Something with the gears. Couldn’t go uphill anymore, smoky as h***, reverse wouldn’t work, odor of burnt oil.
I have scrapped the car.
I didn't read past your op last night. Sorry about your wheels.
The information is still valid in most cases, which is why the quality honest mechanics and services are valuable. The Subaru shop I used to go to had an original owner who built the business very well. He was the best I could find and had a fantastic 5 star reputation.
He decided to retire and sold it to his mechanic unfortunately. The mechanic knew how to fix cars but would bait/$witch and lie a LOT, keep your car for a month etc.
This is what I'd do for future reference. Look at everything from Consumer Reports to YouTube mechanic recommendations for reliable brands, models and years. You might already be familiar with exactly what you need/want.
If not, narrow your choices down.
Here's a good channel with a long track record. There are plenty of others too.
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCuxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA
Do your homework just like you would for a military test. Spend time in a Chilton and Haynes as if it were a field manual. You can buy them for every make and model at auto parts stores or online.
Car forums are also a good way to get answers and learn about your car issues, pros/cons . A lot of these are shade tree mechanics and guys who like to accesorize, but plenty of good information for the trends that every car has.
These are ways to get as a second, third, forth opinions.
When you need to take your next car to the shop, act like you know what your talking about from spending the effort/ time to diagnose from symptoms. It may be this OR that, but you can tell the garage owner what YOU think it is and why.
Ask the right Qs.
1. Do you give free estimates?
Some don't and some use diagnostic computers. You can and SHOULD DIY at the auto parts store. They will have a basic hand held unit you can borrow for using in their parking lot.
This can give you a code to write down and probably get you in the ballpark if nothing else. Learn on YouTube how to use it or ask an employee. Maybe you'll need the garages more expensive computer and maybe not. They do it and don't loan out. Last I checked it was $50-100+/- depending. Just ask ahead of time because I have had a shop charge a whole lot of money just to do an inspection sticker check.
2. Tell the shop what you think it is and ask how many hours they charge for the job on the make model year. I've what do you charge for a basic brake job? My rotors are good. I just need pads all the way around.
3. Some things can be learned over the phone, like how much they charge per hour. Smaller Rural garages are often lower cost than city. You can learn how much a brake, tire replacement, etc over the phone without driving to the place.
4. Ask family, friends, neighbors, church, local online reviews before entrusting your car to a garage,. That goes double for a dealership.
5, When you first have an unusual noise, etc find out what you can and address it ASAP. The ounce of prevention saying is what can keep big fixes from often being necessary.
You wouldn't believe how many people don't do routine maintenance. It's in the owner's manual, online and in the books I mentioned. Most typical issues are caught and addressed early with the maintenance schedule.
These are just some principles that will take some time and effort, but should save you a lot of money.
Print this post out and file it inside your Chilton or Haynes manual if you think it will help save you $ from getting ripped off.
There's nothing I hate more than ladies getting taken advantage of by unscrupulous service men.
This basic format has helped others. Hope it serves you well.
I hope the Lord provides you just what you need.
