Unique repair shop will fix your broken shock absorbers<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Does your car rock wildly on rough roads? Or
\ndoes it tilt crazily each time you make a quick turn? If it does,
\nmaybe it's time to replace the shock absorbers.<\/p>\n
The potholes and the bumps in our roads are merciless when it
\ncomes to punishing you and your cars. Depending on your driving
\nstyle, whether you always try to swallow the bumps with high
\nspeeds or ride over them slowly and gracefully, you may need a
\nnew set of shock absorbers every year in order to maintain a
\nsmooth and enjoyable ride.<\/p>\n
But, during a time when the prices of imported car parts have
\ngone through the roof, replacing all four shocks can easily cost
\nas much as a month's salary of one of our ministers. So, what
\nalternative is there?<\/p>\n
If you're not a minister, take your car to one of the city's
\nmany repair shops that offer services to fix shock absorbers. If
\nyou don't know of any good place, go to Mrs. Aike.<\/p>\n
You'll find Mrs. Aike's modest shop on Jl. Matraman, East
\nJakarta. The best way to get there is to go through Manggarai and
\nJl. Tambak, and turn right onto Jl. Matraman in the direction of
\nJl. Pramuka. Slow down after you pass the bridge and keep looking
\nto your left. It's a two story shop with a straightforward Isi
\nshock breaker sign on it.<\/p>\n
This remarkable grandma will first shake each corner of your
\ncar to assess the condition of your shocks. Fragile may she look,
\nbut you'll realize how strong she is when you see how deep your
\ncar nods under the pressure from her hands. She will then squat
\nvery low to check whether any of your shocks is already bleeding
\noil.<\/p>\n
"If the shock is already leaking, I don't want to fix it. It's
\nno use," she explained.<\/p>\n
Then one of her three men will start working on your car.
\nHe'll jack up the car, take off the wheels and remove the shocks.
\nIf Mrs. Aike decides that they can still be fixed, the shocks
\nwill be taken upstairs.<\/p>\n
"My technician is upstairs. He works there alone." But if you
\nwish to know their recipe for smooth car rides, you're out of
\nluck. It's their company secret.<\/p>\n
And, it doesn't take her technician very long to inject fresh
\nlife into the shocks. In less than five minutes, one of the men
\nwill bring down your shocks, ready for reinstallation and another
\nyear of service. Indeed, it takes longer to take out and replace
\nthe shocks than for the technician to perform his magic on them.<\/p>\n
Each car has a different personality, but don't worry, Mrs.
\nAike and her technician are quite familiar with the majority of
\nthe cars on the street.<\/p>\n
"My technician upstairs knows exactly how hard or how soft the
\nshocks should be for a Mitsubishi Eterna, or a Honda Accord, or a
\nKijang."<\/p>\n
She also keeps a sizable inventory of reconditioned shocks for
\ndifferent car makes, models and years. If you come with a leaking
\nshock, she'll be able to offer you a replacement for a fraction
\nof the price of a new one.<\/p>\n
Where did they learn their trade? "We just experimented. With
\ntrial and error, we learned how each car should be fixed. For
\nexample, we have found out that the best rear shocks for the
\nTwinCam Corolla are actually the ones made for the Great Corolla.
\nWe do need to make some modification, though," she said,
\nobviously share a trick of the trade.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Aike has been in the business of injecting oil into
\nailing shock absorbers since 1982. In that very same place in
\nMatraman.<\/p>\n
The next big surprise you'll have is when you pay for the work
\ndone.<\/p>\n
While no brand-new shock absorber you buy at Atrium Senen or
\nSawah Besar will come with a warranty, Mrs. Aike confidently
\ngives you a generous one. "The warranty is for six months,"
\nshe'll tell you.<\/p>\n
But, never try to cheat her by telling her you were in her
\nshop only five months ago because this tough lady keeps a record
\nof each car that leaves her shop.<\/p>\n
Taxicab only get three months warranty, though, because they
\nnormally go over all sorts of terrain, covering about 300 kms per
\nday. Mrs. Aike maintains a separate record book for taxis, as
\nmany of her repeat customers are cab drivers.<\/p>\n
Indeed, at only Rp 90,000 for having two pairs of shocks
\nrefilled, one shouldn't even think of cheating Mrs. Aike. Out of
\nthat amount, Rp 8,000 will go to the man who helps take off the
\nwheels.<\/p>\n
Is her lone technician upstairs training an heir apparent?
\nUnfortunately, the answer is no. "He's not interested in sharing
\nthe arts of injecting the shocks with anybody. If something
\nhappens to him, I'll just have to close this business. Well,
\nwe're both already old anyway," she confessed, smiling.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unique-repair-shop-will-fix-your-broken-shock-absorbers-1447893297",
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