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+--- Thread: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) (/showthread.php?tid=23504)
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - HiloJulie - 12-24-2024
(12-24-2024, 02:19 PM)leilanidude Wrote: 4-wheel discs and has the anti-lock system
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95% of all vehicles since 2000 have disc brakes front and rear. They are easier in most cases to work on than the old, drum style.
Having anti-lock brakes has nothing to do with replacing pads/rotors/sensors.
Not that much more with respect to the costs associated with labor, but for parts, can be significantly higher.
And my 2001 Ford Escape has disc/drum brakes. Ford phased out drum brakes on the Escape model in 2012. My husband’s 2012 F150 has 4-wheel discs.
(12-24-2024, 02:19 PM)leilanidude Wrote: (and brake fluid flush) about 10 - 12 years ago
Being on a volcanic island, not flushing brake fluid every couple years can lead to a disaster.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic - meaning that it absorbs water and what that means is that as the brake fluid gets contaminated over time, your brake lines begin to rust from the inside out. Being on a steep downhill and finding out that your brake line suddenly bursts from corrosion, is not a great thing to have happen.
The National Park Service replaces pads/rotors/sensors every single year on all their vehicles along with annual brake fluid flushes. This may sound extreme but the volcanic gasses literally eat the rotors just from being exposed to the gasses.
Everything you said about what happens with brake fluid over time, especially here on this island is 100% true.
I would also assume the vehicles going up and down Mauna Kea owned by the observatories would do similar maintenance.
Having said that, I would venture to bet some pretty big money that 95% of ANY privately owned vehicle here on this island has brake fluid in it as old as the car itself.
(12-24-2024, 02:19 PM)leilanidude Wrote: 2013 Kia Soul
Folks that you texted about doing the work aren't licensed and don't want to buy parts, mark it up to account for their time and show the money outflow/inflow as they aren't going to pay taxes on that profit. They also don't want to deal with incorrect parts, warranty any parts, etc. If they just charge labor, any parts issue is back on you.
Any semi-competent person can do front pads/rotors on that vehicle in under an hour provided there isn't much rust on the caliper or rotor bolts. Since we are on a volcanic island with vog and salt water present, I would also order new caliper and rotor bolts. An extra $20 now can save a lot of issues the next time around.
If I wasn't at the Florida house right now I would offer to do them for you. I have a full shop including air tools, outfitted in the back garage. I like to do most of my own mechanic work.
So, you are licensed? Offer warranty? Buy the parts and sell them back at cost? Pay taxes on the profit you make doing brake jobs in your back yard?
Enjoy the Florida house! And have a Merry Christmas!
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - Durian Fiend - 12-24-2024
An alternative to replacing caliper and rotor bolts that involves less cost and hassle, apply anti seize on the threads when reinstalling the old bolts.
You could also avoid some brake fluid flushes by getting a brake fluid tester pen to check how much water is present in the fluid.
Ferret: Sounds like you need new rotors, calipers and pads in the rear. Your fronts are likely OK. Good luck!
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - HiloJulie - 12-24-2024
FOREWARNING:
Long winded “wordsmithed” posting!
While discussing car repair on 10, 15, 20 plus year old cars today, what will car repair be like in 20 plus years from now on cars that are new today be like?
My brother-in-law was a district manager for Ford Motor Company in the Southwest (California, Arizona and Nevada) who just recently retired. As such, he was allowed significant discounts on the purchase of new Fords which was able to be passed onto immediate family. All the cars we have owned we bought thru him - and then when we moved here in the late 1980's, had them shipped here.
In addition to the 2001 Escape and 2012 F150, 4 years ago we bought a 2020 Ford Fusion Energi - which is a plug-in hybrid car.
With the incentives, tax breaks and the brother in law’s employee discount, it was a significant savings including shipping the car from the Long Beach port to Hilo after driving it there from Sun City, AZ (where we took delivery of it) plus flying back and forth.
In order to get the discount my brother in laws job allowed, we had to take delivery of any new vehicle on the mainland.
That car came standard with virtually every option you can get - including allowing us to order it with a “cream” (white) leather interior - instead of the normal black on black with black trim as found on most new cars today.
Unfortunately, most of the high tech features don’t work here in Hawaii due to no satellite coverage - i.e. Fords Navigation/weather/information system, the SiriusXM radio etc. - but the car is a joy to drive - and I can go to Hilo and hit up all the big box stores and go back home - all with the air conditioning on - and never burn a drop of gas. Since I am on solar, it costs nothing to charge it at home.
