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Message started by swing69 on 04/17/15 at 05:29:39

Title: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by swing69 on 04/17/15 at 05:29:39

I needed tires for my wife's van. 45K miles, the stockers were to the wear bars. OEM install tires never seem to have much life for some reason.....

Anyway, went with Goodyear Assurance Comfort-tred. Great reviews, $40 a tire rebate from Goodyear. Sooooo off to the local goodyear dealer.

Alignment was out, pot holes have been brutal this winter. $90 to align is a little high, but I have no equip to do it myself AND the tires were a good deal...so what the heck.

Got a call, "your rear brakes are dangerously low"...almost metal to metal! Now, I changed the front pads with OEM honda ~ 2 months ago, and then were at 25% .....but the rears were fine. hmmmm. :-?

I told them no thanks, and put it on the lift today. Heres a pict of the rear pads. at least 50% remaining. Rippers.

The good? another "lesson" to teach the shop kids.......

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Dave on 04/17/15 at 06:39:44

And....I betcha once they started on the work they would have wanted to replace the calipers and rotors in addition to the pads!

I keep our vehicles pretty well maintained for the routine things like oil and filters, brakes, fluids, etc. And I even change transmission fluids and flush the brake fluid at about 50,000 miles.

A few years ago for some reason I just couldn't get to the oil change and didn't want to neglect it - so I went to a fast lube place to have the oil and filter changed. They came in with a sheet of white paper that had a bit of my gear oil and brake fluid smeared on the paper in the appropriate boxes......and they recommended that those fluids be changed, and I declined as even reasonably fresh fluids look bad on a white sheet of paper. (One thing they did do for me that I hadn't anticipated....a mouse had built a nest in my air cleaner box and they discovered it.)

We do have a very reliable local mechanic we go to when we need something that is beyond my skill or tool level.

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Art Webb on 04/17/15 at 07:18:51

As a former pro wrench, shops like that piss me off
I was always totally honest with my customers, and they appreciated it
do you find a GOOD, HONEST mechanic, don't just give him YOUR business, send your friends there, too (the ones you'd like for customers if you were a wrench)

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Pine on 04/17/15 at 09:24:46

YEP..

I found a GREAT guy to work on my bike former Yamaha dealer mechanic/former Nissan mechanic/former EMT... the last job threw out his back. So now he works from home on bikes and such. besides my bike, and my wifes bike.. I got my friend to take his Harly to him.

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Ed L. on 04/17/15 at 11:32:49

Yeup, took my '03 Tahoe in for an oil change right after the power steering cooler had leaked all over the left side of the engine and power steering box. Was told that I needed new valve cover gaskets, new power steering box and oil pan gasket to the tune of $900.00. Told the mechanic about the leaking cooler and was told that he could do that job also for another couple hundred but he wouldn't admit the cooler was where the oil came from. Guess he didn't like working on an oily engine and was trying to scare me off.
Installed an after market unit for under 30 bucks and had no more oil leaks. ;)

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Neilap on 04/17/15 at 13:00:26

I have a childhood friend who went into auto mechanics. Always given be reasonable rates. Only cost me 40 dollars to have him change out the clutch in a car I used to have. Benefits of a mom and pop type garage and a friend. And I hate those mechanics trying to prey on ignorance to make a quick dollar

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by arteacher on 04/19/15 at 05:55:12

If you are ever in Canada and need work done DO NOT take your car to Canadian Tire. We have mandatory emissions testing inspection here and Canadian tire was caught and fined a few times recommending and performing unnecessary work, plus the fact that they are inept wrenches.

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Art Webb on 04/22/15 at 10:13:51

09281300624C0 wrote:

Oily engine? no problem, that's what Brake Parts Cleaner is for ;)

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Dave on 04/22/15 at 10:16:53

2C3F393A282F2F4D0 wrote:

[quote author=09281300624C0 link=1429273780/0#4 date=1429295569]Yeup, took my '03 Tahoe in for an oil change right after the power steering cooler had leaked all over the left side of the engine and power steering box. Was told that I needed new valve cover gaskets, new power steering box and oil pan gasket to the tune of $900.00. Told the mechanic about the leaking cooler and was told that he could do that job also for another couple hundred but he wouldn't admit the cooler was where the oil came from. Guess he didn't like working on an oily engine and was trying to scare me off.
Installed an after market unit for under 30 bucks and had no more oil leaks. ;)

Oily engine? no problem, that's what Brake Parts Cleaner is for ;)
[/quote]

Hey remember that "GUNK" stuff? The original kind that came in the gallon can....not the later aerosol can. That stuff sure smelled yucky and made your car smell like that for a lot of miles before it burned off. And if I remember....after a few uses the paint on the engine was all dull and chalky looking.

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Art Webb on 04/22/15 at 10:18:55

Yeah, nasty stuff, never liked it

Title: Re: Darn auto rip-off artists.......
Post by Ed L. on 04/22/15 at 12:29:27

I remember Gunk very well, used to get it in a quart can with a flipdown squirt top. Stuff would eat holes in a tar parking lot if left on it long enough. Worked great as a hand cleaner after swapping out a tranny.