Several Questions, Help Pretty Please

I didn't get it tonight, getting it tomorrow now. My brother read me the receipt and he says it was 380 with parts and labor. This included wheel cylinders and shoes. I think it was 2 hours of labor. They should be treating me well, my brother works there and they love mustangs so we'll see.

As far as the stalling, I need to actually talk to the mechanic which I will tomorrow. But my brother told me the mechanic told him I had a leak near the exhaust manifold, but it would take a long time to find and would cost me a lot of money. I'll get the codes pulled as soon as I can. And talk to the mechanic tomorrow. I should have just waited and gotten a better one, oh well. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two now.

Brake Shoes 40$
Wheel Cylinders 60$
Hardware Kit 30$
Axle Seals 14$
Brake Fluid 6.50$
Axle Fluid 30$
Shop Supplies 5$
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Total Parts 185$
1.9 Hours labor 170$
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380$ with tax

is that bad? As far as the brakes and inspection go I should now be fine as long as the damn car stays on.

I drove back to school, 20 minutes, everything was fine. Parked, 15 minutes later I try to drive to class and after a few blocks I get a lot of hesitation followed by what I can only describe as what felt like driving with one piston. It was sputtering, I could floor the gas and it would not rev past idle basically. Pulled over, turned it off. Turned it right back on and it was fine...so I drove it back to my apt. and parked it. What the heck is going on. The mechanic told me my electrical is probably fine but he heard a tick at idle, which I also hear. I didn't talk to him any more than that. Any ideas what this could be?

Ok so I just went outside to try to get my car to die while idling and couldn't do it. The ticking is coming from the drivers side valve cover area, the lady said she was going to do it soon...maybe I should do it NOW, could this be causing the problem.

Also on the electric fan there is a knob that decides when the fan will turn on, as I have it its on the lowest setting without being on at idle, any farther and it's on even if the car isn't running...is this good or what, when should it turn on?

Yea, 80-100 is about standard here afaik. Yea I mean, I wanted to do it myself, but I'm not sure I want my first project to be such an important thing as brakes. I'll definitely get the codes pulled as soon as I can.

Today was the day it finally didn't start. Well it would start but would die before it could even idle. I'm guessing it could probably use a tune up, but its back at the shop so they can diagnose it. I'm thinking now would be a good time to do the valve cover gaskets too. If they don't do them is that something I should do and is that something a noob to car stuff can handle. I'm not an idiot but I don't know much.