Bad Mechanics!

So... we brought Lenny to the mechanics who helped us out when we blew the points trying to leave Aiken in November. He sat for a week and a day while they told us every day they were about to take him on a test drive before they work on him. And he sat... in reverse, just like we parked him.
Then we took him to Imports Plus, because we saw an 80s Vanagon and a 90s Eurovan in the yard/bay. They fixed his calipers in just a day and told us about the steering arm needing replacement, so we left him in the shop until Friday to get that taken care of, as well as the leaking oil plug.
Normally when driving our Bus you push down and slide the shifter into reverse, the push down is no more. Now you have to push down when you shift into 3rd and 4th. That is not right, and not good. You can easily miss 2nd and grind into reverse (because reverse is over to the left of 2nd gear.) Also his oil plug is still leaking just as much as before.
Here's how my convo went with the mechanic this morning: "So, you're mechanic told my boyfriend he tightened something on the gear box."
Mechanic: "We only did the breaks and worked on the front end."
"But now we are having troubles shifting, when we drove it in there were no such problems."(explained what is happening now)
"But we only worked on the front end, not the transmission."
"Ok I am bring my Bus over this evening and you are going to fix it."
"We will try."
"No, you are."

Well.... Maybe the man was having a hard time understanding what I described was happening? I am not sure; but what I am sure of is this is really hindering my excitement for High Country next week, if this isn't an quick and easy repair we may not get to go.
This is the LAST time I am ever bringing a car to a mechanic. I am so done with them! When I had my Oldsmobile 88 some mechanics tried to rip me off royally, but I learned if you do the work myself, and I was rest assured it was done right and I saved a lot of money. It may be harder and take longer to learn how to do a repair, but afterwards you know how to do it forever.
Mechanics at shops may be pressed for time, just throwing parts on and not taking care. When you first do a repair you are very careful because you are new at the task at hand and there's more attention being paid. This may not be true for every task, skill, repair, etc. Something may be best left to the pros, but normal repairs like this should be done on my own.
My reason for not doing it myself this time is that I live in 100degree heat, in apartments. There are no garages or shaded, grassy areas. Just hot blacktop to cook myself on.
So everyone, maybe you have a trusted mechanic~ or a family member who works on cars. I have no such luck, I have to "trust" strangers to work on my vehicles and rip me off at the same time.
So, Thank you're trusted mechanic next time, you may not know what a great thing you really have.

Reclaim The Skyline

Lenny is in the shop this week getting a much needed break job. I miss him already! In two weeks will be driving up to High Country Bus Festival in Crumpler, North Carolina. This was our first camp out in the Bus as we got him on the road just a day before! It will be great to celebrate our anniversary with other Buses, tubing on the New River, and beautiful mountain air.
Stay tuned for more things VW!

In the meanwhile I have started a new blog, on my garden, things I make and new ideas. Please follow me here too as I will be updating this one more frequently. I am going to be learning how to do things on my own- from growing plants to making breads and sauces. I also will be posting different ideas I have about ways of life, etc. Check it out!

Bell & Jalapeno Peppers thriving~ now getting too hot for sad tomatoes, beans and cucumbers. Although there is hope! A cool, wet week ahead may help some fruits blossom! Beans have been pulled up and replaced with garlic and potatoes.

Potato sprouting up~ take a sprouting tato, cut each eye out & plant a bit apart