Jump to content

Welcome to Autoworld Forum !

Sign In or Register to gain full access to our forums. By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Close
Photo

City Cyle- 1st Trip - Long Post


  • Please log in to reply

#1
npk

Posted 20 June 2005 - 10:56 PM

npk

    Taxi Driver

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 364 posts
My 230TE was suffering from lack of power and poor gear-change. Went to a
few specialists...long list of opinion, from auto trans down to fuel
filter....cost from 300 to 10K++!!

Decided to take Vinchor`s advice, when to City Cycle today. Met Ah Tee,
simple Chinaman. He asked a few questions, checked timing and tuned the
car. Test drove it and fitted his used Fuel Distributor, even without
knowing if I am going to let his repair the car!Once his FD was fitted,
problem GONE.

Ah Tee suggested that I get the FD, if I have kawan in potong kerata
business, could be cheaper. I was shocked. Most specialists prefer to
supply parts b`cos can make more $$.

I decided that Ah Tee get me an used FD.After fitting the FD, he check the
undercarriage and taught me a few tips so that I know what to do in the
event of problems.

He doesn`t seem normal! He does not talk about $$ like the other
specialists that I went. The other specialists, I met, see Merc owners are
$$ printers(I may be wrong but that was the impression that they gave me).

His workshop is totally different from those specialist workshop with well
dress (uniform) staff and a cosy Customer Lobby. CC is just an ordinary
Chinaman workshop with used parts stack on the sides of the work area.

To me, I don`t care how the staff dress or how the workshop look. Most
importantly problem solved at reasonable charge with profit for them to
continue their business....I see that at CC. I was charged $40 for fixing
FD(twice), engine tuning (3x), checking the spark plugs and some valuable
tips.About 2 hrs of Ah Tee`s time.

Communication was warm and easy. I spent every mins with him while he was
working on my car, squeezing his knowledge.

Time and money well spent!

My 2 cents about City Cycle.

NPK

#2
notigolfer

Posted 21 June 2005 - 03:31 PM

notigolfer

    Veteran

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 102 posts
hello npk

glad to hear there are still plain vanilla honest mechanics in town...i
must go & meet this ah tee guy....next service when due...
this fuel distributor...what does it do & how much was 2nd hand unit?

btw, does ah tee allow customers to buy parts & he'll do labour? vinchor -
yr input, pls?

cheers


#3
npk

Posted 21 June 2005 - 04:44 PM

npk

    Taxi Driver

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 364 posts
The FD distribute the fuel mixture into each injector.

New is about 3K but Tee got one for me at $600.

Just came back from Segamat....the car is more powerful than I expected. I
believe the consumption has increased b`cos I kept hitting the accelerator
HARD,(I seldom drive this way anymore) to see how far the car can go.

"btw, does ah tee allow customers to buy parts & he`ll do labour?". Think
Vinchor will be the best person to answer the question.

I don`t know Tee well enuff to comment.

NPK

#4
ugack

Posted 21 June 2005 - 09:49 PM

ugack

    Fast & Furious

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,335 posts
gladly he would allow us to bring parts.

But for some parts like oil filter, normal engine oil, i would let him
supply coz i know that he need to earn some $$ also.

He is so far the greatest mechanic for merz i have ever since. Been there
3 times and find him honest and reliable...

Charges are reasonble too....sometimes even free...

#5
vinchor

Posted 21 June 2005 - 10:45 PM

vinchor

    Veteran

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 214 posts
npk, glad that you found my recommendations useful. Like ugack said
rightly, Ah Tee is such a simple and honest person that he don't mind us
buying and bringing our parts and he just charges us for the labour.
However I personally don't bring every part that I need to change.
Sometimes the man also need to survive and earn a little bit from the
parts. New parts if I can I will buy it. It not so much about saving a
few cents but just to keep intouch with Bryan Kong of Keras Jaya and also
the feeling that I did something myself and understand some parts and
jargons. Ah Tee also understand that I like to bring some of my own new
replacement parts and if he spots any area that may require attention
later, he will tell me to buy the part and bring it the next time I go
there.

