Guy F

I took my car to Firestone today because it was idling kind of rough. The car runs fine when it's moving. It just feels likes it's going to stall when it is at a complete stop.

The shop told me that I needed a new computer (PCM) and that it could only be replaced at the dealership. They told me that the part alone would cost $600 to $800 at the dealership. This was the result of their computer diagnostic. What options do I have besides going to a dealership? Any help would be appreciated.

My computer runs slow after I work in iMovie for a while. I've never heard of macs getting viruses but I suppose it's possible. I'm also wondering if maybe I just need an upgrade in RAM. How would I find out how much ram my computer has, and how much would it cost to upgrade? I'm not a do-it-yourself type of person, so I would need to know what a repair shop would charge. Thanks.

This is a follow up to a question I asked earlier. It seems I need a new catalytic converter for my 2004 1.8L 4cyl. Toyota Corolla . I took the advice from a contributor to my first question earlier and got a second opinion from a different repair shop, but the results were the same. In both cases the parts quoted from the shop were higher than what several auto parts stores quoted me. Is this normal practice or is there another option?

In the past I have given the mechanic the go ahead without any question, but finances are tight these days and $754 seems high for a catalytic converter and a resonator. The quotes from local auto parts stores have been $250 to $300 less than the auto repair shops. Any advice?

Seemed awfully high, so I made a few calls, checked online and found the highest was $469 for a direct fit converter or $89.95 for a universal converter. Also, what's the difference between direct fit and universal? The mechanic told me the universal converter wouldn't be a good choice but didn't say why...even when I pressed hard for an answer.

How much should the labor be to install a new catalytic converter?