I can drive it to Kona and back and average around 50 to 60 MPG. Even better, if while in Kona, I plug it in somewhere.
Now, about 5 months ago, we get a letter from Ford about a recall that requires the replacement of some type of high voltage cable.
So, I call Orchid Isle to schedule the recall repair and am told it will take about 30 days to get it done, but no worries, they will provide a free car for use during this time. And the service writer bent over backwards in telling me there is absolutely no charge for this repair! And they gave me a brand new 2024 Ford Escape to use too!
What they did not tell me was that the repair required the car to be shipped to – get this – to a Ford dealer in Long Beach, California!
When I get the call to come get the car, it still had the Matson shipping stickers on it!
Amazingly, the car only had 61 miles driven from the time of drop off to pick up – 37 days later!
And there is no change in the vehicles performance since I got it back.
So, imagine in 20 plus years from now what car repair will be like on the new cars of today!
Merry Christmas!
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - leilanidude - 12-24-2024
So, you are licensed? Offer warranty? Buy the parts and sell them back at cost? Pay taxes on the profit you make doing brake jobs in your back yard?
Enjoy the Florida house! And have a Merry Christmas!
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Not at all - I just work on my own stuff mainly because I know how and find it somewhat enjoyable. I'll do work for friends just to help them.
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - punikahakaiferret - 12-24-2024
Mahalo for everyone's input! A great *gift* of ideas and info for me...I will let y'all know the outcome.
:-D
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - Obie - 12-24-2024
Serious recall, this is an option Ford offered. In addition to wiring they replaced the battery.
Ford is also offering an alternative remedy option for vehicles affected by this recall. Ford is offering customers a statutory refund of the vehicle’s purchase price, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. The “refund amount” is based on fair market value of the vehicle, plus a 15% premium. “Fair market value” is based on the original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), less depreciation as determined using regional market data, and does not include the cost of any modifications made to the vehicle after the first retail sale. This alternative remedy will be offered until July 1, 2025, when sufficient quantities of high voltage batteries are expected to be available for final remedy repairs.
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - terracore - 12-24-2024
Offering just a quote for the labor was just them trying to save time to weed out people who would get sticker shock from it. There is a database that lists how long every job "should" take. So the information already exists. Looking up the cost of the parts necessary is a PITA because there are different grades and types and sometimes they don't know what needs to be replaced until they get their hands dirty. Or they say an alternator is $600 but when they want to buy it, now it's out of stock and the only one available is $800. Do you want to wait for the cheaper one to come in stock or pay $200 more now and leave them a bad Yelp review? You get the picture.
Most shops don't want you to bring your own parts, and you don't want to. The shop might charge more for them, but if it fails, they will replace it for free if it's within their warranty period, and the parts place reimburses them for their labor to do that. If you bring your own part and it fails, you're SOL. Often times the "discount" bringing our own parts isn't that much anyway.
I took our truck to Mikes and they replaced the front pads and whatever that requires (I don't remember). A few weeks later one of the calipers seized and rather than take it back I had a mobile mechanic look at it. He said the caliper needed to be replaced, and it was also his assessment that Mikes didn't do anything wrong, if it worked and looked okay when the truck was there that was the industry standard to leave it alone. I had him replace both. When I was buying the calipers at the auto parts place, the guy behind the counter told me that he had the same truck and it was a common problem, and he had the same issue the week before.
I haven't done any DIY brake work since my dad showed me how to do it in the 1980s. Even if I had the tools to do it right, having brakes fail is too much risk on the risk/reward scale for me. Getting stranded on the side of the road is one thing, but having a vehicle that won't stop is another.
RE: Proper Puna problem (auto-related) - HiloJulie - 12-24-2024
@Obie
The recall I mentioned above was a different recall than the one you mentioned:
23S33: Fusion (2019-2020) Battery and Power Loss Recall
Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on opinion, my Fusion WAS NOT involved in that recall!
In all honesty, I absolutely love the car. In every respect. Including when I come home on battery, my dog Barney can't hear it, and it scares the living daylights out of him! In the 4 years we have owned it we have put on 8,000 miles. Outside of the recall I mentioned above, I have not had one single issue with the car.
Having said that, I don't know what my thoughts about the car would be if I lived say in the Midwest with summer and winter and was driving it 30,000 plus miles a year.
@terracore
I was also raised by a father who taught me how to change the oil, flush the radiator, change tires and other miscellaneous under the hood things, but when it came to the brakes, he said to me (well Moderator 2 would just delete what he said!) and take it to the guys who know what to do!