ThosL

The problem with making a claim with the driver's insurance company would be getting proof; I did not call the cops. The Range Rover driver did not call the cops. He took pics with his smart phone of our driver's licenses, so if I called him how would he react? He didn't make a claim. I can probably get this fixed within reasonable condition myself. Personally I don't have much sympathy with the babysitter that rear ended me because she said the kids in her car were misbehaving.

So how does the "make money from the near accident scam"? Their insurance adjuster comes out does an estimate (bumper is totaled). You take the check and do the job yourself? Is that how it works, haven't done this myself?

I took some pictures of the car damage which is minimal. I went by a body shop that said that from their perspective it would have to be replaced because it is cracked. I'm still not sure whether it makes any sense to pursue this. http://imgur.com/hl21YPK http://imgur.com/hQPKOgn http://imgur.com/dxTVmtn

Monday evening I was exiting a parkway and got rear ended by a baby sitter in an SUV pushing me into a Range Rover. No damage to the Range Rover's bumper, my rear bumper inspected today looks a little crinkled but not bad. We did not call the cops only got one another's contact information as I did not see the reason to file a claim, etc.. Was this too careless? The rear impact was enough to push me forward but I had my foot on the brake and probably instinctively increased the pressure when hit. The driver in front of me that I hit took copies of my driver's license and the other driver. I had the Uhaul hitch with the hitch ball installed when this happened. The next day I checked for damage and found the side panel had been pushed out a little. Not enough of a rear impact to hurt me or the other driver.

The way that auto parts places and certain service joints throw fear into car owners that somehow their fuel systems is clogged is pretty contemptible. It reminds me of how doctors and nutritional promoters are always trying to sell product and unnecessary procedures, because "sickness" is a lot more profitable than wellness and prevention. But I have used Chevron's Techtron product and Lucas, never noticed any improvement though. Overuse can damage the car.

This looks like one of the better options, and I have had bottles of essential oil in the car, probably any of the strong oils would be effective. Bad ideas for dealing with mouse invasions: the CO "solution" where critters die and rot inside the car and similar options like DCon. You want the buggers caught and preferably dead. Cats and other predators just are too complicated and not going to happen. I have no idea how the super glue peanut butter to the trap would work since pb is a semi-liquid product.

I bought a nice used Subaru with a 2.2 from South End auto in Lyndonville, VT for around $2K, it was a trade in at the local dealership I think. The car always ran well and was low maintenance. South End had great deals on use Subies for under $2500 with guarantees and cheap maintenance; CV joints they would put in for $75 including the part! Check around for the best deals. New cars like sporting equipment loses much of its value once the guarantee period is over. What is it in a new car that grabs you, the new car smell? The status benefit? The latest technology? The slick sales routine? To me the purpose of cars is reliable transportation and that's it.

I went in to the shop today to try to get the bill reduced. I was clear with the manager that the way they get customers in with "specials" and then try to sell them on profitable jobs is a con. The manager took some offense at the remark, he did not admit any fault saying there was nothing he did wrong, that the radiator flush needed to be done because the fluid was old. I doubt that it would have affected performance. And on the $100 charge for the hose, I seriously questioned that as well, and he said she had OK'd it. So I asked for the corporate number so I could appeal the issue to them, and he gave me the number of the district manager in NY who I called. He said that if I found a lower price for any of the work that was done they would match it. That looks like a losing proposition as how are you going to find other garages that do the same work and go through that whole process and then come back to them asking them for a reduction? I know that when I was doing contracting I would do everything possible not to have unhappy customers. I will be doing a report with the state consumers affairs department connected to the state attorney general. They have gotten results for me in the past.

