One thing I miss about being on Active Duty was that at most Army bases they have a DIY garage. They have all the lifts, bays, and tools that most mechanic shops have. They also have ASE certified mechanics that work there, they can't turn a wrench for you, but they can walk you through most jobs. All they charged was $4.50 an hour to use a bay. It was nice...wish there was a business that did something like that around where I lived, I'd be there all the time, though I could understand with something like that there could be a lot of liability issues. What do you guys think?

 

That would be a nifty idea as long as the correct supervision and maybe a waiver was offered.

 

There used to be a place like this in town. Had bays with and without hoists and even a couple of paint booths. Didn't last. It was pretty pricey and everything cost extra, fluid disposal, use of oil pans, air tools. Extra charge for leaving it in over night. Havn't seen their adds for awhile so I think they closed up. Think it was called U-wrench.

 

Hmm just googled them and they are still going. Here is a link to their price list. I guess if don't have access to a garage then it maybe worth to someone. $10 to mount and balance a tire seems a bit hefty to me. I've seen local adds for shops that will do it for you for $15. And that $10 is only if the tire is already off. Extra charge for using a bay to pull them off the vehicle.

http://www.u-wrench.ca/rates.htm

 

You live in Canada like me. Its "Free" for us. But the states is all Privatized I think, So they pay out the *** when they go in. We just pay higher taxes, So we just never notice when we go.
Ive only been in the hospital twice, Both times of a broken arm when I was a kid.

 

low taxes, high insurance or low insurance, high taxes. it all figures out to be the same in the end. All in know is whenever I visit one of our production plants in Olds, Alberta, EVERYTHING just seems so expensive. food, beer, etc. I pay twice as much for a 6 back of bud there as I do here. Is that to fund the "free" insurance? Beats me. I agree the insurance industry in the U.S. need some sort of control. My part of my family insurance for a family of 4 is right around $400 a month. My company pays another $800 on my behalf. So it costs $1200 a month for my health insurance. On top of that, there is a $200 out of pocket deductible for emergency room visits, $100 generic prescription drug co-pay, $35 copay for doctor, dentist or eye doctor visits BUT ....thanks to our president, I can now get one free physical a year, so that saves me $25....lol...

 

Back when $1 CAD would get you .65 USD.. which was barely more than 10 years ago.. the prices made sense, they were still a tad on the expensive side (like if you went to the richer side of town to shop) but it was better.

Now CAD and USD are pretty much equal, thanks to the "depression" and the prices are still following their normal inflation rate. SO if you look on the back of a magazine or book, and see the 2 dollar difference... it's like a surcharge for being Canadian lol.

 

As there should be.

Just kidding.

When I bought my 2010 at the beginning of this month, the salesman managed to "find" a 2nd key for me and get it programmed, no additional charge. One of the few good things I can say about my experience there.

 

Alberta is one of the highest "Cost of living" provinces.
Im on the East Coast, We just got the high Auto insurance, to cover all these Accidents that dont happen. Or just dont go thru insurance like the 2 I was in. (One by me, other by a girl (16) who drove away, And I caught her at her house after following her for 10 minutes)

 

called a due bill, its a write off