A Tale of Two Engines
Feb 19 '00
This story starts out about two years ago in two separate shops, my shop and that of my friend (and competitor). Lets start at my shop.
My insurance agent, we'll call him Driver A, calls and says his wifes 1990 Blazer would not start, and needed a jump. I drove down with the wrecker, and found that the engine had seized. Across town, Driver B drove his 1988 Chevy pickup to my friends shop. He had decided to replace a worn engine.
I installed a GM factory rebuilt engine. My friend across town installed a rebuilt engine from a very reliable auto chain. Driver B had shopped around, and in an attempt to save money requested that my friend use this engine. I only install factory rebuilts, so Driver A had no choice. Both engines came with similar warranties, both were 350 Chevys. The factory engine, my engine, did not come with gaskets, so they were extra. About 6 days later, Driver A left my shop with that good GM feeling.
Across town, when they started Driver B's pickup, the new engine started to develop, after about 5 minutes, a knocking noise. They immediately called the auto parts chain, who immediately punted to the company that rebuilt the engine. After a few hours on the phone, they told my friend and Driver B to pull the engine, bring it back to the chain store they bought it from, and they would repair it. They told Driver B to pay the extra labor to have the engine removed, and they would reimburse him after they inspected and repaired the engine.
When the engine was removed, they found that the #3 Connecting Rod was the cause of the problem. Three weeks later, the engine comes back from the rebuilders shop, starts up fine, and out the door goes Driver B. The company assured Driver B that the check for the extra labor was in the mail.
About three weeks after this, Driver B shows up at my shop with a rod knock. After having had a fight with my friend, his previous mechanic, Driver B tells me the whole story, and asks me to replace the engine. I called the engine rebuilder, who I swear was laughing under his breath, and he tells me to pull the engine and return it to the auto parts store. After pulling the engine, I also found that the #3 Connecting Rod was the source of the noise. This truck sat around my shop for over a month and a half. At about this time, Driver A had returned to the shop, his oil pressure light had come on during heavy braking. After about 15 minutes with an oil pressure gauge, I called GM, and they said to drop it off, and they'd check it out. Seventy Two hours after dropping the car off, Driver A had it back, with a brand new motor replaced at the dealer. Not a dime changed hands. See where I'm going with this?
When Driver B's engine finally came back, it was a completely different engine. I installed it and it still runs great today. Driver B eventually got the money back for all the labor it took to install it, un-install it and re-install it again. BUT only after going to court to get it. The engine rebuilders tried to blame my competitor for all of the problems.
Both drivers, in the end, wound up with good running engines. And, to be honest with you, Driver B actually saved some money, about $1,300. I'll leave it up to you; do you really think the $1,300 was worth it? By the way, Driver A's GM engine is warranteed at every GM dealer in the nation.
The moral of this story? I think you already know what that would be.
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