Delorean Radiator Story - Nationwide Delorean Shop Chain?

["iqmpike" <iqmpike@xxxx>]

Greetings all!

A couple of things... I am no mechanic (I am a computer programmer), 
and have no mechanical ability what so ever...

Because I do not trust anyone to work on my Delorean, I have always 
done the work myself...

Well, last week I bought a radiator from PJ Grady.... and lets just 
say changing a radiator on a Delorean is NOT a project for someone 
who doesn't know what they are doing...

After being frustrated, and HOPING it was a hose (which I could and 
did change), I faced the fact my radiator needed replaced...

Again, worried about where the delorean goes, I finally chose 
MIDAS... mainly because they were the only shop that would work on a 
Delorean... here in NM I called 7 radiator shops, and as soon as they 
heard Delorean, all of them said, "I'd prefer not to mess with that."

Midas took my call at noon, and told me to bring the car in at 
4pm.... I got there about 4pm, and they had it done at 7:15pm... and 
it only costed me a total of $150! (AND they put in an alternator 
from SpecialTAuto!)...

Anyhow... the reason I am going into this story... a lot of people 
are like me, and do not live close to a Delorean shop.... 

Midas ALLOWS you in the shop, and ALLOWS you to watch them work on 
your car.... the first mechanic who wanted to work on the car (many 
anxious folks wanting to see a Delorean), said he was competent and 
had a certification...

I gave him the shop manual, and said, go ahead.... he told me, "I 
don't need a shop manual"...

I figured oh well, and went and watched from the waiting room.... he 
started trying to take off the front fascia! I ran outside and 
said, "No, I told you it comes OUT from the bottom, that's why I 
brought it in... if I could lift it out I would have done it myself.)

At that point, another mechanic (younger guy, probably 25ish) comes 
over and looks at it... he was a Master Tech, certified, and had a 
passion for his work... he told me he was working in a shop since he 
was 8 years old, with his dad.... I had a good feeling about him...

He had the old radiator off, all the hoses replaced, and the new 
radiator on in about 1.5 hours. All while inviting me out to see 
parts of my car I had never seen before!

I know from personal experience, someone who has been doing something 
their whole life, and loves it, is 5000 times better than someone who 
took a class and learned it over night. (I run into "IT 
Professionals" all the time that have an MCSE (Microsoft training), 
and think they are the best, and they are some of the worst people I 
have met....while I can have a 14 year old student who loves 
computers, and knows more than 99% of the grads I know).. so it 
stands to reason this guy was a pro... he was self taught, and had 
the certification as well...

ANYHOW, to make a long story a little shorter.... MIDAS shops around 
the country are willing to work on Delorean's, and they do NOT charge 
an arm and a leg... they also let you come into the shops, and watch 
the entire time.

Needless to say, I have this guy's name, phone #, etc, and I will 
continue to work with him, and this MIDAS shop until I move to an 
area it's not feasible anymore.

They let me pick the mechanic, and were not "buttholes" about it. 
They let me watch my car without feeling alienated... and best (and 
most important) of all, took care of my car, and treated it how I 
would have.

So, I guess if you don't live in CA, TX, GA, or NJ (where major 
Delorean dealerships are), MIDAS gets a HUGE thumbs up from me and my 
baby D.

Mike
michaelkqkq(at)hotmail.com