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The Tales of Linda's Lemons
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The Tales of Linda's Lemons

THE $19.95 BRAKE JOB WARRANTY




Linda is an attractive lady, late twenties, with an uncanny ability to buy one unreliable car after the other. We work on her car from time to time, often after her current boyfriend or a big chain car repair shop has "fixed" it first.

Linda's bright yellow Camaro with the $19.95 brake job from a big auto repair chain store ended up needing brakes again right before she sold it. (As related in previous episodes this 19.95 brake job ended up costing her over $500)

Since Linda does a lot of around town driving (and loves to hotrod her cars), after a couple of years she needed brakes again. We informed her of this one day while we were changing her oil. She said,"Well, at least I can get a freebie this time!"

The next time I saw Linda she was really FUMING!!. "Alfred Discounting Tires and Stuff charged me almost $700 for the front brakes this time!!!"
Linda had the bill for her latest front brake job. This time there was no charge for the "Brake Job." In fact the very first line said:"BRAKE JOB: NO CHARGE". They had once again sold her new rotors ($115 x 2 = $230), bearings ($35 x 4 = $140), new grease seals ($34), and rebuilt calipers ($115 x 2 = $230).
I was amazed at this. Her brakes had not been "metal to metal", and there was no reason not to turn then and put pads on them. They had been new with the last brake job, and the pads had just gone through their normal lifespan. The shrill squeal Linda had been hearing was just the GM brake wear indicator. One of GM's best ideas, the wear indicator is mounted on of the brake pad and makes a noise right before the very last of your pads wear out.


I said,"Oh well, I guess that's why I'm not rich at this stuff yet. But if that's what it takes to get rich in the mechanic business I'll never do it. I couldn't sleep nights.



LINDA PUTS ON THE BRAKES
LINDA GETS A "FREEBIE"
LINDA LEARNS ABOUT RUBBER
LINDA GOES FRENCH
LINDA DOES EXOTIC CHEMICALS
LINDA'S GRANDMOTHER CRASHES!!!
LINDA BLOWS UP!
LINDA GETS PULLED, THEN JERKED AROUND!
WHO IS LINDA? IS SHE REAL?

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We also serve the surrounding communities of Alachua, High Springs, Hawthorne, and Newberry!

Thank you for visiting the ECONOMECHANIX WEB SITE. Please feel free to comment. We also serve the surrounding communities of Alachua, High Springs, Hawthorne, and Newberry! Gainesville has been my home since 1974, and I've loved Gvl and the Gators since I came here in the fall of 1974 to attend the University of Florida. I loved it so much I stayed and opened my car repair business. Originally it was out of the back of a 1963 Chevrolet wagon, but in 1977 a fellow mechanic and I opened an auto repair shop with actual walls, etc. I stayed in the same location for 26 years, and recently moved my operation to property I bought 15 miles east of Gainesville. I am doing most all the repairs myself now, having reduced my overhead from $1500 per month to practically nothing. I do work by appointment only. I mostly work only on my established customers cars, but I will occasionally take on new clients. E-mail me and I will either make arrangements to look at your car, or I will recommend you to someone who will.

George G. Scott, Jr.