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View Full Version : Brief Vent about some shops.



Vortech347
03-30-2015, 11:28 AM
Took my car to the tire shop I do all my business exclusively with. I take the Marauder in for a much needed alignment after replacing most of the front suspension components. I give him the specs I want the car set to.

-.3 to .-5 neg camber.
Zero toe
5.5* Caster.

The manager who is a friend of mine and is the reason I take my stuff there brought the sheet and said I was good to go. I check the sheet and its set to Ford specs. -1 camber, 5.5* caster and -.20 toe in. I told him this was not what I wanted, very nicely. He says "lets go redo it really quick" so I walk back with him and talk to the tech while he puts the car back on the rack.

Well, the tech turned into a gigantic ******* after the manager walked away. I asked him if he adjusted the camber bolts as they are often over looked. He told me yes. I looked. OEM lock plates still on them. I said "no, you have to take these plates off". Then he's like "ohhh ok" I turn my back to make a phone call and I hear an air hammer. Yea, he used an air hammer to remove them so my K member has a few lovely buggers in it now. Doesn't effect what it does at all, but still.

Finally adjusts it all to my spec. Then I tell him "Can you please torque the camber bolts to 160-166ftlbs?" He gives me this nasty look and says "air gun fine"

I'm driving home and notice the steering wheel isn't true. **** it. I'll fix it myself I can do it easy with a laser to adjust toe. Then hear a pop. I pull the car up onto my ramps and grab my torque wrench. One side was only about 80ft lbs and the side that popped.....50ft-lbs MAYBE. Took more than a full turn to reach 160ft-lbs.

Seriously my dream garage will have an alignment rack so I don't need to deal with this ****. I should have told him to go take a smoke break while I used the rack.

I talked to the manager and was as nice as I could be about it and he said I can bring it back in. **** that. So the same guy can be an ******* again?

Time to take my business elsewhere.

Mr. Man
03-30-2015, 11:36 AM
Took my car to the tire shop I do all my business exclusively with. I take the Marauder in for a much needed alignment after replacing most of the front suspension components. I give him the specs I want the car set to.

-.3 to .-5 neg camber.
Zero toe
5.5* Caster.

The manager who is a friend of mine and is the reason I take my stuff there brought the sheet and said I was good to go. I check the sheet and its set to Ford specs. -1 camber, 5.5* caster and -.20 toe in. I told him this was not what I wanted, very nicely. He says "lets go redo it really quick" so I walk back with him and talk to the tech while he puts the car back on the rack.

Well, the tech turned into a gigantic ******* after the manager walked away. I asked him if he adjusted the camber bolts as they are often over looked. He told me yes. I looked. OEM lock plates still on them. I said "no, you have to take these plates off". Then he's like "ohhh ok" I turn my back to make a phone call and I hear an air hammer. Yea, he used an air hammer to remove them so my K member has a few lovely buggers in it now. Doesn't effect what it does at all, but still.

Finally adjusts it all to my spec. Then I tell him "Can you please torque the camber bolts to 160-166ftlbs?" He gives me this nasty look and says "air gun fine"

I'm driving home and notice the steering wheel isn't true. **** it. I'll fix it myself I can do it easy with a laser to adjust toe. Then hear a pop. I pull the car up onto my ramps and grab my torque wrench. One side was only about 80ft lbs and the side that popped.....50ft-lbs MAYBE. Took more than a full turn to reach 160ft-lbs.

Seriously my dream garage will have an alignment rack so I don't need to deal with this ****. I should have told him to go take a smoke break while I used the rack.

I talked to the manager and was as nice as I could be about it and he said I can bring it back in. **** that. So the same guy can be an ******* again?

Time to take my business elsewhere.Hope you told your friend the manager that.

Vortech347
03-30-2015, 11:40 AM
Hope you told your friend the manager that.

I did. I told him his mechanic is a liability.

Vortech347
03-30-2015, 11:47 AM
Good news is though with new ball joints, upper control arms, and sway bar end links this car feels fantastic.

Blown3.8
03-30-2015, 12:30 PM
I haven't been able to get a good alignment or tire balance the last few times I have tried. I miss working at the dealership when I could do it myself.

clmrt
03-30-2015, 01:15 PM
I was on my fourth alignment shop and they finally got it right. I feel your pain - I almost posted my own rant but decided not to.

1st - Argue about stock camber flags, fine whatever, inside edge wear continued
2nd - Yeah we can do alignments - pop from underneath - "no I didn't torque it, just tightened it real good"
3rd - "I don't want to deal with a lowered car" while shop is full of hot rods - WTF
4th - No problem

2,4shofast
03-30-2015, 02:12 PM
Please text me where you took it to, I don't want to make the same mistake!

HotRaud90
03-30-2015, 07:16 PM
I had the same problem with a Ford dealership down my way. Gave them specs, had the tech remove the flags from the camber bolts, even had him try again...still didn't get it to proper alignment specs, claimed it just wouldn't torque down any more. Still ended up with more camber than I wanted. A lot of others recommend just going ahead and getting SPC camber bolts that allow for a much easier adjustment. That's what I plan on next time I need an alignment.

sailsmen
03-30-2015, 07:31 PM
For 7 years I went to the same Tire Kingdom. They all knew the Marauder and the manager would always recognize me.
There were several things they did for me that they would not normally do. Then the manager was gone and every time I went there an entire new crew, ummmm?
I asked and looked around and found a particular Firestone where the techs are very professional and the managers are customer oriented. I put Firestone brand tires on the other vehicles we own and for those cars they are excellent.
I found this Firestone by looking at the Tire Rack ratings and other online ratings.
Here is the point good shops can go bad point and there are good shops out there.