OK so I think this is like my 5th review for Pedro's but I'm sorry I just had to give another update because once again, Pedro saved my butt! I would have written this review weeks ago, but I got the flu, and also I was buried in work, trying to help out with a friend's estate on an extremely tight deadline.
Earlier this year, a very dear friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and she asked me to help her get her Toyota truck fixed while she was in a nursing care facility. As usual, I took the truck to Pedro, who has fixed this truck many times in the past. But the fact is, this truck is almost 30 years old, and not surprisingly, it needs a little TLC on occasion. Pedro to the rescue!
Pedro did some tests, and told me he suspected the problem might be with the car's igniter. As always, Pedro tried to give me lots of tips to help me save the most amount of money possible. He looked up the cost of an igniter online, but soon discovered that this isn't an easy part to get, since it's for a 30 year old truck, and the part isn't made by Toyota anymore.
He told me that I do have the option of going to the Pick and Pull, to find the part from one of the cars there. He gave me the address for the place, gave me some tips on how to get the part I was looking for, and took the time to print out a photo of what the part looks like. He even loaned me some tools to try to take the part off, if was able to find it.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the part, but I really appreciated the fact that he lent me tools for the job. I realized that Pedro really didn't have a lot of time to help me look for the part online, because he's a very busy mechanic who had already gone out of his way to help me, so I knew I'd h ave to steep up my own search for the part online.
I was able to find the part online - or at least, I found a part that I THOUGHT was the right part. So I ordered it. But unfortunately, I discovered that it wasn't actually the right part, so I had to order another one. Pedro was very patient, and while I had been waiting for the part(s) to arrive, he helped me to move the truck to the street, into a spot where it was unlikely to be towed or ticketed, and he also helped me to keep an eye on it. He even offered to lend me one of his cars while I was trying to find the right part.
Oh by the way, I didn't even mention this other thing... my little 30 year old Honda also had issues during this time, and Pedro actually gave me a ride to my car, where it had died, and helped me to get it started up again And he did this after the shop was supposed to be closed. This is just one of many occasions where Pedro went out of his way, and I am sure was late for dinner, because of me and my car issues. .
Anyway, I finally got what appeared to be the right part... but guess what... it wasn't the right part, after all. Now, I realize a lot of this could have been fixed a lot earlier if I would have just taken it to a Toyota dealer that had very specific equipment to tell me exactly what the problem was. Pedro did tell me that was an option for me, because even though he knows a hell of a lot when it comes to car of all types, he is not a Toyota dealer with super expensive TOYOTA diagnostic equipment. But I am super tight with money, and chose to do things the hard way. I can't expect Pedro to have diagnostic equipment for every single year, make and model of car there is that comes to his shop. So it was my own choice to kinda do things the hard (and cheap) way, and I appreciate Pedro's patience with this. In this case, the guy really went above and beyond.
Anyway, I did end up having to go to the Toyota dealer to ask them a few questions, and they were helpful, but I still needed to get my car fixed because I was too cheap to pay for a full diagnostic. Again, Pedro took another look at my car, and did his best to diagnose what could be the problem, if it wasn't the igniter that had the problem. In order to do this, he kind of had to jerry rig one of the parts I had already ordered, to do some kind of diagnostic test.
Well, once again, Pedro came through for me and was able to determine what the probblem was.... as I turns out, I believe he said it was some kind of an issue with the starter. Pedro totally got the truck up and running!!!
I cannot express how grateful I am, to have had Pedro as my mechanic for the last 15 years or so. I NEEDED that truck to work, so I could haul a bunch of my friend's stuff to the recycling center, Goodwill, etc. I made sooooo many trips in that truck. Many people have been telling me to get rid of the truck, saying it's old and kind of an eyesore, and I should just upgrade it already, or donate it to someone who can break it down for parts. NO WAY!
Toyota trucks are meant to go 300,000+ miles.So happy there are mechanics like Pedro, who are willing to have patience with cars like these, and keep them running like they should : ). Thanks again, Pedro!!!!!! read more