I think mechanics are da BOMB! Flatraters have sold themselves into indentured servitude, and Massa (GM) and the Boss Man (the dealership) take advantage of both them and the customer who is complaining.
I've had my Aztek for 5 years now, and gone to a dealership for all servicing (paid for the extra warranty, and it's paid for itself). I've had problems that haven't gotten solved (takes multiple clicks for the rear hatch to fully release; it's a pain I've learned to live with), and my most recent gripe is, the trasmitter has worn out on my keyring, so the hole has worn though. The transmitter still works, but won't attack to a keyring. I call the dealership and am told it's a single piece that cannot be repaired, nor the case replaced; I have to buy a new transmitter ($72) and will have to pay to have it programmed ($52).
$124 after tax dollars (at my income level, let's just say $200) because a piece of plastic wore out! That's a half day's work for me--and the transmitter works. Do I feel justified in bitching? Of course. But not to the repairman.
I appreciate the info on how to program it myself--there's not much on a car I can do nowadays. I remember changing a bulb on a headlight when I first started driving; all I needed was a 20 cent bulb and a phillips head screwdriver and a couple of minutes. Recently a girlfriend went to change her headlight on her Camry, and I didn't have a clue (luckily she did). No more bulbs
I wish the flatraters would open a shop, FlatRate Central, and we could pay them what they're worth in order to allow them the funding to take the time to educate us. Now THAT's a win/win situation (but the dealers and the manufacturers wouldn't see it that way). What's more likely is we'll follow the medical path, where we pay an extra $150/month to cover whatever will go wrong with the car, and costs will skyrocket, since we won't be paying for the actual repair.