black Bentleys. They come from different cities but they've become fast friends and can often be seen pushing lesser cars out of the way when the gas guy comes round.
There's the Lincoln, and the Cadillac, and the Triumph out front. There's the Harley, and the Jeep, and the ancient Ferrari. The six Rolls-Royce sedans and the Mercedes 600. The old 6.3 and the nice 3.5. All waiting.
While you are out celebrating, raise a glass to the cars left behind. Be considerate when you return, and remember machines may have feelings too.
Woof
I thought we might take a moment to reflect on those machines in this time of commercial frenzy
Some say every car contains within it the seeds of its own destruction. That was certainly true in the case of this 2002 BMW, which went home yesterday, leaving these gnawed and eaten bits behind.
Then there's the Lexus, yearning for service, sitting hood agape.
In the next bay a Porsche hangs on the lift, bereft of engine and interior, as we search out and fix the devastation wrought by rampaging rodent invaders.
A Jaguar XKE hangs next to it, with the body stripped for paint repair and the engine removed for overhaul. It will be transformed for spring, but that's still some months away . . . .
In the Land Rover shop an engine sits dismantled as Paul assembles a chassis for one of out winter Defender restorations. This one will head for Nantucket, and a life on the beach.
A Rolls Royce convertible sits quietly, waiting for its seats to return from the upholstery shop. As the TV ads used to say, "A car without seats is like a day without sunshine," and I believe that is still true.
Over in the engine shop a Jaguar motor awaits repair. Meanwhile, it sits safe, among more of its kind, Jags and Rovers and a couple Rolls Royces.
A few cars sit outside excited, waiting for owners to drive them home:
This Rover's owner is headed here on the train, at this very moment. By the time you read this, they'll be headed for home.
This one's going west, to the Hudson River country of New York. The journey will be easier, with the new stereo we fitted.
There are many more the pictures don't show . . . The Willys waiting on its door latches, and the Three Black Bentleys. They come from different cities but they've become fast friends and can often be seen pushing lesser cars out of the way when the gas guy comes round.
There's the Lincoln, and the Cadillac, and the Triumph out front. There's the Harley, and the Jeep, and the ancient Ferrari. The six Rolls-Royce sedans and the Mercedes 600. The old 6.3 and the nice 3.5. All waiting.
While you are out celebrating, raise a glass to the cars left behind. Be considerate when you return, and remember machines may have feelings too.
Woof
Kamis, 20 Desember 2012
To Maintain or Not to Maintain, that is the question . . .
 |
| Lexus service. © copyright JE Robison |
“All I’ve done is change the oil, and do whatever service my local garage told me about." That’s what the owner of a ten-year-old 150,000 mile Lexus told me yesterday. So what should I do now?
We looked at the receipts and she was right. A bunch of oil changes, a few sets of tires, a few sets of brakes, and a battery had taken her all that distance. It hadn’t been very expensive, especially compared to what the dealer wanted when they quoted the recommended services.
Now the car had an engine misfire. That had caused catalytic converter failure, and a check engine light. The owner knew the car wouldn’t pass inspection that way, and the corner garage didn’t do work like that. So . . . the car ended up at our shop.
What does a responsible shop owner do, when someone like that comes in? It’s like when the CPA has a new client walk in the door and say “I haven’t filed any tax returns since 2003, and now I’ve got this letter. What do you suggest?” What indeed.
I have seen some very high mileage Lexus cars in my day. We had one fellow put 420,000 miles on a 1999 LS400 without a single major failure. But he did his maintenance. This car was a bit different. It was fifty thousand miles past the timing belt change interval, and a hundred thousand past the transmission service date . . . . this car was living on borrowed time.
As I explained to the owner, it costs less than $1,600 to change a timing belt, water pump, and all the stuff in front of the engine. If the belt breaks the bill is going to be at least $5,000, maybe considerably more. It’s an all or nothing thing. Every day you drive without belt breakage, you win. The day it breaks, you lose big. No belt lasts forever.
She decided to change the belt.
We moved on to the other items on the service schedule. Spark plugs were next. Why? Because the car had an intermittent skip. Ignition failure is the most common cause of misfire faults. What happens is that the plugs get old. As they age, it takes more and more voltage to fire them. That extra voltage puts stress on the wires, connectors and coils, and eventually something fails. For that reason, whenever you have an ignition miss, step one is spark plug replacement.
You may still need other parts but you certainly need new plugs if the old ones have been in the car 150,000 miles.
