Am I getting ripped off? (Mechanic Tips Thread) - Page 4

mattw · #31 07-12-2006, 02:17 PM

dont drive on an out of round tire. the price of 4 tires is not worth the risk.

Shajen · #32 07-12-2006, 02:24 PM

basco,

don't take this the wrong way, but if you continue to go back to this place, you're retarded.

They are taking you for a serious ride dude. Go somewhere else. Talk to your friends, family, search the web for places people deem dependable.

GL

djoyce003 · #33 07-12-2006, 02:26 PM

If I had to guess here, I'd just say that the tire isn't balanced....it's probably not even out of round.

My advice, go to discount tire or somewhere else that is a tire expert and let them have a look at it...I think it's fairly evident that these guys are morons. I'd quit going here even for oil changes...it's not out of the realm of possibility that they are breakin stuff.

basco · #34 07-12-2006, 02:33 PM

Shajen - agreed.

After the third post in this thread I was never going to buy more than an oil change from them. I know my previous actions were borderline retarded. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Shajen · #35 07-12-2006, 02:35 PM

basco,

they would never get another dime from me. Go elsewhere for your oil changes too.

stan1541 · #36 07-12-2006, 03:09 PM

Find a nice Honda Dealship if you really want good service. I have found that if you go to a dealer with a real problem, they will be more expensive, but they will fix the problem, fix it right and won't screw you by making up other "problems"

Other than that, go with Pep Boys, or Midas, Firestone or some national chain. Again, you may pay more, but you don't have to worry about quality or getting shafted.

If you don't know alot about cars, it shows to any mechanic. If the mechanic is working for a living, he will try to get you to do everything he can think of. The guy at the dealer or national chain gets paid by the hour, so he doesn't need to make up problems.

Also, Check BBB on your dealer, you can find a lot of shady buisnesses there.

punkass · #37 07-12-2006, 03:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Other than that, go with Pep Boys, or Midas, Firestone or some national chain. Again, you may pay more, but you don't have to worry about quality or getting shafted.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is false.

dc_publius · #38 07-12-2006, 03:45 PM

You're a young guy and you will make these mistakes. I know I made the same mistakes when I first got my motorcycles/car. Unless you're making a ton of money you need to figure how to do some of these things yourself, and spot the times when you don't need to do anything.

Firstly, look into your owner's manual. There will be a maitenance schedule in the back. This chart is conservative. It tells you when you need to check/clean/replace what. If your mechanic deviates from this schedule and tells you to replace stuff earlier/more often, he is probably screwing you.

Secondly, you should get a shop manual and a basic toolset. The manual will have step by step instructions (with pictures) for basic tasks. Mechanics charge $50/hour in labor and they are generous with their estimates. It is an easy way to save money for basic tasks when things need to get done.

Basically, all the stuff you bought was almost certainly unneeded so you blew $240 on nothing. How many big blinds is that for you? (For me, it's alot)

At best some of that stuff needed to be replaced, but if you looked into it and unbolted a few screws yourself, you would've saved all the labor costs and probably some of the (overpriced) parts costs.

adios · #39 07-12-2006, 04:10 PM

They're scamming you IMO. Get your oil changed somewhere else. It's costing you a needless fortune. As others have stated you can get the battery checked to see it holds a charge. The dirty brake fluid sounds suspicious as well. On the tire thing take other posters advice. Go to someplace like Big O or something and they can probably do an alignment cheaper if you need one.

Also I try and not use one mechanic believe it or not. I used a guy for a long time. A clutch wore out on a vehicle I had about 10 years ago. After he changed the clutch when the temperature got hot the clutch wouldn't engage. I took it into him about 4 times and on the last time he stated that he'd have to charge me if I brought in a 5th time. Again my clutch went on the fritz when the temperature outside got hot enough. A friend recommended another mechanic. I took his recommendtion and went. I thought that the car would be for a day at least. By the time I got back from lunch my friends mechanic said the car was ready and it would be $35. Apparently my long time mechanic had put part of the clutch pedal on backwards. Needlessly to say I've never returned to my long time mechanic.

pirateboy · #40 07-12-2006, 04:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Other than that, go with Firestone . Again, you may pay more, but you don't have to worry about quality or getting shafted.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, depends.

When I lived in Knoxville, my parents purchased me a brand new set of tires that I went to Sears to have put on. I also needed my free brake pads from Firestone, so I drove 15 miles (FIFTEEN MILES) to Firestone, and as the guy checks my car out, he says,

"Looks like your tires are worn. Want to look at some new ones?"

Good game sir.