Mobile mechanics, anyone ever use them?

[Victor]

I just got the fuel pump on my van replaced for $100 labor by a mobile mechanic who come to you and does the work right on the spot, be it your driveway or the side of the freeway. I had to buy the pump and strainer myself though, cost me $80. The job involved dropping the 3/4 full fuel tank to get to the pump. But anyway most shops wanted between $330 and $380 parts and labor, and a dealer wanted a whopping $932 for the job, plus I would have had to pay between $50 and $80 to get my van towed to the shop. So in my case it was a huge savings. Even if they charged the same as a shop one would still save the towing charge.Looking on Craigslist there are about ten guys advertising mobile mechanic services, all claiming to charge half or less than what a shop would charge. However I also see scam alerts from disgruntled customers who were ripped off, like advancing money for parts and the mechanic disappears, or shoddy workmanship and guarantees they won't honor.Wonder has anyone else used one of these mobile mechanics, and what is your opinion of the service you got?

[Trumpkin]

Beware, you may have had a good experience here, however most of these guys are here today gone tomorrow. Warranty work is out the window! Did you check and see if he had insurance? if not shame on you! If a fire would have happened or he damaged your car or others you will be paying maybe for the rest of your life! Shop owners are required by law in many states to carry shop insurance and workers comp. In a sue happy society it's not worth the extra you save. Why do you think his rates are cheap? No overhead, including proper insurance. Please folks do not even consider these roving nomadic idiots!

[Victor]

The guy was smoking a cigarette while under my van taking the fuel filler hose off. He also had his seven year old daughter helping him. He syphoned the gas out by sucking on the end of the hose and got a mouthful of gasoline but it didn't seem to phase him because he did it two more times as he changed gas cans he was putting the fuel into. But he did get the job done in an hour and a half, and that is without a lift, just using a floor jack and jack stands. He didn't bother to block the wheels, so I put my own chock blocks at the front wheels.

[Trumpkin]

Wow, sounds interesting. Do you know if he actually had insurance if he harmed your car or his kid?

[Victor]

In his Craigslist ad he says licensed and insured, with 18 years experience.b But I notice today someone posted an ad on Craigslist saying don't use the guy as he will give you the runaround. Actually he did give me the runaround too. He said he would show up between 7:30 and 8:30 on Thursday. When he didn't show up I called him and he said he had told me 1:00. When he didn't show up by 3:00 I called him up again and he hung up on me. Then I called him again and he didn't answer his cell phone. Finally I called using my daughter's cell phone that had a different number and the first thing I said was don't hang up on me. He blamed the previous hangup on he was going through Ortega canyon at the time and the signal cut off and he didn't know my number, but most cell phones have a call back feature. But anyway he said he would come Friday at 9:00 and this time he showed up on time. I think the reason he didn't show up on Thursday was because some rich guy's car needed a fuel pump replaced in Laguna Beach (rich area), and he was getting $500 for that job and only $100 for my job.

[elwesso]

i think overall you'd have better luck just doing it yourself.

[Trumpkin]

One thing to keep in mind guys is ask to see the actual policy and call the company to verify too. You should also do this with contracters coming to your house to do home repairs.

I agree, doing it yourself is best. Unless you are under qualified and get yourself in deeper. If so, call Wes!

[elwesso]

One thing to keep in mind guys is ask to see the actual policy and call the company to verify too. You should also do this with contracters coming to your house to do home repairs.

I agree, doing it yourself is best. Unless you are under qualified and get yourself in deeper. If so, call Wes!

Thanks for soliciting my services!!! I do help out NICO members whenever they help me, and I do come to you..

[Infinitiguy19]

Thanks for soliciting my services!!! I do help out NICO members whenever they help me, and I do come to you..

How much help do you want from me to come fix my loud a** car that is completly stock?

Just kidding .

But seriously its common sense, Why use portable mechanic when you can take it to the shop or do it yourself.

Anyone can do anything they want if they really want to do it.

[Victor]

I do do any work I think I can do myself, especially if I can save a lot of money doing it. I have done brake jobs, tuneups, changed all filters on the car, alternators , starters, power windows, radiators, belts, shocks, etc. The only jobs I don't do myself are jobs that require expensive special tools, special skills or knowledge, or need a lift, or are so dirty and messy I don't want to mess with it. I taught myself to do most periodic maintenance on diesel and gas turbine generators that we used on the complicated military portable radars I used to work on. The reason I didn't do the gas tank drop is I figured one needed a lift and special jack to support the 3/4 full fuel tank. I couldn't find any info on an actual procedure because GM left the fuel injected engine and fuel system out of the shop manual I bought at the same time I bought the van. It only covered carbureted and diesel engines. Since Haynes gets its info from the factory manuals, the Haynes manuals didn't cover a fuel injected engine either. Since this is the first fuel problem I ever had on the van in 21 years I didn't even know I was missing the info. I spent many hours searching the web and the best I could find was the tanks had to be drained first unless you were lucky enough to have an almost empty tank to start out with. Now after watching this guy I know how to do it with just the equipment a do it yourselfer would be likely to have. I tried syphoning the gas myself but the crappy $12.95 syphon pump I bought in autozone seemed to be disolving in the gasoline and started leaking all over the place.

[Skibane]

Eh, not to worry - If you only paid 80 bucks for the fuel pump and strainer, you'll have another opportunity to replace it yourself soon enough...

[Victor]

That was an OEM AC Delco. I could have got other brands for as low as $49 for the fuel pump.

[aliciaford]

I will be the first one to tell you to a. do it yourself with the help of this forum or b. take it to someone who has a vast knowledge of your particular car. It cant even tell you how much money I have wasted on my Q over the years due to mechanic inexperience and inferior aftermarket parts. You know that old saying "Pay me now or pay me later"? That's been 100% true for me.