Text 29205, 107 rader
Skriven 2009-03-14 15:30:49 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
     Kommentar till en text av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Bikes
=============
Hello Bob,

On Friday March 13 2009 09:24, you wrote to me:

 RB>>> You'd be surprised... they extract around EUR 100 from me for
 RB>>> this little "service".

 MV>> That is a lot if money. Here the going rate for cars is EUR 45,-.
 MV>> Every year.

 RB> Amounts to about the same, then.

The amount is the same, but the "value for money" is not.

 RB> Our inspections are every two years. Used to be a big deal, mainly
 RB> because of rust problems (with cars), but since around 1990, I haven't
 RB> had any problems with either cars or (later) the bike.

There is talk of going to once every two years here as well. Of course the
garage lobby protests...

 RB> The garages don't generally do the inspections themselves here, but
 RB> (for a fee) will take your car and have it inspected. I prefer to do
 RB> this myself, though, as I like to hear what the engineers say.

So the situation *is* different. In Germany the one who does the inspection and
the one making a profit on the required repairs is not the same. Here they are
the same.

That there is a lot of scam going on is demonstratd by the following experience
I had a couple of yeras ago. My previous car was a Citro‰n. When it was due for
the yearly inspection I took it to the Citro‰n dealer. That was convenient
because that delar was close to the place where I worked.

I was told the subframe had rusted through. Estimated cost of repair EUR 1500.-
I wasn't happy and wanted a second opnion. So I took it to Quick Fit. I was
told it needed it needed two new tires in the back. Cost EUR 75.

The Citro‰n delar makes littke or no profit on tyres. But they do sell
subframes.

Quick fit does not replace subframes. They spcialise on tyres and exhausts,
Thet could not sell me a new exhaust as the exhaust was still undet guarantee.
THEIR guarantee...

Mundus decipi vult...

 RB> And I had one very bad experience with a garage when I bought a
 RB> new/used car from somewhere else and then asked the garage to have my
 RB> other car inspected because I was up to my ears in translating work.
 RB> There's a German saying about someone who "let's you run into an open
 RB> knife" ("in ein offenes Messer rennen lassen", meaning to leave you to
 RB> your - unpleasant - fate), and they did that to me - the inspection
 RB> was naturally a failure and I had to pay for repairs and
 RB> re-inspection.

One advantage of having the garage do the inspection is that when something
turn up that needs to be repaired in order to pass, the garage may suspend the
inspection, do the repairs and then continue with the inspection.

 RB>  Needless to say, that was the last time I visited that garage.

Of course...

 RB>>> No garage? That _is_ a problem.

 MV>> I dearly miss my fathers garage. With grease pit, workbench and a
 MV>> 3 meter wide rack of tools. In my youth I spend many hours there.
 MV>> Not shying away from removing an engine or a gear box and
 MV>> overhauling them.

 RB> Sounds like paradise...

It was. Unfortunately one often does not fully appriciate these things until
one no longer has them... :-(\

 RB> I always wanted something like that, but am not too old for any
 RB> serious repair work.

I take it you mean yor are *now* too old for it.

Same here. My body is not as agile as it was 30 or even 20 years ago. I can't
as easely reach into tight corners as I once could.

 MV>> Well, those days are past. I can only do light repairs now.

 RB> And I don't do much of anything, except that now I have to replace the
 RB> brake lever on the right side (end broken off in a fall, which would
 RB> be mentioned at the inspection),

My guess is that here that would be a raison to not pass the inspection. Well,
raplacing the brake lever should not be that hard, should it?

 RB> and buy a new starter battery (the old one was weak and was totally
 RB> dead). Got both from a Hamburg company through Ebay, and will be
 RB>  installing them as soon as they arrive (promised delivery before
 RB> March 20). Good prices, incidently - and much easier than trying to
 RB> locate the parts locally.

Same her. My Honda needs a new seal in the front suspension. Found it on the
net...


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MINGW 1.1.5-b20070503
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