It looks like this establishment does not have many positive reviews: Horrible customer experience. They employ employees that can't understand English. Asked a employee to fix a flat for free as it states on the coupon, he later wanted 20 dollars for a 10 min work and I could of just taken it to curries tires for 10 dollars. among with alot of other crazy experiences I done had with them, Avoid like the Black plague if your looking for a customer friendly zone. Thomas Hydle a year ago Unfathomable how terrible their customer service is. I called and scheduled an appointment for an oil change. Upon asking for a price, I got the most long-winded and uncertain answer I’ve ever heard. THEY ADVERTISE $21.99 OIL CHANGES! How hard is it to say, “$21.99 for conventional motor oil”? I take the car in, on time, and wait….and wait….and wait. I waited an hour and my vehicle STILL wasn’t in the garage. No dialogue, no explanation, nothing! What the hell is the point of scheduling an appointment?! The customer service desk attendant would also disappear for 10 minutes at a time. To make matters worse, the attendant put another woman’s car in the garage before mine because she told them her brakes might need to be replaced. I arrived at least 15 minutes before she did! The attendant simply put the more profitable car in first. This place is the worst establishment on earth. Stay away. A Google User 2 years ago I went in for an oil change on my recently bought Toyota Avalon. After a few days, the engine was not working well. I took it to the Toyota dealer. After working on my car for many they found a small plastic part inside the oil filter that is usually used to replace the filter and should never be left inside it. I spoke with the local manager and then with the person responsible for CT. The local manager got upset at me for having taken my car to the Toyota leader and tot back to them. The CT supervisor was nice but less than helpful. After many phone calls and hours of work missed their insurance only covered what I had to pay to the Toyota dealer. I am so unhappy about the way the process was handled. Needless to say, I will never go there again. A Google User 5 years ago I blew out a tire and needed a replacement. The guy insisted that I needed a complete set and that I needed the top-of-line tires for my old clunker that will not live the life of the tires he tried to sell me. I tried to argue this and ask for a cheaper tire only to have him tell me that tires in this size are hard to find at most places. Without asking, he printed out an invoice, complete with extras (warranty, alignment) that he assumed I'd want without even asking. I went down the street a 1/4 mile where they had the correct size in multiple grades. I got what I wanted and saved considerably, without the pushy guy behind the counter. In addition, I was able to get an alignment for a cheaper price down the road. A Google User 3 years ago Went in for a simple oil change. Aside from waiting over an hour to complete this task, they were pushy and wanted to replace numerous parts that didn't require work. Wanted to replace the belts for $350, didn't need it. Wanted $75 to replace an air filter! I bought one at Walmart for $18 and slid it in myself. Lastly, and the worst of all is that after I left my engine started leaking oil. I was told by another mechanic that whomever last changed the oil stripped the drain plug. Needed to retap and replace drain plug and seal. Needless to say I won't be going back to Monro in Norwalk. A Google User 3 years ago Fantastic. Walter is great. I was nervous due to previous reviews, but they got me in quickly, did a good job, and stood by their work. Will definitely come back. A Google User 6 years ago I had one regular oil change service here. I also had the transmission oil changed as the request of the store owner. Right after the service, there are strange sound in my car's rear right tire. I have it rechecked at the store, the owner said my brake was broken and asked me to replace the system, another $300. I refused and later found it had no problem. Three months later, when I have oil change service at another store, I was shown the transmission oil was pitch black, which I paid $100 at this Monro store. A Google User 2 years ago Been going here for years. The guys are great especially for the routine maintenance. Glad I found them! A Google User 2 years ago Very friendly staff... my first time coming and I wont ever go anywhere else. https://www.google.com/search?q=MONRO+NORWALK+CT&rlz=1C1ASUT_enUS541US541&oq=monro+&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j69i60l3j69i59j0.12973j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x89e81c404f9a15cd:0xf92a330e4e57cfe7,1

Actually she spends too much on her Subaru considering its actual needs, how little she drives it, the fact it is a 1990s 2.2 motor. The problem is that she did not really hear me when I told her she could get a cheap oil change at Splash or Monro, to stick to the $25 or less deal, not get the "high mileage" car package which runs twice as much. I will take it up with Monro later, will try to get a reduction in the $275 bill. No, she would never learn and I could give you a half dozen reasons why.

I used to do it, but not in the housing complex she lives at; against the rules. More power to you if you own your own property and are in temperate parts of the country.

As long as they can intimidate unknowledgeable and unsavvy people with what might happen if x, y, and z happen simultaneously and use complicated terms like "master cylinder", they will be able to sell people a bill of goods they can't afford. I have never had an insurance salesmen try to offer meteor or terrorism insurance, hey you never know....

