Auto repair: Get a 2nd opinion

[Glenn]

I had a bit of a clunk when steering on my Jeep. I couldn't issolate it and didn't have the time to fix it, so I brought it to a local shop. I do about 99% of the work on that vehicle myself, but some things I just don't have the resources to do in my garage after work. Turns out, it was an end link on the drag link...got it fixed, all was well. But my steering wheel was now at 10 o'clock. I brought it to an alignment shop I've used in the past. They brough me back to "show me" why they couldn't align it. They claimed the outter driver's tie rod end was loose and wiggled the wheel a bit. "See this?"

Now, this is a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The last of the "real" Jeeps if you will...old school steering linkage...two solid axles. It's very beefy vehicle, but it's not precise and tight like our Audi. Stuff wiggles on it...that's how it rolls.

These guys hand me an estimate for $300. I almost shat. $90 for the end link. Really? $90? The most expensive I saw online was close to $50. I understand making a few bucks on parts...but that's nuts.

So I brought it back to the guy who did the drag link end link. He called "BS"...according to him, everything else was fine. Gave me the number to a small local Ford dealership and who to talk to.

I brought the Jeep there yesterday. For $76 I had the Jeep aligned and steering wheel straightened out. I saved just under $250. Unreal. I can't stand dishonesty. I feel bad for folks who just trust what a service advisor tells them as gospel. How do these guys sleep at night?

 

[o3jeff]

Dealers suck, period. I am in the process of battling it out with Acura with a problem a car I bought 5 weeks ago has had since day one which they assured me they will take care of. 5 trips to the service department in 5 weeks and numerous new sets of tire and re-balancing the car still vibrates at highway speed. Now, mysteriously they claim they do not feel it and that it is just "road feel" and is perfectly acceptable, but will not let me test drive it with them. Brought it to two private garages that feel it along with a lawyer that feels it. After researching some of the Acura forums a little more this is a common problem with this vehicle and what people have found that fixes this has been replacing the axels/driveshafts which I am sure is not and easy/cheap fix.

Waiting for Acura Corporate to call me this morning to let me know what they are going to do.

Sorry for the hijack Glenn

 

[bvibert]

Unreal. I can't stand dishonesty. I feel bad for folks who just trust what a service advisor tells them as gospel. How do these guys sleep at night?

That's a big part of why I do all the work on our cars myself. Even if I know they're full of crap I don't have patience to deal with the games.

I'll be doing ball joints on my wife's Blazer this weekend. I'm not really looking forward to bringing it to the alignment place after the job is done... I've been tempted to do alignments myself just to save myself the headache, but in the right hands those alignment systems can do a much better job than I could with some string, a tape measure, and a level.

When I was just out of high school I had the VW GTI I had at the time aligned at a chain tire place. During the course of the alignment they managed to unscrew the inner tie-rod end from the steering rack almost all the way. A day or two later the tie-rod came completely off as I was driving aggressively through a set of s-turns. Suddenly I went from starting to turn right into the last turn to heading straight into on coming traffic with a mysteriously locked up tire. Luckily I was able to keep it in my lane with the one remaining operational front tire. Once the road straightened out the wheel came back in line and drove fine... until the next corner, where I was able to find a nice church parking lot to stop at. Definitely a hair raising experience.

 

[crank]

I've learned to always get a second opinion. I've had dealerships try to rip me off as well as cheapo tire and brakes places.

1999 Psaat - we got it used and it was nothing but problems. Took it to the dealer one time when the radio would not power and the brake light was on. They told me the radio was shot and I needed a new brake controller computer. I said you sure there isn't a reset button behind the radio?

Took it to my local guy. Radio- reset, circuit breaker button on the back. Brake computer - sa,e. reset button. Cost me $50 instead of over $1500.00

Took my old Nissan Quest van into a low budget tire and brake chain near work to get the brakes done and they tried to sell me new rotors, calipers, the works. Took it to my Nissan dealer and they turned the rotors and put new pads in.

Ya can't trust anyone. Sucks.

 

[Glenn]

This alignment place was a local, private kind of shop. That's why the potential "rip off" surprised me a bit. I got the best deal at a small Ford dealership in the town I work in. It was irony at it's best.

I've had horrible luck with the chain tire stores. I had to bring my wife's car back 3 times to get aligned years ago. Also, their ballancing machines never seem calibrated and any time you go over 70mph, shakeshakeshakeshake....

