For those of you folks who don't treat your cars better than your wives. Here are some tips to have your car well maintained cheaply.
I have an old car which, certainly, isn't worth paying dealer prices for general maintenance / repair jobs. Since I live in santiago, I had gotten to know a few places where I can simply take my car for small repair jobs that only costs me a few bucks at a time.
For example: I have been having several small problems in my car for some time and then (lately) the problems compounded: over heating, leaking power steering tube attached to metal tube, busted cover for Punta de eje (drive shaft, and a non functioning a/c fan.
All my problems were solved in one street alone Av. J Armando Bermudez in Pueblo Nuevo. This is the street that you take from ferreteria Bellon, make a right if you are coming from Hache and drive all the way down and you will see all the businesses on either side of the street. I first went to a radiator shop. They uninstalled my radiator, opened it up and cleaned all the tiny tubes inside, treated it with chemical to clean the passage within motor and all the radiator and also took out my thermostat, refilled it with coolant. All 2 hour plus job cost me only 500 pesos. Then they took my car to a place where they repair and rebuild drive shafts (punta de eje). They took out my drive shaft, cleaned it from inside and re-packed it with greese and put a new rubber cover on it, then reinstalled it. All for 400 pesos. Then I took my car next door to a a/c tech. He opened up my dash board then uninstalled the a/c fan. Then he disappeared for 30 mins and came back with a nice fan. Installed it and my a/c blows out cold air like a new unit. The fan cost me 800 pesos and the labor 200 pesos. I am a happy chappy.
Today I left the car to have this special power steering fluid tube changed. This is a special tube which has one part rubber hose attached to either side with metal tubes. This tube is not easily obtained in DR, only special part stores order it ex: repuesto santiago ( famous car part store in santiago). I could imagine how much that will cost me if the tube has to come from usa. Not a problem, I am told there is a taller (work shop) where they will rebuild my original tube to factory's specs just for a few dollars and right on the spot while I wait. So I left my car with a mechanic and he will have it all done by afternoon.
Most of these stores have either a work shop inside or a street mechanic right outside to do the job right there while you wait. All work is done to my satisfaction and cheap. You gotta love this country.
Now I don't recommend folks to use their services for complicated electrical or engine work. These guys are only good for changing a shock, breaks, small electrical work, radiator work, drive shaft work and other maintenance work. If you need your engine rebuild, don't use a street mechanic. I have a better place for that, "taller de carlos" in calle padre las casas.
AZB
Added info: If you by any chance hit a huge pot hole in this country, destroy your tire and cause a bent in the rim or aluminum alloy, not a problem. "camiseta" on 20 de febrero (near Koalex pharmacy, near colinas mall) will restore your bent alloy. For 300 to 350 pesos he will blow torch heat the rim and use special round hammers to restore the rim to factory's specs. Then he takes the rim inside to a machine shop and fine tunes it by finely cutting the inside of the surface of the rim to make it perfectly aligned. he is very famous for doing this work.
AZB
I have an old car which, certainly, isn't worth paying dealer prices for general maintenance / repair jobs. Since I live in santiago, I had gotten to know a few places where I can simply take my car for small repair jobs that only costs me a few bucks at a time.
For example: I have been having several small problems in my car for some time and then (lately) the problems compounded: over heating, leaking power steering tube attached to metal tube, busted cover for Punta de eje (drive shaft, and a non functioning a/c fan.
All my problems were solved in one street alone Av. J Armando Bermudez in Pueblo Nuevo. This is the street that you take from ferreteria Bellon, make a right if you are coming from Hache and drive all the way down and you will see all the businesses on either side of the street. I first went to a radiator shop. They uninstalled my radiator, opened it up and cleaned all the tiny tubes inside, treated it with chemical to clean the passage within motor and all the radiator and also took out my thermostat, refilled it with coolant. All 2 hour plus job cost me only 500 pesos. Then they took my car to a place where they repair and rebuild drive shafts (punta de eje). They took out my drive shaft, cleaned it from inside and re-packed it with greese and put a new rubber cover on it, then reinstalled it. All for 400 pesos. Then I took my car next door to a a/c tech. He opened up my dash board then uninstalled the a/c fan. Then he disappeared for 30 mins and came back with a nice fan. Installed it and my a/c blows out cold air like a new unit. The fan cost me 800 pesos and the labor 200 pesos. I am a happy chappy.
Today I left the car to have this special power steering fluid tube changed. This is a special tube which has one part rubber hose attached to either side with metal tubes. This tube is not easily obtained in DR, only special part stores order it ex: repuesto santiago ( famous car part store in santiago). I could imagine how much that will cost me if the tube has to come from usa. Not a problem, I am told there is a taller (work shop) where they will rebuild my original tube to factory's specs just for a few dollars and right on the spot while I wait. So I left my car with a mechanic and he will have it all done by afternoon.
Most of these stores have either a work shop inside or a street mechanic right outside to do the job right there while you wait. All work is done to my satisfaction and cheap. You gotta love this country.
Now I don't recommend folks to use their services for complicated electrical or engine work. These guys are only good for changing a shock, breaks, small electrical work, radiator work, drive shaft work and other maintenance work. If you need your engine rebuild, don't use a street mechanic. I have a better place for that, "taller de carlos" in calle padre las casas.
AZB
Added info: If you by any chance hit a huge pot hole in this country, destroy your tire and cause a bent in the rim or aluminum alloy, not a problem. "camiseta" on 20 de febrero (near Koalex pharmacy, near colinas mall) will restore your bent alloy. For 300 to 350 pesos he will blow torch heat the rim and use special round hammers to restore the rim to factory's specs. Then he takes the rim inside to a machine shop and fine tunes it by finely cutting the inside of the surface of the rim to make it perfectly aligned. he is very famous for doing this work.
AZB
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