Re: Cost to rebuild IH engines

["Tom Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>]

John:

The approach I take is that with patience and study, but not necessarily
professional level skill, I can do work at least as good as a pro. That of
course, doesn't mean I'm perfect, but neither are they.  The advantage I
have over a pro, is that I'm willing to take the time to do things "right".
If I make a mistake, I'll go back and fix it.

The pro has tools, skills and experience that I don't, but they also need
to get it done in a hurry in order to make a living. The other advantage I
have over a "pro" is I know my own car/house/etc. much more intimately than
they do. That has really helped when something slowly went wrong. I was
there observing the change all along and diagnosing the problem. To the
pro, it's just another job. In, fix, pay, out.

My experience with "professionals" in almost any endeavor I have engaged
them in has been less than satisfactory - usually because they took
shortcuts to get it done that I wouldn't have. Sometimes, these shortcuts
are not materially significant. But the difference between a piece of art
and say, a childs finger painting, is all in those insignificant details.
I've even offered generous incentives and tips, and I don't go with the
lowest bidder. But, I've still been disappointed although the end result
was functional.

When I do use a pro, my measure of his/her competence is how willing they
are to discuss all aspects of the project with me and answer my questions
in a manner that makes me comfortable.

So many "auto pros" I've dealt with don't want to listen to what I have to
tell them about what is wrong or at least, what the symptoms have been. I
walk away from these fools. I once had a boat mechanic tell me he didn't
need to read any manuals, because he knew everything he needed to know
already. I stay away from those fools.

I could tell you some real horror stories about the few times in my life I
went with what a "pro" told me against my better judgement only to find out
I was right and he was wrong. I'm out thousands over those kinds of
decisions in this lifetime. I only hope I've lived and learned. Ask me
about the Cad Seville sitting in my side yard that cost me over $500 at a
"pro" just before it finally blew the head gaskets like I suspected it was.
At the time, I could have installed a new GM "crate" engine for about
$1,500 but the "pro" told me my dianosis was wrong. He fixed the pump, and
took my $500. Then the head gaskets finished blowing. And there it sits.

I did income taxes for a living for about seven years. In tax law, it isn't
that you know several thousand pages of tax code. It's that you understand
the concepts and know what sections relate to what sections and how to look
the details up when need be. 

That's what a "pro" should be all about. And, it's truley hard to find
these days.

Tom H.