 

[drjeff]

I had a bit of a clunk when steering on my Jeep. I couldn't issolate it and didn't have the time to fix it, so I brought it to a local shop. I do about 99% of the work on that vehicle myself, but some things I just don't have the resources to do in my garage after work. Turns out, it was an end link on the drag link...got it fixed, all was well. But my steering wheel was now at 10 o'clock. I brought it to an alignment shop I've used in the past. They brough me back to "show me" why they couldn't align it. They claimed the outter driver's tie rod end was loose and wiggled the wheel a bit. "See this?"

Now, this is a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The last of the "real" Jeeps if you will...old school steering linkage...two solid axles. It's very beefy vehicle, but it's not precise and tight like our Audi. Stuff wiggles on it...that's how it rolls.

These guys hand me an estimate for $300. I almost shat. $90 for the end link. Really? $90? The most expensive I saw online was close to $50. I understand making a few bucks on parts...but that's nuts.

So I brought it back to the guy who did the drag link end link. He called "BS"...according to him, everything else was fine. Gave me the number to a small local Ford dealership and who to talk to.

I brought the Jeep there yesterday. For $76 I had the Jeep aligned and steering wheel straightened out. I saved just under $250. Unreal. I can't stand dishonesty. I feel bad for folks who just trust what a service advisor tells them as gospel. How do these guys sleep at night?

I read that as the 1st round is on you this weekend :beer: :lol:

 

[Glenn]

I read that as the 1st round is on you this weekend :beer: :lol:

LMAO! I can't really argue with that logic! I'll be all fired up from skiing too. :flag:

 

[darent]

Dealers suck, period. I am in the process of battling it out with Acura with a problem a car I bought 5 weeks ago has had since day one which they assured me they will take care of. 5 trips to the service department in 5 weeks and numerous new sets of tire and re-balancing the car still vibrates at highway speed. Now, mysteriously they claim they do not feel it and that it is just "road feel" and is perfectly acceptable, but will not let me test drive it with them. Brought it to two private garages that feel it along with a lawyer that feels it. After researching some of the Acura forums a little more this is a common problem with this vehicle and what people have found that fixes this has been replacing the axels/driveshafts which I am sure is not and easy/cheap fix.

Waiting for Acura Corporate to call me this morning to let me know what they are going to do.

Sorry for the hijack Glenn

when going along at highway speed does it vibrate when you accelerate and stop when you back off the throttle, if this is the case and you have a FWD car check the CV joints, both inner and outer

 

[skijay]

I dislike it when I am at the service department and I am explaining to the service adviser that my vehicle has a timing chain and not a timing belt. If you work for a service department at least know your products. I avoid a local Toyota dealer near me after the following:

1. Told me the Scion needed a brake shim kit to correct a clicking noise. Not covered under warranty. I paid $75 for a diagnosis charge. Did not get it fixed and went for a second opinion. I go to Bxxxxe Scion and the problem was a clasp on the wheel cover. Nothing was wrong with the brakes. No charge. I did get a refund after some emails to the general manager of the local dealship.

2. Local Toyota dealer can not determine if the antenna on the 2010 Toyota Corolla S is for satellite radio. You sell and service the car and you can not tell me if there is a satellite radio antenna under the casing or if it is dummy cover??? Just so you know the 2010 Corolla (all models) are pre-wired for satellite radio - the antenna is there from the factory and the wiring harness to tap into for the tuner box is in the trunk. I had to get this from Bxxxxe Toyota - because the local dealer could not answer the question.

3. I need oil filters for the 2010 Corolla S. Service Department at local Toyota dealer - the 2010 Corolla uses the same filter as the 2006 Scion xA. Basically it is the same filter for almost all Toyota models.
WRONG: I was sold the old screw on filters, for 2010 the Corolla uses a paper type element. The parts guy got them back and I also received a $50 gift card after an email to general manager reminding him of problem 1 and told about problem 2 and also this current issue.

Love the Toyota products but sometimes a dealership can turn you away from the entire product line with their stupidity. If this was my only dealership to choose from, I would be driving something else!

 

[jaja111]

Monday - Father has a 2004 Ford Exploder with a 4x4 light on the dash blinking intermittently. Service shop who looked at the truck, on a lift, diagnoses problem as four wheel drive module ($400 plus an hour at $90) plus, possibly, a new solenoid at the transfer case ($200 plus two hours labor). 15 minutes under the truck in my garage and a very obvious 12-14 gauge black wire is hanging from the wiring harness to the solenoid with what appears to be a broken eyelet connector on the end of it. Ground was reattached and issue resolved in another 20 minutes.