Second hand parts I will leave it to Ah Tee. His connections and
reputation is much stronger in this area. So his kaki must give him a
good part or otherwise they will kena screwing from him. On top of that,
if the parts supplied is not good he will have it replaced without
further labour charges.

If you bring your own second hand parts, there is no guarantee that it is
good. Therefore if it turns out otherwise, Ah Tee has no choice but to
charge a labour again for removing and fixing it again. I think this is
fair.

Believe me buying second hand parts is not as easy as it seems. I have
rebuild many old cars like 1981 BMW 7 series, 1984 BMW 5 Series and 1989
BMW 5 Series. I have had my share of searching potong kereta shops from
Selayang to Shah Alam to Puchong and to Kajang just for parts. To be
honest some of these parts are just hopeless. We end up running back to
as far as Kajang to return it just to get a refund or another
replacement. We waste time, petrol and additional labour charges. It's
just not worth the trouble.

By the way, sometimes the mechanic can get it cheaper too. Obviously they
know these chop shops better than we do. Question is if you are the chop
shop owner which customer do you look after better? A long term
knowledgeable customer or some silly know nothing walk in customer.

I almost forgot to mention that the best part I like about Ah Tee is his
superior dignostic skills. This is something not many so call specialist
is good at. Of course I am not saying that he is 100% correct all the
time.

#6
npk

Posted 21 June 2005 - 11:59 PM

npk

    Taxi Driver

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 364 posts
Vinchor,

I share the same opinion as you when come to parts.

When Tee asked me to buy an used Fuel Divider, I knew that I could get
into a lot of trouble and possibly arguements too. When the used parts do
not work well, it is only right that I have to pay for additional labour
to remove and reinstall. As Vinc said, it is better to leave it with him
to "supply and install". He gave me a 7 days warranty for the FD. That is
a fair deal.

When I find an honest mechanic, supplier or contractor, I always think
that I need to give him enuff profit to sustain and continue his business
and existance. We all need to keep him going so that we can all benefit
from his services.

Tee may not be 100% but he is close enuff to get to the root cause in very
short period.

Thanks again to Vinc for sharing his opinion and providing good
recommendation.



NPK

#7
notigolfer

Posted 22 June 2005 - 10:53 AM

notigolfer

    Veteran

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 102 posts
hello

yes, i agree we all need to give support & business to honest mechanics
like ah tee....buying parts, for me, are confined to the bigger items
brand new, not the small stuff like oil, filter, sparkies (speaking of
which, used to pay rm15 each, bought myself rm4.50 each - imagine that??)
etc... what i enjoy most is learning what the parts do & what can go
wrong & why...of course, i need to rely on the mechanis to guide me on
what to buy...

i'm not one of those who drive in to the workshop & leave the car behind
until its ready for collection...i can stay 4 or 5 hours watching the
mechanic do the car becos (1) i can learn abt the work involved (2) i
like to chat with mechanics & tap on their knowledge to understand the
car better (3) i get satisfacion that i'll be paying for the stuff &
labour after witnessing them being done (4) i hate surprises when some
mechanics told me something was changed becoz its faulty & i think he's
just trying to make a fast buck.

granted, all businesses are profit motivated but in my book, how that
profit is earned should be the pillar for earning an honest living.

this city cycle - i hope nearby there's a mamak shop or some massage
joints for me to get some "mechanic relief"....i didnt say 4 or 5 hours
straight watching the work....btw, are they open sundays?

cheers



#8
ugack

Posted 22 June 2005 - 04:35 PM

ugack

    Fast & Furious

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,335 posts
unless we are lembu that eat grass, there is no mamak store or anything
in vincity.......



#9
buckrey

Posted 22 June 2005 - 05:35 PM

buckrey

    Driver

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 40 posts
Waahh, cannot tahan already. I must visit Ah Tee for my next service and
will bring my camera along . :) .

#10
E22Razgriz

Posted 22 June 2005 - 06:03 PM

E22Razgriz

    Advanced

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 51 posts
Made a trip to see Ah Tee . Vinchor was there. Ah Tee gave my car a
lookover and gave it a clean bill of health.