Do shops still sabotage cars for profit?

[cudaspaz]

I had a customer of mine take her benz to a tire shop for tires.

By the time she was ready to pay and go, the shop owner told her that she needed front brake pads/rotors, front and rear shocks, a steering dampener shock, and now the check engine light is on and the car is runniong rough.

She called me and was furious that her car was messed up so she picked my brain.

I told her I just put front brakes on it 2 months ago and no way she would need them.
Her shocks were fine as well as the steering shock.

I know she needed motor mounts but that was not her problem so she had me talk to the shop manager on the speaker phone and I was trying to help him diagnose the car and he told me I did not know what I was talking about.

I told her to get her car out of there and I would make time today, new years eve, to look at it.

Well, tonight I find that she needed spark plugs and wires, and I found misfires on cyllinder #3 only.

I remember the guy from the shop telling me the misfire was on cyllinder #4 only so upon removal of the spark plug wires I found that he had cut the insulation of both #4 wires to the core wire.

She said he messed with the car after it was running bad the other day and she did not know what he did but it was better but still stumbling after he messed with it again.
I think he pulled a couple wire away, then popped them back on after she raised hell.

Yes I replaced her much needed spark plugs and wires but he obviously cut the #4 wires because they were clean razor cuts and I've never seen them break like that, and all the other wires were perfect looking.

Long story short, I got her car running smooth as glass for $300 less than what that idiot was going to charge her and I used factory Mercedes parts too like I always do.

I explained everything I found to her and she is going to go lesbian, Bruce Lee on his Asian ass on Monday she says.... LOL.

I did not think there were still idiots pulling this kind of crap out there now days.
I can't explain how they think this kind of crap is going to HELP their reputation.

I feel like going in there and choking that asswipe for messing with her like that.

[mullinax95]

That is very sad that he had to do that to her car. He will face far worse than what the lady is going to give him from the Big Man upstairs one of these days.

The way I look at it that could have been my mom he did that too!!!

[SublimeDusterSK]

i was an automotive mechanic for 10 years at a dealer. i had all of the skills and tools though i didn't make squat. i felt that if it didn't need it, i didn't try to sell it! my counter parts made a lot more money than i did every year. i eventually took my skills and left the automotive. the best move i ever made career wise. sadly there are alot of people who are starving in that industry and have no connection with honor or morality. i am sorry to hear about this.
best of luck.

[ramcharger]

Yes, some people suck.

I had a job for about 2 days at a brake and shock shop when I was maybe 18 and I refused to pull that crap. Fug 'em.

[cudaspaz]

Originally Posted by SublimeDusterSK

i was an automotive mechanic for 10 years at a dealer. i had all of the skills and tools though i didn't make squat. i felt that if it didn't need it, i didn't try to sell it! my counter parts made a lot more money than i did every year. i eventually took my skills and left the automotive. the best move i ever made career wise. sadly there are alot of people who are starving in that industry and have no connection with honor or morality. i am sorry to hear about this.
best of luck.

I don't know how they stay in business like that as reputation is everything.

I hope she don't kick his ass too bad on Monday because she is pretty whizzed off right now at this guy, and I told her there is no way to prove it, but she is still adamant on a solid asswhoopin.LOL.

[Mad Dart]

What about people who do SHITTY work and Pawn themselves off as PROFESSIONALS...........who claim to know everything about everything????

Happened to me BADDDDDDDDDDDd............

I feel sorry for that lady but YOU made it right for her!!! AWSOME

[avarageerod]

Its a shame people do this and give good mechanics a bad name. Good for you for working on her car on New Years Eve and getting it right.

[6pk2goDemon]

Hearing crap like this is ing......I hope she drills them!!
Post the name of the shop.

[jomoper]

Hate to hear about this kinda stuff.Seems they always try and pull that stuff with women who have no way to know whether or not to trust them.
I suspect with the economy the way it is this is way outta control . Unfortunately there's probably little to keep it in check .One used to be able to contact the bureau of automotive repair .And they would mediate for you .
And that would put the shop on notice that they would be watched .And possibly investigated.Like every other Service though it's probably been cut to the bone.