That shop would have had him for almost a $1000 if he'd said okay fix it. There must be some reputable people out there, but the crooks just destroy it for everyone.

 

[darent]

Monday - Father has a 2004 Ford Exploder with a 4x4 light on the dash blinking intermittently. Service shop who looked at the truck, on a lift, diagnoses problem as four wheel drive module ($400 plus an hour at $90) plus, possibly, a new solenoid at the transfer case ($200 plus two hours labor). 15 minutes under the truck in my garage and a very obvious 12-14 gauge black wire is hanging from the wiring harness to the solenoid with what appears to be a broken eyelet connector on the end of it. Ground was reattached and issue resolved in another 20 minutes.

That shop would have had him for almost a $1000 if he'd said okay fix it. There must be some reputable people out there, but the crooks just destroy it for everyone.

their are many parts replacers, but so few mechanics!!

 

[o3jeff]

when going along at highway speed does it vibrate when you accelerate and stop when you back off the throttle, if this is the case and you have a FWD car check the CV joints, both inner and outer

No, it's a continuous vibration when cruising between 70-80, by no means does it chatter my teeth, it's slight but it is annoying.

 

[bigbog]

... But my steering wheel was now at 10 o'clock.

Don't think this has any significance....at the other end of multiple subsystems...imho.

These guys hand me an estimate for $300. I almost shat. $90 for the end link. Really? $90? The most expensive I saw online was close to $50. I understand making a few bucks on parts...but that's nuts.

Just "Original Jeep parts" ...my guess, same with every brand... same type of examples with my Xterra....think it's industry-wide = why it really does help(IF we have the time!) to keep abreast of the 3rd party part developments.

....I brought the Jeep there yesterday. For $76 I had the Jeep aligned and steering wheel straightened out. I saved just under $250. Unreal. I can't stand dishonesty. I feel bad for folks who just trust what a service advisor tells them as gospel. How do these guys sleep at night?

The new world = troubleshoot yourself beforehand to save $$$. So much for making life easy....:roll:

 

[darent]

No, it's a continuous vibration when cruising between 70-80, by no means does it chatter my teeth, it's slight but it is annoying.

I'm sure that you have balanced your tires, you might try rotating your tires to see if it stops, did they balance rear tires? sure sounds like a balance problem, tires or a shaft.

 

[campgottagopee]

Dealers suck, period. I am in the process of battling it out with Acura with a problem a car I bought 5 weeks ago has had since day one which they assured me they will take care of. 5 trips to the service department in 5 weeks and numerous new sets of tire and re-balancing the car still vibrates at highway speed. Now, mysteriously they claim they do not feel it and that it is just "road feel" and is perfectly acceptable, but will not let me test drive it with them. Brought it to two private garages that feel it along with a lawyer that feels it. After researching some of the Acura forums a little more this is a common problem with this vehicle and what people have found that fixes this has been replacing the axels/driveshafts which I am sure is not and easy/cheap fix.

Waiting for Acura Corporate to call me this morning to let me know what they are going to do.

Sorry for the hijack Glenn

Hey now!!!!

 

[campgottagopee]

their are many parts replacers, but so few mechanics!!

This.........is true

 

[tjf67]

Hey now!!!!

Little late. What you go on vaca or something?

 

[skijay]

When I owned a Saturn I purchased 4 all season tires at the Saturn dealership & they mounted and balanced them.

I drove on the highway and had a vibration in the steering wheel at highway speeds. I bring it back and they balanced them again this time with a different machine.

Vibration still there. I explained to them that there was no problem prior to the new tires. They looked at the car and basically was trying to tell me that I may need bushings or something like that.

I decided to take the car to Firestone, where I should have bought the tires in the first place. They fixed the problem. The tires were directional and they were mounted incorrectly.

Once re-installed and balanced the vibration was gone. If you have a vibration in the steering wheel, after new tires check to see if they are mounted correctly if they can not seem to find and fix the problem.

 

[campgottagopee]

Little late. What you go on vaca or something?

Yessir---twas killing deerz

 

[hammer]

That's a big part of why I do all the work on our cars myself. Even if I know they're full of crap I don't have patience to deal with the games.

I don't have the talent or the time to do work on my cars...and on newer models there's a lot more to know. Only thing I can do is consult the internet mechanic before I go to the shop/dealer so that I'm not completely clueless.

Also, I've had good and bad experiences at shops and dealers. Main complaint I have at dealers is that they charge too much...but for certain types of problems one needs specific make/model expertise so they are the best option.