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RE: Working on modern cars (was daily driver)

To: Dave Munroe <dave@munroe.ca>, The MG List <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: Working on modern cars (was daily driver)
From: "Brinkman, Gerardo V" <GB127167@exchange.DAYTONOH.NCR.com>
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 09:47:07 -0400
        Dave:

        Didn't you just prove my point - that you can work and fix modern
cars !!!
        The original post refereed to " I can't work on modern cars". In
your post, you
        just proved that you can indeed work on them - no matter how complex
        the system is (in this case HVAC). I made no references to cost. 

        I had a similar problem on my Audi, took me 2 days to trace the
problem
        to a bad ground (familiar problem in British cars) - tools needed
were
        a good workshop manual and a digital volt/ohm meter.  

        I still don't buy the argument that modern cars are not for the
do-it-yourself
        hobbyist. A good manual, a good set of tools (albeit different -
like fuel pressure
        meter, diagnostic readout, volt/ohm meter etc), an understanding of
how the
        system works and a methodical approach to diagnosis will help you
fix
        95% of the problems on modern cars. This approach is used in fixing
any
        car, modern or classic.

> Gerry;
> 
        >Allow me a moment to speak for the honourable opposition:

        >Your comment displays admirable attitude, but overlooks the
complexity of
        >modern systems. My BMW heating/AC system, for example. The control
        >motherboard is connected to the vehicle via a 32 pin plug. (32 pin
        >plug!!!)The system malfunctioned, and the dlr. said "the board's
gone, $1400
        >for a new board, $250 for labour."

        >Not likely.

        >Two complete weekends of chasing 32 pin connections to a host of
relays,
        >temperature sensors, fuse blocks, a vacuum motor and related
tentacles, and
        >bingo! dead circuit to a small PCB on which resided a simple on/off
switch.
        >Found almost an exact replacement at the "Shack" for about $4.
Still working
        >after 11 years. Finger to the dealer.

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