Just like Lazarus, Boris lives!
After last weeks engine death – well kind of choking spluttering whimpering suicide – I waited for the AAA recovery truck and had Boris truck to a local garage that foolishly admitted to working on Landrover. All the time thanking the Gods that I signed up for AAA car recovery last year.
Anyway, the garage called me last night confidently saying “Boris is fixed! It was the alternator, which was shorting out and causing the electrical glitches. It finally died, caused a direct short which drained the battery in a minute flat and this caused the breakdown”. Now a more skeptical man than myself may not believe this explanation. I know for a fact that all these engine problems over the last two years are down to the engine being haunted, and not due to any physical problem on this plain of existence. But, as they also told me it has cost me $720 and that includes a new battery, alternator, oil change and mini-service – well who am I to complain?
But I’ve been here before haven’t I?
So, lets review the number of visits to a garage (or *shop* as you yanks say) since that cursed day in September 2011 when I took ownership of Boris the Landrover:
| What happened? | How Much? |
|---|---|
| ECU Reprogrammed | $126 |
| Suspension Failure – new airpump thing | $1,560 |
| new ECU and full Service | $1,155 |
| Investigation at Charleston LR Dealer | $250 |
| Replacement Fuses/Switches | $133 |
| Shifter Assembly | $622 |
| Investigation at Las Vegas LR Dealer | $90 |
| Starter and Relay | $688 |
| Evacuate & Recharge A/C System | $140 |
| Lower Control Arms with Alignment | $1,457 |
| Tires | $740 |
| Front Wheel Hubs | $842 |
| Rear Brake Pad Set | $289 |
| 90K Service | $799 |
| Crank Sensor | $540 |
| Investigation at Sanfrancisco LR Dealer | $120 |
| Spare Wheel Winch | $411 |
| Alternator, battery and recovery | $720 |
| Total from September 2011 thru August 2013 | $10,681 |
During this time Boris has broken down and been fixed by these good folks – Baker Landrover in Charleston SC, Landrover Las Vegas NV, Kensington Motor Cars NV, Landrover San Francisco CA, British Car Repair CA and now Complete Car Car TX. Whooo! It’s like a driving tour of Landrover repairs across the country.
Now – car rentals for all the breakdowns? AAA membership for being recovered? This amounts to several weeks of rentals along with many days of lost work and being stranded. Lets just drop another couple of grand onto that running total.
Less than two years of ownership and $13,000 in repair costs.
Caveat Emptor
My experiences with these garages has ranged from barely competent (lets just say bigger is NOT better) to excellent with really terrific service (thanks Bill/Trish). Notably Kensington and British Car Repair worked hard with me to exorcize the demons. But sadly “the power of Christ compels thee” never quite worked.
Well not so far anyway.
Lets see if Complete Car Care has got it solved with this battery/alternator combo
:/