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| - Vehicle: 2002 Chevy C3500 van (cutaway with fiberglass body - 9' tall)
Me: 63 years old male, mechanically inclined but too old (and fat) to get up and down.
Robert: Very knowledgeable! Very nice and thoughtful. He's not pushy or trying to upsell you on things you don't need. Since I know one end of a wrench from the other, I've been able to make suggestions and he considers them. He carries enough tools to repair most anything.
He has repaired or replaced the following on multiple visits:
1) Alternator (after the wrong one was installed in Tucumcari NM. He suggested taking the wrong alternator back and see if I could get a refund. I took it to NAPA and got my refund!
2) Fuel Pump. The dreaded fuel pump. Dreaded because it usually means the fuel tank has to be lowered to the ground, and I have a 35-gallon tank. The fuel pump sits inside the fuel tank. We talked about the options and decided it was best to cut a hole in the floor of the van to access the fuel pump. This option saved me a few hours of his labor. The hole itself is an easy (for me) fix. It's only 3/4 inch plywood. This repair was in front of an ACE Hardware store in Ahwatukee. The van wouldn't start.
3) Pinion gear seal in the differential. This wasn't an 'easy' repair on this 1-ton van. The differential was leaking gear oil on my driveway. The HOA and I, find this unacceptable. I have a clean driveway and I want to keep it that way. It took Robert a little over an hour to fix this issue and did a great job.
4) Front brakes. The pads were down to 2-3MM in thickness. Time for new ones. The rotors were true enough to not require turning. Some mechanics will tell you the rotors ALWAYS have to be turned (on a lathe to make them absolutely flat and true) but it's BS. You can remove the glaze and move along. Another great repair by Robert.
5) Radiator. It was found to be leaking at the top where the aluminum and plastic meet. He also found the hose at the inlet on the intake manifold was leaking too. I asked him to replace the thermostat while he was there and it was apart. Very little antifreeze was spilled and it was cleaned up after the repair was completed. The temperature gauge never came up to where it's supposed to. It does now. And, no leaks. Thanks, Robert.
6) Cruise control. It wasn't working. Another mechanic replaced the fuse. It didn't fix it. Robert spent a few minutes and knew exactly what the problem was. Unfortunately, the part is no longer available from GM. He suggested an aftermarket cruise control. I suggested a used part. He searched the internet (from the cab of his truck) and found a certified used part and it's being shipped as I write this. This is a good example of how you can work with Robert and he listens to your suggestions. If your idea is a bad one, he'll explain why. Such a good guy. He's coming back Wednesday to finish that repair.
7) Oil leak. The left valve cover was leaking a bit of oil. He tightened the bolts back down to fix the leak. A shady mechanic would have told you the gaskets had to be replaced. When just tightening the bolts would fix it. Honesty is very important to me. And, it's rare with most mechanics. Good job Robert.
8) Oil change. I asked for a specific oil. No problem. He changed the oil and filter in my driveway in just minutes, with no mess. He suggested replacing the air filter. He even showed me the new one versus the old one and he was right, it needed replacing.
I have asked Robert to repair my van on three different times. Due to the nature of his work, he can't always be at your location at an exact time. You have to plan for that. I'm retired so I'm 'time rich' and have the luxury to wait for him. To me, it is worth the wait (if necessary).
I convert vans into campers and use them during the summer months to escape the heat in the valley. Last summer I drove over 12,000 miles around the US in 4 months. I used a Nissan van and it was a great van but too low. I couldn't stand up inside. So I sold it and bought this Chevy from a dealer in North Carolina in early November. I flew out and drove it back to the Valley. I alway anticipate spending a couple of thousand on a used vehicle just getting it squared away so I feel confident in driving it across the state or across the US. And Robert has been a great help in getting this van ready for next summer. I'd highly recommend Robert (and have) to my friends. Such a good, honest, and hard working guy.
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