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  • Car Mechanic Recommendations?

    I normally go to my Acura dealer for regular car maintenance, but now I have a problem with my car door--it will not shut properly or stay shut for the entirety of a car ride. I would like to take to another mechanic/shop here in town, since Acura won't make appointments after 11:45am for things other than oil changes.

    Any suggestions/recommendations for places/mechanics in Honolulu?

    Thanks in advance...

  • #2
    Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

    Originally posted by AbsolutChaos
    [...]Any suggestions/recommendations for places/mechanics in Honolulu?

    Thanks in advance...
    Kinda, sorta, maybe! For German cars, Tim Knight of Knightwerks is 'da bomb'! I won't buy a car that he won't work on! Consequently he's been my mechanic for over 20 years. You might ask if he can help you and if he can't he might be able to refer you out to someone as honest and trustworthy as he is!!! I left my personal phone book at home but he's in the big book...Kawaiahao St. in Kakaako.

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    • #3
      Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

      I don't have any specific recommendations (I continue my family's long-standing habit of taking every problem to Lex Brodie's, even though they're rarely the best priced provider and even though they often outsource our cars to other shops)... but I was wondering if a car door might be something any auto body shop would be able to help with?

      I'd think a "mechanic" would generally specialize in what's under the hood, whereas a door might be something anyone familiar with car hinges and panels and stuff could handle.

      Then again, this is an Acura... and having been in one when a door got smashed in, I know quite well that their doors might not be all that simple to fix... or at least, definitely not cheap!

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      • #4
        Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

        Originally posted by pzarquon
        but I was wondering if a car door might be something any auto body shop would be able to help with?

        I'd think a "mechanic" would generally specialize in what's under the hood, whereas a door might be something anyone familiar with car hinges and panels and stuff could handle.

        Then again, this is an Acura... and having been in one when a door got smashed in, I know quite well that their doors might not be all that simple to fix... or at least, definitely not cheap!

        I did have that thought...I didn't have an accident with the door or anything. It just suddenly started not shutting properly. If it's daytime so it's more difficult to view the interior light and I don't notice because I'm in a hurry, the light stays on and drains my battery, which is my main concern. If I'm making a trip to the Windward side from Honolulu or vice versa. I have to slam the door shut really hard several times over the course of the trip to make the lights stop blinking at every curve and/staying on the whole times. It's very annoying.

        My boyfriend thinks it has something to do with the catching mechanism that keeps the door in place. I suspect a mechanic or anybody with that kind of knowledge and the appropriate tools should be able to fix it--and hopefully for a little less money than an autobody shop...but I have no clue about these matters unfortunately...

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        • #5
          Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

          Does the door not "latch" at all? Or is it just that second click, the one that seals the door tight into the frame, the one that's not taking? I'm hoping it does still have that first catch -- else your door would literally be swinging open when you take a turn!

          If you do have that first catch, and you can at least even lean into the door from the inside without fear of tumbling out, your primary concern now would be the interior light sensor. To prevent battery drain, I'd suggest just setting your interior light switch/knob all the way to off (most cars have a dimmer with a full-on and full-off end -- though it usually also controls your instrumentation lighting). You can still flick it back on when you actually need it.

          As for what might be wrong with the door... was this failure to close a gradual thing? Like, did it take some messing around before, but now won't seal at all? Or was it sudden? I'm thinking perhaps your door was pushed or sagged down out of alignment, or even that the simple mechanical latch has just gotten too gunked up.

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          • #6
            Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

            Originally posted by pzarquon
            Does the door not "latch" at all? Or is it just that second click, the one that seals the door tight into the frame, the one that's not taking?

            If you do have that first catch, and you can at least even lean into the door from the inside without fear of tumbling out, your primary concern now would be the interior light sensor. To prevent battery drain, I'd suggest just setting your interior light switch/knob all the way to off (most cars have a dimmer with a full-on and full-off end -- though it usually also controls your instrumentation lighting). You can still flick it back on when you actually need it.

            As for what might be wrong with the door... was this failure to close a gradual thing? Like, did it take some messing around before, but now won't seal at all? Or was it sudden? I'm thinking perhaps your door was pushed or sagged down out of alignment, or even that the simple mechanical latch has just gotten too gunked up.
            The problem was a sudden one. I had no problems before. Door misalignment is definitely a possibility, as is the possibilty of a problem with the latch--it's definitely that second click that's the culprit, though.

            My boyfriend, also fed up with having to slam the door repetitively before it shuts properly, examined the door and thinks there's something wrong with the latch. To him the door doesn't look or feel misaligned. It does latch, but somehow over the course of a trip, like when I have to go over speed bumps or make turns or go around curves, the door loosens enough for the "door is open" light to come on. Opening the door and slamming it shut really hard (sometimes I have to do this several times) will result in the light going off, but once again, after a while the door comes loose again. While it won't swing open or anything, I can't lean my leg against the door without hastening the loosening of the door, which of course, then leads to the interior lights again...that flickering drives me mad at night!!! Whenever I exit the car, I usually have to slam the door really hard more than once to get it to shut properly.

