We left the Pueblo of Aticama and Tioga George this morning and proceeded down the very narrow winding highway to our next stop at the beach community of Lo de Marcos. The road is bordered by jungle and is so narrow that most of the time I was driving with my left rear tire in the oncoming lane. There was very little traffic and the odd time a truck did approach, we simply slowed to a crawl or stopped , waiting for it to pass.
Oil Change, Part Two!
In the tiny Pueblo of Zacualpan we passed a Taller Mechanico shop at the side of the road with enough room in front to park the motorhome. I brought the mechanic out to the motorhome, showed him the oil and filter I had bought in Yuma and asked him if he could change the oil for me. Remember, this was too complicated a job for Ford to do in Yuma and is the job I was quoted $120 USA labour for by Pep Boys in Yuma.
“No Problema”, he said. I love this expression and you hear it a lot in Mexico! He got his crawler, laid it on the gravel, slid under and did his work. He was a very meticulous worker, making sure all his tools were clean and in order. He lubricated the seal and filled the new filter with oil before he installed it and then got a funnel to add the new oil, cleaning the funnel with a rag as he walked back. He added the gallon of oil and checked the level. It was a tiny bit low so he added a little more from my second gallon. He then had me start the engine while he crawled back under the rig to check for leaks and to clean the oil pan.
He climbed out and cleaned up his mess, polishing the bumper where he had left a few fingerprints. His white uniform was just as clean as it was when he started. I asked him how much and he told me $40 Pesos ($4.00). I gave him $50 Pesos and shook his hand, telling him I was very pleased. I find that Mexican workers are surprised when I shake their hand. They act as if they do not want to get my hand dirty. I should learn something to say in this instance because a worker's hand is never too dirty to shake. I regret that I failed to get the gentleman’s name.
Getting ready to start.
Draining the oil the old fashioned way.
$116 USA cheaper than getting it done in Yuma.
Heh. Croft, your Ford/Pep Boys oil change travail is just another sign-of-the-times, Eh? My friend Jim took his Jeep CJ (about a 1990) to the Chrysler dealer for an Oil Change. The Shop Foreman allowed as how his Guys would be able to change the Oil but couldn't be trusted with any other work on a Vintage type vehicle; that is to say, one without built-in Computer Diagnostics. We just bought a 2Yr old Ford Escape to tow our TT with and thought we would be smart and buy a Ford "bumper-to-bumper" 100,000Mi Warranty (because of all the on-board electronics). We may have out-smarted ourselves. Now it looks like Ford may get out from under their obligation to us and others by going Belly-Up. Hmmm.
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I was flabbergasted when Ford told me they could not change the oil in their own vehicle. I used to change my own oil in all my vehicles and I did it just as the mechanico in Mexico did it.
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