Q

I am trying to hook up trailer lights and the more time I spend trying to get the lights to work, the more frustrated I get. Is there any type of method or procedure you can use to make sure the lights are hooked up correctly?

I know you are going to tell me to go to a mechanic, and I was going that route until I was told the cost to hook up the lights. So, I was hoping that you could give me some type of direction and I could do the hook-up myself.

A

I first need to know if the trailer harness is already connected to the vehicle or if you are connecting the harness to the vehicle also.

If you want to do the hook-up yourself, e-mail me with the type of vehicle, colour of the four wires and whether it is a hook-up to the trailer only. Then I can then direct you on how to properly do the hook-ups.

If you are working with electric brakes I would prefer you have someone who is qualified do the job, since any mistake with the hook-up could be very costly.

Q

A person ran into my car in a Hamilton parking lot, recently. He did not want to go through his insurance for the repairs, so I took my car to a body shop that he recommended.

The car had been damaged on the right front to the tune of $1,800. I also at that time asked them to do some paintwork on the left rear quarter panel, since it was in for repairs anyway.

The problem is that the paint is not the correct colour and they have tried twice now to polish it, but it still does not match the car's original paint. They now say that they cannot do anything about it -- their reasoning is that my paint has faded and they cannot match it perfectly.

A

I spoke with the body shop and they are willing to take another look at your car and try to match the paint. I am told that it is very close but in some light you can see the difference.

In speaking with the body shop, I also found out that the painting of the rear panel was done in exchange for the right front headlight that was scratched as a result of the accident. I do not think the person who was paying for the damage would be too pleased to know that you are trying to benefit from the accident, but that has to be your sense of right and wrong at play.

The body shop has agreed to paint the rear quarter once more but they are going to bring in a paint expert to determine whether or not the paint match is as close as it can get.

Do you have a query

for Dennis O'Sullivan?

Send questions by email to: dennis.osullivan@cogeco.ca,

or by ground mail at

Box 10019, Winona, ON, L8E 5R1.