Just Ask

helirich · #1 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 02:00 PM

A few months ago I had a noise I was trying to trace. I asked on here and everybody gave there best shot. I decided to try "Just Ask". This is a internet service that has Ford machanics answer your questions. They take 5 bucks when you ask and another ten after you accept their answer. I paid the 5 and got an answer. That answer was wrong and cost me a lot of money.

I believe he gave me his best and I'm not mad that he was wrong. But, I didnt authorize the second payment (credit card) because I wanted to check it out. After a week I got it fixed and went back to let them know he was wrong and they had already took the extra ten.

Beware!

DLP Performance · #2 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 03:51 PM

Do you mean "Just Answer?" I asked questions a couple times & never got a 'definite' fix, but they never overcharged me. Well, they did double charge me the last time, but refunded the second amount. I can't complain. With "Just Answer", they don't get any money until you click the 'Accept' button.

helirich · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 08:41 PM

I dint click the accept button. I dint feel I shoul pay the ten since he was wrong and it cost me dearlly. (allot more then ten)

DLP Performance · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 09:13 PM

What was the issue? What did they say? What happened? How dearly did it cost you?

helirich · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 04:45 PM

He told me it was the overrunning clutch in the trans. I ordered a new trans. While I was waiting for it to come in, I kept driving the truck. (close to home) A couple days later, the transfer case stoped working in high range. I replaced the T-case and all was fixed. I had to cancel the order and pay a restocking fee. ($150) Like I said, I'm not mad that he was wrong. Anyone can be. Some day I will be! LOL. But I sure didnt like paying an expert for wrong advice.

Kemicalburns · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 05:48 PM

did you ever take it into a shop to have someone look at it physically?

helirich · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:29 PM

There was nothing to see on the out side. I dont trust any local shops. I believe the old addage "if you want it done right, do it yourself"

DLP Performance · #8 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 11:25 AM

Did you ever check the fluids, T-case fluid in particular, before you started assuming transmission problems? I had a guy get a '88 F150 towed in last year who was absolutely certain his rearend was bad. It was that wonderful Borg-Warner 1356 transfer case. That guy didn't trust mechanics either. He also never checked his fluids. I got about 3 tablespoons of fluid out when I drained it. The rest was schrapnel. You basically just paid the guy for his time for trying to help you. Had you taken it to a shop to get checked, you probably would've paid them as well. However, they most likely would have found the problem. You said, "If I don't do it myself, it's not done right." You later found the problem, but if you had checked that before-hand it would've been fixed. Then the Just Ask people never would have entered the picture. Yes, everybody does make mistakes. You made a mistake, which led them to make a mistake, which ended up costing you more money than if you'd found the problem in the first place. I have noticed that those guys will tell you to just start replacing parts. You have to ask them "why" before you go order a $2000 transmission.

helirich · #9 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 03:33 PM

The mistake I made was going to "just Answer". I'm as good as any machinic in my town. But I cant experince everything and thought an "expert" would have heard of this problem. Had I pulled the tranfer case, I would have found the problem. And as it happened, I did solve it myself. I'm going to rebuild the old case. (the fluid was fine, the shift fork was shot.) Even paying a $150 bucks, I'm sure it was cheaper than taking it to a shop.

The last time I took my wife's Vette to the shop to fix the A/C, they broke the radiator and the header tank. $1200 and I get a car back that keeps overheating. Of course they told me it was unrelated. It just happend to start doing that right then. (and they had to remove the tank and a rad hose to get at the compresser.) I replaced the tank and the rad. I guess my next investment is for A/C guages and related tools.

I'm not saying that I wouldnt break that tank removing it. But if I did it, I pay for it. If the shop breaks it, I pay for it. So I probubly take more care.

Some people have to reliy on shops and some shops are better than others. And of course, I understand that they arnt there for charity. So I'm not bashing taking your car to a shop. But if you have the know how, your better off doing it yourself.

The point of my oreginal thred was they took ten dollers without my autherizeation for bad advice.

alxsnmr · #10 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 04:09 PM

Sounds like to me you should be asking the shop to repair the vette for free or (something I can not discuss in the open forum).

On the expert issue, it is hard trying to keyboard-diagnose a noise without being there when it is occurring. I know because I have a rear-end growl that is getting louder even though I just recently redid the transfer case because the range shift fork failed, so I am waiting for whatever to break to figure out the issue.

So, IMHO, paying for advice on-line is a little like paying for the Psychic network to tell you the lottery numbers, its a best guess based on what they can pull out of their butt. The old tune the car by ear mechanics are dying off rather quickly, leaving the mechanic that is told what to do by the computer to replace them on a daily basis. So I have used the people on FTE as a wide resource to help replace the old tune by ear mechanic and become the mechanic that fixes based on what the PC, FTE, and my experience has as a best guess. It certainly does not lead me to believe I am the best mechanic in St Louis as I dont know all the mechanics in St Louis. Though I really hate paying 80 dollars an hour to a dealership mechanic for something I can easily do myself after the warranty is gone.

DLP Performance · #11 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 05:27 PM

Man, that truly sucks. I can honestly say they've never properly diagnosed a problem for me either. I only used them 3 times when I was at my wit's end. After I told them everything I already checked, they told me to start replacing parts until it was fixed. I had to let them know that I couldn't do that. The customers were already pissed off that I had their cars for so long & had already replaced some parts that failed the tests but still weren't fixed. If you took a car to your local shop who screwed stuff up & wouldn't fix it, I don't blame you for not trusting them. Hell, I don't trust anybody either!

DLP Performance · #12 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 05:41 PM

Oh by the way, that's one hell of a nice Bronco you've got there! That giant fuel tank in the back scares me, though.

helirich · #13 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 07:40 PM

Thanks,
The fuel tank is only for emergency. I live in huricane country. My goal was to be able to drive to my folks in Orlando or to work in Luweisanna and back without refueling. Both trips are about 400 miles. The last time my dad was without power for over a week, but I couldnt drive down there because there was no place to buy gas. (pumps didnt work)