February 17, 2004
Suddenly Canadian
Posted by nerdling | February 17, 2004 02:55 PM
For anyone out there who is, or might be, in need of a mechanic, I have the name of a good one. No, really—the guy is so honest that I'm sorry there wasn't something wrong with my car. At least then he would have made something off this month's Mustang repair saga.
I took my car in last week to have the oil changed. While there, the mechanic pointed out the oil running down the engine and informed me that I had a leak in my main seal (the big one at the front of the engine). Not being one who is terribly adept with the inner workings of an automobile—shocking, especially considering my masterful command of automotive vocabulary—but being very suspicious of mechanics in general, I went to see an old family acquaintence who recommended a garage where I could have my engine checked.
Upon calling the garage—Richie's Auto Service, in Saugus—and explaining the circumstances, the mechanic informed me that a leak in the main seal would be a rare problem for my car. Rather, it was likely I had leaking seals on the gaskets and oil was running from those seals down to the main seal, making it appear that I had a leak there. This all sounded logical (and much cheaper than an issue with the main seal) so I took the car in this morning to have it checked out.
As it turns out there is no leak, in the main seal or otherwise. Instead it appears that whoever changed my oil spilled some and it ran down the engine to pool below the main seal, and those crafty mechanics were trying to wrangle the $300 fee for dismantling the front half of my engine to repair said main seal.
Too bad for them, though, there are honest mechanics out there who aren't going to scam everyone who walks in for repairs they don't need. Not that I'm looking forward to car repairs—an imminent threat at all times when you own a Ford—but now I feel better about having to go to the mechanic.