[plumcrazy704406]

does this only happen to the ladies? although I wasn't there with my wifes honda element, the dealer pulled the you need brakes crap, 5% left. carhad 18000km. My wife doesn't use her brakes! Told her to tell them, no thanks! Got the truck back to our warehouse and lo and behold right front had next to nil left on the pads. Wheel spun freely, no noise, no drag, no pull when applied etc. I suspect they put in the bad pads and gave her the truck back. haven't been back! that is the best payback!

ps: honda didn't give a rats a$$ when i wanted to file a complaint. they can't be responsible for the dealers service departments.

[cudaspaz]

Alot of the dealerships in the are take advantage of Women as I have alot of women customers tell me their delaership stories and it seems they pay way more than men for the same work at the same shop.
One dealership in perticular seems to do it alot.

[340john]

Unfortunatly it does happen. I am a bodyman by trade and know of a bodyshop here in town that orders new expensive factory parts,copies the invoices, returns the parts and installed cheap aftermarket parts on the car. Of course the customers get charged for the factory parts and get the copied factory invoices.

[SublimeDusterSK]

[quote=Mad Dart;765747]What about people who do SHITTY work and Pawn themselves off as PROFESSIONALS...........who claim to know everything about everything????

Happened to me BADDDDDDDDDDDd............

I feel sorry for that lady but YOU made it right for her!!! AWSOME


all the reason to do it yourself!!!! when possible. it pays to take the time and Learn.

[SublimeDusterSK]

Originally Posted by plumcrazy704406

does this only happen to the ladies? although I wasn't there with my wifes honda element, the dealer pulled the you need brakes crap, 5% left. carhad 18000km. My wife doesn't use her brakes! Told her to tell them, no thanks! Got the truck back to our warehouse and lo and behold right front had next to nil left on the pads. Wheel spun freely, no noise, no drag, no pull when applied etc. I suspect they put in the bad pads and gave her the truck back. haven't been back! that is the best payback!

ps: honda didn't give a rats a$$ when i wanted to file a complaint. they can't be responsible for the dealers service departments.

well i saw first hand Rams with 9000 miles brakes gone! PT cruisers with as low as 5500 miles needing brakes and rotors no joke!!! always ask to see the parts before they take them off your car!!!! proof in the pudding!!

[shimsham1]

i got a long one but will try to keep it short. i have / love a 2001 hyundai sante fe. i am the original owner. 100,000 trouble free miles. last year the transfer case went, they replaced it free at dealer. driving in the snow 2 days later the alternator went. turned out they didnt put the lower splash guard back on the car. they replaced the alternator free. in sept the #2piston pooped the bed. turns out i opted for the 12 year 120,000 mile warranty on the drive train so the motor was covered and after 8 weeks (yes thats not a typeo) i pick up my beloved car. i go 2 miles feel a heave vibration over 30 mph. go back to a now closed service dept but leave the car anyway. next day get a call that the ball joints are bad that what the vibration was and they want $450.00 to do the lower right and left. i say no thanks and a trip to napa and $60.00 later i'm replacing them in my non heated 18 degree garage. i do the right side (pretty bad shape) go for a warm up / test ride to find no difference in the vibration so i start the left. I notice there is no play what so ever in the wheel and start to look around. thats when i saw only 3 of the 4 rear drive shaft bolts in place and they were only started by finger. the shaft moved about 1.50". pissed off i tighten the 3 bolts and look around the car alot closer to find several bolts / nuts loose / missing and i was 2 quarts low on oil. keep in mind i have only put like 30 miles on the car since the engine replacement. now the big moment sure the vibration is fixed, all bolts tight, a new right side balll joint and 2 quarts of oil and here i go to fill er up and enjoy wy now 10 week absent truck. i made it 8 miles and BAM!! the f-n motor went again. so its back at the dealer (only one local) and i am waiting for the bull crap excuses. aaah... thanks for listening, somehow i feel better.

