Henderson Nissan was the only place I'd had my car serviced for the last 2 1/2 years.\r
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Brought my car in with a problem that had developed about a year ago shortly after an oil change at this dealership, smoke coming from the engine compartment, and a foul smell coming through the vent when it's set for fresh air. Their recommendation was:\r
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Replace valve cover gasket/PCV valve hose\r
Oil pan reseal\r
Replace transmission side seal\r
Right axle seal replacement\r
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Cost: $1,330\r
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Was told the first three items were causing the smoke.\r
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Drove the car home to think about this for a week and talk to coworkers knowledgeable about cars. Was told the only thing that could cause smoke was oil leaking through the valve cover gasket. I opened the hood and decided to check the screws holding the valve cover in place. They were all loose, so loose I could remove them with my fingers. I can only speculate how that happened, valve cover screws don't loosen themselves. Spent 30 seconds tightening them. Problem solved, no more smoke, no more smell. \r
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At the very best, one can conclude that their mechanics are incompetent to miss such a simple fix, but we know that isn't the case. I'm pretty sure their mechanics know how to fix cars. I can also speculate that they know how to create repair issues too, but I couldn't prove it. In any case, auto repair shops don't make lots of money tightening screws, they make lots of money on repairs, whether necessary or otherwise.
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