She decided to change the plugs
Now we get to the “other” fluids – brake fluid, transmission fluid, rear axle lube, coolant and power steering fluid. Some people say, “I went this long without changing them, best leave it alone so I don’t stir things up and cause a problem.” While many people use that line as a rationalization for doing nothing, it ensures the eventual failure of the system. Lubricants, like belts and plugs, have a finite lifespan.
Brake fluid absorbs water, and it will rust your brake system from the inside. Coolant becomes acidic, and dissolves your radiator and engine from within. Transmission, steering, and axle lubes all pick up tiny metal particles. Left in the old oil, they will grind away at the bearings till something fails. At the same time, oil gradually loses its film strength, which is what keeps the gears from galling against each other under load.
She decided to change the fluids.
In the end, after going through the list line by line, we agreed to do all the deferred service on the car. It cost a hefty sum, to be sure, but it’s still less than she would have spent had she done it all on time, because some of the things we are doing would have been done several times already.
Which begs the question . . . .
Was the original maintenance schedule too conservative? If so, she saved quite a bit of money with little or no consequence. Or will she pay a higher price down the road, as the un-maintained parts and systems fail before their time?
I wish I knew. I’m sure some carmakers are conservative and others are not. I’m also sure some drivers are hard on their cars, while others are gentle.
In the past five years I have lost count of the engines I have changed in Mercedes, BMW and other cars because the owners failed to change their oil. I used to ask how they could be so dumb, but after the tenth or twentieth car came in the door I knew the answer. Cars don’t talk back. So when money is tight, the car gets neglected. Most live, but some die.
When I point that fact out, the owners get mad at me. Fine, I tell them. I’m not the one making loan payments on two tons of scrap iron because I failed to protect my investment. That’s the thing about being autistic. When people act dumb, and machinery suffers, I may take the side of the car and not the human. Vets feel the same about people who abuse cats and dogs.
The lesson to take away from all this: You can probably push the maintenance schedules a bit if you drive gently. But when you do, you take a big risk. Deferring a $1,000 service won’t be so smart, if it costs you a $7,500 engine. Carmakers make maintenance schedules for a reason.
Most of the time, when we suggest altering a factory schedule, it is to do something more often, not less. The carmaker, after all, wants a schedule that keeps the car alive long enough to give them happy owners and a good reputation, but not so long that the car never wears out. We, as repair people, expect to care for things and have them last almost forever.
So I guess you pick your philosophy, and with it, your repair shop.
Most of the time, when we suggest altering a factory schedule, it is to do something more often, not less. The carmaker, after all, wants a schedule that keeps the car alive long enough to give them happy owners and a good reputation, but not so long that the car never wears out. We, as repair people, expect to care for things and have them last almost forever.
So I guess you pick your philosophy, and with it, your repair shop.
Kamis, 13 Desember 2012
Honest Auto Repair in Denver
You have many choices for car repair in Denver. It can be very difficult to decide which one is the right choice for you and your vehicles. We provide the quality and honest auto repair in Denver for your vehicles that you have been looking for! As a local family owned and operated business since 2002, we have a commitment to our Denver community that you just won't find at larger chain auto repair shops. We prove our commitment to you and our community by keeping our customers’ cars in the best condition possible and delivering honest, friendly customer service with attention to detail, too.
When you bring your vehicle to Mastermind Enterprises with your car concerns, you will always get a fair and accurate free estimate of the repair that you need with your diagnosis. We deliver the high standard of auto service that you expect and deserve! We get your car fixed, get you back on the road quickly, and stick to our estimate, too!
Mastermind Enterprises understands that keeping your car running its best is essential to your busy life everyday. We are here to help ensure you can depend on your vehicle to get you where you need to go when you need it. If you need service for your vehicles, we offer everything from factory scheduled maintenance service to major engine repair. We are here for you and your vehicles.
Contact us today!
When you bring your vehicle to Mastermind Enterprises with your car concerns, you will always get a fair and accurate free estimate of the repair that you need with your diagnosis. We deliver the high standard of auto service that you expect and deserve! We get your car fixed, get you back on the road quickly, and stick to our estimate, too!
Mastermind Enterprises understands that keeping your car running its best is essential to your busy life everyday. We are here to help ensure you can depend on your vehicle to get you where you need to go when you need it. If you need service for your vehicles, we offer everything from factory scheduled maintenance service to major engine repair. We are here for you and your vehicles.
Visit our website to schedule an appointment or more information on
Contact us today!
Mastermind Enterprises
2091 E 74th Ave Unit C
Denver, CO 80229
(303) 297-2886
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