A trip to the mechanic should leave your car in better condition than when it arrived. Unfortunately, one 2006 Lincoln Town Car owner discovered that even a relatively straightforward window regulator replacement can turn into an expensive headache.
The window wouldn’t close properly, the once-pristine door panel was broken, and the previous repair looked suspiciously improvised. What should have been a routine fix had left the owner needing another mechanic to undo the damage.
When the car arrived at the Car Wizard’s workshop, the condition of the repair immediately caught the attention of technician Ariel. What he found behind the door panel left his boss, David the Car Wizard, visibly frustrated with the workmanship of the previous shop.
As documented on the Car Wizard YouTube channel, the trouble wasn’t simply a defective replacement part. The workmanship surrounding it was arguably even worse, particularly considering the otherwise well-preserved condition of this Lincoln.
Wood Screws Have No Business Here
Ariel discovered that the previous repairer had damaged the door pocket while removing the interior panel. Instead of accessing the concealed fasteners correctly, someone had apparently pulled hard enough to break the plastic.
Someone had then attempted to secure the damaged door panel using two-inch wood screws of the kind normally used for decking. The regulator itself was attached with mismatched bolts, while some mounting threads showed signs of damage.
A Window Regulator Made of Practically Nothing
The replacement regulator was another disappointment, constructed from exceptionally thin sheet metal that flexed whenever the window moved. That movement caused the glass to tilt sideways and jam instead of closing properly.
The Car Wizard compared the flimsy metal to tin foil, calling it among the cheapest components he’d encountered. His team planned to install a proper regulator and repair the damaged door pocket using suitable interior fasteners.
This Town Car Isn’t Quite Stock
Interestingly, the 185,000-mile Town Car wasn’t quite the ordinary luxury sedan its gold paint suggested. Its owner reportedly raced it, and the workshop discovered aftermarket rear suspension links, additional bracing, and aerodynamic panels underneath.
Under the hood sat Ford’s familiar 4.6-liter V8, accompanied by an aftermarket intake and red ignition coils. The mechanic also spotted a loose sway-bar-link nut and a developing transmission tailshaft seal leak.
The Real Cost of Cutting Corners
Because the previous repair had damaged the interior, correcting everything would cost more than an ordinary regulator replacement. The customer accepted the additional expense, simply wanting the problem fixed properly.
The Car Wizard summed up his frustration with a pointed warning: “If you’re not going to do a quality job, don’t work on people’s cars.” For this Lincoln owner, an inexpensive-looking repair had already become a second workshop visit and an entirely avoidable bill.