Is there any mechanic anywhere that can be trusted?
 

I'm a novice enthusiast. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far with Misty. We have a great understanding and sense of mutual respect but, I feel we need to bring another person into our relationship. A stranger. An outsider. Someone who's touch is unfamiliar. I believe it's time for a Mechanic. I've arranged a meet and greet for us with an independent Volvo mechanic who comes with a recommendation from another mechanic. Does $90 dollars an hour with the hour applied to the first repair sound reasonable?

Of course. Some guys just love to fix cars, and some of them are good at it. $90 an hour is a lot of money. If you are good, you don't have time to do phony repairs. You have enough work doing the real ones, and he'd be a rich man.

I have a dentist that clearly has been trained, in dental school, to not leave any money in my mouth. She sends an email out every year in the fall encouraging all her customers to max out their dental insurance. I get "automotive news" at work which is a dealer only magazine. That is basically what this magazine is all about. You assume the purpose of the business is to extract as much money as possible, and go from there. What activities are generating money? How do I do more of them?

Not everybody is comfortable with that.

You do need referrals for a thing like that and you need to build a long term relationship with the guy so that he also has something to lose.

$90 an hour....way cheaper than the dealer

$90 an hour is very reasonable if it's a shop. If It's a guy doing it on the side, sounds high but that's up to him.

My strategy is to assess the problem and assign to one of three catagories - DIY work, indy work and dealer work. The DIY stuff you take on depends on your skill set, tools and the weather (at least for me). Most common repairs (brakes, suspension etc) don't require the special tools or resource dealers have.

For me, a good way to judge your indy is if they suggest a dealer or another shop when they get in over their head. Ignore all the dealer bashing / stealership comments on these boards - most are a result of customers having unrealistic expectations on how easy it is to diagnose a rare or intermittant problem. They wind up at a dealer when other shops fail and suddenly expect magic to happen (ie fewer parts/less hours).

If you wish to use an indy, check their training (quite a few shops have guys who are factory trained and started with a dealer before moving on), check references/online comments and look around - do you see a lot of euro cars and Volvos on their lot? Do they offer support the way the dealer does such as loaners/ride service/drop off/waiting room amenities? If you are lucky enough to have several dealers in your area (I have 3 or 4 within 25 miles) you should do the same. I tend to use my dealer when I need the amenities or when I had a very odd problem.

my guy charges 90/hr, but he's a VERY experienced Volvo/Saab mechanic having worked on them for decades...

Good morning Volvo peeps. Thank you to everyone for your valuable input on my question. The mechanic I'm using does have a shop and has been in business since 1983. My problem is stalling and I just can't seem to figure it out on my own. I have replaced the MAF sensor and cleaned my air intake valve, as well as the IAC valve and replaced the fuel filter. Tomorrow is the day at 8 a.m. unless I figure it out today and I haven't given up. Once again thank you for all the info this forum has proven to be invaluable.

Misty's new friend?
 

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/volvofo...2680c29d7b.jpg
Any thoughts?
Good afternoon volvo peeps! My stalling issue appears to have been solved. She drives great and feels good. Here's the invoice:

Well, as long as his diagnosis was correct re your issues... On the other hand, not cheap, what kind of MAFS is it? Rebuilt at that price is quite high.

It's a Bosch. The car is not stalling. I wish I didn't have to spend the money but , I certainly won't miss the anxiety of driving in traffic praying for green lights.

It's a Bosch. The car is not stalling. I wish I didn't have to spend the money but , I certainly won't miss the anxiety of driving in traffic praying for green lights.