Auto Repair Advice

How easy is it
to get Sirius Satellite Radio? I bought the Sportster
Satellite Radio
and 2 extra car kits. I also bought the home kit, so I could carry the
receiver into the house and enjoy music and talk at all times.

The first step to installing, is
to open the annoying plastic packaging, you know the ones, where you end
up cutting your hands on the sharp plastic or the knife you are attempting
to open the package with !

Next, I read the directions…
yeah right, I am a guy so I just starting hooking things up and figured
directions were for lightweights.

Well it was easy, I hooked up the power cord
to an empty cigarette lighter socker, and ran the antenna wire up the
door pillar in my 2005 Ford F-250. I placed the antenna on the roof close
to the door. For best reception it’s suggested to the have antenna on
a flat surface pointing towards the sky. The roof fits the bill, and the
truck is so high, nobody really notices the antenna. (it’s only about
2″ in diameter and about 3/8″ high, so it’s not an eyesore no
matter where you put it)

I then called Sirius and activated my account.
Give a CC and chose your plan. They then ask you for the radio serial
number, and within minutes, the unit is activated and you are receiving
music and talk stations.

You may be asking, what about the speaker wires?
I am not an audiophile so I opted for the FM transmitter option, which
means that the signal is sent through an FM signal and is picked up by
your factory radio. I have had little if no trouble with this method.
There is one or two times, where I have had interference, but it’s only
for a minute or so, and not on my regular commute.

If you are an audiophile, you may consider
using RCA outputs to interface with your radio (if the radio supports
it) or getting a dedicated radio that will work with Sirius Satellite
Radio. This option requires getting a head unit, and a Sirius tuner, which
can be expensive, but the quality will be better. Many new cars are coming
with Sirius built in, so keep it in mind before you buy a new car.

I also installed the car kit, in my 1969 Lincoln
and 2001 BMW M3, all installs were as easy as my Ford F-250 except the
Lincoln’s sharp door trim cut the antenna wire. Most never cars have large
soft weather stripping with will not damage the antenna wire, the Lincoln
did not. I will be ordering a new antenna shortly.

Happy Listening,

Kevin Schappell

After installing Sirius Satellite Radio in all three of my cars, so I could listen to Howard Stern, I soon rediscovered my love for music !

I bought my radio and 2 extra car kits before the Christmas rush and started listening to all the other programming available before Howard started broadcasting. I found over 50 channels of commercial free music which made my hour commute to work a real pleasure. I personall listen to Octane, Classic Vinyl and Classic Rewind, but sometimes I sneak over to Shade 45 or Backspin to get my dose of hip-hop/rap. It’s an addiction and it’s great to be able to pick the music depending on what mood I am in.

Sirius is now offering a free 3 day trial for those of you who are still on the fence. You don’t have to love Howard Stern to get Sirius, there is plenty of other reasons.

Free 3 Day Trial-Listen to SIRIUS’ 100% Commercial-Free Music Online

I will post a little bit later about the installation in all three of my cars, to provide a little insight into the process and show how easy it really is to get satellite radio.

Take Care,

Kevin

Below is a letter I received the other day about wasted parts and labor, and it highlights the problem with some auto repair shops out there that simply replace parts blindly without diagnosing the real problem.

Email:

I recently had a problem with my 94 Dodge van. This is a high mileage vehicle (160,000), but I have had it since new, and have taken care of it,i.e. oil changed every 3,000 miles, regular tuneups, brakes, tires, etc. It is my work vehicle so it has to be reliable.

It developed a very rough “miss” after 30 mph. I took it in to a mechanic (a well known chain) and they proceeded to drop the fuel tank and install a new fuel pump and clean the fuel system. There was no change. They then tuned it up. There was no change. They then sent it out to have the transmission looked at. There was no change. They then changed the spark plug wires, no change.

After $1,650.00 they said two cylinders were bad and they said it might need an overhaul.

At that point I figured someone else should experiment on my van. I took it to another large repair shop and they diagnosed the problem as a bad fuel injector and the others were dirty. $550 more and it is running fine.

In your opinion should the first repair shop spotted this in the first place and should I have to pay for the work even though they did not fix anything? They van has been regularly tuned up and I don’t think the fuel pump had anything to do with the problem.

I would really appreciate your opinion.

Thank you.

Tom K.

