Diagnosis rant

[dotcom]

So I took my two motorized bikes to a newly opened place in a flea market about 25 miles away from home to try and diagnos their problems. When I get there, the mechanic is on the floor for about an hour with a hammer trying to knock out a pin in a chain for another customer. Before doing so, I did what I could to try to troubleshoot them, such as check for spark, put new gas, check the carbs but I did not figure it out. So I brought my two bikes to them over a week ago and the guy says another day or two and then in two days another 3-4 days. The day I brought the bikes there, they said to wait alittle while in the flea market and come back in about an hour so they can check some stuff. So I waited and came back and they conclude it "might" be a problem with "the crank". I do not know what that means so now a week later, they still did not open the engine up and still say it might be the crank and I might want to just buy a new engine for $80-$85 each for both bikes and if I want to just pick the bikes up, its $20 each for the diagnosis and no repair. What a joke

 

[dotcom]

IDK why but it seems to me that they do not know what they are doing

 

[crassius]

sad that folks so stupid could get that much money out of you - isn't there anyone from the boards near enough to you to lend a hand?

 

[dotcom]

I was thinking of asking in a new thread that exact question. I am in Fort Lauderdale if anyone is

 

[KCvale]

I was thinking of asking in a new thread that exact question. I am in Fort Lauderdale if anyone is

Did you build your 2 bikes yourself dotcom?
I build bikes for a living and always honor a quick repair on something I built, but seldom take in garbage to restore.

By garbage I mean a cheap e-bay engine kit on a $100 Huffy type bike assembled by a rookie with poor tools and skills.

The bottom line for most is it's just not worth fixing and you just start over with good parts on a good bike and lick the wounds of the loss because if it's crap to start with, it will always be crap.

No offense, perhaps you have a couple of really well made MB's with just little issues you can't get someone to fix, it just doesn't sound that way is all.

 

[dotcom]

you're probably right if you have dealt with many of these. I just thought it could be cheap maybe $5-$10 fix for someone that really knows how to troubleshoot properly in a short amount of time like my last time that it was the smallest thing that the average novice like myself wouldn't know to check, like a small pin that can get moved just millimeters and cut your engine off until the pin is set back properly. I built one of the bikes but and I felt it was the same issue if not a small easy fix for someone that knew. Nothing blew or popped or caught fire or anything like that and I am almost sure its something really small and easy to fix for someone that enjoys what they are doings and at the same time saving people money. upward and onward

 

[crassius]

there's nothing wrong with any bike that shifts and brakes OK and has a frame that will hold a motor - there's nothing wrong with any of the cheap ebay kits if they are all there

these things are simple and have simple solutions to problems - no high-tech here, but one needs to look carefully for causes & understand basic use of tools