#1349: Mechanics Standard Time

Dec 07, 2013
This week on Car Talk, Jim is wondering why his mechanic billed him for eight hours of labor on a job that took only four hours, thereby launching a Magliozzi explanation of the mechanics' space-time continuum. Elsewhere, Lewis' VW dealer refused to honor a warranty repair, but may re-evaluate his position when he learns Lewis is an IRS agent; Abbie's friend gave her the most wacko suggestion we've ever heard to fix her car's alignment; and can Rachel hold us liable for the fender bender she caused because she was laughing at Car Talk? And, on Stump the Chumps, we find out if Tom and Ray helped put out the fire in Red's convertible, or if they just fanned the flames. All this and more, this week on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

Sentenced to Polka: It's not capital punishment, but is it far off?

This Week's Puzzler

Frank’s Vacuum Cleaner Repair: What repair on Frank's car required a vacuum cleaner?

Last Week's Puzzler

Matchstick Math: What is the fewest number of moves needed to make the equation true?

As Read on Car Talk



2 Comments

Book Time Scam

Book Time is just a way for shops to justify over billing. If you had an honest shop they would treat the "Book Time" as a not to exceed number. Especially when the customer is able to tell time and has the ability to watch the work being done through a bay window and can see with their own eyes that there is only one mechanic working on the vehicle. Charging this customer over twice the amount of time the job actually took is down right criminal. (If you couldn't tell I was the customer in this case. @ $95 an hour time matters.)
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Santa Fe

santa fe actually means holy faith.
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#3 - the fact that a person living there wouldn't know that.
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