[cudaspaz]

Originally Posted by shimsham1

i got a long one but will try to keep it short. i have / love a 2001 hyundai sante fe. i am the original owner. 100,000 trouble free miles. last year the transfer case went, they replaced it free at dealer. driving in the snow 2 days later the alternator went. turned out they didnt put the lower splash guard back on the car. they replaced the alternator free. in sept the #2piston pooped the bed. turns out i opted for the 12 year 120,000 mile warranty on the drive train so the motor was covered and after 8 weeks (yes thats not a typeo) i pick up my beloved car. i go 2 miles feel a heave vibration over 30 mph. go back to a now closed service dept but leave the car anyway. next day get a call that the ball joints are bad that what the vibration was and they want $450.00 to do the lower right and left. i say no thanks and a trip to napa and $60.00 later i'm replacing them in my non heated 18 degree garage. i do the right side (pretty bad shape) go for a warm up / test ride to find no difference in the vibration so i start the left. I notice there is no play what so ever in the wheel and start to look around. thats when i saw only 3 of the 4 rear drive shaft bolts in place and they were only started by finger. the shaft moved about 1.50". pissed off i tighten the 3 bolts and look around the car alot closer to find several bolts / nuts loose / missing and i was 2 quarts low on oil. keep in mind i have only put like 30 miles on the car since the engine replacement. now the big moment sure the vibration is fixed, all bolts tight, a new right side balll joint and 2 quarts of oil and here i go to fill er up and enjoy wy now 10 week absent truck. i made it 8 miles and BAM!! the f-n motor went again. so its back at the dealer (only one local) and i am waiting for the bull crap excuses. aaah... thanks for listening, somehow i feel better.

Holy crap man.

Buy American.

[dusterdon]

Buy American!!!!!!

[Poppabear]

I was working at a shop and a lady came in and needed her
brakes adjusted, while I had it on the rack the service manager came out and looked at the work order and left, came back and said put new brakes on it, I said why there is nothing wrong with these, he said just do it, I told him to kiss my a*s and rolled my tool box out the door and quit (had been there about 2 weeks), the lady ask me why I was quitting and I told her, she did not say anything, to make it short she worked for the state and it was a kind of sting, the shop shut down the next day.

[1968FormulaS340]

Originally Posted by dusterdon

Buy American!!!!!!

What does that have to do with shops ripping people off?

I don't know anyone that ships their car to China every time it needs tires.


You see…… These are AMERICAN shops RIPPING OFF fellow AMERICANS.

[needsaresto]

Originally Posted by 1968FormulaS340

What does that have to do with shops ripping people off?

I don't know anyone that ships their car to China every time it needs tires.


You see…… These are AMERICAN shops RIPPING OFF fellow AMERICANS.

Right.And guess who made the decision to off shore your American jobs to China? Americans.

[ramenth]

Originally Posted by cudaspaz

Holy crap man.

Buy American.

Originally Posted by dusterdon

Buy American!!!!!!

Sorry, guys, the buy American doesn't work in this case. As someone who's worked at a Hyundai garage I will attest to the durability. I will also attest to being witness to one of the best tech's I've ever had the pleasure of working with: Hyundai Gold certified, waiting for the invitation to go Platinum, just a few certifications short on being Ford Master Certified, and previous a lower level, one or two? certified Chrysler tech. All rolled up in the same guy. He was sharp enough that Hyundai was paying to have cars towed from over two hours away for him to work on them.
Hyundai also has one of the best warranty coverages in America. PM bpwordman (Brian), my former boss at the Ford/Mercury/Hyundai garage, and he'll attest to it. He's a former writer/manager at Chevy, Chrysler, Ford, and a few others, too.
Eight weeks for an engine? Shipped from Korea, they come dry. This isn't the fault of the manufacturer, it's the fault of the tech. Loose bolts, low on oil, misdiagnosis. Sorry, can't blame that on any manufacturer, be it Hyundai, Ford, Chrysler. Now, that being said, was proper break in procedure followed for this engine? Four and a half quart system being two quarts low is only half the oil it needs. Tells me that it wasn't broke in at all. It was just broke. Don't blame the manufacturer. Blame the idiot turning the wrench. Too bad this shop didn't have the guy I worked next to. This sounds like one of the shops Hyundai would have paid to bypass.



