Pretty good advice,really,Barb..Tech has nailed it..There is always a younger mechanic out there with a young family who needs to do a few homers to make ends meet..I used to do a lot of after hours jobs to bring the extra bux in so we were a little more''comfortable'' at home..
We have our every day runner,that my wife goes to work in,and it has been regularly serviced,[I do a bit myself]It has now done 368000kms..and I wont replace it till it DIES...hopefully at about 550000kms.. [Its a 1995 Ford Telstar SW[2litre/5speed],]Those older Jappers are usually bullet proof,driven correctly..Throw a clutch in it,Barb,and tell that other guy about his lack of parentage...