Bill, I thank you and jrchilds (and anyone else, for that matter) for the
words of encouragement....

Truth of the matter is that I am a crusty old curmudgeon.... I work in a
dealership with a door rate in excess of $100/hour... For that kind of
faloose, customers don't expect back yard repairs - nor will they condone
them.... Hence the schism between "done right" and "done cheap". If I tell a
customer "but I might be able to save you some money if....", they look at
me like a grew a third eye.

Mainstream customers (and wise DIYers) would rather address a concern
once... get it over and done with, so to speak, without leaving themselves
open to repeat concerns or even inconvenience from having a cavalier repair
leave them stranded. If I don't fix it right this week, there's a good
chance I'll fix it for free next week.... For the DIYer, the feeling may
vary..... up until some poor slob is outside, in the rain, at 0dark thirty,
wondering if he will have to take the bus to work in the morning (from
experience, this new breed of cat figures that strolling in to work at 8:15
is "on time").

There's a lot of things we can do to postpone the inevitable, but at some
point in time, we will bite the bullet and do what is necessary.,...

Something I often explain to people.... "It is the car deciding how much the
repair will cost..... I am only the messenger...".

Thanks again..... but, I do like to make "sport" of some nay-sayers....