Back to the original topic, 'spaz. Even when I was at the dealerships, unless it was a customer Brian was dealing with directly, or a customer who wasn't present, I tried to get the service writers involved in how I liked to do things: "show and tell." Bring the customer over, let's show 'em what's going on with the car. Don't be afraid to let the customer look at the bad parts, explain why they are bad, and go from there. My former service writer at the second Ford garage got into the groove with this and started doing it a lot. It builds customer trust.

Unfortunately, though, not everyone is educated for this. As the techs we need to educate our customers to be better equipped and better educated on their vehicles. And better educated on how to spot the crooks when they come along.

Oh, and when it came to buy my wife a car...I'm Ford certified...look at the signature. We got the Hyundai when I was still working at the Ford/Mercury/Hyundai garage.

[cudaspaz]

Wow, summa youz guys getting your panties in a wad over the "Buy American" comment.

If you know me by now, you would have detected my sarcasm.

Easy big fella's....have a drink on me.

[69cudafla]

when i got my roadrunner a few weeks ago it had brand new tires on it yet two dys later the tired was flat. so i took it to get the valve stem replaced, 3 bucks and 15 bucks labor later i recieved back an over inflated tire. went home and put the tire back on. the next mornin it was flat again. i took the tire back to pep boys and told them the valve stem wasn't seated right or i had a slow leak in the tire and if they could check it. they said sure 10 mins later i got back a still flat tire that still had dirt on it, never even got inflated or put in the tank they said i needed a new tire about 90 bucks plus labor. so i took the tire to walmart the guy there, his real name was guy....go figure. inflated it and dunked it in the tank about 5 times and had 2 other technicians come look at it, then gave me my tire back and said they couldn't find anythin wrong with it no bubbles in the tank or nothin. he said he wiggled the valve stem and it might not have been seated right and he didn't charge me a dime for it and told me to come back anytime if it went flat within the next few days and he's check it again.

forget pep boys i'm goin to o'reily from now on for partsgoin to some local mechanics who are true mopar guys

[ramenth]

Originally Posted by cudaspaz

Wow, summa youz guys getting your panties in a wad over the "Buy American" comment.

If you know me by now, you would have detected my sarcasm.

Easy big fella's....have a drink on me.

Wasn't taking offense, 'spaz, just wanted to clear the air. Unfortunately, what I saw of the situation of the mentioned Hyundai has less to do with the manufacturer than with the wrench. We've all met 'em. Guys who get paid good money, but still manage to f*** things up. Comebacks are to be expected, we're all human, but for this many things to be wrong on one car? Bad day at the office? Service writer who kept calling him off the job to do useless, less paying oil changes to the point of distraction? Family problems? Sober? I've been fired from a job over one, count 'em: one comeback, and on a good day I could process 10-15 cars. A little less than ten months I had one comeback. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass, to deal with if you're the customer, but the above questions need to be taken into account sometimes.

Now, your lady customer: she has a right to raise holy hell.

[JackDW]

A few years back, my wife's grandmother had an older bowtie. It started to stumble badly went pulling off and at certain time. Started and idled good just problem when giving it gas. Took it to a dealership several times. They replaced all the expected items including plugs, wires, points (yes it was that old), etc. but she still had the problem and asked if I could look at it. Well the dealer had replaced everything I could think of but I agreed to look. First thing I did was remove the air breather and while takeing off the wing nut, the carburator shook. The problem all along was the bolts had virbrated loose. She spent a lot of money due to two loose bolts.