OK, you mechanics

[greengeezer]

I’m a pretty good handyman, but I stopped doing vehicle mechanics when air filters were no longer located on top of the carburetor. I let the dealership take care of that stuff.

Yesterday, I went in to get new front brake pads. When they finished, the bill was $50 more than quoted. I looked at the printout, and saw a charge for a “shim kit.” What in the world is that? I keep wooden shims out in the shop building, but they only cost about $2.

 

[riflearm2]

I’m a pretty good handyman, but I stopped doing vehicle mechanics when air filters were no longer located on top of the carburetor. I let the dealership take care of that stuff.

Yesterday, I went in to get new front brake pads. When they finished, the bill was $50 more than quoted. I looked at the printout, and saw a charge for a “shim kit.” What in the world is that? I keep wooden shims out in the shop building, but they only cost about $2.

I think it’s a typo. It’s not supposed to be a “shim kit,” but rather, it’s supposed to be the WV state tax, which they refer to as “shit kit.”

 

[greengeezer]

I think it’s a typo. It’s not supposed to be a “shim kit,” but rather, it’s supposed to be the WV state tax, which they refer to as “shit kit.”

Yeah, you’re probably right, but at least the vehicle stops quicker and I got to try out the new tuna salad sandwich at Panera Bread while they did the service.

 

[herdfan06]

Just take your car to Jiffy Lube, they do an excellent job installing filters.

 

[mlblack16.]

I’m a pretty good handyman, but I stopped doing vehicle mechanics when air filters were no longer located on top of the carburetor. I let the dealership take care of that stuff.

Yesterday, I went in to get new front brake pads. When they finished, the bill was $50 more than quoted. I looked at the printout, and saw a charge for a “shim kit.” What in the world is that? I keep wooden shims out in the shop building, but they only cost about $2.

Shims are thin metal plates that help reduce or eliminate the noise from your calipers rubbing against the backside of the brake pads. But they should have included that originally as it's not a good idea using the old shims and most sets of pads that are higher quality will come with replacement shims.

Stealerships are good for pulling shit like that.

 

[greengeezer]

Just take your car to Jiffy Lube, they do an excellent job installing filters.

The last regular service I had at the dealership, the service manager brought out a small filter (about the size of a paperback book) to show me. Said it needed replaced.

I told him I just had the air filter replaced, but he informed me this was the filter for the cabin air system. Didn’t know there was such a thing.

 

[MichiganHerd]

It's shams, not shims. Watch YouTube videos about all these various shams these places try to pull on the mind controlled population these days.

 

[herdfan06]

It's shams, not shims. Watch YouTube videos about all these various shams these places try to pull on the mind controlled population these days.

The dealerships also like to imply that you need to go with the manufacture's certified parts in order to remain in compliance with the warranty.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

Wasn't "the shim" the name of the homeless transvestite that walked around Charleston all the time? Not to be confused with Aqualung though.

I believe memorialized in the American Minor song "movin' on up" on their 2004 Buffalo Creek EP.

"A homeless cross dresser's out on the lawn at St. John's
Sleeps with a shopping cart full of trash he tries to pawn."

 

[Rock98Dog]

I still change my own brake pads. Every set of pads I have bought has the shims in the kit. I can almost guarantee that they were included in a factory OEM brake pad box, because that is always what I buy.

This made me curious so I looked on Amazon. Harder to find a set of pads that don’t include shims than one that does.

They ripped you off, if you have to buy shims they’re a couple of bucks.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Brake kit should have shims included. $50 is also waaaay beyond bullshit, it's like a couple bucks worth of stuff.

The last regular service I had at the dealership, the service manager brought out a small filter (about the size of a paperback book) to show me. Said it needed replaced.

I told him I just had the air filter replaced, but he informed me this was the filter for the cabin air system. Didn’t know there was such a thing.

Cabin air filter is definitely a thing. Replacing it helps your HVAC be more efficient, and a dirty one can make your interior stinky.

I replace mine every 30k miles. Do it more often if you live in the desert or drive on a lot of gravel or dirt roads.

 

[mlblack16.]

Brake kit should have shims included. $50 is also waaaay beyond bullshit, it's like a couple bucks worth of stuff.


Cabin air filter is definitely a thing. Replacing it helps your HVAC be more efficient, and a dirty one can make your interior stinky.

I replace mine every 30k miles. Do it more often if you live in the desert or drive on a lot of gravel or dirt roads.

And honestly you'll save 50% in cost do it yourself, possibly more if you go on the cheap with air and cabin filters (which obviously isn't recommended).

The Lexus dealer wanted something crazy while back to replace mine. I went to O'Reilly's and bought Wix brand - which I think is way better quality than OEM and replaced both in literally 5 minutes.

Oh, and when they want to change my spark plugs, they can go **** themselves for $500 they're trying to charge. The plugs are very easy to access and you can change them out in less than 10 minutes with standard ratchet + spark plugs socket. I will use a torque wrench just to be all extra but even that isn't probably necessary.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

And honestly you'll save 50% in cost do it yourself, possibly more if you go on the cheap with air and cabin filters (which obviously isn't recommended).

The Lexus dealer wanted something crazy while back to replace mine. I went to O'Reilly's and bought Wix brand - which I think is way better quality than OEM and replaced both in literally 5 minutes.

Oh, and when they want to change my spark plugs, they can go **** themselves for $500 they're trying to charge. The plugs are very easy to access and you can change them out in less than 10 minutes with standard ratchet + spark plugs socket. I will use a torque wrench just to be all extra but even that isn't probably necessary.

I get replacement filters at Walmart if Auto Zone. All of them. Air, oil, cabin, you name it. Although I really don't do my own oil anymore, I'm too old to crawl under a car and it's cheap to pay a shop to do it. But if I had my own lift, sure I would still do it. I've told my wife if we ever win the lottery I'll build a garage with a couple lifts and spend my time tinkering with old cars.