you wanna charge me what?

So, the other day, my primary ride (another TDI) wouldn't start. I couldn't be down for more than a day, so I had it towed to the garage around the way (Vic's Auto on Boones Ferry in Lake O, Oregon). Now, they've been in business for a long time, and they have all the right signs for being reputable... but.... no. So, it was towed there mid-day, but they weren't able to evaluate it until the following day. Maybe they wanted to run my credit first, to see how much they could gouge me for. Anyway, I got a call from them around lunchtime the day after I had it towed to them. First, he's hits me with "the injection pump is bad" and then "it'll need a timing belt service" and closes with an insulting "and I'll want a synthetic oil change". Total cost? $3500. I told him to take his hands off my car, that I'd have it towed off his lot by close-of-business, and asked how much I owed him for the evaluation. "$90..." He then went on a tirade about the evils of biodiesel and that the dealer wouldn't warrantee the work. F him. Don't go there. Repeat, do not take your car to Vic's unless you like throwing money away.

Contrast

I called my good friend Justin. I explained the symptoms over the few days leading up to the failed start like I did to know-nothing at Vic's: MPG getting steadily worse, diesel fuel smell from near the front right wheel, finally, it failing to start. His diagnosis: seal replacement in injection pump. I ordered the seal kit from dieselgeek.com (<$50 including shipping) and rolled/tow-chained the car onto my driveway. During the week it took for the parts to arrive, our friends loaned us their "extra" car, so we were able to work and go to school, etc. Great thanks to them, of course.
Monday, Justin came by, replaced the seals (without pulling the pump) and set the fuel flow volume in about an hour and a half in sub 40* weather. After joining the family for a couple of bowls of potato-leek soup (homemade) to chase away the chill, I paid him the agreed to $150. Car runs great, and it cost me less than $200. We believe the seals failed because we varied the biodiesel (BD) percentage too widely. I was running almost pure BD for a while, but when my last contract ended, I wasn't near a good BD source anymore. So, I've been running almost pure dino-diesel for the last 4 months. That variance causes the seals to expand and contract, and, ultimately, fail.

So, the moral of the story? Trust your friends. I should have called Justin right away. I've always trusted his knowledge, and we gotta keep the money in the family when we can. Justin, you rock. When we were down, he found a way of getting here as the parts arrived; our friends loaned us a car so life could keep on keeping on without hassle.

On the bus-side, I've been making slow progress in the radiator cowling. Between working 50 hour weeks and wearing down my drill bits, though, its been a slow go. No worries. Its more important to take each step right than taking it fast. More later, and remember your friends.