--it is not an easy job that any mechanic can do (i sort of answered my own question)....hence the labor charges. the timing chain which I imagine is sort of like a bike chain has to be taken apart and re-aligned. if this was my wife's toyota tercel car, I wouldn't really give a crab's neck and would try the new guy near the border. but for that amount of work (a major job) over $1,000, you want peace of mind so you take it to the guy with great yelp dot com customer reviews who charges $1,092....and warranty that's just another headache. he is like an hour south on the highway. Thanks for your advice, but warranty is not what I want, I am hoping the dude knows how to do it right the 1st time, he knows I'm sort of disabled and can't keep worrying about this / returning back or following up. Hopefully he will also re-wire my cooling fans to be always on. unlike midas this medium repair shop which charges 1092 bucks is a 4 man operation AND IT CAN BUY AND INSTALL CHEAPER ON-LINE OR EBAY PARTS AND ISN'T BARRED BY A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT LIKE THE BIG SHOPS: owner / guy who answers the phone, an apprentice mechanic and 2 other techs. The main thing is I'm paying more for peace of mind for my baby car and I'm establishing a relationship with a 2nd mechanic here in San Diego who can offer me advice and reduced costs like on oil changes or tune ups. The 1st repair shop I have confidence in the guy who is a mechanic and ALSO ACTS AS the phone guy, this dude did a great job resealing an oil leak but he sniffles and wears a hoodie in 70 degree San Diego weather, not good....if u know what i mean.

 

Yea thanks for everyone's input this was a 3 - 4 month pain in the neck problem. Higher than normal temps on the gauge in my 4th gen. 1st it was a plastic cracked radiator cap that was the culprit for leaking coolant, then a new coolant temp sensor which signals on the air cooling fans had to be replaced 'cause it wasn't working. I want to lay this problem to rest, Once and For All, with a local guy who probably has worked on a lot more American made cars and at leisure likes Pro auto racing which involves American cars.

 

Tijuana Mexico is where I get my dental work for half price. Considering many Americans have little or no dental coverage, prices are half off there by quality dentists in TJ. I've gone there and saved 1,000s of dollars. Dental work now that I'll do in South San Diego just over the border into Mexico to save a bunch.

 

the guy near the border has no yelp . com reviews. he's not even on angies list. sorry but word of mouth advertising on a big expense is not enough nowadays. whenever i buy some new product on amazon i make sure i read 2 pp worth of the customer service reviews on the product before placing a purchase. this dude needs to wake up to the 21st century. u don't need a website, but yelp dot com is essential.... in fact he has 3 really bad google dot com custy ratings but they could be his adjacent neighbor or his partner?? Unlike a website, It's total basic and free to join yelp dot com Update: I got my mechanic to knock off 92 bucks off my car leaking coolant problem and the re-seal of the upper intake manifold it's now 1000 instead of 1092 buxs so i am also establishing a working relationship with someone really knowledgeable and who does it right the 1st time so u dont have to return. i want to bang the gavel on this problem coolant leaking from a timing chain cover if it was discovered earlier is like factory-recall material by GM; their 4th Gen. driveshaft was inherently defective, too. anyway im spending 1000 bucks on a car with a fair market value of like 4,000; any other more pricey expenses I'll have to take it to the border dude.