Grrrr auto mechanic shops!

[baymule]

We are blessed with a great mechanic shop. Small, family, honest and wonderful people. Often we pick up our vehicles and they don't have the ticket written up yet. We go back several days later to pay them.

 

[CrealCritter]

All I wanted was tire rotation and alignment. Alignment takes a special machine that us home mechanics don't have. Legitimately yes the tie rod that they first said was bad, was bad. I appreciated that but the price quoted for replacement was way to much. Then I went back two days later (after replacing the tie rod) and they tell more stuff needs replacing (including the new tie rod I just replaced). And they quote me a you look pretty stupid price. Makes me wonder if they even put it on the alignment machine at all or even looked at it for that matter. Anyways I have an appointment with another shop tomorrow for an alignment. I guess we'll see what they say.

 

[Hinotori]

Urgh. I know this so very well. I'm very good at mechanics and shop. It was encouraged in my family. Mom is good as well, as are her 4 brothers. I was an Aviation Structural Mechanic in the Navy.

I had a 1980 Malibu that threw a piston and damaged the engine itself. This was 1997. Easy car to work on. Had 3 options for an engine. I knew what I had.

Morons at Pep Boys tried to tell me what engine I really I had in my car when I tried to buy some gaskets. My hubby (who was one of my friends at that time) was helping me replace the engine at the Base hobby shop. We had the old engine out and the new one ready to go in but forgot some gaskets and Pep Boys was closest. Screw them. Off to Advanced where I'd ordered the engine. They actually listened to me.

We still don't shop Pep Boys.

We get tires and brakes done at the Les Schwab here. Been very helpful and the warranty is good at any other of their stores. So if we are visiting Mom they will take care of it there. Had to do that once.

When I got a screw in my truck tire, I brought the thing in expecting to pay for a plug repair. They were the tires on the truck when I bought it.

The guys there didn't charge me anything and switched it back out with the spare I had on.

Now I did have the brakes replaced on it about 6 months before that because there was a factory defect where they didn't release correctly. Person I bought it from had never had them done because it was only intermittent. Well one day it didn't release at all on one side. I knew it was likely the drum was damaged. They tried to turn it and see of they could make it good enough. The other side was fine after turning. They didn't charge me for either of those. Did have to replace the drum on the one side.

 

[sumi]

All I wanted was tire rotation and alignment. Alignment takes a special machine that us home mechanics don't have. Legitimately yes the tie rod that they first said was bad, was bad. I appreciated that but the price quoted for replacement was way to much. Then I went back two days later (after replacing the tie rod) and they tell more stuff needs replacing (including the new tie rod I just replaced). And they quote me a you look pretty stupid price. Makes me wonder if they even put it on the alignment machine at all or even looked at it for that matter. Anyways I have an appointment with another shop tomorrow for an alignment. I guess we'll see what they say.

If I were you I'd confront them about the prices they are quoting you and the tie rod they want to replace after you replaced it and see what they have to say for themselves. They'll probably be full of excuses, but it might make them think twice before they rip off the next customer.

 

[sumi]

We are blessed with a great mechanic shop. Small, family, honest and wonderful people. Often we pick up our vehicles and they don't have the ticket written up yet. We go back several days later to pay them.

In S.A. I had a mechanic who worked from home. He used to work as mechanic for the S.A. Police. Great guy, good, fast worker, honest. Unlike the rest of the town's mechanics who screwed me over one by one. One lot even emptied my car's gas tank while they had my car in for a small maintenance job!

 

[Rammy]

Thats unbelievable, @sumi !

 

[Chic Rustler]

What, you dont got a tape measure and level?
Git er done son!

 

[CrealCritter]

What, you dont got a tape measure and level?
Git er done son!

Yeah I did the second shop aligned the wife's car no problem. I asked if everything was OK they said yep. So I'm happy now but will never go back to the first shop.

 

[Britesea]

Make sure you let people in your town know about the 2 shops... you want that honest one to get all the business!

 

[Beekissed]

A good, honest mechanic is worth his weight in gold. Make sure you help him out by giving reviews; in print and word of mouth.

Amen to that!!! God has blessed me with an honest mechanic and He also gave me one at the last place I lived. Both get a lot of appreciation from us. Not long ago I bought pizza and drinks for his whole shop...anonymously, of course, with a card telling him how much I thank God for him. I took the car in yesterday and saw that card up on his bulletin board, so I know such things mean a lot to the crusty ol' mechanics.

I still keep in touch with my former mechanic and give him hugs when we visit my old town. He's a wonderful person and the community would suffer a great loss if he were not there.

I think honesty, integrity and excellence should always be rewarded as it's so very rare in the world today.