Re: [DML] Sad DeLorean in need of good Mechanic(L.I. NY)

[Soma576@xxxx]

In a message dated 11/29/01 3:53:41 PM Central Standard Time, 
dmc_delorean_2000@xxxx writes:


> I got this car as a present from my father 
> when i turned 16 im now 18, and i think mechanics see im young and 
> they kill my car on purpose so i come back to them.
> someone help, i dont want to destroy this car anymore, if anyone 
> knows of reputable mecahnics in the suffolk county area (besides PJ 
> GRADY) please let me know. my car needs help. im going to aamco today 
> to yell at them and find out the story.
> 
> Thanks 
> 
> Happy Holidays
> 


A DeLorean when you were 16? i don't know if i should think that's cool or 
feel sorry for you!

i'm only 19 but at least the repair shops treat me like an adult. the trick 
is you have to KNOW what you are talking about. you must be familiar with 
the repair and the car in general. you have to PROVE to your mainsteam 
tranny shops that YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF THIS CAR! you have to TELL THEM what 
you want done to it. if you don't know what is wrong, learn everything you 
can about the system, and try to make some guesses. if you can have a decent 
conversation with a mechanic about the possibilities, chances are they will 
not screw you. here are some examples i would like to relate to you since we 
are both nearly the same age:

1. this spring my DeLorean would not start. i kept the car at my house and 
worked on diagnosing the fuel problem/starting condition with my shop manual 
and some phone calls to Grady and DMCJoe. i learned everything i could about 
it. i then walked into a local porsche/BMW dealer and told the service guy 
that i would like to chat with their K-Jetronic guru about my DeLorean. i 
told the guru what kind of car i had and the problem with it as well as all 
the data i had collected as far as pressure readings, etc. he then tried to 
steer me into a different direction, but then i countered him by reminding 
him at what pressure the injectors open at as well as some technical info on 
the warm-up regulator. this impressed him and he stopped talking to me like 
i was a kid as soon as he could see i knew what i was talking about and that 
i just didn't have the tools or experience to fix the problem. i had my car 
towed in and he fixed it for me by the end of the week. i also kept checking 
in every day to see how it was going, and i would offer up any help i had. it 
would have taken my local Amoco WEEKS to fix it!

2. my tranny got all fxcked up when i suffered from the plastic clutchline 
syndome and it bent one of my roll pins in the transmission. i took it to a 
tranny shop where the owner agreed to look at the car but made no promises on 
being able to fix it. again i had learned everything i could and showed him 
what was up, and i told him that i believe a roll pin in the 2nd gear was 
damaged. he kept insisting that i had a broken gear. well he got the tranny 
dropped and opened it up... well what do you know? i was right and he was 
wrong. i had the tranny and dropped, opened, cleaned, repaired, and 
reinstalled for $600 labor (about the same price that DMCJoe charges, so i 
know i didn't get ripped off). they didn't try to pull any crap on me either 
because i always came in with my shirt and tie from my job so for one, i 
looked good and not like a slobby college kid, and for two they knew i was 
worth treating like an equal adult. also, my knowledge of the car's clutch 
system and transmission helped THEM fix the problem, and they were thankful 
for that. 

in the end, it all comes down to the impression YOU give THEM. you have to 
walk in there and look good, you have to have your shop manual in your hand, 
and you have to explain to them what YOU think the problem is. NEVER go into 
a shop saying, 'my car won't start, and i have no clue why not'. they could 
say it was your discombobulator belt seized up against your muffler bearings 
(which is hard to find so it costs $$$1.238x10^4 + tax) and if you're stupid, 
you won't get the hint that they know you are stupid! also check in 
regularly. that makes them see that you really are on top of this thing. 

the trick is you have to convince them that you have a good idea of what is 
wrong, but you don't have the tools at home to prove it. since everyone i 
talk to about my car knows that i wasn't born yesterday, i always seem to 
have high quality work done (or maybe i haven't met any bad apples yet). i 
would also advise you to try to do some of your own work on the car to get to 
know it better. i realize that tranny work is pretty scary, even i don't 
touch it. but surely someone in there, there was some work you could have 
done yourself.

as for Grady, you should see my previous post. i really don't think he would 
have screwed you. if all you wanted was bearings and have him inspect your 
waterpump on the car, then why did you let them do $7K in work on it? that 
sounds like YOU weren't on top of things. he probably recommened some work 
done on your car, like any good mechanic would, but ultimately you have the 
final say in what anyone does to your property. Grady is nothing but a man 
of respect.

as for AAMCO saying they think it is your injectors - that's like asking a 
Jiffy Lube employee to torque your torsion bar. (no offense to JL guys 
because i work there off and on!!!). you better tell them to get it fixed 
and they better not charge you for it if the car was running perfectly when 
it came in. if you don't have the balls to tell someone this, you better 
have your dad go in there and tell them what's up.

i guarantee to a 99.9% degree of accuracy that it is NOT your injectors. 
especially if they have been messing around in there, such as dropping a 
transmission. i don't know what to tell you about this one, but you might 
want to find a kind owner in your area who is good with working on the car to 
take a look at your engine and do some diagnosis. you really need to read up 
on DeLorean maintenence. sounds to me like you are having transmission 
computer governor failure. this is very common with auto trannys (i assume 
you have an auto but you didn't specifically say). it is possible to repair 
these, but i would not have a local shop do it because they will not have any 
idea what to do, and they will probably charge you many hours of labor until 
they figure it out (if ever). if you don't like Grady call up DMCJoe at 
770-631-4800 and he will give you the scoop on your tranny. i have a manual 
so i am not too familiar with what is involved to fix the governor.

man - if you have paid $12K for stuff that mechanics have solely done to your 
car, you either need a good lawyer, or you need to find new mechanics 
(perferably both). if you cannot afford the repairs, i would recommend 
putting a cover on the car and storing it (PROPERLY!) until you can. i would 
hate to have to sell a car that i have put $12K in for less than $15K (which 
is what your car is worth if it is as f'd up as it sounds like). you may be 
better off letting the car sit while you read up.

hope this has opened some doors for you. email me if you would like!

Andy

Soma576@xxxx
1982 DeLorean DMC-12 VIN#11596
Fargo, ND 58102


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