My Response:

Tom,

Yes, they should have found the problem right away. In today’s age of computer diagnostics, there is little excuse for blindly replacing parts.

Unfortunetly, you do not have much recourse with the first shop, as I am assuming you paid for the work already. Most if not all of the parts that were replaced, could have been worn and causing the problem, so I don’t think your case would stand up in court. The shop should have inspected and cleaned the injectors, as they clearly thought it was a fuel issue.(they replaced the fuel pump)

Your story is typical of many national chain stores. Many of their employees are undertrained, or just don’t care, and would rather just replace parts, than diagnose the actual problem. In the future, insist that the shop stands by their diagnosis, and you will not have to pay for the labor if the part does not fix the problem. Notice, I did not say you should not pay for the parts, just the labor. Make sure you ask plenty of questions before the shop works on your car, ask for the old parts that are being replaced, and don’t pay the bill before you take a test drive to confirm the problems are fixed. It really upsets me, to hear stories like yours, unfortunetly, I hear them all too often.

Take Care,

Kevin Schappell

For a limited time, I am offering my services to online car buyers for FREE.
If you are in the market for a new or used car, and need some advice on making
a deal, you can e-mail me.

Here is what goes into a new or used car deal analysis….

- Pricing research on the new or used car you are interested in.

- Trade-in analysis

- Advise on financing and insurance

- If you are buying a used car, I will interview the owner or dealer, to guage
the condition of the vehicle.

- If you have any questions, I will be available via e-mail to answer them.

What do you have to lose? Give me an e-mail today and let’s get started !

Over the years I have received a lot of emails asking where to learn more about cars. If you are a shade tree mechanic looking to brush up on your auto body skills, or a high school student looking for career training, look no further. I have compiled a list of Community Colleges, Universities, Technical Institutes and Vo-Tech schools which offer automotive training.

Most Vocational Technical Schools offer night classes to the general public in Automotive Refinishing, Automotive Technology and Automotive Service Management. Why not take a course and broaden your knowledge. I know many people who wanted to rebuild a classic car or hot rod, and took night classes to learn. It will end up saving you tons of money not having to pay someone to paint your car, or even do the entire restoration.

Click Here to Find an Automotive Technical School

Please note: We are still working on the list of schools and verifying information. Not all states have been checked. We are trying to get valid websites for all of the schools, so you can get instant information on course offerings.

Many websites out there offer a free car price quote, but do you know how it really works?

Here is the process in a nut shell…

1. You submit your name, address, phone number and email address, as well as what car you are interested in getting a quote on.

2. This information is then transmitted to a middle-man, like car.com autobytel.com or invoicedealers.com. This middle-man has already negotiated with new car dealers and delivers your information to them digitally.

3. Once the new car dealer has your information, a salesman will contact you with a price quote on the car you are looking for (usually through e-mail, sometimes over the phone). In my experience, this price quote is always lower than MSRP and is generally 2 - 5% above invoice. The dealer has minimal time invested in selling you that new car, and can therefore offer a lower price.

A note about privacy:
The middle-man has your personal information as well as the new car dealer. Most if not all of the middle-men have a very good privacy policy and also insist that their new car dealers follow it as well. If at any time you feel harassed or flooded with marketing information, you can be removed from their mailing lists. Every legitimate business online is very aware of SPAM issues, and takes this removal process seriously.

How to use the new car price quote to your advantage:
Here is how I buy a new car… Test drive the vehicles at a dealership in your area, and settle on the car you want to buy. Do not give the new car dealer your information or let him sit you down for a lengthy price negotiation. Tell him upfront that you are just looking, and want to make up your mind which vehicle you want to buy before you start talking price.
Once you know which vehicle you want, go online and get a price quote. This will get the negotiation started in your favor. New car dealers know that internet shoppers are better educated and looking for a deal. This gives you an advantage and since you are not on their court, trapped on the showroom floor being beaten down by their sales tactics.

You can find more information on how to Buy a Car Online from my website.

You can also get an online quote from a company that I trust and do business with by Clicking Here

Good Luck,

Kevin Schappell

I have been around cars all my life, and the least understood system to me, is the air conditioning system. The folks at AutoACsystems.com have an excellent line of e-books detailing the operation of automotive A/C systems.

I have also updated my AutoShop101 pages and added a little more information about air conditioning and heating systems. HVAC Systems

Kevin Schappell