… except for the fact of the timing, you’re correct.
Back then, an operative light wasn’t required, in all jurisdictions.
Exactly.
I’ve so often heard, in the context of bemoaning that we no longer have ‘real’ mechanics, "Nowadays the so-called mechanics plug in a computer and it tells them what is broken ".
Yeah…no.
As you’ve said sometimes it is just that easy. Some faults are cut-n-dry. But certainly not all of them. Interpreting live data, for example, can be a brain tease conundrum of cause vs effect. And, often, a trouble code, as opposed to ‘telling you what to fix’, actually requires quite a bit of further testing/diagnosing. I’ve seen DTCs where the associated trouble tree had 20-30 branches.
Cheers
DD
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A few years ago, the Check Engine light started coming on in the 97 F150 V6, 5 speed. The code said bad oxygen sensor, so I replaced them all. The light still came on, so I decided the Engine Management Computer might be faulty. I ordered one from Rock Auto. I installed it. The truck ran OK, until I let off of the gas, then it bucked like a bronco; about the same as when a newbe is just learning how to drive a car with a clutch. I got fed up and had other things to do so I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer.
A couple days later they called to ask me to come in so they could show me what they found. The technician had the truck hooked up to the computer and showed me the readout of what the ECM was doing. It showed cylinders 1 through 6 were just fine but 7 and 8 were misfiring; yup, Rock Auto sent me a V8 ECM, instead of the V6 ECM I had ordered. A call to Rock Auto get me the proper replacement and a return credit. The dealer installed it and traced the Check Engine Light problem to
Lousy O2 sensors. I’d not noticed the ones I bought said “Will fit your automobile”, instead of “Exact fit for your automobile”. The Ford dealer told me to run down to the auto parts store and get two “exact fit” O2 sensors and they would install them. They said only one pair, either upstream or downstream, w ere really critical so the other sensors could remain. After they put in the sensors I bought the truck ran perfectly.
When I went to pay the bill I was shocked at the price I was charged, $200. When I expressed surprise at how little it seemed to me the service writer explained they routinely handled this kind of work when the mechanic wasn’t involved in doing warranty or similar work that was billed at the book rate; the mechanic worked on the vehicle when he had what would otherwise be idle moments. I’ve never heard of any other dealer shop.
Moral of the story: Don’t buy “Fits your vehicle” O2 sensors, always buy “Exact fit”. A distinction I had not noticed until this happened. And don’t assume all dealer shops are out to bleed you dry.
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I’m not the least bit surprised to hear that.
I spent 30 years working in dealership service and parts departments; 23 of them in management. I can affirm that different dealers have different cultures…just as indie repair shops have.
I’ve been out of that game since '08. A dramatic change in culture …for the worse and coming from on high…was too much for me to abide.
Cheers
DD
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Years ago the AC quit working properly on my son’s 06 Fusion, with automatic climate control. He took the car to a well recommended independent shop, a father and son operation. I’d guess the father spent a bit of time diagnosing the problem. He called and asked my son to come down and get the car. He said it was a temperature sensor buried up in the dash and it was best taken to the dealer. We asked how much we owed him, and he said, “No charge”. We objected, saying he spent time diagnosing the problem and ought to be compensated for it. He responded by rhetorically asking if the car was fixed, and if it wasn’t he didn’t feel he should ask for payment. No $38,000 clutch jobs in that shop. 
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And that’s the shop you want to go to If you can find one
Cheers. Jim
I had a similar experience with my local independent Jaguar man. I took my Daimler 250 in because there were obviously problems with the engine and he called me in, we went over what he’d found (head gasket, 2 core plugs) and I asked him how much I owed him.
‘No charge for diagnosis’, he said. ‘We’ll only charge you if you ask us to do the work on it’.
Hi,
Between 1996 and 2002 I only had the 1966 Series 1 E-type 2+2. Then I bought the 1950 MKV!
It took me 2 years to get the E-type MOT’d and in historic register (read: roadworthy). it took six years before I got the first drive in the MKV and another five years before it was road registered over here. :-o
Ok, ok my wife had a 1988 Saab 9000CC T16 until 2006 when we bought the 1998 XJ8 that was our “winter car” for 11 years (a family of five.)
Now we have had no “normal car” since 2017 when I finally got the XJ8 sold. Modern cars don’t give anything back. To me they seem like a waste of time and money, so I spend my time and money elsewhere. YMMV.
Cheers!
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Me too. My hope is to never have to buy one of the rolling appliances. I spent my career at the airlines so got used to airplanes for long trips instead of the boring Interstate highways here in the USA.
David
68 E-type FHC
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I get a lot of satisfaction in keeping an oldie on the road. There are some moments of annoyance, but they pass 
Cheers
DD
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There is your problem, David. Interstates if you need to quickly get from point A to point B. U. S. and state highways if you want to enjoy the drive. 
The problem I have with flying domestically is I like to stop and see stuff and it’s courting arrest to bang on the cockpit door and ask the pilot to stop so I can see something along the way. 
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Spending this year traveling the country, and hopefully some of our northern neighbor with the two women in my life. One of them shown here not out of bed yet this morning.
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The modern problem with this is that the substitution of satnav for roadmaps makes a lot of those out of the way destinations invisible. You know where you are and where you’re going, but all that’s in between are blotches of yellow and green, and the occasional paid-up Google advertiser.
And AAA maps and guides. Plus, the secondary roads usually have signage advising you of local attractions you’d never see a sign for on the interstate. For example, we were driving back from Vicksburg and a sign led us to this site.
Rohwer Heritage Site (astate.edu)
Well worth a look if you are ever in the area. And a very moving experience.
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I also belong to AAA and still use their maps and guides. but I’m afraid were of that generation.
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I LOVE TripTiks!
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Well for me the airplanes have been free or quite cheap since 1982 so that is why I have become used to them over the Interstate. I think that even on the “B” roads it is a long way to much that is really worthwhile. Except for the mostly mild weather Houston area is not the best place for pleasure driving. I can see downtown from my front porch so good for a short commute and overall sanity but not much else driving-wise. Plus airplanes are still the best thing man has come up with and being up high is much better than being on the ground.
David
68 E-type FHC
To steal a line from an old Cunard advertisement. “Getting there is half the fun” 
I used to love to fly places, but it’s been several years since I really enjoyed air travel; except for when my employer kept sending my back and forth to Europe on Continental Business Class. When I fly steerage on my own dime the experience is often not pleasant. Like my last trip. Honolulu to Denver with a farting dog under my seat. Comfort animal my ass. 
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Could have been worse. Just flew Maui to Calgary with something similar from the seat in front of me. Except there was no dog…
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