# Care and feeding of the Motor Vehicle (longish)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 29, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600 "2002-06-29T19:55:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600/21 "2002-07-03T07:26:08Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Billy Rubin \*  
> \*\*So long as you credit me for it, or at least link to the OP.
> 
> b. \*\*

Seems fair to me 🙂

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**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600/22 "2002-07-03T14:46:19Z")

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Back in my mechanic days, I encountered some real doozies. Thirty years later, the one that really stands out, was the guy who called my shop and said: “My car quit running last night. How much will it cost to fix it?” That is a direct quote and that was all the information the guy was willing to impart. My final answer was: “$25.00 minimum, with absolutely no upper limit.” I didn’t get the job, thank God.

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**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600/23 "2002-07-04T04:08:32Z")

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_The best OP_ I’ve read so far.

I feel bad for you, though, in my 13 years of my auto repair career, I have never encountered such ingrates (and I don’t even know these people!).

That starter story took the cake. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-feeding-of-the-motor-vehicle-longish/116600/24 "2002-07-04T06:05:09Z")

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I’d like to just thank Billy and those like him that will take time and labor out of their days to help some of us where we lack skill, whether it be computers, cars, or cats. It’s so great that there are such nice people around!

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