            It's just really annoying, and I've been putting up with it until now. Since the holidays are over, I'm hoping to have more time to sit around waiting for somebody to fix my car door. Due to the unique nature of my profession, I can't really schedule appointments for anything during business days, unless I can find a place that does late afternoon/evening appointments or weekend appointments. I don't mind having to schedule a month in advance--like I said, I've been putting up with this for quite a while already, but I don't want to get ripped off for something that I suspect is a pretty simple fix, nor do I want to take a vacation day just to get this silly problem taken care of.

            I'm reluctant to disable my interior lights. Sometimes when I'm by myself late at night in not-so-nice places (not that this happens often), I'm very glad of that light coming on when I unlock my door from a distance! I'm also absent-minded, so that light reminds me if I don't shut my trunk hard enough or what-not. (I really need to start working out or something...but that's another thread!)

            Once again, any recommendations on a place to get this annoying problem fixed would be greatly appreciated!

            Thanks, pzarquon, for your suggestions.

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            • #7
              Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

              I don't know much about Acura's, but my lowly Toyota Corolla had a problem where the door did not properly close. One of those indicator lights on the dashboard came on or would intermittedly go on and off as I drove with a loose door. The dome light also came on, but that was quickly disable by putting the switch to off.

              What I did look for was the obvious... poor contact between the door and a little switch on the pillar the door shuts into. Sometimes the little latch can get loose and be misaligned. All you have to do is line it up again and tighten the screw holding the latch to the pillar/fame of the car. At least that is what I did with my Corolla.

              Like I said, I know nothing about Acuras.
              I'm still here. Are you?

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              • #8
                Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                Originally posted by pzarquon View Post
                I don't have any specific recommendations (I continue my family's long-standing habit of taking every problem to Lex Brodie's, even though they're rarely the best priced provider and even though they often outsource our cars to other shops)...
                Does anyone know why the Engine light would come on for a fairly new Ford Focus?

                My car is no longer under warranty...

                Would Lex Brodies be a better option (for an Engine Light problem) than say the actual Ford Dealership on Dillingham?

                I took it into Sears on the way home... just because I needed an Oil Change/Filter/etc anyhow... and they told me they don't have the computer thing a ma jig that would address the Engine Light?

                Any Mechanics on HT work on Ford Focus's?
                That might want to pick up a side job?

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                • #9
                  Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                  Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
                  Does anyone know why the Engine light would come on for a fairly new Ford Focus?
                  NOPE. hALA...Bachi! HAHAHAHAHAHA

                  Auntie Lynn
                  Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
                  Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                    I have a mechanic that I've been using for years. He'll come out to your house to fix the car AND hes decently priced. I dont know if can fix that door, but I always use him and recommend him. PM me if you want to get his number.
                    Aquaponics in Paradise !

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                    • #11
                      Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                      Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
                      Does anyone know why the Engine light would come on for a fairly new Ford Focus?
                      Question asked.

                      My car is no longer under warranty...
                      Question answered.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                        Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
                        Does anyone know why the Engine light would come on for a fairly new Ford Focus?
                        Like the Sears guys said, you need a computer to diagnose the problem. It could be pretty much anything.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                          I've been taking my Blazer to Greg at Wrenchy's on Cummins Street in Kakaako for the past few years. So far so good. They have always been quick and pretty resonable about cost. My Blazer is 8 years old now and it's getting into it's "high maintenance" phase and they've kept me going.

                          But please remember....as always YMMV

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                          • #14
                            Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                            Oscar's in Kalihi...847-3660.

                            i had the same problem with our SUV..and he qouted me $50 to fix it...it was something to do witht the alignment..however if your bf is handy all he would have to do is take the door panel off and then fix whatever is out of alignment if he can see it..
                            Last edited by CranBeree; October 7, 2006, 10:00 AM.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Car Mechanic Recommendations?

                              Originally posted by CranBeree View Post
                              Oscar's in Kalihi...847-3660.

                              i had the same problem with our SUV..and he qouted me $50 to fix it...it was something to do witht the alignment..however if your bf is handy all he would have to do is take the door panel off and then fix whatever is out of alignment if he can see it..
                              Thanks CranbBeree... just made the call and I'm on my way down... Said it's $60.00 now..... Saving me $110.00 from taking it into the actual ford dealership...

                              Mahalo's

                              Update: Just got back... Manoa's Car is good as new... $60.00 later and a smile on my face.

                              I will now continue to go to Oscars on Mokauea! (Oscar himself went above and beyond and fixed it on the spot and told me what was wrong.... etc.)

                              Once again thanks Cran -
                              Last edited by damontucker; October 7, 2006, 12:21 PM.

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