SAK saved me over 35 dollars.

[cbl51]

So the better half took her Honda Element over to the dealer for an oil change that she had a free coupon for. They did the oil change, but then told her that the air filter needed to be changed and it was bad for the car to run like that. So for ONLY 52.00 dollars they would change her air fiter. She called me, and of course I quickly told her NO!!!. Just bring the cr home and I'll take care of it. The service guy told her that was a bad idea, because it needed a "special tool" to get the air filter housing off, and unless a factory trained Honda technician did it, it would 'mess things up'. I had her give her phone to the service guy, told him in no uncertain terms to not touch anything else on the car, and just get my lady on her way.

So she gets home, and I take the car down to the NAPA auto parts store down the road, and for 13.95 buy a brand name air filter. Out in the parking lot, I use the "Special tool" on my pioneer, the SD tip on the can opener blade that fits the phillips screws that hold the housing on, and it works perfectly. Unscrew the housing, replace with clean air filter, screw back phillips screws, and all is well.

I can only conclude that the "special tool" that the factory trained Honda tech guy was gonna use, is a SAK can opener with the SD tip!

Air filter replaced for 13.95 vs 52 dollars at the Honda dealer. SAK, it's not just a pocket tool, it's a money saver!!

[magentus]

 

So, what SAK will you buy with the $35?

[gene stoner]

You should take your Pioneer to the engravers and have "SPECIAL TOOL" engraved on it so next time you can say "I have one of those" 

[Syph007]

Ya Ive got hondas too and I dont let the dealer do anything anymore.  They F'd up an oil change a few years back adn the drain plug fell out after a few weeks.  I didnt let them touch my car anymore.  I buy oil and air filters and do it myself.

[cbl51]

Ya Ive got hondas too and I dont let the dealer do anything anymore.  They F'd up an oil change a few years back adn the drain plug fell out after a few weeks.  I didnt let them touch my car anymore.  I buy oil and air filters and do it myself.

Yeah, I usually do it myself, but I've been getting lazy in my senior citizen years, and we had a coupon they sent us in the mail for a free oil change, so what the heck. We did get a free oil change out of the thieves, so I guess we won.

[cbl51]

So, what SAK will you buy with the $35?

The 'ol lady took me to lunch at Jimmy Cantler's in Annapolis for a crab cake lunch. Worth it!!

[colt 1911]

Swiss Army knives .

[Aloha]

"Special Tool"  , yeah we know what tool this dude was talking about  .  I have a great Honda/Toyota mechanic that I've been going to for over 20 years.  I've had 2 cars hit nearly 300k before one got stolen and I sold the other.  Great to know the SAK earned its keep and got the job done   

[SAK Guy]

You should take your Pioneer to the engravers and have "SPECIAL TOOL" engraved on it so next time you can say "I have one of those" 

 

[Fattsgalore]

Not to offend anyone that's a mechanic here but...mechanics are crooks.

[captain spaulding]

Just out of principal I would go back and show him how special of a tool it took to get the job done. 

[PTRSAK]

So many mechanics (or businesses) go into "baffle and overcharge" mode when a woman brings in a car.
I swear I heard of one try and talk a woman into getting the air in her tires changed "because it makes the tires last longer and improves roadholding and is "only" $15 per wheel.

and no I'm not talking about dry nitrogen, just let the tires down and pump them up again so the air is "fresh"

[captain spaulding]

So many mechanics (or businesses) go into "baffle and overcharge" mode when a woman brings in a car.
I swear I heard of one try and talk a woman into getting the air in her tires changed "because it makes the tires last longer and improves roadholding and is "only" $15 per wheel.

and no I'm not talking about dry nitrogen, just let the tires down and pump them up again so the air is "fresh"

That's just ridiculous and down right evil.  wish they would try to pull that crap with me. 

[RT1969]

I am left speechless. 

'Special Tool' for a Phillips?
'Fresh Air' for tires???

Especially the last one is on the wrong side of the legal/illegal line. Isn't this considered fraud?
Not to talk about the chauvinism aspect in all of this.

[Sazabi]

Even I can change the air filter in my Honda.  With my luck, though, the screws would've been JIS instead of Phillips, and I would've screwed them up. 

I'm glad you were available so as to keep her from being screwed over by that unscrupulous Honda dealer. :/

[cbl51]

So many mechanics (or businesses) go into "baffle and overcharge" mode when a woman brings in a car.
I swear I heard of one try and talk a woman into getting the air in her tires changed "because it makes the tires last longer and improves roadholding and is "only" $15 per wheel.

and no I'm not talking about dry nitrogen, just let the tires down and pump them up again so the air is "fresh"

I wish they would be stupid enough to try to pull that on my better half.  I'd tell her to go ahead, but be sure they put it on the itemized bill. Then take the bill to the city or state attorney generals office and have them prosecuted for the fraud.

It's too bad that instead of the home economic classes girls get in high school, they don;t get a basic car maintenance and overview of mechanical operation. Everyone who intends to drive should have to take mandatory classes in high school on mechanics 101.  Our modern society makes would be victims out of females by not educating them on telling if a mechanic is BS'ing them or knowing how to ruin a would be rapists night with a Bic pen or nail file.

[ICanFixThat]

Too funny!  The special tool he was talking about is almost certainly a JIS screwdriver.  They look like Phillips if you don't look too close.  It is true in some applications you can mess things up trying to use a Phillips on a JIS head, but those are usually applications that have the screws torked down pretty good.  I've never checked the fit of the SAK on JIS, but hey it's an international tool so maybe they have accounted for that.   The truth is people use Phillips on JIS all the time, most of the time they don't even notice because they are not accustomed to knowing how a proper screwdriver fits.  On some occasions on motors and cell phones people do ruin things but it depends on the drivers and the screw; and of cource how talented the person is. 

Good Job!

[WoodMan]

My local Honda dealer invariably tries to sell a $69 cabin air filter on each service visit.  This is hilarious, considering that you don't even need any tools to change this filter on most models.  Just empty the glove box, push in the sides of the glove box while fully opening it,  expose the filter enclosure behind, pop open the clips on the enclosure, and swap out the filter.  Takes longer to describe the process than to actually do it. 

Remember that the dealership "Service Advisors" who write the repair orders are not mechanics but really only salesmen.  The either receive commisions on sales or at least have a sales quota to fill each month, depending on the dealership.

[gustophersmob]

Sounds like the mechanic was a "special tool."  I think you should call the service manager and let them know your displeasure at their unethical attempt to take advantage of her.  Absolute crooks.