thanks cigroller. I will do that.
If it were me and I wanted to repair the car if the cost were reasonable(?), I would pay the $1,000 and have the car towed to another shop for diagnosis and an estimate for repair.
Tell them to check the air filter housing. After sitting there so long, maybe mice have built a nest in it.
Anyone who tells you that “long distance charges” kept him from calling about repairs your car needs is either a liar or a big-time fool. Cell phones don’t have long distance charges, cable and internet phones don’t have long distance charges.
Ask him if he has internet access, then tell him to send you the estimate today by email, along with a list of the work already done. He’s given you good reason to distrust him.
I think what a lot of us commenters on here that are actual mechanics forget is that diagnosing a car is a matter of elimination. Depending on what the problem is determines your starting point. It seems to me that this Volvo mechanic has probably misdiagnosed nothing. If I’m not mistaken the ETS light means “Electronic Tuned Suspension”. If that’s the case then that light will most likely come on due to the stalling. You wont have ETS if the drivetrain is not operating properly. The first place the mechanics gonna go is in diagnosing that. Sounds to me like he’s fairly competent otherwise he would probably already be out of business and not have a back lot full of abandoned cars. So in my opinion, how would he know that after he did the throttle body work, which would most likely be for the stalling, there would be other problems? And yeah with a Volvo I can see it taking a month to get a part. I Gotta go with Ed on the long distance calling thing.
Pete, you’re right. The only trouble is that “The fuel system is busted. I’d’a told ya but long distance costs money ya know” is neither a diagnosis nor a sign of a mechanic to be trusted.
I called my mechanic and had a long talk. He is good at explaining things, but I have a hard time believing that my car had one thing wrong and after it was fixed a whole different more expensive problem occurred. After the Throttle Body Module was replaced, the mechanic towed it to a place to have it reprogrammed. After reprogramming it, the car started and stalled once again as it did before I had it towed to my mechanics shop. The found out the the Fuel Pump was shot. I asked my mechanic if it was possible to have both things go wrong at the same time and he said yes, that the fuel pump could have been going bad at the same time. I just give up. I will pay to have the module fixed and try to sell my volvo on craigslist. I feel helpless. I had spent SO much money in the past year I am finished. I thought that maybe that the mechanic would use my car as payment for the module work, but he wont. So, it looks as if I will be paying money for a car that I wont ever drive again. I can’t see dumping another $2,000 in to it to have something else fail a month down the line.
“… I have a hard time believing that my car had one thing wrong and after it was fixed a whole different more expensive problem occurred.”
Normally, I would agree, but we’re talking about an 11-year-old Volvo. From what my Volvo fanatic friends tell me, this is a normal occurrence.
Selling the car once it is in running order is a good idea, because a month from now, something will break, and it will be expensive.
I would feel better is I knew one thing - the one thing is whether or not the mechanic checked the fuel pressure before going straight to the throttle body. Often times people get too trusting of those computer warnings (like the ETS light) and forget that those lights never tell you what to do. A mechanic still has to do diagnosis.
Any car that is stalling should have its fuel pressure/fuel pump checked out. So what I see is a good likelihood that it was a fuel pump problem from the beginning. And I still don’t see it costing $2-3,000.
At this point, however, and unfortunately for you it is basically water under the bridge. As you have decided, cutting your losses & running is probably the wisest option.
Thanks Guys… I just placed an ad hopefully I can get something for it. I was mistaken with the fuel pump price. I thought he said it would cost $2-3,000 to fix the fuel pump, but it is the total for both jobs The Fuel Pump job will cost about $1,550 , but still, I am tired of it. I’ll pay him the money and walk away with my head down. Soo sad and frustrated. Here is a copy of my craigslist ad, let me know if it sounds ok.
Black 2000 XC Volvo for sale. With just 156,000 (+/-) miles, this car is perfect for a quick fix up or parts car. Here is a brief inventory of work done on the car within the past year:
-Throttle Body Module was replaced and reprogrammed this month
-New Battery and Power Cable
-New Alternator
-New Radiator
-Two New Tires
The body is in great shape. All Headlights/lamps work. The AWD was removed but runs fine without it. The timing belt was changed at 100,000 miles. Heated leather seats and great climate control.
The car is currently located at Precision Volvo 2200 Central Ave. Schenectady, NY.
The estimated cost of repairs is about $1,550 with parts and labor. Once the fuel pump is fixed, this vehicle will run great.
If you have any questions, please call (802) 375-6377. I will be out of town from Friday, August 5 to Monday, August 8 so please leave a message.
I am asking $1000 or best offer
You’d likely be better off getting it running before you try to sell it. There’s no way I’d give you anywhere close to $1000 for a Volvo that’s over a decade old and doesn’t run. I have no way of knowing, as a buyer, whether you’re being honest about the fact that all it needs is the fuel pump. (And as you learned, you yourself have no way of knowing if the mechanic is right that his recommended repair will make the car “run great”).
So it was the fuel pump all along?? Can’t believe the guy wouldn’t test fuel pressure on a car that comes in for stalling. Just pretty common. Hmmm, stalling, no fuel pressure, put power to pump, not running, fuel pump problem. About 30 minutes for diagnosis.
I agree though that a 10+ year Volvo not running and at a garage is not going to bring much if anything. Just me but it is a red flag to me and not a plus when someone talks about all the new parts that were put in. That just means they’ve given up. Also not unusual, depending on the quality of the repairs, to end up doing all of the stuff over again. Either fix it or list it as a repairable I guess.