$20 for filter and oil is worth having a shop doing, vs. getting the filter and oil, getting dirty with oil and needing to dispose of it. Not worth it when change places usually do it cheap. Her charges: Oil: $15 Filter: $15 Lower radiator hose: $92 Coolant flush/fill: $101 Valv. Cooling system: $23 Shop supply fee: $25 Total: $278

My sister thought she needed an oil change today; I carefully explain to her that because she does not usually drive more than 20 miles on any given day, that the three month recommendation is overly conservative on her Subaru. She was determined to get it done. She has been used to spending around $50 each time, which is highway robbery for someone on a fixed income. So I said she could go to "Splash" a car wash/oil change place in Norwalk. Last time they charged me around $21, tax included; or Monro, which has a little better treatment, I told her to just have the minimum done. What I wasn't thinking was how Monro gets people in the door with the oil change special of around $25, then sells them on everything else that they say needs to be done. They would give me staggering estimates on potential repairs at another shop which I always rejected. So they got her for a "loose pipe" and a radiator flush! I am really angry that they pushed this on her. How do you help ignorant family members not get ripped off by outfits like "Monro"?

You don't want animals to die in cars where you can't find them. I don't know if it is still in there. I drive the vehicle every day, and sometimes hear what could be scurrying critters or fluid transfer in/around the engine, etc.. Thanks for the suggestions. Probably the best idea is mousetraps with PB. I would get into my car in the morning and see fresh gnaw from the seat foam rubber strewn around. I probably should replace the driver's seat.

I apparently have a mouse that has been in my Subaru, not sure if it is still active in there. Advice? I have tried mouse traps without catching anything. It gnawed away on the foam driver's side seat, a 4X6 inch section of the seat. Where would these buggers hide?

The last time I got plugs the parts store pushed the plat/iridiums on me, pre-gapped though I eyeballed them just to make sure before putting them in. My mpg is lower than usual, low 20s, not sure what that would be.

The brick and mortar shops realize how competitive the business is with the online sellers so have come down on their prices. Last time I paid around $80 per tire installed for three, and kept one of the tires on that was not that badly worn. Later I found a virtually new tire relatively cheaply. I would also explore the used tire option; some times you can get a nearly new set mounted and balanced for a lot less. With the price of petro coming down, eventually that will translate into cheaper tires, motor oil, etc..

What's the best price for a shop to do struts? Quotes I have heard are quite high.

It depends how bad the head gaskets are, I have had at least short term success with "Blue Devil" and "Fiber Lock" (a three-pronged approach) which run around $70 and $35 each with guarantees--keep all receipts and original packaging if it doesn't work as they can be hard to get money back on otherwise though I have been able to do that. Other thoughts on keeping the engine cool; there are super cooling fluids to add, a secondary radiator maybe, an extra fan. I have even put the heater on full to suck heat out of the engine. If it turns out to be you need to get the head gaskets replaced, parts alone could be $400 according to a worker at NAPA I was talking to today who had her husband a mechanic do the job including pump and timing belt. I would look at all options, check out the videos on you tube with all the critical comments!! You don't want to clog up your cooling system.

If it's not broken why fix/replace? Several weeks ago when I had my water pump replaced we checked the timing belt that had no cracks or signs of abnormal wear and did not replace it. And it had not been changed in at least 100K miles!

Good to hear you got it back considering statistically your odds were not good; more likely for it to have ended up half way across the country or up in Canada or chop shop, but the high value cars are more popular targets for that. Cops are advising owners lock their cars with thefts becoming more of a problem, Subarus are harder to break into than some cars.

I have had estimates on doing my head gaskets of $1000 minimum, so I would exhaust all other reasonable options before going down that route; but sounds like it is on its last legs anyway. Maybe use it only when necessary while looking for a replacement according to what you can afford.

I know this product as all head gasket "repair" products will be rejected by the Subaru mechanics and specialists, however I tried it several weeks ago with success. K & W Fiberlock was at Auto Zone with similar products like Blue Devil, which I tried a couple years ago. I called the company before buying it, since it said they offered a double money back guarantee, and a nice lady said they are a big company that honors their word. Since putting it in I have driven a couple thousand miles or so with no overheating or bubbles. My head gasket problem was probably pretty minor though. I spoke with Montesi auto in Waterbury and he said that Blue Devil did not work when he followed all the steps, probably most people give up when making the company honor their guarantee, I got my money back with Blue Devil after contacting the state AG on this consumer issue. Has anyone tried this product? What are the risks to the radiator, or other cooling system parts? As with many of these products, youtube has a number of comments:

I had a 2.2 transplant into my 99 Outback and have not had any engine problems since, except for the water pump.