So I brought my car in to the mechanic to change my belts. I have 60k on the car and the belts were cracked. I already cut myself up really good changing the fuel filter so I figured I'd take the easy road this time. I drop the car off and tell him I need the belts changed and get the car inspected. I get it back, get home. I noticed he flushed my cooling system and didn't mention it. Good right!? NOOO!! I just flushed it myself last week and put in 50/50 with water wetter. It looks like he emptied the radiator and filled it with just coolant!! AGRRH!!! All my water weter is gone. The ratio is all messed up. Now I have to drain and flush again!

 

Bring it back there. Tell him thats not what you asked him to do, so put what I had back in. Explain exactly what you had. Sound fustrated

 

It seems to me that if the mechanic took it upon himself to flush your cooling system without getting your consent first you should not have to pay for the service if he charged you to do it and is responsible for replacing the wetter. Why the hell would he have flushed it if it was new anyway? Jerk! He obviously didn't test it.

I think replacing the belts is no more difficult to do than the fuel filter. A little more time consuming but fairly easy. I wouldn't bring my car to any "mechanic" unless there are specialized, expensive tools required to do the job, like alignment or A/C work.

I feel your pain, but take it as a lesson...

One more thing, you don't need to use as much coolant when you use wetter. More like 80/20 water/coolant. If you are worried about the water pump add some water pump lube to compensate.

 

I'm not going to bother. Because I know I can do a better job myself. It just frustrates me because I made a big mess in my garage changing the coolant. I measured the exact amounts of water/coolant/water wetter.. And it's all in the drain now.
It's okay. I just needed to rant. For you guys that do your own work out there. Let this be a lesson. Be sure to tell your mechanic not to touch anything other than what you request. If he took out my NGK iridiums and replaced them with copper plugs I would have beat him senseless.. I also have redline power steering fluid and DOT 4 brake fluid. It would suck if a mechanic went and flushed the good stuff out and put regular or low grade stuff in.

 

did you tell them to do a 60k service or no? Was this at a Nissan dealer? It might not be the techs fault. They just do what the service writers tell them to do

 

I mentioned that the car had 60k and the belts needed replacing. I didn't say I needed a 60k tuneup. He didn't charge me for the coolant change and he didn't mention it. I noticed it because I was looking at the belts and I saw coolant on the plastic under the radiator. I opened the radiator cap and the coolant was waaaaay greener than I remember. I looked under the radiator at the drain plug and it was freshly opened. I know the belt change would have been a easy job. But I just got tired of getting dirty and cleaning up the tools. Plus, my inspection sticker has been expired for a week. So the car had to go there anyway. Since he didn't charge me I guess he was just being a nice guy and thought he was doing me a favor. I'm a little insulted that he thinks I can't/don't change my own coolant.
I have learned my lesson though. Do as much work on your own car as possible!

exhip95: I don't want to run anything other than 50/50 because I live in NYC and it gets cold here. And my car doesn't usually sit in the garage. I don't want to take any risks. I figure the water wetter will make up for the higher levels of coolant. I may run a 80/20 in the summer, but not in the winter.

Kashoggio: No, it wasn't a nissan dealer. You think they would do work for free? HA!

 

exhip95: I don't want to run anything other than 50/50 because I live in NYC and it gets cold here. And my car doesn't usually sit in the garage. I don't want to take any risks. I figure the water wetter will make up for the higher levels of coolant. I may run a 80/20 in the summer, but not in the winter.


Gotcha. I think my winters are like your summers. I'm in Orlando, but it is supposed to be going down to like 30* tonight. Brrrr!